Back Security and Access Officer

Job Profile

As the Security and Access Officer, your role will be to ensure the safety and access of Relief International’s operations within the Gaza Strip. You will manage security and access risks, ensuring compliance with RI’s Security Management Framework, and provide guidance to field teams. The Safety and Access Officer is a key leader in ensuring the safety and security of Relief International's team and programs in the Gaza Strip. You will work closely with the Area Director, the Country Security and Access Manager, and other support departments to develop area strategies that translate into actionable plans and day-to-day operations. The role involves supporting and providing technical guidance to base operations while coordinating emergency responses and ensuring sustainable access to the Gaza Strip.

Key responsibilities

Accountability and Complexity

• Directly reports to the Area Director, Informs the AD, and will also report in a technical matrix line to Country Access and Security Manager
• Work closely with the Operations Department to implement security measures, identify risks, propose prevention and mitigation measures
• Implement and monitor movement tracking platforms, serving as the main point of contact for all Relief International staff and visitors during field deployments, ensuring adherence to the oPt Missions Security Staff Movement SOPs.
• Monitor security incidents and trends through trusted channels and networks, report findings to the Country Safety and Access Manager, and contribute to the development of risk mitigation strategies.
• Participate and represent RI in relevant working groups, cluster meetings and security and access forums upon management request

  Autonomy and complexity:

  • The Security and Access Officer solves problems in straightforward situations, relying on professional experience, established procedures, and guidelines. You will be expected to analyze potential solutions using judgment and precedents to address security risks, manage access, and respond to challenges in a dynamic operational environment.
  • You will need to manage evolving security risks while supporting humanitarian operations, often requiring quick decision-making and close coordination with the Area Director, Country Security and Access Manager, and local staff.
  • You will work within standard guidelines and policies, receiving moderate levels of guidance. However, there will be a need to exercise independent judgment in assessing security risks, managing field movements, and making decisions that impact both staff safety and program operations. The ability to adapt to new situations and proactively offer solutions is essential.

    Capacity Building and Knowledge Transfer:

    • Collaborate with the Country Security and Access Manager an a capacity-building plan for local partners and field staff.
    • Support the transfer of knowledge to local safety and access teams, identifying training and development needs.
    • Deliver relevant safety-related training and provide technical supervision to local safety staff.

      Security Management and Framework Implementation:

      • Support the development and implementation of the Security Management Framework at the area level, maintaining high standards in all security-related documents and protocols.
      • Collaborate with the Country Security and Access Manager to audit security policies and operationalize protocols.
      • Develop Security Risk Assessments (SRAs), Risk Level Assessments (RLA) and Security Improvement Plans (SIPs) for locations and activities in Gaza.

        Information Management and Reporting:

        📚 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯! 🌍🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗖𝗥, 𝗪𝗙𝗣, 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗙, 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗦, 𝗨𝗡𝗙𝗣𝗔, 𝗜𝗢𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🌐

        ⚠️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

        • Collect, analyse, translate and report relevant security information to the Country Security and Access Manager, Area Director, and other departmental staff in a proactive manner.
        • Maintain security-related documentation, data, and records for Gaza, incident reports, and briefings.

          Field Movement and Journey Management:

          • Review and approve field movement requests, ensuring safe travel plans in collaboration with the Supply Chain and Operations Coordinator.
          • Be the focal point for Journey Management and Travel Safety, handling movement notification through the Humanitarian Notification System.

            Equipment and Resources Oversight:

            • Ensure security, communication, and medical equipment is serviceable and available for all field deployments.
            • Provide familiarization training for the correct usage of equipment to support field teams.
            • Monitor critical infrastructure of Office and GH to ensure it works correctly

              Emergency Response and Coordination:

              • Coordinate emergency responses in Gaza, offering technical advice to the area-level management team.
              • Monitor information networks and issue security and access-related advice according to RI policies.

                Training and Staff Development:

                • Collaborate in the development plans for security and access staff, supporting their progress and delivering training and exercises for program and support team.

                  Stakeholder Engagement and Humanitarian Access:

                  • Assist field teams in conducting principled and sustainable negotiations with relevant actors, adhering to humanitarian principles.
                  • Support the implementation of RI’s humanitarian access strategy within Gaza, ensuring the mission is understood and accepted by key stakeholders.

                    Staff and Visitor Briefings:

                    • Provide comprehensive security briefings for national and international staff, visitors, and new hires arriving in Gaza.
                    • Offer pre-departure security briefings to RI field staff.

                      Other Responsibilities:

                      • Provide technical support to the Area Director in all operational planning elements.
                      • Play a key role in the Incident Management Team at the area level.
                      • Follow up on violations of RI’s Code of Conduct and operational breaches of humanitarian principles in collaboration with the Area Director and Country Security and Access Manager.
                      • Perform any other tasks reasonably required for the role.
                        • Person Specification
                          

                          Skills, knowledge and expertise required for the role.

                          • Essential criteria
                            • Willing to learn technical elements, displays critical thought and high emotional intelligence
                            • Team player and collaborative but with the ability to work independently, take initiative and make decisions.
                            • An interest in social dynamics, security and a critical understanding of the current situation across oPt; a knowledge of regional and wider geopolitical developments and how they influence the war.
                            • An understanding of personal limitations and areas for personal development.
                            • Driven, dedicated and proactive with a drive for excellence.
                            • Stable personality, able to operate in a professional manner under stress.
                            • Experience working in multicultural work settings.
                            • Experience with information gathering analysis and report writing, with critical incident management.
                            • Full professional proficiency in English (the ability to read and write English to a high level and to operate in a professional space).
                            • Previous experience working in non-governmental organization
                            • Strong organizational skills
                            • High computer skills on MS Office programs
                            • Demonstrate good presentation and analysis skills.
                            • A demonstrated ability to multi-task and process information into action.
                            • Ability to work under pressure and with very short deadlines & strong communications skills.
                            • Fluent in oral and written Arabic and very good English. Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:
                              • Integrity
                              • Adaptability
                              • Collaboration
                              • Inclusivity
                              • Sustainability
                              • RI Values
                              • To be successful in this role we expect you to have at least 2-3 years of experience in a position with logistics, access, security or humanitarian responsibilities for an INGO (Programs and Operations personnel who meet these criteria but who may not have had a position with Safety or Security in the title are strongly encouraged to apply). Moreover, we also expect the following:
                              • Skills, knowledge and expertise required for the role.