Safety and Security Officer

SAFETY AND SECURITY OFFICER

Reports to Director                      Somali Program

Technical line management       Global Security Team

Key working relationships          Area Managers, Logistics, Admin

Hello Hello! Alight is recruiting a Safety and Security Officer for our Horn of Africa – Somali Program based at 40% Mogadishu, 30% Kismayo and 30% Hargeisa. You’re interested in joining us? Welcome, we’re happy you’re here!

If you join us, you will find...

A team with deep experience in co-designing solutions that create new value around the world. We know we need to always be better, and we believe in the power and abundance of everyday people, everywhere, to change the world with us.

A culture of radical accountability to our customers –as we help build a meaningful life for and with the displaced, we ask them what they want and then deliver on it.

Alight is an international non-profit organization with its headquarters located in the United States. Alight has provided humanitarian assistance to millions of beneficiaries in 29 countries over the past 40 years, currently reaching over 10 million refugees, IDPs, and disaster-affected communities in 17 countries around the world, helping people regain control of their lives after conflict and natural disasters. Alight maintains full- fledged humanitarian programs in Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, Thailand, and Myanmar

Alight focuses on lifesaving humanitarian interventions as well as recovery and resilience building programs designed to create lasting positive change in the lives of vulnerable people. Alight works closely with displaced persons, returnees, refugees, and communities affected by natural and man-made disasters, providing a range of integrated assistance including primary and curative health care, water and sanitation, protection services, restoration of strategic health and water infrastructure, dignified housing for returning refugees, and sustainable job creation. Alight has also built strong relationships with development partners, agencies, as well as federal and local governments to approach challenges in an inclusive and holistic manner and come up with innovative solutions that best fits the local context.

The post holder serves as the Country Safety and Security focal person.  S/he supports the Director of Somalia with the safety and security management aspect including but not limited to building acceptance in the communities we work with, monitoring of early warning indicators, contingency planning, and preparedness; and to implement and constantly review the effectiveness of the approved Safety and Security Management Plan for the country and field offices. 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Assess and regularly monitor security and safety situation in the field offices to determine appropriate action; maintain a network for exchange of reliable information on-the-ground situation;  ensure safety and security standards are observed in the office, vehicles and project activity sites; lead in preparedness and execution of safety and security procedures from staff security briefings to evacuation; submit incident reports; and manage day to day security including tracking of movements of staff and visitors and provide updated and consolidated information to the senior management. 

In close coordination with the Director, Somali Program, s/he helps to ensure the safety and security of staff and visitors to the area of assignment; program operations are conducted within Safety & Security guidelines, and risks are managed if not reduced or eliminated.  Specific areas of work will include: 

1.       Security Situation Monitoring:

a)       Assess and monitor security situations through coordination with other actors and secondary information and always determine appropriate security threat level.

b)      Help build and maintain a reliable network for safety & security information within ALIGHT and with other actors, INSO, UNDSS, and other NGOs and all other relevant stakeholders.

c)       Submit a security updates (situation analysis, actions taken, actions recommended) on a regular basis. 

2.       Daily Safety & Security Management

Lead staff in preparedness for and effective execution of Safety & Security Management plans based on security level and authorized instructions including.

a)       Ensuring protocols and procedures are in place in the event of a security incident. This must include clear actions for both field and office-based staff, during office and out-of-office hours, and include identification of evacuation routes, and roles and responsibilities of staff.

b)      Support in the rolling out and enhanced understanding of these plans amongst all staff including all-staff briefings and individual briefings.

c)       Monitoring staff movement including limiting or restricting movement on location and time, accounting for staff movements and providing updated overviews of daily movements activities.

d)      Maintaining an overview of all visitors to the field office, including contact information and residence.

e)      Maintaining an overview of the residence and whereabouts of all ALIGHT staff, including those travelling between field bases and or leaving the country.

f)        Communications monitoring including maintaining communications tree and communications tools including satellite phones.

g)       Checking on suitability of buildings including the office and field-site locations, including health and safety requirements of the office, such as fire extinguishers, first aid kits for both office and vehicles, and emergency exits. Ensure recommendations are implemented.

3.       Maintaining standards

With the guidance of the Global Security Team, ensure that safety and security standards and policies are consistently observed, particularly with relation to facilities and designated staff houses and hotels and vehicular safety. This will also require working closely with the programmes and support teams, particularly Logistics.

4.       Situation and Incident Reporting

Support the Somalia Director and others as relevant in the event of a situation/incident including but not limited to near misses, actual or attempted: threat of or physical attack or assault; theft; vehicle accident; arrest; threat of harm to staff or property, injury, and or death. Support in the collection of information and documentation for incident reports, which are to be submitted to the Global Security Team within 24 hours of the incident.

5.       These roles are not exhaustive but indicative and the post holder may be assigned additional roles as and when necessary.

Qualifications

·       Degree in Public administration, criminal justice, security management or related field

·       Previous experience in implementing and managing safety and security situations for large groups of staff.

·       Can work well in highly stressful situations.

·       Responsible and thorough when following processes.

·       Ability to communicate well with diverse teams in written and spoken languages.

·       Computer literate and adept in the use of MS Offices packages.

·       Highly organized, with good attention to detail and developed ability to prioritize multiple tasks to meet tight deadlines and organize work.

·       Team player, good at building cross-team relationships.

·       Previous experience of working for an NGO is desirable and more so in Somali Peninsula context.

Key Behaviors and Abilities:

·       Understanding of the relevant laws and statutory requirements.

·       Good communication and interpersonal skills

·       Wide knowledge of NGO operations and the dynamics of the humanitarian sector

·       A strong administrative service orientation

·       Excellent coordination and communication skills

·       Should have good documentation and dissemination/presentation skills

·       Should be able to live, work and travel in an insecure environment, always following strict security guidelines.

·       Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and ability to work in a multicultural environment.

·       High level of confidentiality and integrity.

·       Experience working under high pressure, in fast-paced environments.

·       Strong service orientation with the ability to proactively approach staff to understand their needs and to find effective solutions.

·       Strong organizational skills and ability to handle multiple priorities in an autonomous manner.

How to apply

Interested and qualified candidates can submit a 1-page motivation/cover letter and an updated CV with three references (2-4 pages) to Alight [email protected] before Oct 25th, 2023, COB. Applications would be reviewed on a rolling basis.