Security and Access Officer – Northeast

Reporting to                                         Northeast Program Manager, CSAM

Internal Job Grade                              D2

Contract type                                       Fixed, Iraq

Staff reporting to this post               security and access assistant – Kirkuk \ Guards.

Total Workforce                 1

Annual Budget                     None

 

Iraq Context

Oxfam’s programme has been established in 2014 in response to the ISIS conflict in Iraq. Oxfam implemented activities during the past few years was built around the delivery of 3 main areas: A) Lifesaving humanitarian assistance b) Recovery assistance, and C) Promotion of Women Rights.

 

• Lifesaving humanitarian assistance: to newly displaced populations residing in camps or host communities. The bulk of this work was done around the Mosul Operation with activities implemented in the governorates of Erbil, Salah Al Din and Ninewa. Activities included: Establishment/rehabilitation of safe water (boreholes, repair of infrastructure); Emergency water supply (distribution of water through trucking and bottled water); Setting up water tanks and networks in camps; Distribution of hygiene items; construction of latrines; Cash for Work opportunities inside the camps to allow construction work and solid waste management; and Distribution of emergency winterisation kits.

 

• Recovery assistance: to returnees, local host communities and IDPs to recover from the post-conflict and to cope with protracted displacement. The main activities implemented under these areas of work include Rehabilitation of water infrastructure; Supporting local authorities to rehabilitate essential public services (schools and hospitals); Grants to returnees to recover damaged businesses; Provision of livestock to support farmers; Cash for Work opportunities contributing to income for vulnerable families and supporting rehabilitation of infrastructure of public interest (irrigation canals, main roads).

 

• Promotion of Women Rights: through contributing to the implementation of the National Plan for 1325 UN Resolution, and economic empowerment of women through provision of training and grants to establish/rehabilitate businesses.

 

In order to serve these three objectives, Oxfam work aimed to integrate the following key sectors together for every intervention in a given location:

• Water Sanitation and Hygiene
• Economic Justice and Emergency Food Security and Vulnerable Livelihoods
• Non-food-Items and Shelter
• Protection of lives and rights of civilians
• Gender Justice
• Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning
• Advocacy and Media work

 

Team Purpose

To provide assistance that meets humanitarian needs and reduces underlying drivers of conflict at all levels.

Job Purpose

Oxfam strives to minimise and manage safety risks for staff at all times. The Security Officer will ensure that the team in Northeast area is working in line with Oxfam’s Safety Management Plan. The post will be responsible for gathering relevant information regarding the safety situation within Iraq and the immediate region, to ensure programmatic decisions can be based on a solid risk and context analysis. This position will assist management team in managing the safety system, which is in place to coordinate the movements, and maximise the safety, of all staff.

 

Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Safety System

• Fully understand the Oxfam Iraq’s safety and security related manuals and documents and ensure that all staff know its content and agree to follow required policies and procedures.
• Monitor security situation through security reports, staff reports, own sources in Northeast, and recommend courses of action (mitigation or corrective measures).
• Support the Area Manager to implement routine and special staff learning / training.
• Assess and continuously monitor all locations and daily movements required to implement projects/program activities for risk and impact on staff safety and security.
• Routinely advise on required movement/behaviour changes, e.g., restricted or cancelled movement, or modified work in high-risk project sites (as the situation changes daily, weekly, etc.)
• Lead daily/weekly security briefings to ensure all staff are fully aware of behaviour/caution required to reduce vulnerability.
• Update the emergency communication contact list (“tree”) on at least a monthly basis.
• Ensure that all new employees, Iraqi and expatriate, receive a full safety/security orientation upon their arrival to Northeast: new Iraqi employees within the first 3 days of employment; expatriates within 24 hours of arrival in Iraq.
• Regularly assess communications needs, ensure availability of appropriate communications technology, and orient all staff to emergency communication protocols/procedures.
• Test emergency communication systems/behaviour quarterly, analyse results and ensure improvements if needed.
• Monitor fire extinguishers and First Aid equipment monthly for serviceability.
• Use Oxfam standard reporting protocols to immediately and fully report/follow up on all incidents.
• Liaise with the Field Manager / Logistics to manage/coordinate car use, particularly to coordinate for project activity implementation.
• Support program team to develop and maintain a safety management system, which includes the safety management plan, and allows for the continuous updating of safety measures.

 

• Advise and support the Senior Management with regard to implementing the safety management plan.

 

• Ensure the safety management system is in line with existing Oxfam safety policies, protocols, and approach.

 

• Support the day-to-day implementation of Standard Operating Procedures.
• In the event of any serious incident, support senior management to manage the situation and assist with information flow.

 

• Act as safety focal point for all staff in particular with regards to safety incident reporting.

 

• Ensure all drivers are aware of the relevant aspect of the safety management plan with regards movements and driving in Iraq. Ensure driver briefings are conducted with specific regards to safety for all new drivers, and refresher sessions for all drivers at regular intervals or following a safety incident.

