GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

There are currently 24 INGOs and NGOs operating in Tigray in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis with an estimated 4.5 million people in need. The humanitarian NGOs operational in Ethiopia recognize the need for a Safety Officer who will support the humanitarian partners in Tigray to systematically collect, monitor, analyze and disseminate information on access and constraints. He/ she will also help determine the access’ priorities in regards to information management, advocacy and field support.

The Safety Officer is responsible for access duties in Tigray for the hosting agency and the INGOs and NGOs that are operational in Tigray and have membership in the Tigray NGO Forum.

The Safety Officer is responsible for supporting operational security and information management related to security and analysis. The Safety Officer will follow directives given by the humanitarian INGOs and NGOs through the HINGO Director for access needs that support access and acceptance related strategies in these environments.

The position will undertake humanitarian negotiations, advocacy, and some elements of humanitarian civil-military coordination and protection analysis. The primary goal is to support the safety and business continuity of the hosting agency, INGOs and NGOs through ensuring access to the rapidly changing area.

 The Safety Officer reports to the Safety & Security Manager with matrix reporting to the HINGO Director, and works in close conjunction and liaison with all humanitarian NGOs in Tigray, UN OCHA in Mekelle, and in particular with government counterparts, i.e. Ministry of Peace, National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC), as well as with UN field offices, Cluster Lead agencies.

The Safety Officer does not have the authority to impose emergency procedures like hibernation, relocation or evacuation of staff, but rather will provide inputs to advisories, actions, approvals and messages through critical analysis and predictions based on the conflict, demographics and historical context, results of enquiries and collection plans directed by the [supervisor(s) title here and HINGO Director], and will support training programs, input to frequent briefings and provide critical analysis to program staff, and give technical advice and support for improved assessments and planning. It is expected that the Safety Officer will advise the [supervisor(s) title here and HINGO Director] to ensure safety and security is fully integrated across program and management teams.

 ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Coordination

• He/ she liaises with humanitarian partners to promote and encourage systematic reporting of access constraints. Track and analyze security incidents impacting humanitarian operations.
• Attend the Access Working Group (AWG) in Mekelle and the Tigray NGO Forum meetings to identify key access challenges.
• Assist the HINGO Director in building synergies and facilitating collective understanding and analysis around access impediments among humanitarian partners, especially among NGOs.
• Engage with relevant actors (e.g. government, armed groups, communities, etc.) on humanitarian access issues, bringing expertise of local culture and dynamics, including traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms.
• Develop a network of local contacts among key stakeholders, including authorities and the humanitarian community to identify, monitor and analyze key access constraints in collaboration with Tigray NGO partners and OCHA access focal points and UNDSS local security advisors.
• Establish and chair periodic meetings of the INGO/NGO Security Officers’ Network for joint analysis, operational planning and coordination.

Policy development

• Support the preparation of policy papers, lessons learned, operational good practices related to humanitarian access.
• Support the development and roll out of basic operating guidelines/joint operating protocols to improve humanitarian access in Tigray.
• Maintain a record/ institutional knowledge on access issues, past negotiations, etc.

Security Systems

• Monitors current media and context. Ensure an information flow is maintained with the capacity to develop context analysis documentation for external bodies such as donors or peer agencies.
• Provide updates to risk assessment for each location and partner and with an understanding of program activities. Engage in the maintenance and securing of access in all areas of operation with relevant Standard operating Procedures (SOPs) across each.
• Engage in the process of briefing and orienting all new humanitarian NGO staff focusing on access and analysis functions.
• Engage in resolving all critical incidents through access functions as and when requested by humanitarian NGO partners.
• Support the testing, training, permissions for communication equipment options for humanitarian NGOs

Programming:

• Stay abreast of all INGO and NGO programming activities in Tigray. Support humanitarian NGOs to ensure contingency planning is considered and in place for program activities, where possible.
• Will read and help create an awareness and culture of humanitarian access and analysis principles and humanitarian values.
• Coordinate regularly with humanitarian NGO staff in the daily dispatch of commodities and staff. The Safety Officer is expected to support the INGOs and NGOs, in making decisions to advise go/no-go. 
• Implements the requests of the HINGO Director to provide updates, briefings and incident reporting from and to program teams in a timely and routine manner. This relates to access, analysis and operational security.
• Stay abreast of humanitarian program assessments and response activities. Provide [supervisor(s) and HINGO Director] and humanitarian NGO teams and special projects with the necessary support to conduct safe operations, planning and access strategies.

Reporting:

• Maintain logs of all incidents affecting INGOs and NGOs operating in Tigray and coordinate with others in OCHA, and UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) Saving Lives Together initiative in mapping and analyzing their contributing factors and impact. Verify access incidents together with partners and OCHA Field Coordination Unit and UNDSS Area Security Management Team in the region..
• Support the necessity of donor-reporting requirements for losses of commodities or incidents to ensure all are documented, investigated and reported to the required standard, as requested by humanitarian agencies.
• Will document and follow up on all enquiries relating to security incidents with a view to capturing critical lessons and mitigating and reducing their repetition.
• Maintain a contact list of relevant stakeholders and access influencers.

Training and Outreach:

• Advise the [supervisor(s) of head of security department title here and HINGO Director] on a comprehensive safety and security training plan and portfolio. Oversee the implementation of this with both direct and hired consultants.

Operations & Field support

• Support humanitarian NGOs in Tigray with access negotiations, including preparations, roll-out, and follow-up.
• Travel to field locations on a regular basis to support humanitarian NGOs in undertaking access analysis and supporting humanitarian negotiations.
• Provide technical support to humanitarian NGOs in Tigray as relevant and required.
• Execute incident and crisis management exercises for humanitarian NGOs in Tigray
• Provide a ‘checking in’ function for all locations of operation, in cooperation with humanitarian NGOs
• Support the training needs of humanitarian NGOs especially drivers and field deployed staff. Coach partners to sharpen their skills in risk and vulnerability assessments, gathering information and developing security protocols and strategies that allow humanitarian programs to progress with the lowest risk possible

Job Requirements

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelors degree in a relevant field; or equivalent work experience: security qualification or advanced security management training are desirable
• An understanding of the philosophy and mode of operation of NGOs
• Field-based experience in complex and insecure settings and preferably a conflict environment, preferably, across more than one country with large teams of staff.
• Experience in liaising with civilian, police and military, government and non-State authorities, as well as with regional, national and international institutions
• Experience with incident reporting, incident mapping, information collection, collation and analysis functions, support incident and early-warning systems, compilation of security reports and assessments
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching
• Willingness to work and travel across difficult and insecure environments
• Competency in Internet and Microsoft Office systems including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google suite and other database/mapping systems
• Fluency in English both written and spoken is required; ability to speak Amharic or Tigrinya is strongly preferred
• Knowledge and understanding of the Tigray region
• Capacity to train and effectively provide trainings to national staff

How to Apply

Interested applicants are required to attach Current CV with Application letter and email before the closing date of this announcement to Recruitment_ethiopia@wvi.org or through ethiojobs.net