The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.
The International Rescue Committee is one of the largest providers of relief and development assistance in the Democratic Republic of Congo with an annual budget of over US$ 70 million and almost 1,000 staff. In seven of DRC’s provinces, IRC implements programs in the sectors of health, governance & community development, women’s protection & empowerment, education, and emergency response through a network of nine field offices and a range of institutional and community partnerships.
POSITION PURPOSE:
The Regional Safety and Security Advisor for the Democratic Republic of Congo reduces the vulnerability of IRC staff and programs to the threats and dangers in the IRC security environment, serving as a technical resource to field staff - providing training opportunities, guidelines, timely advisory information and technical support – and supporting the DRC Regional Director in oversight of security management systems, and in direct management of crisis situations.
SCOPE OF WORK:
Based in Kinshasa, the Regional Safety and Security Advisor for DRC is a key member of IRC’s regional management team and of the headquarters’ Safety and Security Advisory Unit.
The RSSA-DRC will work with the DRC management team to assure that organizational security policies and procedures are responsive to the context, adequate and known to staff, provisional security measures are maintained, as well as current and appropriate. Additionally, the RSSA-DRC will conduct training on site for both security staff and others through which the different IRC field offices can develop appropriate security plans and training for their staff. S/he will provide expert security advice to all levels of IRC staff in DRC, focusing on awareness, planning, practice, management and training in security management. S/he will assess insecure operating environments, recommend action and support the implementation of security management plans and provide follow-up on IRC security policies and reporting systems thus enabling better programming and support to the beneficiaries.
The RSSA-DRC will report to the Regional Director and the Regional Management Team, as well as working closely with security staff at field level. S/he will need to be aware of early warning advisories affecting security situations, and also will travel regularly within DRC and maintain a contextual knowledge of the country situation. Crucially, the RSSA will mentor and build IRC national staff counterpart capacities to operate more effectively and contribute to reducing IRC’s operational vulnerabilities.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS and OBJECTIVES:
Field Security Management Planning
- Assure each DRC Provincial Officer has current, adequate security management plans on file in New York and that each plan is revised at least once per year.
- Provide written feedback to field offices as they develop or revise their security plans.
- Request plan revisions when there is a significant change in the security environment.
Security Orientation & Training:
- Assure that each new employee – international or national – receives appropriate security orientation within 72 hours of arrival in the field. Provide a framework for field security orientations.
- Through close complementary liaison with the IPD SSA Unit and HR NY and in-country HR and Administrative teams assure each new international employee receives an appropriate security briefing packet and, when possible, a briefing on personal security, IRC security policies and the relevant national security management plan.
- Create, along with the IPD SSA Unit, a security training program that reaches a maximum number of national and international staff. Keep useful records on staff training and report at least annually on training performed at all levels.
- Assist field offices in arranging ad hoc security training workshops
- Assist as requested in selection processes for international and national security staff.
Advisory & monitoring services:
- Monitor all communications from the field related to security incidents and planning and provide timely feedback to questions raised from the field.
- Make a minimum of 1 visit per year to each office in DRC to monitor security preparedness and field training. Provide a follow-up report with clear recommendations after each visit.
- Together with other Regional Safety and Security Advisors, develop and sustain a database of security incidents.
- Generate activity reports on security, including database analyses, new threats, responses and vulnerabilities and any relevant lessons learned from security and safety incidents.
- Maintain the network of IRC Security Focal Points at each field office.
Liaison and Networking:
- Monitor and provide support and reporting on any NGO field security initiatives as required.
- Identify, create and maintain a network with INGO/UN and other security specialists suitable for the region.
- Facilitate NGO security coordination through networking, collaboration and coordination with humanitarian actors.
Regional Context Analysis and early warning:
- Provide credible information and contextual analysis of localized and regional security situations and incidents along with appropriate advice to IRC managers.
- Understand the salient issues for the DRC program and update senior management as the context dictates as part of a regional early warning system.
Field Security Assessments:
- Conduct field security assessments examining IRC staff, assets, compounds, residences, field sites and projects and compile a report with recommendations.
Emergency Response and Crisis Management:
- As required, support and advise the Regional Director, Provincial Directors and other senior managers during humanitarian or security/safety emergencies, serving on a Senior Management Crisis Team.
- Assist with the security component (situation analysis and background information, security assessments) of Emergency Response Team deployments in the DRC.
Regional Safety & Security Advisor
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