 

• The Security Officer will also be in charge of managing the guards in the office and briefing them on appropriate safety and security aspect.

 

• Regularly visit programming areas. Develop relationships with local authorities and other stakeholders.

 

• Coordination with security forces and local authorities and work to issue Letters to facilitate the access and attend coordination meetings with the government and international organizations and build a wide coordination network to facilitate the movement of employees within the work areas.
• Maintain a high level of preparedness vis-a-vis predicted contextual fluctuations operationally and programmatically.

 

Humanitarian Access

• Collaborate closely with program, security, and support teams to formulate and execute humanitarian access strategies and methodologies tailored to specific local conditions at various field sites across Iraq.
• Guarantee the adaptability of humanitarian access approaches to the local environment and incorporate comprehensive community engagement elements.
• Engage in consultations with the area program team, AM, and CSAM to establish enduring connections with local authorities and influential figures within your assigned regions.
• Foster awareness and acceptance of Oxfam’s mission and activities among all stakeholders within your designated areas of responsibility.
• Work hand in hand with support departments at the area level to facilitate the acquisition of necessary entry visas and movement documentation for program teams.
• Offer expert insights and recommendations during assessments for potential Oxfam initiatives in new geographical locations within the area.
• Maintain open communication with pertinent departments to interact with security entities at the area level.
• Sustain a state of readiness to effectively manage anticipated contextual fluctuations both operationally and programmatically.

Analysis

• Together with management, support the development and maintenance of a comprehensive context analysis and risk assessment. Maintain contacts with all relevant stakeholders to develop a network and build relationships with key actors to ensure gathering of reliable safety information.
• Attend relevant safety management meetings; namely The Local DNGO and OCHA but also any other information sharing sessions within the humanitarian and UN network.
• Undertake regular and ad hoc safety assessment missions as necessary, in order to gather information and to analyse the overall safety situation in existing and potential areas of intervention.
• Conduct a security assessment of all the identified project locations before the implementation of any project.
• Drafting of Country Intel Review as directed by CSAM.

 

Awareness

• Support country management staff in identifying the safety learning and development needs of staff.
• Ensure that an appropriate system is in place to provide safety information to visitors in advance of their arrival.
• Ensure that all staff and visitors receive appropriate safety briefing on arrival and immediately following any safety incident (‘lessons learned session’) and provide safety update during team meetings.
• Ensure that the Welcome Pack and Safety management plan are updated regularly and contain relevant safety information.
• Ensure all staff well understand and correctly use the safety clearance request system and SMS movements update system.
• Assist in the Identification of safety, security, and access learning and development needs for Oxfam Northwest Iraq staff.

Logistics

• Support Logistics Officer in planning movements, using up to date safety information.
• Assisting the logistics officer in the topics of security assessment of distribution locations,
• workshops, and trainings Venues.
• Coordination with the logistic officer and work together in following up the cars and their movements through the GPS system.
• Coordination and assistance with the admin in the subject of security evaluation of offices and guesthouses and the mechanism of entry and exit for visitors and employees.

ACOOUNTABILITY:

Accountable to the Area Manager Northeast, supported by the Country Security and Access Manager.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

 

• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field or at least 3 years comparable experience in managing / supporting safety and security related operations.
• 2 year’s security management experience in int’l humanitarian, military or police setting.
• Excellent working knowledge of threat assessment, risk mitigation and ability to work on acceptance strategy at all levels.
• Advanced level of understanding of various communications technologies, including VHF and HF radio systems, satellite phones, cell phones, etc.
• Fluency in Arabic and English, Kurdish will be an advance.

 

• Solid organizational skills: the ability to be flexible and work well under pressure in a fast-paced team environment.

Technical Skills, Experience & Knowledge

• Practical experience of safety assessment, planning and implementation of procedures in the context of UN or NGO humanitarian operations.
• Ability to speak, read and write English, Arabic fluently. Knowledge of Kurdish will be an advantage.
• Previous experience in safety and security will be an advantage.
• Proven influencing and negotiating skills with internal and external audiences including in complex and stressful circumstances.
• Ability to advise and support field staff in a consultative manner.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, together with the capacity to remain calm under pressure and not lose sight of strategic priorities.
• Ability to comprehend security related subjects as threats/risk management, security management, personal and organizational security awareness.
• Must be organised and efficient.
• Successfully manages conflicting priorities.
• Sensitivity to cultural differences and the ability to work in a wide variety of cultural contexts.
• Willingness to travel at short notice, and often in difficult circumstances.
• Committed to Oxfam principles.
• Takes responsibility for own work and delegated project/processes (including some leadership).
• Anticipates problems and regularly provides solutions.
• An understanding of the importance of gender in humanitarian work.
• Familiar with the Microsoft Office suite of programs, Google Earth, and other common computer programs.
• Good writing skills in both English and Arabic.
• Any certification of security training will be an advantage.