JOB TITLE: Safety and Security Director - Damascus (National)
TEAM/PROGRAMME: Syria Country Office LOCATION: Damascus/ Syria with Travel to East, North and South
GRADE: 3
CHILD SAFEGUARDING:
Level 3 - the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people
ROLE PURPOSE:
The Syria Country Office Security Director (SCO SD) position is a unique, professionally challenging and ultimately rewarding role. Working directly for the SCO Director it offers the selected candidate the opportunity to engage in full spectrum risk management in a context currently at the heart of world politics, all with a capable and committed team.
The role requires a clear understanding of how to identify, describe, mitigate and then manage the risks associated with direct, partner and remotely managed programming across a complex humanitarian space with significant consequence for failure. The SSD position therefore requires the ability to translate strategic, operational and field level risk into evidence based decision-making and critically, action. All of this within the parameters and spirit of SCI Global Safety and Security policy and matrix based relationships.
Working across Jordan, Iraq, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria, the successful candidate requires to be good at what they do, be genuinely interested in people and understand what it means to manage, lead, follow, both directly and through influence.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports directly to: Country Director Syria Response
Reports Technically to: MENAEE GSS Senior Lead
Works with: Everyone
Staff reporting to this post: The Safety and Security Director Syria will be responsible for technical line management of the Security Managers/ Coordinators for East, North, South and central Syria, based in the field.
Dimensions: Expected 500 staff in multi-site, multi-sectoral interventions namely - health (vaccines and primary health care), FSL, WASH, NFI, nutrition, education, Child Protection.
Post holder will be under constant guidance and mentorship of Senior Safety and Security Advisor.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Information
• Maintain organisational situational awareness to support effective decision making and action at all levels.
• Develop, maintain and expand a broad and eclectic range of contacts to establish an information network to support organisational contextual understanding and provide support in the event of incident and crisis.
• Ensure all those who need to know are kept fully informed of risks, events and incidents to ensure a positive and supportive relationship between the SCO and it’s security partners at the Regional and Global level as well as enable an organisational response in case of critical incident;
Capacity
• Ensure compliance with Global SCI policy including documentation. Ensure all SCO SOPs make sense and allow Field Teams to take ‘ownership’ / responsibility of their own security.
• Ensure Security is mainstreamed throughout the organisation.
• Specific and tailored support to the Field Teams to ensure effective security management in the field but critically a strong positive relationship between the field and the backup office in Amman as long as it stands.
• Ensure the SCO is able to respond to present and emerging threats, through the use of comprehensive all hazards risk management processes, innovation, technology and leadership.
• Lead the development and implementation of novel and engaging trainings to ensure the organisation and its’ staff remain equipped and prepared to operate in the risk environment.
Response
• Ensure organisational resilience and business continuity through the efficient and effective anticipation and management of incidents and crises.
Travel
• The Director of Security will be required to manage their own travel to ensure their objectives are met. This is a dynamic position which works on relationships this should be reflected in travel plans.
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 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
• Willing to take disciplined risks
Integrity:
• Honest, encourages openness and transparency
• Always acts in the best interests of children
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Essential
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in Security Management, including international experience.
• Demonstrable experience and understanding of security management in complex and kinetic environments
• Demonstrable experience and understanding of the application of humanitarian principles in complex and kinetic environments.
• 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, Interaction and EISF guidelines and familiarity with the integrated role of safety and security at the heart of programme operations
• Experience of Humanitarian Emergency response in security critical threat environments
• Extensive experience of designing and conducting Security trainings 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
• Remote management experience of teams working in diverse and geographically separated locations
• Superb interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate at all levels, establish information networks, and coordinate with country authorities, militias, donors, International Organisations and local NGOs. This includes ability to engage country leadership and GS Senior Lead MEEE 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 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
• Security certifications (CSP, PSP, UN Security Management, NEBOSH)
• First Aid / HEAT Master Trainer
• Working with local INGOs/ NGOs/CBOs
• Experience living and working in Syria or neighbouring countries
• Working knowledge of Arabic language