Safety and Access Advisor Programme: PDP Consortium in Ethiopia – Somali region Responsible To: Chief of Party and Merlin Head of Security Working With: Country Directors, Safety and Security Officers, Country Teams (especially Safety and Security Focal Points & Officers and Logistics), head of Security, Regional Programmes Coordinators and with the Consortium coordination team Location: Jijiga Start Date: ASAP Duration: 12 Months Salary and Benefits: To be confirmed - please state your salary expectations
Benefits: Insurance cover, accommodation, R&R and annual leave entitlement of 24 days per annum rising to 30 days at the completion of 12 months of continuous employment with Merlin.
Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short-listed on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date.
Please note this is an unaccompanied position.
Merlin International Profile Merlin specialises in health, saving lives in times of crisis and helping to rebuild shattered health services. Each year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries. Undaunted and determined, Merlin saves lives. We deliver medical expertise to the toughest places. And we stay to help build lasting health care.
Our mission is to end the needless loss of life in the poorest countries caused by a lack of effective health care. We help communities set up medical services for the long term including hospitals, clinics, surgeries and training for nurses and other health workers.
We do whatever it takes and we stay for as long as it takes.
Context and Background Merlin has been working in Ethiopia since March 2003. At that time operations were started in Oromiya Region, one of the areas worst affected by a prolonged drought. Merlin’s programs focus mainly on the provision of primary healthcare services through mobile and static clinics but include also community-based water and sanitation programs and community based nutrition programmes. Currently Merlin is maintaining three interventions in the country. Merlin’s health programs in Ethiopia are implemented in coordination with the respective Regional Health Bureaus (MoH).
In April 2008 Merlin started an Emergency health care support project in Gode Zone, located in Somali Region, in the South-Eastern part of Ethiopia and bordering neighbouring Somalia. It is said to be the poorest region in Ethiopia and has an approximate population of more than 4.5 million. Recent assessments in the region show a deterioration of the humanitarian situation with food prices increasing on a monthly basis and trade restrictions continue to adversely affect an already very fragile food security situation.
Cyclical droughts and floods in the past four years have led to the depletion of livestock and the reduction of agricultural output in a largely pastoral community. A long-standing violent conflict between two armed rebel groups and the Ethiopian Army continues to aggravate the situation for the population and access of humanitarian aid to certain areas is sometimes impeded. In Somali Region Merlin has a built a good relationship with the Regional government and local communities through programmes which provide nutrition; preventive and curative healthcare; and reproductive health services. In addition, in 2011 Merlin responded to an AWD and bloody diarrhoea outbreak and drought in Somali Region with life-saving health and nutrition services for population in displacement and host populations.
The UK Department for International Development (DFID) has released a tender for a consortium lead to build the capacity of the Regional government in Somali region to deliver basic services in health, education and WASH over the period 2012 – 2016 as part of its overarching Peace and Development Programme (PDP) in Ethiopia.
Main purpose of the role The Safety and Access Advisor shall be responsible to ensure effective coordination and advise on safety management on all activities in the Somali region for the PDP Consortium, reporting to the Chief of Party who has overall safety and security responsibility.
He/she will remain briefed on all safety and security developments within the region and relevant developments within the global security environment. He/she will support project teams to ensure that all activities are carried out with due regard to the security environment. He/she will ensure the Country Directors of participating NGO and in particular Merlin Ethiopia Country Director and their teams, the Head of security and the Regional Team at Head Office, are consistently briefed and informed of the security environment. He/she shall work to ensure that the development of communication networks and mechanisms within the partners organisations, and help ensure that it is rigorously observed. He/she will ensure consortium member organizations have access to improving information, analysis and advice on security. He/she will support and promote the improvement of consortium member security practices and foster the attainment and maintenance of operational access in difficult environments.
