Humanitarian Access and Security Manager – South Sudan

Humanity & Inclusion is an independent and impartial aid organisation working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. The organisation works alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

Since its creation in 1982, HI has run development programmes in more than 60 countries and responded to numerous emergencies. Today, we have a budget of approximately 255 million euros, with 4794 employees worldwide.

At Handicap International-Humanity & Inclusion, we truly believe in the importance of inclusion and diversity within our organisation. This is why we are engaged to a disability policy to encourage the inclusion and integration of people with disabilities.

 

Please indicate if you require any special accommodation, even at the first interview. For more information about the organisation: www.hi.org

 

JOB CONTEXT:
The conflict in Sudan has left around 25 million people currently in need of humanitarian assistance. According to OCHA, over 6.2 million people have been displaced internally, while 1.8 million crossed the border since April 15, 2023. Far from signs of de-escalation, the conflict has now expanded to areas once considered safe. Increasing prices of food and fuel are worsening humanitarian needs, while a shrinking economy is causing widespread poverty. On top of this, delivering aid continues to be exceedingly difficult due to the enduring conflict, ongoing insecurity, theft of humanitarian commodities, assaults on humanitarian workers and frontline responders, fuel shortages, and bureaucratic hindrances. Many humanitarian organizations are utilizing cross-border response to provide assistance in Sudan. Against the backdrop of significantly reduced funding in 2023, the humanitarian sector was able to provide assistance to 5 million people, achieving 27%of the set target for the year. In 2024, the UN is seeking $4.1 billion to support the Sudanese in Sudan ($2.7 billion) and Sudanese refugees and host communities in neighboring countries ($1.4 billion). In 2023, the response within Sudan was 43% funded, and the response for neighboring countries was 38% funded.

YOUR MISSION:       

Reporting to the Program Director, the role of the Country Humanitarian Access & Security Manager (HASM) is to ensure the security of HI staff and assets, and to develop HI’s access to vulnerable populations as much as possible. He ensures that the strategies of the countries concerned are in line with the global strategy. For this goal, his/ her missions are as follows :

Mission 1: MANAGEMENT

·       Embodies HI’s values on a daily basis, and is a role model.

·       Understands strategy, makes it explicit, translates it into operational objectives for his team, leads the necessary changes. Gives meaning to every management action. Encourages inter- and intra-departmental exchanges of practice. Encourages innovation and risk-taking.

·       Organizes the operational management of his team, structures work around identified processes, monitors performance, and facilitates problem resolution.

·       Contributes to the development of its employees, creating the conditions for their commitment, professionalization and attachment to HI. Ensures compliance with the company’s code of conduct and policies, as well as the expected state of mind and individual and collective behavior.

 

Mission 2: STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION

·       Contributes to country strategies and ensures they are in line with global strategies.

·       Develops security strategy and operations through active promotion of HI’s institutional policy and optimization of resources.

• Contributes to the drafting, revision and implementation of operational strategy (StratOp) within the scope of its responsibilities.
• RISKS: creates and updates the risk map as part of its responsibilities, proposes and implements risk management measures.
• Contributes to the reporting of incidents within the scope of its responsibilities.
• Produces, compiles and analyzes dashboard data.
• Ensures HI’s external representation on security issues concerning its country (e.g.: forums, operational and strategic alliances); guarantees the development of local partnerships necessary for the development of its country of activity.

Mission 3: STANDARDS AND EXPERTISE

·       Ensures the development, updating and implementation of HI’s security system in the program (procedures, documents and tools).

·       Verifies implementation of HI’s security policy, operational guide and new security directives issued by head office.

·       Develops a learning system based on program experience and lessons learned.

·       Oversees the drafting, revision and implementation of the operational strategy (StratOp) within the scope of its responsibilities.

Mission 4: OPERATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION

Responsibility 3-1: Context monitoring and acceptance building in the program area

·       Monitors and analyzes local, national and regional developments.

·       Develops the program network by supporting the diversification of information sources and capitalizing on information from key contacts.

·       Reinforces HI’s level of acceptance in the various intervention zones, as necessary.

Responsibility 3-2: Operational security management

·       Produces security analyses and recommendations.

·       Participates in planning operations and defining the resulting security framework.

·       Provides advice and guidance on the evolution of security risks, resource requirements, security frameworks and documents, strategies and sharing of best practices for the security management of HI’s activities in the country, including necessary input for the definition of future project proposals.

·       Regular field visits for security assessments and to support provincial offices

·       Ensures proper internal coordination for all security-related matters, in particular with operations and logistics for safety aspects.

·       Participates in incident/crisis management: analysis, technical support, recommendations, implementation, reporting, lessons learned, adjustment of frameworks…

·       Ensures an alert and “check & balance” role in the monitoring and management of program security.

Responsibility 3-3: Humanitarian Access

·       Ongoing analysis of the humanitarian context and the players involved, identifying obstacles to access and opportunities for improvement

·       Supports the Program Director in creating a program-specific strategy to improve humanitarian access, including:

o   humanitarian contacts and negotiations with the authorities and key players;

o   preparing exploratory visits and opening up new areas of intervention.

Responsibility 3-4: Capacity-building and training in security and humanitarian access

·       Assesses the needs of HI staff on the program and support the implementation of a HAS training plan (including internal and external training (Hostile Environment Awareness Training, Security management, Humanitarian negotiation…).

·       Ensures ongoing training and skills enhancement for security personnel.

·       Develops a security culture within the program.

·       Participates in briefings and integration of new arrivals.

·       Carries out regular security updates for all staff.

Promotes internal coordination with all relevant departments (information sharing, bilateral meetings, etc.).

 

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POSITION:

The capital, Juba, has a major presence of INGOs and UN, basic but acceptable leaving conditions (generator, water tanks, basic roads…), and high-cost level.

Rural areas with very badly shaped roads, little infrastructure, and NGO leaving in compounds. The different sites of intervention are accessible by plane through MAF and WFP-run services. The security conditions are unstable with a level 3 and areas under massive conflict. The rainy season in South Sudan goes from May/June to September/October. During this period, movements are mostly limited since the roads are impracticable.

 

–       With a university degree or equivalent certification in risk management, international relations or other discipline relevant to the position, you have training in humanitarian access/negotiation and humanitarian security management, andat least 3 years’ experience as a Security Manager, Analyst or Manager with security responsibilities in unstable countries.

–       Additionally, you have experience in humanitarian action and have excellent negotiation skills.

At HI, the conditions offered are up to your commitment and adapted to the context of your mission. https://hi.org/en/join-the-team

• 3 to 4 months International contract starting ASAP;
• The international contract provides social cover adapted to your situation:
• Unemployment insurance benefits for EU nationals;
• Pension scheme;
• Medical coverage with 50% of employee contribution;
• Repatriation insurance paid by HI;
• Salary from 2869€ gross/month upon experience;
• Perdiem: 644€ net/month – paid in the field
• Hardship: 500 € net/month paid with your salary;
• Paid leaves: 25 days per year;
• R&R: 5 days every 3 months
• Position : Unaccompanied
• Housing: Collective taken in charge by HI;
• If you are resident in the country: local package.