Short-term regional Safety and Access Advisor for DCA (in Mali/DRC/CAR)

DanChurchAid (DCA) is looking for a short-term Safety and Access Advisor (SAA) to strengthen the Safety and Security setup in three of its Francophone Country Offices (CO). She or he will oversee the assessment and wherever needed improvement of critical humanitarian access and security management procedures in line with humanitarian principles, humanitarian needs, duty of care principles, and DCAs policies and standards.

She or he will provide expert humanitarian access and security risk management advice to the Country Directors (CDs) and in-country Senior Management Teams (SMTs) on building relationships with stakeholders, negotiating and mediating humanitarian access, managing critical incidents, and providing timely advisories.

She or he will work closely with the SMT and DCA HQ to ensure that organizational security policies and procedures are responsive to the context, adequate and known to staff, and in line with global safety and security standards.

You will work in a potentially hostile and arduous environment. You will therefore need to demonstrate a positive and self-motivated attitude. Conditions require a level head, situational awareness, cultural understanding, a great deal of flexibility and attention to detail. If you have these qualities and skills, and you are looking for a challenging opportunity with a leading mine action and humanitarian NGO then we would like to hear from you.

The main duties relating to this position are as follows:
The position will be guided by the following overarching objectives:
Safety and Security Risk Management

• Provide technical support to the CD, SMT and DCA HQ on all policies, procedures, guidelines and planning for staff safety, operational security and program continuity through travels to DR Congo, Mali and Central African Republic (CAR)
• Evaluate, review and update the security management plans in compliance with global safety and security standards and requirements
• Work with the CD to consolidate and implement standard operating procedures and contingency plans
• Assess the current HR structure in terms of Safety and Security management and provide recommendations to the SMT
• Evaluate, review and update the hibernation and evacuation plans for all offices and residences and ensure that the practical preparations are in place and known to all staff involved
• Conduct risk assessments of contracted and prospective offices and residences. Follow up on actions to be taken to ensure compliance with safety and security standards
• Provide and implement best possible solutions for use of equipment to facilitate communication between staff, including here proposing safe alternative means of communication and equipment
• Ensure safety and security protocol, reporting mechanism, and capacity building initiative account for gender-specific risks, staff profiles and background, and are sensitive to local contexts

Humanitarian Access Management

• Assess in line with CD whether humanitarian access approaches are responsive to local context and include overarching community engagement components and provide corrective action plan if needed
• Assess in line with CD whether t the DCA field humanitarian teams conduct principled and sustainable negotiations with relevant actors, in line with humanitarian principles, humanitarian needs, and duty of care principles and provide corrective action plan if needed
• Work with SMT to ensure that the CO maintain a high level of preparedness vis-a-vis predicted contextual fluctuations operationally and programmatically

Emergency Preparedness and Response:

• As required, support and advise the CD and DCA HQ during security/safety emergencies and safety issues linked to the delivery of humanitarian operations
• Contribute to the development of operational and programmatic contingency plans that respond to different emergency scenarios

Staff Learning & Development:

• Hold high-quality meetings with SMT on a regular and predictable basis, frequency to be agreed upon
• Coach and train SMT on relevant humanitarian access and security management skills in line with the regional learning and development strategy
• Adhere to and act in accordance with the DCAs RC Global HR Policies and Procedures, and communicates through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations

Expected Outcomes

• Updated safety and security assessments, management plans with corresponding Standard Operating Procedures and Contingency Plans
• Staff trained and aware of relevant contingency plans
• Preparedness measures for sudden emergency identified and implemented

Applicants must have the following qualifications and experience:

• Deploy for a period of 2-3 weeks in each of the three countries, as soon as possible
• Travel to DR Congo, Mali and Central African Republic (CAR) without restrictions
• Have excellent French and English communication and written skills
• Proved security management experience within the NGO sector in complex security settings in French-speaking Africa

• A minimum of 5 years of NGO work experience within international humanitarian assistance programmes with demonstrated capabilities in planning, organizing and executing humanitarian security operations in the field;
• Tertiary level education in a security related field;
• Understanding of the humanitarian principles linked to NGO field and operations contexts;
• Advanced knowledge in communications technology;
• Strong experience as a trainer; ability to develop, implement, facilitate and impart learning to a wide range of audiences;
• Ability to gain a precise understanding of the various local, regional, country and international policies, operational positions and interactions, providing clear dynamic briefings and analysis of given and unfolding security and political situations when they occur;
• Regional experience strongly preferred;
• Work experience in field locations with limited logistical support;
• Strong leadership, team building and communication skills;
• Flexibility and cultural awareness and sensitivity;
• Computer literacy essential including proficiency in Excel, Word, Power Point, etc.;
• Fluency in written and spoken French and English are essential.

We offer:
4-month contract with the possibility of extension;

• A competitive salary package;
• Insurance as per industry standards;
• An interesting and challenging experience addressing humanitarian needs.

All qualified candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, religion or ethnic affiliation are encouraged to apply for the vacancy. Only online applications consisting as a minimum of a CV and a cover letter will be considered and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Closing date: 27 June 2020. Interviews are expected to be ended by end June 2020 with start of contract July 2020. However, applications can be reviewed on a rolling basis and DCA reserves the right to select a candidate prior to the closing date.
Everyone applying for a job with DCA must be ready to comply with our Staff Policy on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment and our Child Safeguarding Policy.