Employer: Mercy Corps
**The Safety & Security Manager (SSM) is responsible for the North East Syria (NES) programs. This position is responsible for the day-to-day operational security needs for programs in North East Syria including areas in Hassakeh, Ar Raqqa and parts of Aleppo Governorates. This position is expected to also support humanitarian programs with analysis forecasting and planning. S/he is expected to provide intensive support to ongoing challenges related to the evolving conflict and support with both strategy and planning required for an effective humanitarian response. S/he will supervise existing national team members supporting them administratively and contribute to their mentorship and technical skills in mapping, writing and planning. S/he will interact with expatriates and is a critical figure in upholding our commitment of Duty of Care for all team members. S/he is one member of the larger, Syria security and analysis team and expected to work closely with counterparts.
Essential Job Responsibilities
OPERATIONAL SECURITY
Understand the immediate and longer-term humanitarian programs and strategy. This position is expected to know and understand all program activities so s/he can contribute effectively.
Implement MC security plan for North East Syria locations and adapt it as needed to the environment. Monitor the compliance. Conduct training and briefings to staff as directed. Ensure all expatriates and new team members are provided a security briefing within the first 24 hours in service. Coordinate with HR on this.
Learn and monitor the environment. Track incidents and trends in Syria, mapping the incidents. Coordinate with counterpart security team members to understand larger trends and forecasting.
Routine communication with North East Syria team members in daily and routine briefings to ensure the larger Mercy Corps team is fully aware of the context (political, social, security and humanitarian)
Primary person responsible for all flash reporting and incident management.
Conduct security assessments either in work locations either directly or remotely. Is responsible for maintaining updated risk assessments and security strategies.
Work with SFPs, Program Managers, Heads of Offices, Director of Programs, Safety & Security Director and CD on community acceptance messaging and other operational strategies.
Is considered part of senior management for this office and a core member of a crisis management team responsible for the resolution of all incidents.
Help creating an environment where Mercy Corps all Mercy Corps programs and team members and business are conducted with professionalism, impartiality, accountability and other core principles required as a humanitarian agency.
SECURITY INFORMATION & ANALYSIS
Provide senior leadership of the North East Syria, the regional security team and the Safety & Security Director with contextual updates.
Prepare and contribute to reports and analysis lead by the HAT team. Prepare contributions to the weekly report and assist on larger thematic pieces as planned.
Provides the North East Syria team with routine contextual analysis (written or in briefing) and forecasting to the conflict to the best extent possible.
SECURITY SYSTEMS & CAPACITY BUILDING
Coach and mentor local Security and Access Officers to fulfill their roles in security management, conducting assessment and other required work.
Is overall responsible to ensure briefings and orientations to all new staff and visitors. Will ensure a training plan is in place and goals met.
S/he will identify weaknesses in security or situational awareness with the entire North East Syria team and support the Team Leader in remedying these gaps.
COORDINATION AND REPRESENTATION
Place high value on inter-agency coordination in security; encourage Mercy Corps field-level coordination in the NGO community. Seek opportunities for formal and informal cooperation.
Develop a network of relationships with peers in the humanitarian community (UN, NGO, ICRC, appropriate governmental offices, etc).
ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING
As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve - we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.
ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY Supervises the access and security officers in North East Syria.
Accountability
Reports directly to: Safety and Security Director, Syria
Works directly with: Program Managers, Operations Manager, Iraq Safety and Security Manager, Syria Security Team, HAT Team Lead, Finance Manager.
Knowledge and Experience
Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline, Master's degree or equivalent in experience.
3-5 years of field experience in safety and security with a humanitarian or development non- governmental organization.
Formal security qualification or advanced security management training.
Demonstrated understanding of complex emergencies, related security concerns, and appropriate responses to such emergencies. Good context analysis skills.
Experience of incident reporting, incident mapping, intelligence collation and analysis functions, set up and execution of an incident warning system (warden system), compilation of security reports and assessments
Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching and ability to work in with team from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Excellent planning, coordination and reporting skills, with the ability to organize a substantial workload comprised of complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities, and present complex information in succinct and compelling manner.
Competency in Internet and Microsoft Office systems including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and other database/mapping systems.
Experience living and working in the Middle East region, preferred. Understanding of Syria and Iraq context highly prefeered.
English proficiency required, knowledge of Arabic language strongly preferred.
Success Factors The Safety and Security Manager will enable the Mercy Corps team in North East Syria to more effectively provide humanitarian relief to civilians affected by the conflict with 1) speed 2) strategy 3) duty of care. A successful candidate will be able to follow and read the quickly changing conflict and enable the team to better plan and forecast. S/he will help the Team Leader create an environment of a well-trained staff with contextual awareness. The Mercy Corps office and programs will be fit for purpose and with a culture of safety-mindedness across departments.
