Head of Health, Safety, Security and Environment (Head, HSSE) at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives, fight for their rights and 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.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head of Health, Safety, Security and Environment (Head, HSSE)

Job Identification: 11694
Location: Abuja
Job Schedule: Contract
Job Category: Risk Management
Grade: NAT 2
Contract Length: 2 years
Reports directly to: Country Director, Nigeria Programme
Staff reporting to this post: The HSSE Manager CO - Direct & All Nigeria HSSE Team  - Technical 
Team / Programme: Health, Safety, Security & Environment

Job Summary

• The role of Head of Health, Safety, Security and Environment (Head, HSSE) Nigeria is a strategic as well as operational role that will require providing hands-on operational support to field teams, while also engaging with senior leadership to manage and mitigate strategic risks relating to occupational health, safety and security planning, implementation management and decision making.
• As a member of the Senior Management Team, (SMT), the Head HSSE provides leadership to the Nigeria Country Office to ensure that the Save the Children teams in Nigeria are able to reach children in need while maintaining highest possible levels of occupational health, safety, security and environment risk management, as defined in SCI’s HSSE policy.
• SCI HSSE strategy is primarily based on Acceptance and Protection with elements of Deterrence that will require the Head to fully understand the context, SCI engagements, actors on ground and to ensure that leadership at Nigeria country and field offices are equally aware of ground developments and relevant mitigation/ engagement strategies with stakeholders. 
• The HSSE Head will lead the Nigeria team and will ensure that all staff at country and field level are sensitized to the threats and are prepared to respond and manage the risks. All SCI facilities including offices, guest houses, warehouses and program locations are fitted with the physical and site health/safety/security/environment threat/risk measures required for a high-risk environment like Nigeria, which are regularly reviewed, updated and maintained. Similarly, the risk of field travel is clearly understood, and SCI vehicles and drivers are equipped with relevant safety and communication equipment along with tracking mechanism that can provide early identification and response to relevant threats. 
• Organizing, designing and delivering trainings to country and field staff will be a key deliverable of the Head HSSE that he/she will do with the help of field teams. These trainings include Advanced Personal Safety and Security Training (HEAT), First Aid, Drivers’ training, Evacuation & Hibernation drills, Duck and Cover drills. 
• The Head, HSSE also ensures compliance with relevant SCI global health/safety/security/environment reporting systems and acts as direct liaison with the Senior Lead, WCA Safety and Security & Global Case Management & Investigations. These will include incident reporting, situational reports and analysis, risk trackers, Key Performance Indicators (KOI), Security Risks Assessments, Site security plans, Security Management Plans, Incident Management Plans, Contingency Plans, Business Continuity Plans and Emergency Plans. 

Responsibilities
Analysis, planning & strategic guidance:

• Provide timely, Accurate and consultative situation analysis, actor mapping and HSSE Risks Assessment for Country and Field Locations that will guide decision making for new awards/ proposals and inform decisions on geographical reach, program intervention and partners.
• Translate HSSE Risks Assessments into practical and pragmatic safety Management, Incident Management, Business Continuity and Contingency plans for all SCI locations. With rapidly changing environment, these plans should be reviewed every quarter or earlier if the need arise. 
• Promote the concept that HSSE plans and guidelines should be jointly developed by the whole team to create ownership and encourage compliance as a natural and integral part of programme planning and implementation.
• Provide weekly/ bi-weekly HSSE updates to the Country Director, SMT, Field Managers and Senior Lead SSGCM&I in face to face/ online meetings and Situation Reports. 

Policy custodian:

• The Head, HSSE Nigeria will be the delegated custodian of all Save the Children’s HSSE Policy and Standards for Nigeria. He/she will be responsible to manage and implement the policy and ensure its compliance at all staff levels.
• In-line with SCI HSSE Policy, the Head will develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and implement them at all locations with the help of field staff and teams.
• All policy violations must be brought to the attention of line management, country leadership and Senior Lead SSGCM&I.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) & standards compliance

• The Head, HSSE of Security Nigeria will regularly review the Nigerian performance against the KPIs and Essential HSSE Standards of SCI and will strive to achieve full compliance to the Standards.
• The quarterly review of the KPI Standards will be conducted in consultation with Senior Lead SSGCM&I. The Head, HSSE will be responsible to develop work plan and to achieve full compliance of Nigeria. He/ she will implement this work plan with the support of the field team and country/ field leadership.

