Regional Security Advisor Anglophone Africa

Cordaid works to end poverty and exclusion. We do this in the world’s most fragile and conflict-affected areas. We engage communities to rebuild trust and resilience and increase people’s self-reliance. Where poverty, conflict and exclusion divide societies, we connect people and communities. Cordaid is one of the leading Civil Society Organizations in the Netherlands, working in fragile contexts on Health, Resilience, Private Sector Development, Humanitarian Aid and Security & Justice. Cordaid has over 500 staff, working at Global Office in the Netherlands and in offices across the most fragile countries in the world. Within Cordaid we work on the basis of trust, accountability, cooperation and solution orientation.

Cordaid is looking for a Regional Security Advisor Anglophone Africa

Position and responsibility

The Regional Security Advisor (RSA) will be hosted in Juba, South Sudan and will advise and support Country Directors within the region in enabling continued operations on the ground while facilitating Duty of Care to Cordaid staff and consultants. The RSA will cover South Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Zimbabwe. S/he will advise, mentor and support National Security Officers and Focal Points (NSOs/SFPs) and maintain close cooperation with the Global Security Advisor (GSA) based in The Hague.

The RSA reports to the Country Director of the South Sudan Country Office with secondary reporting lines to other Country Directors served. S/he will be guided by the GSA based in The Hague and focus on developing and supporting effective risk mitigation approaches and capacities that enable continued operations of the ground while facilitating Duty of Care to Cordaid staff and consultants. While s/he will primarily act in the role of an advisor to the respective Country Directors, s/he will also be responsible for developing and overseeing an effective safety and security set-up within the region served. This will include the hiring, training and mentoring of NSOs/SFPs for each of the countries under his/her responsibility. It will also include the roll-out and maintenance of effective policies, procedures and plans. And it will include the development and management of effective tools and capacities that are appropriate to the respective country and local contexts within the region.

In doing so, s/he should actively look for solutions and appropriate mitigation strategies that would enable continued design and implementation of programmes and projects, and effective oversight and support of local partners.

Specific objectives

Support Country Directors Anglophone Africa

· In leading the regular review of a security risk management framework within each of the countries supported, which includes a Country Security Plan (CSP), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Hibernation, Relocation & Evacuation Plans (HREP) in order to promote safety and security for Cordaid staff, consultants, visitors and partners.

· In ensuring that NSO(s) and Country Directors keep Country Security Plans updated and enforced (including context assessment, participatory safety & security risk assessments for the different locations to assess likelihood and potential impact of various risks, standard operating procedures and contingency plans).

· In ensuring that NSO/SFP(s) propose updates of Security Levels on a regular basis with frequency appropriate to the local context.

· In ensuring that Cordaid Offices and Guesthouses are secured in accordance with the provisions of respective Country Security Plans and aligned with best practices of other International NGOs and those advocated by INSO, while ensuring that mitigation factors do not unduly impact the mental health of (expat) staff.

· In ensuring that NSO/SFP(s) conduct regular briefings and organise Local Response Team (LRT) meetings with frequency appropriate to the local context.

· In ensuring that NSO(s) and/or Country Directors conduct security briefings to new staff, consultants, advisers, and visitors upon arrival, and ensure that security procedures are complied with accordingly.

· In ensuring that NSO/SFP(s) carry out annual security training needs assessments of staff and organise staff training accordingly. In acting as a focal point for all high level and regional security related issues and in appointing one NSO in each of the countries served as the focal point for all country security related issues.

· In ensuring that NSO(s) are trained and capable in providing crisis management support as part of the local crisis response teams for crisis response, including logging and analysis of lessons learned as well as help prepare local crisis response team members for their relevant role in the LRT through regular table top exercises.

Build and Support Safety and Security Practices within the Region

· Develop a localised approach strengthened by regional oversight and guidance.

· Hire, train and mentor of NSO/SFPs for each of the countries under his/her responsibility and build strong and effective safety and security teams, if so relevant to the context.

· Roll-out and maintain safety and security policies, procedures and plans.

· Develop and manage effective tools and capacities that are appropriate to the respective country and local contexts within the region.

Enable Continued Operations on the Ground while facilitating Duty of Care

· Develop a good contextual understanding of the safety and security aspects of Cordaid programmes and projects within the region and within each of the countries served.

