Humanitarian Security Officer

ACT Alliance is looking for a Humanitarian Security Officer for an initial 11 month period, based in Lviv, Ukraine.

About ACT Alliance ACT Alliance is the largest coalition of Protestant and Orthodox churches and church-related organisations engaged in humanitarian, development and advocacy work in the world, consisting of more than 135 members working together in over 120 countries to create 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. 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 implementation of ACT Alliance Appeal programming within Ukraine (UKR221) and effective Security Risk Management in line with the ACT Alliance Safety & Security Guidelines (2018).
• To support the country teams and programmes through the provision of information, project and incident management and to provide safety and security advice and briefings for staff being deployed to or deployed inside Ukraine. This Role will require short notice travel inside Ukraine to update security risk assessments, to organise trainings and refresher trainings.
• Other administrative functions may also be required from time to time.

Duties and Responsibilities

Information Management & Reporting

• Develop and maintain SharePoint (intranet) security resources and provide resources to managers staff and delegates where required.
• Disseminate Security updates to ACT Alliance members.
• Manage databases to record information about staff and delegate security training.
• Assist in the Preparation of quarterly and annual papers for ASG and Act Alliance.

Project Management

• Review the standards of the Security Training and remote first aid training capacity to be available to appropriate in country staff and travellers.
• Assist members in the development of their Safety and Security Field Manuals and SOP’s for staff and delegates, providing an assessment and review function.
• Conduct other projects as required.

Incident Reporting and Management

• Access and support ACT members on security incident reporting mechanisms are functioning and that information is shared in real time with ASG and other members.
• Respond to reported incidents appropriately.
• Coordinate the analysis and review of incident reports, identifying lessons to be learnt.

Travel Risk Management

• Act as a focal point within Ukraine office for providing information and guidance on in country travel security.
• Deliver face-to-face security briefings and debriefings to staff and delegates travelling or deploying to Ukraine as required.
• Develop compliance monitoring and reporting on Security Procedures.

Training

• Organising the training for the Personal Security Course. Please see below for role details.
• Work with the ACT Security Group to continually develop Security Management Training.
• Work with the ACT Security Coordinator to deliver Security training.
• Conduct other bespoke Security training as required.

Internal and External engagement

• Maintain a close working relationship with ACT Alliance and the ASG to ensure effective security management across the organisation.
• Act as subject matter expert at cross-departmental and organisational working groups, Emergency Task Force and other key meetings.
• Actively participate and contribute to the ASG quarterly meetings providing contextual updates.
• Represent Act Alliance and the ASG at external inter-agency security meetings and events.

General

• Conduct security reviews of in-country fixed locations offices, hotels, guest houses and projects/programmes when required.
• He/she will be responsible for the duties detailed in the job description and may also carry out such duties as are reasonably required.

Competences and behaviours

• 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.
• Able to priorities and manage own workload to meet deadlines.
• Flexible approach to accommodate needs of the team and group.
• Open and able to adapt to change.
• Drive and motivated with a ‘can do’ approach.
• Able to maintain confidentiality and gain the confidence of others.

Working relationships

• Reporting to the ACT Alliance Director of Operations and HIA Country Director Aid. The ASG primarily provides support to the staff of ACT Alliance, made up of some 140 faith-based members, international staff in overseas programs and national staff in overseas programmes.
• Strong engagement with the ACT Security Group.
• Close collaboration with Security staff in requesting members and with other relevant partners.

Skills and experiences

• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office packages.
• 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 remote (Field) First Aid preferable (or be willing to be qualified First Aid Instructor).
• Knowledge of Safeguarding best practice preferable.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Excellent inter-personal skills.
• Ability to work both independently and as a team member.
• Excellent writing skills, able to produce clear and concise reports.
• Ability to manipulate data to create KPIs and present management information in a clear manner.
• Strong skills in information management including the establishment and maintenance of databases.
• 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 information management.
• Experience of risk management frameworks and risk assessment.
• Experience of incident management.
• Experience of inter-agency liaison.
• Previous RC / INGO experience.