Community Security Officer

Overview of position

Since 2017, Cabo Delgado, one of the poorest provinces in Mozambique, has been facing an escalating conflict, compounded by a fragile situation of chronic underdevelopment, consecutive climatic shocks, and recurrent disease outbreaks. Violent attacks by Non-State Armed Groups (NSAGs) have escalated since 2020, heightening protection risks, especially for youth, women, and girls. NSAG activities and counter offensive operations have forced mass displacement in the Province and brought destruction and fear.

The Government of Mozambique has responded with military action and with the support of Foreign troops has reclaimed a number of areas which had been occupied by NSAGs. Areas which are now again brought under the control of recognized authority need to be provided with essential services and security to receive returning populations. Under these auspices, in July 2021, Our client has initiated a stabilization programme to assist the Government of Mozambique in its efforts to re-establishing the authority and presence of the State in the reclaimed areas, paving the way for a subsequent safe and voluntary return to their areas of origin of the currently displaced populations. Activities under stabilization programme aim to rehabilitate public, security and social infrastructures damaged by conflict, boost socio-economic recovery, build resilience and social cohesion.

Securing and increasing law enforcement presence in the districts regained by the Government is fundamental in order to ensure the safety of returning communities and to (re)-establish the Rule of Law (RoL). Where NSAGs have attacked, police infrastructures and equipment have been looted, damaged, and destroyed, and as the police has directly engaged in hostilities, the loss of operational capacity and the human cost of the conflict have hindered the capacity of the police to maintain a presence and protect the population in conflict affected areas.

Within stabilization efforts, restoration of the state/civil authority, security rule of law, public services, and the social contract is a key process, to enable conditions for people to return to their places of origin voluntarily. Our client will therefore support the government to build a renewed social contract, based on trust and community engagement to support sustainable peace. Our client will address both the rule of law/security, and the basic/social essential services dimensions.

At present, Our client seeks to recruit a Community Security Officer to provide effective coordination, design and management of all Our client-specific activities relating to community security in the project.

Role objectives

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Stabilization, the Community Security carries out all functions and responsibilities related to effective coordination, design and management of all activities relating to community security in the project.

• Lead and manage the quality implementation of activities relating to community security in the project, including developing ToRs, providing technical support, etc.;
• Coordinate and manage the overall delivery of community security activities in an effective and efficient manner, working closely with the military, police, other security providers, civilian government institutions, CSOs, and academic institutions;
• Ensure that all activities related to community security/vigilante are prepared in a timely manner and implemented in accordance with stated outcomes and performance indicators;
• Facilitate a comprehensive policy dialogue to explore and agree on approaches to improve community security including continuous engagement with non-state security providers to support the development of future options to be considered by policy-makers;
• Support the authorities to develop an efficient community policing and early warning system for community members, in conjunction with wider national community policing planning;
• Establish a trusted relationship between returning communities and policing actors, as well as raise awareness and develop skill of the police to better engage with vulnerable people.
• Organize capacity building activities for security forces such as Human Rights and SGBV training to non-state security providers members;
• Prepare reports, annual work plans, and procurement plans in line with the programme outputs and objectives;
• Perform other functions as deemed essential for effective results.

Project reporting

To the project Manager

Key competencies

Corporate Competencies:

· Demonstrates commitment to Our client’s mission, vision and values.

· Exerts strict adherence to corporate rules, regulations, and procedures. Familiarity with the internal control framework and results-based management tools is a must.

· Ensures that the project is consistent with UN/Our client values.

· Treats peers fairly by maintaining consistent values inspiring trust and confidence through personal credibility.

· Accepts responsibility and accountability for the quality of the outcome of his/her decisions

· Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards.

· Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of the project.

· Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

· Treats all people fairly and without favouritism.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

· Promotes knowledge management within the national Institutions environment through sharing of information and personal example

· Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development.

· Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships.

· Development and Operational Effectiveness:

· Ability to organize and manage results-oriented strategic and thematic evaluations. Substantive knowledge and understanding of evaluation and development evaluation in particular.

Ability to successfully lead multidisciplinary experts and to coordinate the work of others.

· Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches.

· Develops and/or participates in the development of mechanisms, including identifying new approaches to promote individual and organizational learning and knowledge sharing using formal and informal methodologies

Further information

Other Skills:

Qualifications and / or industry certification and /or demonstrable experience in the following applications: Microsoft Office (advanced user certification of MS Access, MS Excel and MS Word desirable) and Lotus Notes are desirable.

Summary of Critical

Competencies for Immediate Response Situations:

Possesses a comprehensive set of competencies to immediately take on the challenging role of helping to rebuild community security and social cohesion – strategic, integrity, results oriented, teamwork, good inter-personal skills, well developed communication skills, sound judgment, analytical skills, flexibility, proactive engagement, innovation, risk management, gender and culturally sensitive, ability to work under pressure and demonstrates high tolerance for change, complexity and unpredictability.

Appropriately qualified women and young people are encouraged to apply.