Living/Environmental Conditions This unaccompanied position will be based in Dohuk, Iraq and requires field travel 80% of the time. This position will be required to reside in group housing in an austere environment. The team member must follow all security protocols at all times. This position is eligible for hardship and R&R breaks.
Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
PI100264904
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Essential Job Responsibilities
OPERATIONAL SECURITY
Understand the immediate and longer-term humanitarian programs and strategy. This position is expected to know and understand all program activities so s/he can contribute effectively.
Implement MC security plan for North East Syria locations and adapt it as needed to the environment. Monitor the compliance. Conduct training and briefings to staff as directed. Ensure all expatriates and new team members are provided a security briefing within the first 24 hours in service. Coordinate with HR on this.
Learn and monitor the environment. Track incidents and trends in Syria, mapping the incidents. Coordinate with counterpart security team members to understand larger trends and forecasting.
Routine communication with North East Syria team members in daily and routine briefings to ensure the larger Mercy Corps team is fully aware of the context (political, social, security and humanitarian)
Primary person responsible for all flash reporting and incident management.
Conduct security assessments either in work locations either directly or remotely. Is responsible for maintaining updated risk assessments and security strategies.
Work with SFPs, Program Managers, Heads of Offices, Director of Programs, Safety & Security Director and CD on community acceptance messaging and other operational strategies.
Is considered part of senior management for this office and a core member of a crisis management team responsible for the resolution of all incidents.
Help creating an environment where Mercy Corps all Mercy Corps programs and team members and business are conducted with professionalism, impartiality, accountability and other core principles required as a humanitarian agency.
SECURITY INFORMATION & ANALYSIS
Provide senior leadership of the North East Syria, the regional security team and the Safety & Security Director with contextual updates.
Prepare and contribute to reports and analysis lead by the HAT team. Prepare contributions to the weekly report and assist on larger thematic pieces as planned.
Provides the North East Syria team with routine contextual analysis (written or in briefing) and forecasting to the conflict to the best extent possible.
SECURITY SYSTEMS & CAPACITY BUILDING
Coach and mentor local Security and Access Officers to fulfill their roles in security management, conducting assessment and other required work.
Is overall responsible to ensure briefings and orientations to all new staff and visitors. Will ensure a training plan is in place and goals met.
S/he will identify weaknesses in security or situational awareness with the entire North East Syria team and support the Team Leader in remedying these gaps.
COORDINATION AND REPRESENTATION
Place high value on inter-agency coordination in security; encourage Mercy Corps field-level coordination in the NGO community. Seek opportunities for formal and informal cooperation.
Develop a network of relationships with peers in the humanitarian community (UN, NGO, ICRC, appropriate governmental offices, etc).
ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING
As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve - we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.
ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY Supervises the access and security officers in North East Syria.
Accountability
Reports directly to: Safety and Security Director, Syria
Works directly with: Program Managers, Operations Manager, Iraq Safety and Security Manager, Syria Security Team, HAT Team Lead, Finance Manager.
Knowledge and Experience
Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline, Master's degree or equivalent in experience.
3-5 years of field experience in safety and security with a humanitarian or development non- governmental organization.
Formal security qualification or advanced security management training.
Demonstrated understanding of complex emergencies, related security concerns, and appropriate responses to such emergencies. Good context analysis skills.
Experience of incident reporting, incident mapping, intelligence collation and analysis functions, set up and execution of an incident warning system (warden system), compilation of security reports and assessments
Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching and ability to work in with team from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Excellent planning, coordination and reporting skills, with the ability to organize a substantial workload comprised of complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities, and present complex information in succinct and compelling manner.
Competency in Internet and Microsoft Office systems including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and other database/mapping systems.
Experience living and working in the Middle East region, preferred. Understanding of Syria and Iraq context highly prefeered.
English proficiency required, knowledge of Arabic language strongly preferred.
Success Factors The Safety and Security Manager will enable the Mercy Corps team in North East Syria to more effectively provide humanitarian relief to civilians affected by the conflict with 1) speed 2) strategy 3) duty of care. A successful candidate will be able to follow and read the quickly changing conflict and enable the team to better plan and forecast. S/he will help the Team Leader create an environment of a well-trained staff with contextual awareness. The Mercy Corps office and programs will be fit for purpose and with a culture of safety-mindedness across departments.
Living/Environmental Conditions This unaccompanied position will be based in Dohuk, Iraq and requires field travel 80% of the time. This position will be required to reside in group housing in an austere environment. The team member must follow all security protocols at all times. This position is eligible for hardship and R&R breaks.
Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
PI100264904
Apply Here