Overall Objectives (scope) Whilst each of the participating organisations’ Country Director holds the ultimate responsibility for staff safety, this role is to provide support on the coordination, analysis and advice on safety and security management of all activities. The following form the main responsibilities for the post holder:
• Assist and where appropriate lead teams in the development of their country safety and security framework, in accordance with the Merlin global safety and security framework o This means National Safety and Security Plans, Safety and Security Management Toolkits, and Local Safety and Security Guidelines • Maintain an overview of the security situation within the region with specific emphasis on high risk areas • Provide analysis on emerging contextual security trends and make recommendations on appropriate responses • Provide support and guidance to Chief of Party, the CDs and where appropriate Programme Coordinators in incident reporting and analysis • Ensure all appropriate field and Head Office staff are updated on a weekly basis • Provide monthly safety and security report for the region – both contextual and pertaining to Consortium projects specifically - to the Chief of Party, Merlin Country Director, Merlin Head of region and Merlin’s Head of Security • Develop and maintain effective networks with key stakeholders, including other NGO safety advisors • At request of Chief of Party, travel to the project locations to undertake specific objectives
Responsibilities Safety and Security Framework • Work with Consortium members to ensure field level documentation is accurate and up to date • Work with consortium members to ensure in safety and security procedures are observed • Identify the safety and security needs of the consortium members. • Collect and collate information for analysis related to the context and current situation in Somali Region and neighboring areas. • Disseminate to consortium members timely and accurate S&S information and advice through appropriate reporting methods and styles e.g. SMS alert messages, email advisories and weekly and monthly reports. • Make available security documentation that can be incorporated into members’ security management systems. • Provide advice and guidance to individual members concerning specific safety and security issues. • Provide Country Security Briefings to international visitors and new staff. • In collaboration with the CoP, map operational access and conduct analysis of trends, challenges and opportunities.
Support and Training • Provide guidance and support to country teams to ensure regular security analysis is conducted • Provide guidance and support to country teams to ensure a detailed and appropriate initial safety and security briefing is provided to all newly arriving staff and visitors; including policies and procedures, site-specific issues, and analysis of the present contextual security situation • Deliver a range of safety and security (S&S) training to the consortium members’ staff. • Provide technical mentoring guidance and support to other Consortium security personnel, in partnership with their line managers • Identify appropriate trainings at country level and regionally for staff both on security management and personal safety • Work with PCs to ensure trainings are planned and budgeted • On deployment ensure that policies and procedures are understood and respected by all staff at all times, and implemented as part of programmes
• In conjunction with Chief of Party and Merlin’s Head of Safety & Security support managing critical incidents
Management of Safety Equipment/Movements/Staff
• Work with Project Coordinators to ensure all communications systems are maintained in good working order: HF, VHF, satellite phones, cellphones, VSAT, BGAN • Ensure radio communications procedures are implemented correctly and consistently within the programme, providing training where necessary • Provide guidance on vehicle usage with regard to the prevailing safety situation and help Logs ensure that drivers are fully trained and fully briefed concerning policies and procedures relating to vehicles and their use • As necessary support the recruitment, training and management of security guards
Coordination • Coordinate with UN, NGOs and other relevant agencies on all safety and security issues, and be well-informed of the overall situation within the region • Act as interlocutor on safety and security issues where there is a need to coordinate between the above actors and consortium members. • Report appropriate safety and security information to relevant stakeholders • Responsible for investigating all incidents affecting the programmes and reporting to the CoP • Ensure Incident Log of all incidents affecting the program within the region is recorded and submitted agreed stakeholders on a regular basis • Attend all safety and security briefings • Expand and maintain a network of contacts within the consortium member’s staff. • Expand and maintain a network of open contacts within the authorities and local communities. • Conduct regular meetings with the members’ representatives and their security staff to discuss INGO security coordination, security issues and access.
Person Specification Essential Qualifications, experience and competences
• Extensive experience in safety and security in international humanitarian situations including the routine handling of safety and security issues as well as relocation/evacuation, coordination, security assessments, safety and security trainings. • Ability to work within the confines of a coordinating and advisory role and to build a consensus around safety and security issues • Ability to deal effectively within a humanitarian organisation and humanitarian crisis • Strong analytical skills • Relevant experience in East Africa • Strong, clear communication skills at all levels • Strong diplomatic skills • Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills plus proven ability to be flexible and remain calm in demanding situations • Experience of management/supervisory responsibilities • Training/presentation skills • General practical competencies in radio communications (Motorola and CODAN) and satellite communications • Ability to adapt to a changing environment • Ability to work in insecure and demanding environments • Strong leadership skills • Flexibility and ability to work within varying cultural and political environments • Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures • Excellent written and spoken English including the ability to summarise situations accurately and simply, as well as provide more detailed analysis • Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office • Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines • Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues • An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission and values
Desirable Qualifications, experience and competences
• Previous experience in Ethiopia and ideally in the Somali Region • Knowledge of Arabic / Swahili / other indigenous languages
Data Protection Please note, on submitting your application, you are agreeing to Merlin holding and using the information that you have given for the purposes of recruitment and employment – should an offer be made. In order to process your job application, it may be necessary for your application to be sent to the Country Director (in the country you are applying for) for consideration. If you do not agree with this, please state so when applying.
To apply for this position To apply for this job, please email your CV stating your availability and salary expectations toapplications@merlin.org.uk.
Please state in the email subject line “PDP + Safety and Access Advisor”
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