Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.
Level 3: The role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in-country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.
Role Purpose
The Humanitarian Safety and Security Manager, Borno will work closely with the Humanitarian Response Team Leader, the National Safety & Security Manager and the Regional Security Manager to carry out safety and security assessments; make recommendations and provide support for their implementation by Humanitarian Response Team.
The Safety and Security Manager will facilitate the implementation of Save the Children’s Safety and Security Policy and Standards within the Humanitarian Response and help drive systemic change in the quality of safety and security management and contribute to building Humanitarian Response compliance with safety and security Minimum Standards.
S / he will also take forward the organisational security vision, mission and values. The post holder will play a key role in the capacity building of Safety & Security Focal Points in the deep field level and the response team members.
The Safety and Security Manager will be expected to undertake a leadership role within the senior management team of the response and will provide safety and security advice for the Country Director, the Director of Program Operations and the Humanitarian Response Team Leader.
Scope of Role:
Reports to: Humanitarian Response Team Leader with a dotted line to the Country Director
Staff directly reporting to this post: Safety and Security Coordinator and Safety and Security Officer
Key Areas of Accountability
Engage Humanitarian Response management as well as staff at all levels to facilitate the adoption and compliance with the Save the Children’s Safety and Security Policy and Standards
Undertake Security Risk Assessments for Humanitarian response
Participate in formal or informal INGO security networks/forums in the area to share information with other INGOs, and gain access to security analyses (if available), support the functioning of this forum.
Provide In-depth security situation analysis for Humanitarian Response team, Country Office, Regional Security Director and Save the Children members
Undertake and manage implementation and compliance with Save the Children’s Safety and Security Policy and Standards
Develop and deliver capacity building in safety and security management for managers and safety and security training for staff.
Provide safety security management advice, guidance and support to the Humanitarian Team.
Assist in the evaluation and implementation of actions to reduce risk across Programmes
Provide technical assistance and guidance to the Humanitarian Response in implementing action plans based on in-depth security assessments and recommendations.
Assess and evaluate Humanitarian Response security guidelines and make recommendations for improvements using the Standards in the Save the Children Policy and Standards for security management plans, evacuation contingency plans and standard operating procedures.
Promote the concept that safety and security plans and guidelines should be jointly developed by the whole team to create ownership and encourage compliance.
Promote the concept that safety and security is an integral element of programme design and operations and should be amongst the first planning considerations.
Promote the need for each programme to appoint a safety & security focal point (SFP) reporting to the SSM and advice on the minimum training standards for each officer dependent upon the level of insecurity. The Manager will play a key role in building the capacity of each SFP consistent with the assessed need for each programme.
Promote the need for the Humanitarian programme to have safety and security as a standing agenda item on the HMT meeting and to form a core Crisis Management Team whenever needed.
Proactively be engaged in budgeting for the safety and security department and feed into budget and proposal development. Make sure all programmes have adequate funding for security and approach donors as required.
The post-holder will comply with all relevant Save the Children policies and procedures with respect to child safeguarding, safety and security, code of conduct, equal opportunities and other relevant policies.
Qualifications and Experience
Essential:
Expertise in current safety and security context, practices and issues affecting aid work.
Fluent in English (written and spoken).
Minimum of 5 years progressive work experience in Security Management
Experience of INGO security management/Adviser.
Proven experience and understanding of humanitarian operations and understanding of programming in an emergency.
Experience living and working in NE Nigeria or neighbouring states
Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate at all levels, establish information and security networks, and coordinate with country authorities, militias, donors, International Organisations and local NGOs.
Experience of working in hostile environments. Self-motivated with the ability to work autonomously in a highly stressful and challenging environment.
Proven training of trainers skills and proven experience of training multi-national staff
Ability to formulate and communicate analysis of a changing security environment.
Proven skills in concise and succinct report writing.
Ability to prioritise security-related tasks and complete reports to deadlines.
Fluent in Hausa and / or Kanuri
Strong leadership skills and proven skills in managing a team in hostile environments
Proven knowledge of MS office applications and IT literacy and capacity to learn and use other packages.
Commitment to the aims and principles of Save the Children. In particular, a good understanding of the Save the Children mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin all aspects of the job. Commitment to Save the Children Child Safeguarding policy.
Desirable:
Operational experience in post-war-affected environments with INGO, Military or police background.
Operational programming experience.
Skills and Behaviours (our Values in Practice)
Accountability:
Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving results together with children and role modelling Save the Children values
Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved
Creates a managerial environment in-country to lead, enable and maintain our culture of child safeguarding
Ambition:
Sets ambitious and challenging goals for self and team, takes responsibility for own personal development and encourages the team to do the same
Widely shares personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
Future-oriented, thinks strategically and on a global scale
Collaboration:
Builds and maintains effective relationships, with own team, colleagues, members, donors and partners
Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to
Creativity:
Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
We undertake rigorous procedures to ensure that only people suitable to work with children are allowed to join our organization and all candidates will, therefore, be subject to this scrutiny.
We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.
Applicants are advised that Save the Children International does not require any payment or expense during the entire recruitment process. Any request in this direction should be immediately reported as it is contrary to the values and practices of our organization.
Due to the volume of applications received, Save the Children may not provide feedback to all applicants. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, as applications will be reviewed as received. Save the Children reserves the right to change the closing date, if considered necessary.