Humanitarian Access Safety and Security Officer

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

The IRC is seeking a Humanitarian Access Safety & Security (HASS) Officer for its Ukraine operations in the south region. The HASS Officer will ensure that organizational security policies and procedures are responsive to the context, are contextually appropriate and known to staff. The position is also responsible for creating a strong network with all the actors in the area and maintaining excellent relations with the local authorities. 

Reporting to the Field Coordinator, the HASS Officer will provide timely contextual analysis for decision making that strengthens humanitarian access and staff safety. The HASS Officer will conduct onsite briefings for staff, necessary assessments and analysis, and support the development and implementation of appropriate plans, standard operating procedures, and contingency plans.

·       Act as the primary field-level focal point for staff safety and operations for the office and program activities in the south region under the technical guidance of the HASS team and in coordination with the Field Coordinator

·       Monitor and analyze the local security environment daily, identify emerging threats and vulnerabilities, and provide timely security advice, updates, alerts, and reports to Field Coordinator and staff that will inform decision making on daily movements and program activities

·       Implement the Security Management Plan, SOPs, contingency plans and other relevant security protocols

·       Conduct or support security risk assessments of the office, accommodation, routes, program locations and other operational premises, and follow up on agreed mitigation measures

·       Support the development and implementation of evacuation, relocation, hibernation and emergency response plans, ensuring appropriate emergency preparedness measures are in place

·       Review and manage all approval processes (internal and external) for staff movements as needed

·       Monitor staff movements and ensure compliance with tracking and security procedures as needed

·       Deliver security briefings, inductions, refresher sessions for staff and visitors to the south region

·       Manage and maintain all safety and security equipment in Mykolaiv office and guesthouses and escalate any concerns and anticipated needs to the Field Coordinator

·       Promote staff awareness of and compliance with security policies and procedures, identify training or preparedness gaps, and promptly escalate serious concerns or breaches through the appropriate management channels

·       Other duties as assigned and based on changing context in south region

- Monitor and provide support and reporting on NGO security initiatives

- Work to ensure that IRC, its mission and work in all areas of operation is known and accepted

- Work to encourage stakeholders to collaborate with IRC in ensuring that staff are safe and given permission to continue humanitarian activities in Ukraine

- Liaise with relevant security actors e.g., NGO security staff, security forces, local community stakeholders, local authorities

-- Compile and submit regular reports that track incidents and trends in local security contexts

- Submit daily contextual updates as needed to relevant staff

- Support incident management, documentation and follow-up in coordination with the HASS team, Field Coordinator, and People and Culture

- Monitor the operating environment in the region, identify new threats, assess IRC vulnerabilities and recommend possible responses

- Provide credible information and contextual understanding of localized and country-wide security situations and incidents along with appropriate advice to IRC.

• Information sharing - Regularly share and discuss timely, accurate and relevant information in local

languages with communities about: - access and eligibility to service, -expected staff behaviors and

code of conduct, - community feedback, safeguarding mechanism and how to use them.

• Facilitating participation - Identify and provide communities with opportunities to participate in and

guide programs – from assessment and design through to monitoring and evaluation. Talk with

communities about how they would like to be involved in decision-making and discuss with

management how this can be facilitated.

• Feedback collection and reporting - Establish or promote the formal feedback mechanism – aligned

with organizational best practice – to capture, monitor, respond to and act on feedback and

complaints from communities.

For people managers:

• Foster ongoing learning, honest dialogue, and reflection at team level to strengthen safeguarding,

wellbeing and duty of care, and to promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies.

• Lead by example and support IRC’s commitment to taking all necessary preventive measures and

creating an environment where people feel safe and can report misconduct.

For FMT and ESMT members:

• Model accountability and commitment to safeguarding all staff, partners, clients and others the IRC

works with to build a culture of prevention of safeguarding violations in our workplace and our

programs.

• Model accountability and commitment to wellbeing of all staff, partners, clients and others, the IRC

works with to build a culture of duty of care in our workplace and our programs

Graduation from a higher education facility in a relevant subject is preferred, however secondary education and significant professional experience will be considered

• Minimum 2 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in humanitarian access or security
• Demonstrated experience working in a high-risk or conflict-affected environment, with practical responsibility for staff safety, field movements or operational security
• Experience implementing SOPs, contingency plans, risk assessments, movement procedures or emergency preparedness measures
• Experience coordinating with local authorities, NGOs, UN agencies or other humanitarian/security stakeholders is an advantage

- Excellent relationship-building, interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively represent IRC in coordination forums with external stakeholders

- Strong understanding of operational security and risk management in a conflict-affected environment

- Ability to assess rapidly changing situations and provide clear, practical and timely advice

- Strong negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution skills essential

- Ability to remain calm and make sound decisions under pressure and during emergencies

- Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize security-critical tasks while managing competing operational demands

- Ability to work independently and take initiative while maintaining appropriate coordination and escalation

- Fluency in spoken and written Ukrainian, Russian and English (minimum B2)

- Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint

·       The position will be based in Mykolaiv but will require movement within the operational area of Mykolaivska and Khersonska oblasts. The operating environment is high-risk and may change rapidly.

·       The HASS Officer must be prepared to work under significant security constraints, including changes to movement permissions, temporary suspension of activities, emergency relocation/evacuation and other measures required by the security context.

·       Travel to other locations is needed up to 30% of time

·       The HASS Officer is expected to comply fully with IRC Safety & Security policies and procedures and to support a strong safety culture across the south office team. The position may require work outside normal office hours, including evenings, weekends or on-call availability, in response to operational or security needs

·       Work in the matrix organization

·       Fast pace of working, multitasking and stressful work

·       The organization cares about staff and provides flexible working options (start early-finish early, start later-finish later, remote work)

IRC employees are eligible to the following benefits:

·       Competitive salary

·       Purposeful job and development opportunities

·       English classes and unlimited online training courses

·       Life Insurance

·       Medical insurance for staff and family members

·       Free psychological support to employees and their family members

·       30 calendar days of annual vacation with flexibility beyond the legally set minimum requirements

·       Up to 10 days of paid medical leave

Professional Standards: All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

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