Oct 24, 2014

Country Safety Coordinator, Somalia

Employer:Danish Refugee Council
Location: Somalia
Closing date: 25 Oct 2014
Introduction

DRC is an international non-governmental organization that promotes and supports durable solutions to the problems faced by refugees and internally displaced people all over the world.
DRC has been operating in the Horn of Africa for over a decade, running a combination of livelihood, protection, advocacy and relief programmes. DRC offices are located in Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen and Kenya, with a regional office in Kenya.
The Danish Demining Group (DDG) has been operating in Somaliland since 1999 and in Mogadishu since 2007, and Puntland since 2010. DDG will shortly commence programme activities in Yemen.
Overall Objectives
The Country Safety Coordinator (CSC) will manage all aspects of the DRC Safety Risk Management (SRM) system in all of Somalia, to include Somaliland and Puntland for both DRC and DDG programmes. The CSC, in consultation with local safety staff and programme manager, is expected to pursue the following objectives in his/her daily work:
  • Manage the Safety Risk Management (SRM) process
  • Develop and supervise the implementation of area safety management policies, protocols and procedures
  • Perform Safety Risk Assessments (SRAs) and supervise the implementation of mitigation measures
  • Oversee the information management, analysis and reporting process for DRC/DDG offices within Somalia
  • Maintain relevant safety documentation, data and records for the areas of concern
  • Facilitate and deliver safety-related training to local and international staff
  • Mentor and provide technical supervision to local safety staff
  • Develop the capacity of, and coordinate, the Incident Management Team (IMT) for both DRC and DDG
  • Provide quality assurance and capacity building of armed and unarmed guards
  • Act as the focal point for contractual and procurement issues related to safety risk management, including the provision of armed security
  • Manage all safety related equipment, including communications and B6 armor vehicle(s)
Responsibilities and Tasks
To achieve the position objectives, the Country Safety Coordinator will perform the following tasks and undertake the following responsibilities:
· Manage the development and implementation of the SRM process. Specific tasks include:
· Perform area-specific SRAs and conduct Safety Level assessments.
· Advise Programme and Area Managers on available safety management strategies, including the transfer, avoidance, acceptance and/or control of risks.
· In cooperation with Local Safety Officers and Security Focal Points, develop and supervise the implementation of area-specific safety plans, including Local Safety Rules (LSR); Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); Contingency Plans (CPs); mitigation action plans; and Minimum Operating Safety Standards (MOSS).
· In cooperation with Local Safety Officers and Security Focal Points ,develop, update and supervise the implementation of safety improvement action plans for both DRC and DDG programmes in Somalia as needed
· Monitor and evaluate the SRM process in Somalia, providing regular updates on the quality and progress of SRM implementation
· Facilitate programme access and continuity through the provision of dependable advice and field trip planning, including:
· Provision of regular analysis, statistics and reporting on key developments within the country
· Tailored analysis and assessments, including SRAs, on specific areas, themes, issues or scenarios
· Monitor negotiations and developments related to access and humanitarian space
· Establish and maintain a list of contacts throughout the region
· Maintain and update the incident tracking database for South Central Somalia, Somaliland, and Puntland, and provide trend/pattern analysis
· Provide advice on programme development and implementation, including programme assessments
· Identify potential scenarios, indicators of change and key decision points
· Oversee the implementation of field travel SOPs and planning
· Represent DRC and DDG programmes within inter-agency fora as related to safety issues, including:
· Focal point for safety co-ordination between relevant actors within the area of operations
· Attend NSP, UNDSS and other relevant external fora
· Establish a network of contacts and represent DRC/DDG at security meetings
· Capacity building of all staff, consultants and implementing partners, including:
· Provide operational safety briefings and orientation to all new and visiting staff
· Brief new international and non-local staff on specific cultural norms and behaviours
· Train local safety staff in the delivery of establish safety training modules
· Organize and coordinate the delivery of Personal Safety Training (PST) on a quarterly basis
· Incident and crisis management and response, including:
· Supervise the establishment of Area IMTs for DRC and DDG, including a shared IMT protocol
· Coordinate the IMT in the event of a critical incident or crisis
· Develop the area level Critical Incident Management Plan and support area-specific Contingency Plans
· Brief IMT members on their responsibilities and ensure alternate members are available and briefed
· Assist in the management of safety incidents and provide timely and accurate incident reports
· Oversee the regular review and scenario-based TTXs for both IMTs
· Quality assurance of safety-related policies, protocols, procedures and regulations, including:
· MOSS audits
· Monitoring of armed guards, watchmen and SPUs
· Assess the implementation of physical and asset protection protocols and regulations
· Ensure that appropriate access controls are in place for all DRC/DDG facilities
· Conduct regular site assessments and advise on mitigation measures
· Act as the focal point for the procurement and installation of safety-related equipment, facilities and other resources, including:
· Assist logisticians and administrators with the procurement, delivery and control of safety equipment
· In cooperation with Local IT department personnel, act as the focal point for telecommunications systems, including radios and satellite phones
· Liaison with Private Security Providers (PSPs) and monitoring of payments to PSPs
· Manage and oversee all aspects of international staff safety and security including:
· Coordinate and directly supervise all field visits outside of the office
· Supervise all travel authorizations for permanent and visiting international staff
· Oversee and, if necessary, operate the B6 armoured vehicle during field visits and travel
· Brief all incoming staff and visitors
· Insure that all staff, both international and national have attended the mandatory safety training, and arrange for the training of personnel who have not met this requirement
Reporting Arrangements
The Country Safety Coordinator will work in coordination with the DRC/DDG Area Managers and Local Safety Officers / Safety Focal Points for South Central Somalia, Somaliland, and Puntland for day to day management, but will work directly with Country Directors for both DDG and DRC. Technical support will be provided by the Regional Security Advisor in Nairobi and the Deputy Regional Security Advisor for Somalia and Kenya.
Conditions:
Contract: 1 year renewable contract.
Other employment conditions in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Global Expatriates recruited by the Horn of Africa Regional Office. This position is rated as A10 on the DRC salary scale available at www.drc.dk
Availability: October 2014
Duty Station: Mogadishu, Banadir Somalia (This is a non-family duty station)
Personal Specifications – Candidates not meeting these criteria will not be considered:
  • At least 5 years’ military experience with a rank of Sergeant or above
  • At least 2 years’ operational experience on international deployments
  • Security management experience with a proven ability to develop and implement effective and contextualized protocols and systems
  • Detailed knowledge of radio and other telecommunications systems
  • Experience with critical incident management
  • Experience with delivering security-related training
  • Proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
  • Proven ability to work effectively with minimal supervision
  • Stable and robust character, team-player with a good sense of humor
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Fluent in written and spoken English
Preferable:
  • Experience with the Somali context
  • UN or NGO experience
  • Close Protection experience and/or qualifications
  • First aid instructor qualification
General
Commitments: DRC has a Humanitarian Accountability Framework, outlining its global accountability commitments. All staff are required to contribute to the achievement of this framework into the work of DRC
For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website www.drc.dk
How to apply:
Application process
Qualified candidates are invited to access the full job description and the requirements for this position under vacancies at www.drc.dk. Please submit applications online using this link by 25 October, 2014
If you have questions or are facing problems with the online application process, please contact job@drc.dk