Access and Security Manager for NES and Iraq

Country Programme: North East Syria

Base: Raqqa, North East Syria (NES) with regular travels in NES and to Erbil

Line Manager: Country Director for NES

Starting date: listopad/prosinec 2023.

About PIN:

People in Need (PIN) delivers assistance in Northern Syria addressing the needs of IDPs and hosting communities in several sectors such as food security, livelihoods, shelter, protection mainstreaming, education and WASH. PIN is a well-established organization in NES with several field offices, direct implementation and more than 300 employees. PIN’s contribution to the Syria humanitarian response is amongst the largest, with an annual turnover of over USD 20 million and funding from humanitarian donors including ECHO, BHA, DG NEAR SDC.

General Position summary:

Access and Security Manager for North East Syria and Iraq is responsible for overseeing access, security and safety of all staff and premises and supports the Country Director (CD) on clearly identifying priorities, envisioned actions and managing key safety and security hazards within complex humanitarian environment. The Manager is expected to provide balanced and well-informed analysis to complement local perspectives and to ensure risks are identified, mitigated and monitored. They will support and develop Security and Access team’s capacities in ensuring all safety and security measures are in place, regularly revised and in line with the Country Programme checklist/PIN Global Policies. The Manager will be guiding the team in readiness, preparedness, contingencies and in the event of a major security incident they will provide base of operation, advice and support to country management structures.

Access and Security Manager will directly report to the Country Director for NES and regularly attend Senior Management Team and Core Senior Management Team meetings and directly manage Security and Access Team in NES. The position also supports Iraq Country Director (20% of the time) to promote awareness of the context and risks, to provide advice on non-work travel within KRI, ensure that exposure to risk for both work and non-work travel remains within acceptable limits and oversees safety and security for expats based in Iraqi Kurdistan (KRI).

Duties and responsibilities:

Provide timely, accurate and balanced analysis, reporting and assessment (20%)

• Develop and maintain comprehensive, detailed understanding of local and regional developments in the political and socio-economic context. Highlight relevant trends or events to Senior Management Staff. Provide advice to the Country Directors on the (potential) impact of these trends, on operations and programming to enable design and implement measures to mitigate potential risk;
• Build and maintain information network on the ground to be able to provide verified information, data and early warnings, especially with relevant counterparts at INSO, NES Forum and key (I)NGOs. Participate in relevant safety and security coordination meetings at a country or regional level;
• Support the team in developing regular access & safety reports and keep updated relevant area- specific risks assessments, with detailed focus on analysis and impact analysis;
• Providing inputs, feedback and comments related to safety, security and access during project design, proposal development, strategic reviews or regular contextual analysis. Ensures inclusion of Security/Access department in the project design stage;
• Acting as focal point for deconflicting mechanisms and MEDEVACS;
• Provides basic inductions to new international staff based in NES on current security trends, contextual and cultural background;
• Liaising with training providers for HEAT or similar.

Developing, reviewing and implementing safety, security and access documentation/processes (40%)

• In coordination with other key staff ensure the completion, regular revision and execution of required safety and security documentation, including security management plans, checklists, and SOPs, in particularly Security Management Plans (SMP) – Standard Operational Procedures, Contingency Plan, Relocation/Evacuation plan, Risk Matrix, Medical Plan, Communication Tree, Contextualized protocol for the management of sexual violence incidents, and Red lines document;
• Supporting the development of access protocol for NES staff to KRI;
• Carry out Security Audits to ensure adherence to regional and global PIN requirements based on the Country Programme checklist;
• Revise and standardise processes and reporting tools across NES (in terms of security incident reporting for example);
• Revise existing security assessment documents, such as Security Assessments or Site Security Assessments;
• Ensuring that all documents and relevant, are updated and accessible through SharePoint;
• Assessing the current state and quality of PIN’s premises (Guesthouses, offices, Vocational Centres and
• Temporary Learning Centres).

Team Coordination and Capacity Development (20%)

• Providing guidance and support to Security Manager and the Security and Access Team;
• Monitor staff training and ensure new and existing staff meet organizational training requirements in the area of safety and security;
• Responsible for planning, preparation and implementation of capacity building, personal development plan and trainings of Security and Access team related to access, safety and security with priority focus on early warning mechanisms and communication lines, security analysis, reporting;
• Follow up on security budgeting and financial tracking in line with strategic priorities, needs and considering future proposal development;
• Support the Country Director and guide Security/Access team with the new regional set up in Deir – e- Zor governorate, be it security assessment, team structure, identifying needs, particular movement or office arrangements, contextual understanding and briefing relevant departments on local specifics;
• Coordinate with Programme Director and Country Director in developing clear processes in regards to targeting and entering new geographical areas, especially for purposes of immediate emergency response;

Incidents and Crisis Management (10%)

• Provide inputs and support for major relocation and evacuation in case decisions are done through decision of Crisis Management Team (CMT);
• Supporting team’s readiness, preparedness and putting all contingencies in place as per the relevant guidelines, contingency plans and SOPs;
• Responsible for early warnings, incidents reporting system, incidents follow up and lessons learned and recording incidents in IRT (Incident Reporting Tool);
• Responsible for ensuring the incident Logbook is created and adequately updated and archived when appropriate;

Other duties as required (10%)

• Close coordination especially with Programme Director, Head of Operations, Communications and Advocacy staff; Finance staff (with regard to budgeting for safety/security related matters); Logistics staff (for movements).

Minimum requirements

Academic background: University Degree in Political, Social Sciences or any other related field.

Desirable: HEAT or similar certificate and/or Humanitarian negotiation principles certificate preferred.

Language: Excellent written and spoken English. Arabic is an asset.

Computer requirements: Office pack user level. Dataset management and mapping software skills desirable.

Experience

At least 3 years in senior security management or advisory positions, or similar, for INGOs in highly volatile conflict environment, preferably in similar contexts.

Competence profile

• Excellent communication, networking and interpersonal skills.
• Capacity to remain calm under pressure not losing sight of strategic priorities.
• High level of responsibility, professionalism and flexibility.
• Cultural awareness and adaptability.
• Understanding of the humanitarian principles and the international humanitarian law.
• Strong organizational and time management capacity.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Self-motivation and capacity to work under pressure and with limited management oversight.
• Alignment with principles, values, mission and ethics of the organization. Strict compliance with the safety protocols stablished for the country and PIN mission.

What we offer:

• Salary on PIN salary scale 2850 EUR + 1350 EUR Subsistance allowance + 400 EUR Hardship allowance
• Accommodation in PIN’s guesthouse on PIN’s expenses;
• 25 days of paid leave annually;
• Reimbursement of travel expenses with travel to the country of residence once per every 6 months of completed work;
• Reimbursement of travel expenses with travel to the country of residence once per every 6 months of completed work, plus additional R&R leave days per annum and a contribution towards an additional quarterly flight for 8 weeks spent inside NES).
• Reimbursement of the costs of visas and vaccinations; assistance with visa application procedure;
• Free 24/7 medical helpdesk and psychological consultation available online;
• Reimbursement of the medical check-up before and after the deployment;
• Travel health insurance;
• Hostile Environment Awareness Training
• In addition, team of dedicated colleagues who foster friendly and fair work atmosphere