Description
Location Amman, Jordan Position Status Full-time About Mercy Corps Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future. Program / Department Summary Mercy Corps has had a presence in the Middle East and Europe since the 1980s with offices in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Ukraine, Syria and Iraq. In response to acute and increasing humanitarian needs in the region, Mercy Corps has expanded operations in areas of conflict and activities in Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Iraq are considered high to extreme risk. Programming may differ from country to country but broadly covers emergency and recovery or development programming in the sectors of food security, economic development, logistics, protection and WASH. Mercy Corps works directly with beneficiaries and through partners, local businesses or other intermediaries carrying the same values and accountability. Mercy Corps views security as three parts: a) operational safety b) access strategies and c) basic analysis and forecasting. While country program possesses its own security management plan and systems, the RSA supports Regional Management and Global Security team by assisting country teams achieve standards, strategy and crisis management. General Position Summary The Regional Security Advisor (RSA) will travel at least 40% to regional offices ensuring basic levels of security management are achieved. This includes minimum standards in planning, operational security and Duty of Care elements are integrated in to budgets, staff onboarding and training. Security plans must be up-to-date. It is expected that the RSA for the Middle East and Europe will communicate regularly with all Security focal Points and Security team members in the region and support with their onboarding, mentorship and development. This is done in coordination with the Country Directors who retain direct supervision over in-country security staff. S/he will be on-call and available for one-off support such as assessments of new locations, security audits, crisis and incident management etc. The RSA is expected to have leadership-level communication with country and program management and ensure that advisories, planning and quality is at globally acceptable standards. Essential Job ResponsibilitiesSAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES
Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g. Integrity Hotline and other options
OPERATIONAL SECURITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT ● Learn, monitor and stay abreast of the environment. Track the general security, humanitarian and political landscape in the region. Retain a familiarity with this and in the context of Mercy Corps programs, staffing and locations and provides regular regional trends analysis to the regional leadership. ● Track and know general objectives and program activities in the region. Support Regional leadership in prioritizing risk management tasks and support. ● Monitor the security indicators of all countries in the Middle East & Europe region including Risk Ratings, Security Management Plans, Security Focal Points and orientation. Conduct annual security audits with each country and support improvements, where necessary and possible. ● Support the Security Focal Points (SFP) in achieving security management goals through reports and planning. This is a key planning and evaluation document with country and regional leadership. ● Provide remote technical support to each country security team, be available to provide advice and guidance for daily and strategic operations. Encourage and support a Risk Approach to evaluating threat priorities (internal and to donor). ● Support Country Directors in understanding cross-border or regional risks. Where necessary, support in prioritization and strategy. ● Support Country Directors in implementing the risk management approach defined by the Enterprise Risk Management Committee, including through reviews and updates of country risk registers. Undertake strategic risk assessment when required. ● Support the Regional Director and the Country Directors in strengthening and expanding due diligence work in line with risk management best practices. ● Be available at short notice during critical incidents and provide management-level support to the resolution of incidents. Also be available to provide surge support at a strategic or operational level in response to developing situations as Mercy Corps requires ● Ensures the safety team contributes and maintains current tracking, mapping and automated reporting systems of security incidents and updates for a comprehensive view on events & trends in the region. Ensure reporting of critical security incidents to the regional and global security teams. ● Help create 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.
PROGRAM ACCESS & ANALYSIS ● Work closely with the Crisis Analysis teams in the region and utilize existing analysis. Contribute to analysis and support teams in linking this to operational safety. ● Maintains a strong understanding of the context in the region (political, legal, social / tribal and conflict). Identify access opportunities for Mercy Corps to reach civilians in need of humanitarian assistance. ● Follow program objectives and activities in conflict & high-risk areas closely. Collaborate with country and security leadership to find daily and long-term strategies in the evolving context, where possible. Contribute actively to the design and update or Country and Regional strategies. ● Ensure analysis trends and forecasting are brought into security and program planning. Support the overall continuation of a culture of a team, which is highly aware of the context. ● Support to other MC departments on a case-by-case basis to provide advice and input on security issues. ● Conduct and present detailed risk assessments specific to emerging crises (e.g., political instability, armed conflict, natural disasters) to the regional leadership team. Assess the potential impact on operations, staff safety, and humanitarian access. ● Offer strategic advice to the regional leadership team on crisis response measures, including evacuation plans, relocation of staff, scaling back operations, or initiating emergency protocols.
REGIONAL CO-ORDINATION AND OVERSIGHT ● Serve as the central point for overseeing travel security and access across the MENA/Europe region, ensuring country teams align with regional security protocols and standards. ● Regularly review and update country-specific travel and access plans, ensuring they comply with regional and global security frameworks and reflect the latest developments. ● Work with Security Focal Points to aggregate country-specific risk assessments, providing a regional perspective on travel risks and access constraints. ● Monitor and ensure the consistent application of global and regional travel safety protocols by country teams, working with Security Focal Points and Travel Managers to adapt these to local contexts without compromising safety standards. ● Act as the focal point for consolidating and disseminating travel security information and best practices a