Security budget:

• The Head, HSSE will develop health/safety/security/environment budget for the Nigeria Country Office. 
• He/ she will engage with relevant awards, program teams along with leadership of PDQ/BD unit to ensure that adequate security budgets are allocated for new and existing awards that should cover costs for site security measures, communication equipment, protective equipment along with staff trainings and development.
• Coordinate between field security teams and budget holders to ensure support.

Incident reporting and management:

• Develop systems to ensure swift incident reporting from field to country and SCI reporting systems within 24 hours of incident occurrence. 
• Develop and update Incident Management Plans for country and field offices. Train Senior Management Teams (SMT/ ESMT) on their roles and responsibilities.
• Support the field security teams, to develop periodic and contextual location specific contingency plans that are resourced with relevant logistics and supplies to respond to critical incidents.   
• Available 24/7 to respond to critical incidents and ensure earliest possible reporting, using all available means of communication, to the country leadership and Senior Lead, SSGCM&I.

Security briefings:

• Ensure Health/Safety/Security/Environment briefings to incoming visitors within 24 hours of arrival and HSSE orientation to newly hired staff within first two weeks of starting the position with SCI.
• Provide HSSE briefings at the Weekly all staff meetings to share security updates and to provide opportunity to staff for sharing concerns. 

Site security:

• With the help of the HSSE team, ensure that all new facilities (Offices, guest houses, warehouses, program sites) must be assessed and cleared before signing lease agreements. 
• Site plans must fulfil the Minimum Operating HSSE Standards required for high-risk locations and should provide relevant specifications, BOQs and costs of safety enhancements. This includes access control, guard’s management, early detection through cameras, safe rooms, emergency alarm systems, hibernation supplies, grab bags, escape routes etc.  
• Engage with relevant administration, logistics and procurement teams for timely provision of equipment’s and civil works.
• In coordination with the field teams, ensure quality control of all HSSE supplies and works in the Nigeria mission.
• Support local security teams in developing guard orders and post orders for local guard force. 

Road safety:

• In coordination of motor pool and logistics departments, ensure that SCI vehicles, drivers and passengers are prepared and informed of road travel risks and all possible mitigation and training elements are in place for safe road travel.
• This will include ensuring vehicle supplies as per high-risk environment of Nigeria and with support of local security teams
• A robust vehicle tracking system is in place that can ensure early detection and relevant response for road accidents and possible security events during field missions
• Mission briefings/ de-briefing protocols are followed and inform into decision making of future field missions
• All road accidents are reported on SCI reporting system and critical road accidents are investigated by logistics and security team
• The Head, HSSE will be the chair of the Road Safety Working Group (RSWG); a group set up to support management in the resolution of all road safety related issued and reporting directly to the Country Director (CD)

Trainings:

• In consultation with the Senior Lead SSGCM&I and field teams, the Head, HSSE will assess the need of various security trainings for staff at Abuja and in field offices including the Humanitarian Field in the NE of Nigeria. He/ she will design and conduct these trainings.
• Develop an annual training calendar for Nigeria and keep country, field leadership and Senior Lead SSGCM&I updated on quarterly basis on progress as per training calendar and staff trained.
• Ensure that all staff undertake as and when due, all online and face-to-face HSSE trainings ie. PSS Hostage/Kidnaping Survival, Defensive Driving, 1st-Aid, Firefighting/response etc. as listed in the GSS-Training Matrix.  
• Developing capacity of Field HSSE team as Master trainers to impart trainings to field staff
• Providing Incident Management Training (IMT) to HSSE team and country/ field leadership
• Ensure that the compulsory requirement of completion of HEAT training for all staff (International/national) high risk locations in Nigeria is met. This is done by coordinating HEAT trainings in various towns where it can be delivered seamlessly. 
• In collaboration with HR Dept., regularly monitor and update the HSSE training tracker on the SCI-LMS platform.
• Routinely ensure drills/simulation of emergency preparedness plans like Evacuation/Relocations/hibernations are organized and conducted. 

