ACT Alliance Humanitarian Security Advisor – Ukraine Appeal

Duty station: Lviv or Kyiv, Ukraine, hosted by Hungarian Interchurch Aid

Duration: 12 months renewable

Worktime: 100% FTE

Languages: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; good knowledge of Ukrainian, Russian and/or and other relevant European languages is a strong asset

Experience: At least 5 years in humanitarian security and conflict settings

Travel: Regular displacement to field locations in Ukraine and surrounding countries, and occasional to Geneva

About ACT Alliance

ACT Alliance is the world’s largest coalition of Protestant and Orthodox churches and church-related organisations engaged in humanitarian, development and advocacy work. It consists of 144 members working together in over 120 countries, with headquarters in 73 countries, whose aim is to create a positive and sustainable change in the lives of poor and marginalised people regardless of their religion, politics, gender, sexual orientation, race or nationality in keeping with the highest international codes and standards. 64% of our members are headquartered in the Global South, 30% in the Global North, and 6% are Global members. For more details about the general work of ACT, please refer to http://www.actalliance.org/.

About Hungarian Church Aid Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HiA) is a community that provides those in need or crisis with efficient assistance through the power of unity. Our main objective is to facilitate the integration of families seeking a way out of poverty. In our international operations, we work with local partners to ensure adequacy with real community needs. HiA is one of the implementing organisations of the ACT Ukraine Appeal.

Major functions To facilitate the safe implementation of ACT Alliance Appeal programming within Ukraine (UKR221) and effective Security Risk Management in line with the ACT Alliance Safety & Security Guidelines (2018) See: https://www.act-security.org/resources-p184.aspx

To support the ACT Alliance appeal for Ukraine through the provision of information, project and incident management and to provide safety and security advice and briefings for ACT Alliance staff being deployed to visit or work inside Ukraine. This role will require short notice travel inside Ukraine to update security risk assessments and to organise trainings.

The incumbent will be responsible for the duties detailed below and may also carry out other duties as reasonably required.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Facilitate the safe and secure implementation of all activities in Ukraine carried out by ACT Alliance members (participating in the ACT Appeal) including HiA.

   1. Support all field visits by staff, volunteers and visitors through trip planning, fleet support, and communications.
   2. Ensure live awareness of the location of all staff and visitors in country at all times.
   3. Develop and update security SOPs for ACT Alliance.
   4. Assist members in the development of their Safety and Security Field Manuals and SOPs for Ukraine, providing an assessment and review function.
   5. Provide weekly, or more frequently when required, security and safety updates to relevant staff and management, to support timely decision-making.
   6. Carry out all security briefings for staff, volunteers and visitors or ensure that they are carried out by delegated trained persons.
   7. Support the identification of appropriate accommodation, office spaces, and bunkers for all international staff, as well as national staff deployed outside of their home city.

2. Support the security and safety capacity of all national and international staff, contracted staff and volunteers working on the ACT Ukraine Appeal.

   1. Carry out or facilitate the security training of drivers.
   2. Carry out or facilitate the security training of all national and international staff ensuring that all staff have up to date training.
   3. Carry out or facilitate regular first aid training with all national and international staff.
   4. Carry out live risk assessments and adjust staff movements appropriately, providing live monitoring as required.
   5. Facilitate evacuation and internal relocation as needed.

3. Coordination in Ukraine

   1. Actively coordinate with HiA, ACT Alliance and ACT Alliance member security focal points.
   2. Actively coordinate with ACT member organisations’ security focal points through the ACT Security Group (ASG) and/or other internal mechanisms.
   3. Work with ACT and HiA senior management to identify staff welfare issues and solutions.
   4. Develop and share weekly briefs for ACT, HiA and ACT member staff, consolidating all security reports across the country from other actors.

4. Security incident management

   1. Oversee security incident tracking, handling and reporting, ensuring management of security incidents together with appropriate management structures.
   2. Support ACT members on security incident reporting to ensure that information is shared in real time.
   3. Coordinate the analysis and review of incident reports, identifying lessons to be learnt.
   4. Respond to all security incidents and update staff and managers as appropriate.

5. Internal and External engagement

6. 1. Maintain a close working relationship with ACT Alliance and the ASG to ensure effective security management across the ACT member organisations.
   2. Subject-matter expert at working groups, Emergency Task Force and other key meetings.
   3. Represent ACT Alliance and the ASG at external inter-agency security meetings and events related to Ukraine.

Competences and behaviours:

• Demonstrable experience of cross-cultural sensitivity and diversity awareness.
• Committed to the values of the ACT Alliance and takes pride in delivering on agreed priorities according to the highest standards individually and as part of a global team.
• Prioritizes and manages own workload to meet multiple competing priorities.
• Flexible but evidence-based approach to accommodate needs of the team and group.
• Open and able to adapt to change.
• Able to maintain confidentiality and gain the confidence of others.

Working relationships:

• Reports to the ACT Alliance Director of Operations and HIA Country Director.
• Strong engagement with the ACT Security Group (ASG) members.
• Close collaboration with security staff and management in ACT member organisations and with other relevant external partners.

Experience:

• Extensive (5+ years) experience of providing dynamic security support in humanitarian and/or conflict settings.
• Previous experience in, and up to date knowledge of, the current geo-political issues in Ukraine and surrounding countries.
• Significant experience in supporting national and international staff to deliver programmes safely and securely.
• Significant demonstrable experience in first aid, ideally with training experience and qualifications.
• Experience in the humanitarian sector and knowledge of the humanitarian imperative.
• Experience in PSEAH and Safeguarding.

Skills/knowledge:

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in social sciences, international politics, management, or a related security field.
• Up-to-date knowledge of current thinking and trends in security management in the humanitarian sector.
• Knowledge of personal security and safety issues affecting humanitarian personnel.
• Knowledge of Humanitarian security approach and management procedures.
• Knowledge of defensive driving and capacity to support others in this.
• Knowledge of Safeguarding best practices.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; good knowledge of Ukrainian, Russian and/or and other relevant European languages is a strong asset.
• Experience of risk management frameworks and risk assessment.
• Experience of incident management.
• Experience of inter-agency liaison.
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office packages.

Conditions: Remuneration and allowances commensurate with ACT’s standard compensation and benefits including: competitive salary, 25 days annual vacation, pension/provident fund contribution, health and travel insurance.For this mission, accommodation, international and local transportation expenses and regular Rest and Recuperation breaks will also be provided.