Humanitarian Access & Risk Manager

Job Title: Humanitarian Access & Risk Manager

Reports To: Country Director.

Location: RI Sudan Country Office and field locations

Duration: 12 months

ABOUT RI:

Relief International is an international non-profit organization committed to partnering with communities impacted by conflict, climate change, and disasters. Our core mission is to save lives, strengthen resilience, and promote sustained health and well-being in affected regions. Our team, comprising over 7,000 staff and local volunteers, operates in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. We focus on providing comprehensive Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Education, and Livelihoods programs, all aimed at fostering community resilience. Our strategy centers on collaborating with local partners to develop programs that are safe, inclusive, and specifically tailored to local needs. These programs are designed to be evidence-based, sensitive to conflicts, and adaptable to changing climates, thereby effectively addressing the needs of the most vulnerable populations.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Relief International is seeking a qualified individual to fill the Humanitarian Access and risk Manager role in Sudan. This crucial position involves implementing and overseeing RI’s Safety and Risk Management (SRM) practices. The key responsibilities include managing and enforcing safety and access policies and strategies, conducting in-depth contextual analysis, enhancing the capabilities of safety and access teams within Sudan offices, and establishing and applying RI-specific safety protocols and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) throughout RI’s field and program locations across Sudan. The role is primarily based in the Country Office, but it also demands significant field visits to provide recommendations and guidance directly to RI’s Sudan Country Director.

The Humanitarian Access and risk Manager will offer direct support to the Sudan Senior Management Team (SMT) and the Country Director (CD), playing a pivotal role in overseeing operations throughout Sudan. This includes working closely with staff, partners, and communities to strengthen the capacities of sub-offices, delivering regular, timely analyses and incident reports to the CD, and if necessary, deploying in support of Country Office teams. Additionally, the role entails developing regionally consistent strategies for the effective management of safety and security across RI’s operations in the region.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Planning and Preparation

1. Develop and oversee safety support systems, including regular and unscheduled visits to each program site across Sudan. This encompasses central and sub-offices as well as locations where programs are delivered. The aim is to conduct safety and access evaluations, perform safety-related audits, and provide awareness training.
2. Carry out thorough safety assessments, in collaboration with local counterparts, to review all existing safety and access policies and procedures. This includes their implementation and adherence by staff at program sites, offices, residencies/guesthouses, and concerning vehicles, drivers, and established SOPs. Based on these assessments, provide and execute recommendations, in consultation with the Country Director, for necessary modifications to align with RI’s Field Operational Procedures, templates, and SOPs.

Advice and Report

1. Spearheads a continuous process to design, implement, and review safety policies and procedures, ensuring they are clearly understood, accepted, and followed by staff. Regularly updates safety and access plans to reflect the changing security environment in coordination with country counterparts, the Country Director (CD).
2. Systematically documents and reports safety incidents, maintaining bi-weekly safety and access reports across all locations in Sudan. This role involves analyzing trends and identifying threats, along with developing tailored evacuation plans for specific situations. Additionally, prepares detailed security incident reports for the CD.

Strategy development

1. Assists RI’s country teams with overall strategic guidance.
2. Establishes a well-defined plan for transferring knowledge and skills to national staff members.
3. Collaborates with the country team and regional Program Development (PD) leads to incorporate funding for humanitarian access into all new grants and awards.

Analysis and assessment

1. Maintain up-to-date and relevant analysis of the Sudanese context in alignment with RI programs. Provide advice to the Country Director (CD) on significant developments. Advocate for and support teams in contingency planning, including scenario planning and trend analysis.
2. Adhere to situation-specific rules and guidelines as per RI’s Field Security SOPs, RI Global Safety & Security, and UNDSS standards. Conduct assessments at RI’s field project offices and residential sites in Sudan to evaluate safety and access conditions. Develop comprehensive risk assessments, in collaboration with country counterparts, leading to the revision of effective safety plans. Train colleagues on these plans and monitor compliance.
3. Ensure that humanitarian access strategies are adapted to the local context and incorporate comprehensive community engagement elements.
4. Contribute to all existing and new programs related to Sudan, including pre-analysis for go/no-go decisions and active involvement in budgeting during proposal writing to address staff safety requirements.

Capacity-building and gap-filling

1. Provide training, supervision, and mentorship to national and international (where applicable) country safety staff and focal points. Advocate for and, when necessary, conduct staff training on safety and access in a manner that fosters inclusivity, engagement, and leadership across the entire RI team. This includes expatriates, relocatable, and local national staff.
2. Lead frequent safety and access drills for support offices within Sudan and associated supporting hubs. This involves not only conducting drills but also training country counterparts on how to effectively execute these drills and ensuring their regular implementation.
3. Collaborate with program and operations colleagues to maintain positive and constructive relationships with de facto authorities at both provincial and district levels.

Coordination

1. Guarantee that RI is actively connected with all relevant inter-agency and safety & access coordination networks and forums, thereby establishing RI’s presence in the INGO community in its operational areas.
2. Engage with local and regional UN & inter-agency safety personnel regarding safety & access issues pertaining to country programs; offer advice to the Country Director on safety matters and provide regular safety briefings and updates to both RI staff and visitors.

RI SRM Compliance

1. Verify that all areas in Sudan meet compliance standards. This includes conducting biannual Safety Risk Assessments (SRAs) for all concerned areas, updating country safety plans, RIGSS, etc. Furthermore, ensure that the implementation of compliance in all areas is mandatory. It’s crucial that the RI teams in Sudan consistently adhere to and execute evacuation drills, head counts, travel authorizations, and other safety protocols.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Minimum Master’s degree with demonstrated experience in safety and access management in the humanitarian sector.
2. Previous experience of working in Sudan and familiarity with the Arabic language is advantageous.
3. Proven minimum of six (6) years’ experience in a similar role with equal responsibilities within NGO, UN or IO in high-risk country settings. Sudan experience is required.
4. Proven ability in safety & access management and crisis management in an unstable and insecure environment. Previous experiences managing humanitarian crisis/emergencies an added advantage.
5. Effective technical/instructional skills.
6. Strong analytical and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple complex tasks independently.
7. Strong leadership and communication (interpersonal, verbal and written) skills.
8. Excellent computer skills with solid knowledge of MS Office.
9. Experience of delivering training.
10. Experience in a multi-cultural environment necessary.
11. Experience in conducting assessments necessary.
12. Fit to travel.

RI Values:

We uphold the Humanitarian Principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence. We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities. We value:

1. Inclusiveness
2. Transparency and Accountability
3. Agility and Innovation
4. Collaboration
5. Sustainability