Representation & Engagement:

• Participate in formal or informal NGOs/INGOs security and analysis networks/forums in the country to share information with other NGOs, and gain access to security analyses (if available), support the functioning of this forum. 
• With the help of local security team, the Head, HSSE is expected to develop relationships with relevant host government mechanisms in Nigeria that can ensure relevant support during program implementation and emergencies. 

Safeguarding:

• The post-holder will comply with all relevant Save the Children policies and procedures with respect to child safeguarding, Child Protection, Safe Programming, code of conduct, equal opportunities and other related policies.
• If required, the Head, HSSE will participate and support investigations on Safeguarding, Sexual Harassment, Fraud reported incidents.

Partnership:

• Engage and support local partners on their needs for HSSE risk management to fulfil SCI duty of care towards partners.

Travel:

• The Head, HSSE in Nigeria will spend not less than 40% time in in the field supporting, training and conducting assessment activities.

Requirments
Essential:

• University Degree, preferably in Risk/ Security/ Crisis Management.
• Certification in Security / Risk Management. 
• Internationally recognized HSE 1,2,3 certification. 
• Security certifications (CSP, PSP, UN Security Management, NEBOSH etc.)
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in Security Risk Management at senior management level with INGOs/ UN.
• Documented experience of leading the development of Security Risk Assessments, Actor Mapping. Context Analysis along with developing various safety and security plans (Security Management, Incident Management, Contingency plans and business continuity plans).
• Experience of developing Security budgets and engage with awards team to include security costs in proposals. 
• Hands on experience of managing crisis at field and country office levels.
• Well versed with humanitarian security management and “Do no Harm” principles as per UN.
• Experience of Humanitarian Emergency response in security critical threat environments.
• Extensive experience of designing and conducting Security trainings like HEAT, First Aid, Drivers Trainings etc. 
• Well versed with Acceptance approach of S&S management and have used it extensively in previous assignments.
• Experience of using protection strategy in developing site security enhancement plans and designing facilities to mitigate against high threat of possible incursions/ assaults.   
• Experience of dealing with Road safety issues and designing programs to mitigate field travel risks of staff and assets.
• Experience in managing Health related safety and security issues and incidents.
• Remote management experience of teams working in diverse and geographically separated locations. 
• Experience in any of the security services, ie. Military, Police and other Para-military services.
• Excellent understanding of issues and development of the Nigerian health/safety/security/environment. This includes familiarity with the various key actors impacting the political and humanitarian environment of Nigeria, including the United Nations, INGOs, NGOs, governments, and donors.
• Excellent understanding of issues relating to the global environmental and climate changes and its impact on health/safety/security of INGOs staff/assets/programming.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate at all levels, establish information networks and coordinate with country authorities, military and security agencies, donors, International Organisations and local NGOs. This includes ability to engage country leadership and Senior Lead SSGCM&I and keep them abreast of all developments on ground.
• Ability to work autonomously in a highly stressful and challenging environment with tight deadlines and limited resources.
• Proven ability to work constructively in diverse teams and to manage national staff. 
• Proven skills in concise and succinct report writing and using Microsoft office tools. 
• Excellent time management skills to prioritise and meet deadlines.
• 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.
• Fluent in English (written and spoken).

Desirable:

• First Aid / HEAT Master Trainer.
• Working with local NGOs/INGOs.
• Working knowledge of on Nigerian language. 
• Experience living and working in Nigeria or neighbouring countries.

Behaviours (Values in Practice):
Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving 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

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• 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
• Willing to take disciplined risks 

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

Application Closing Date
26th February, 2025; 10:51.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online