Humanitarian Access & Safety Coordinator

Action Against Hunger-USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network, which provides humanitarian relief in over 40 countries worldwide in the sectors of nutrition, health, water/sanitation, and food security. Action Against Hunger-USA, an independent NGO, currently manages operations in 7 countries: Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Action Against Hunger-USA has over $60 million in programs, and approximately 1,600 permanent staff based in New York City, Washington D.C, Nairobi, and country offices. Additional growth is anticipated.

Summary of position

Humanitarian Access & Safety Coordinator will analyze operational access, Safety and security trends, advise, update, and implement Action Against Hunger Security Management country and base field access Plans, SOPs, contingency plans, etc. Streamline humanitarian access approaches in line with humanitarian principles, humanitarian needs and ACF South Sudan country strategy as well as record, report and manage (up to closure) security incidents. As member of the Country Senior Management Team, the Humanitarian Access & Safety Coordinator will be based in Juba with frequent travels to the field. The Humanitarian Access & Safety Coordinator reports to the Country Director and is technically assisted by the Global Access and Security Advisory.

KEY ACTIVITIES IN YOUR ROLE WILL INCLUDE:

1. Access, Safety and security management

• Responsible for providing leadership on Access, Safety and Security policy implementation and operational support to enable safest and most effective implementation of programmes and activities.
• Provide Access and Security technical support to the Country Director on all policies, procedures, guidelines and planning for program implementation and continuity.
• Manage and further develop Access and Safety structure that is consistent with organizational practices and appropriate to programme needs.
• Ensure South Sudan Country Office complies with all Action Against Hunger Minimum Operating Security Standards (MOSS) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Ensure that all required Access directions and support are provided promptly, at scale and in line with rules and principles during emergencies, working closely with the Country Director, programe, field offices and regional office
• Provide ACF Staff Safety and Security support and guidance to Incident Management for security-safety related crisis.
• Manage the health and safety of all staff allowing a safe working environment and practices to be adhered to (Health and Safety at work) and a culture of safety to be promoted.
• Track all field staff movement around country and ensure ACF staff and visitors receive a comprehensive safety induction, briefing and understanding of context and programs upon arrival to South Sudan.

2: Humanitarian Access Management

• Continually analyze ACF humanitarian context, Identify factors affecting access and related security challenges, opportunities for improvement, and key actors; reviewed and captured in the operational security plans every quarter.
• In coordination with Country leadership, develop field access actor mapping and related management strategies ; conduct Periodic review Access and security (quarterly/half-yearly).
• Provide guidance to Head of Emergency and Field Coordinators in creating a field base specific strategy for improving humanitarian access.
• Provide technical support to Head of Emergency and Field Coordinators in opening dialogue and negotiations to obtain access.
• Conduct exploratory field access visits for support of MET / SET teams ahead of their moving into access new areas.
• With CD support, organize periodic (half yearly and yearly) access and Security strategy and review workshop with the field operational teams.
• Coordinate and liaise with relevant actors e.g. NGO Forum Access team, OCHA HAWG and other I/NGO security coordinators, community stakeholders, local authorities etc.
• Ensure humanitarian access approaches are responsive to local context and include overarching community engagement components.
• Prior to the deployment of field or emergency teams, ensure that risk assessments are conducted in new operational areas.
• Work to ensure that Action Against Hunger, its mission and work in the areas of operations are known and accepted.

3: Monitoring, Analysis and Supervision

• Develop and monitor triggers for escalation of safety protocols, as well as de-escalation sharing relevant information with SMT to facilitate decisions.
• Ensure HEARO monthly and weekly reporting is maintained.
• Manage SIRO platform and ensure all incidents are registered, followed up and analyzed.
• Collect and compile all contextual security incident reports for Action Against Hunger South Sudan.
• Ensure Access and Security incident report forms are properly compiled by staff and distributed to Country Office and Regional Office allowing trend analysis.
• Monitor events, review incidents and coordinate analysis, follow-up actions and recommendations.
• Provide situation update, which includes situational analysis, actions taken and actions recommended, to the Senior Management Team (SMT) on a regular basis.
• Present written reports and analysis to the SMT and regional management as needed; provide informed recommendations in the context of safety assessments and reviews.
• Assess application of safety policies and level of vulnerability of facilities; recommend changes to enhance safety.
• Monitor and provide support to departmental working practices within context of risks, and alert the Country Director if inappropriate decisions are impacting on the safety of the team or external perception of the organization, thereby creating safety risks or breaches.