· Ensure continuous analysis by NSO/SFP(s) of local power dynamics/relations in provinces where Cordaid has a presence and ensure monitoring by NSO/SFP(s) of security updates from INSO, INGO/NGO, UN and Dutch Embassy security offices, media updates, government security instructions and any other relevant security related information and share with concerned staff.**

· Ensure pre-clearance by NSO/SFP(s) of all travel for expat visitors within the respective countries served with security related travel guidance provided accordingly.

· Ensure pre-clearance by NSO/SFP(s) of all travel of staff, advisors and consultants within the respective countries served with security related travel guidance provided accordingly.

· Ensure monitoring of field visits by NSO/SFP(s), including tracking of vehicles and staff (if so relevant), and ensure that all employees travelling to the field comply with the provision of the respective Country Security Plans and relevant SOPs.

· Ensure regular security and risk assessments by NSO/SFP(s) for all operational areas.

· Write regular security management reports with situational analysis and recommendations.

· Ensure that field communications needs are met and that staff are trained in the use of satellite phones and other communications equipment as necessary.

Support Effective Security in the Field

· Work closely with NSO/SFP(s) to ensure that security policies, procedures, practices and capacities support “hybrid or direct implementation” in the field taking into account the need to deliver quality services to people, families and communities while facilitating “Duty of Care” for Cordaid staff.

· Ensure that assigned NSO/SFP(s) work closely with communities supported by programmes and projects implemented by Cordaid in developing effective mechanisms to prevent and resolve (potential) conflicts and harm to Cordaid staff in an expedient and effective manner.

· Ensure that assigned NSO/SFP(s) prevent incidents through “community acceptance” and resolve incidents through “community engagement”.

Contribute to Knowledge Management and Innovation

· Substantial and demonstrated prior experience as a trainer with an effective & participatory adult learner training style and the ability to develop, implement, facilitate and impart learning to staff with diverse backgrounds.

· Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge through mentoring and other non-formal methods of accompaniment.

· Able to build teams and coordinate team work with NSO/SFP(s), Local Response Teams (LRTs) based in the countries served and the GSA based in The Hague.

· Contribute to the development and introduction of innovation to ensure Cordaid is continually incorporating best practice approaches in Regional and Country Office operations.

· Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for corporate development planning and knowledge building and, contribute to relevant Communities of Experts and Communities of Practice accordingly.

· At the request of respective Country Directors and in collaboration with the NSO/SFP(s) plan, implement and organize security related capacity building of project personnel, clients and other stakeholders.

Undertake Other Duties as may be assigned by the Primary Supervisor The successful delivery of results by the Regional Security Advisor directly impacts the performance of programmes and projects implemented by Cordaid as well as its reputation as an effective partner in achieving positive results that lead to flourishing communities in fragile settings.

Qualifications

· University degree in a field relevant to security management in a conflict context or work experience that equals this.

· At least 5 years of field experience tackling security issues in fragile states and environments.

· Experience as a trainer, with an effective & participatory adult learner training style and the ability to develop, implement, facilitate and impart learning to staff with diverse backgrounds.

· Experience as a security policy writer.

· Knowledge of the humanitarian and development sector, incl. the NGO organizational culture.

· Understanding of principles and practices in humanitarian action, NGO security management, humanitarian access, and civil-military coordination.

· Understanding of humanitarian principles and theoretical and practiced approaches to humanitarian access, including acceptance-based approaches.

· Advanced knowledge of, and ability to train others in, communications technology, including VHF, HF radio systems, satellite communications, cell phone mediums, etc.

· Self-motivated and able to work effectively without close supervision, if required.

· Willingness to travel frequently between the countries served, sometimes on short notice.

· Willingness to travel to remote locations.

· Experience in incident and crisis management.

· Flexible and capable of working in a stressful context.

· Excellent oral and written communication skills in English language.

Specifics of station

This is a non-accompanied posting.

Contract information

The contract period is for one year starting as soon as possible, with the intention to extend for a longer period. We offer a competitive, fair and comprehensive salary (scale 11, step 35- 58, € 3539 – € 5115,-) and benefits package that is justifiable to our donors. A Cordaid contract which includes R&R, a comprehensive insurance cover, social security and pension contribution, a holiday allowance, 13^th month and hardship allowance.