4: Briefings, Training and Capacity Building

• Responsible for facilitating and confirming all base staff receive contextually adapted training and briefings in how to respond to context specific security and critical incidents.
• Provide security briefings to new joiners within the first 24 hours and provide staff with key security documents.
• Ensure SoPs and security plans are in place that clearly outline how staff should respond to high risk or high frequency incidents.
• Ensure regular briefings and trainings take place that confirm staff have understanding of SoPs.
• Ensure that all staff have passed the Action Against Hunger online security trainings prior to the arrival to the mission (Personal Safety & Security and Kidnapping & Hostage Survival).
• Ensure that all key staff are first aid trained in all field bases/teams.
• Provide biweekly and monthly security updates to the staff in Juba.
• Update the SMT & staff through weekly briefings, of changes in the context and any potential risk to staff or operations.
• Provide crisis management training to Country SMT and the field level IMT.

5. Representation and Coordination

• Represent Action Against Hunger in liaising on a regular basis with NGO Forum, PLSO, INSO, UN, national government, diplomatic misions and where applicable local authority stakeholders in the process of gathering and verifying situational information.
• Coordinate the gathering and distribution of situational information with other relevant actors; triangulate to ensure reliability and accuracy.
• Participate in formal or informal INGO safety networks/forums and OCHA HAWG to share information with other NGOs, and gain access to safety analyses (if available), support the functioning of this forum.
• Ensure that appropriate systems are in place to effectively disseminate safety and situational updates to staff.
• Contribute to the development of country emergency preparedness plans.
• Coordinate with Program and Operational departments to develop operational and programmatic contingency plans that respond to identified emergency scenarios.

6: Emergency Preparedness and Response to Crisis

• Build capacity of in-country Crisis Management Team (CMT) as well as Safety and Security Management Teams.
• Maintain up-to-date evacuation plan for international and relocatable staff.
• Update the med evac plan on a regular basis in collaboration with HR department.

Our Core values.

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate Action Against Hunger-USA’s five core values

Respect– we work with compassion and dedication, treating everyone the same way we expect them to treat us.

Integrity-: we believe that being honest and fair is integral to every aspect of our work. conducting our work with a spirit of sincerity, truthfulness and transparency is imperative.

Creativity-we encourage new ideas, embrace innovative solutions, and create opportunities for meaningful and exciting ways to do our jobs and provide solutions to address the needs of the populations we serve.

Excellence– we strive to provide services that meet and even exceed the expectations of our stakeholders (populations in need, staff, communities and donors).

Empowerment– we are committed to fostering an environment in which our staff, partners and communities where we work have the space to grow, develop and feel confident about participating.

Gender Equality Commitments

• Ability to foster an environment that reinforces values of women and men, and equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion. race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
• Value and respect for all cultures.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Social /Development/Humanitarian studies / Security/ military or other related field
• 5 years INGO field experience with minimum one year experience as a Security Manager in an emergency context with an international NGO;
• 2 Years Operational Team Leadership Experience in an armed conflict or other situation of violence context
• A formal Access, Safety and Security qualification or appropriate security management training coupled with implementation.
• Mature Personality able to have discourse with diverse profiles
• Ability to gain a precise understanding of various local, regional, country and international policies, operational positions and interactions, providing clear dynamic briefings and analysis of given and unfolding security and political situations as and when they occur.
• Proven experience to work with multi-cultural, multi ethnic teams
• Competency in field based communications systems such as HF Codan, Motorola VHF Thuraya, satellite CCTV and internet systems;
• Competency in Internet and Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Strong communication skills;
• Strong understanding & experience of Humanitarian Principles
• Strong understanding of and commitment to gender equity and diversity
• Experience working in insecure environments
• Experience in South Sudan context
• Previous experience with Action Against Hunger
• Good communicator in English: verbal and written

Benefits

Action Against Hunger-USA provides all staff with an attractive salary & benefits package. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.