JOB DESCRIPTION
Title Security and Access Coordinator
Location Gaza
Travel NA
Job Family and Grade Professional Jobs Family P4
Pre hire checks This role is classified as requiring Enhanced pre-employment checks due diligence
Context
About Relief International
Relief International (RI) partners with communities impacted by conflict, climate change, and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long-term health and wellbeing.
Currently, RI is active in 14 countries around the world, including some of the most fragile: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen.
Relief International includes the four corporate members of the RI Alliance: Relief International Inc., Relief International-UK, Relief International-France and Relief International-Europe Under our alliance agreement, we operate with a single, shared management structure.
About our Country Program/ Regional Programs
Relief International was operational in oPT starting in 2007, and after entering hibernation period in 2017, has recently reactivated its operations at the end of 2023. Relief International is currently building its response to the current and evolving situation in both Gaza and the West Bank through both a direct implementation and partnership approach. Relief International’s programming in oPT follows Relief International’s global strategy with Health as a central focus with components linked to our work in Health through the sectors of WASH, Protection, Education and Livelihoods.
Job Profile
As the Security and Access Coordinator, your role will be to ensure the safety and access of Relief International’s operations within the Gaza Strip. You will manage security and access risks, ensuring compliance with RI’s Security Management Framework, and provide guidance to field teams. You will work closely with the Area Director, the Country Security and Access Manager, and other support departments to develop area strategies that translate into actionable plans and day-to-day operations. The role involves supporting and providing technical guidance to base operations while coordinating emergency responses and ensuring sustainable access to the Gaza Strip.
Key responsibilities
AUTONOMY AND COMPLEXITY:
- The Security and Access Coordinator solves problems in straightforward situations, relying on professional experience, established procedures, and guidelines. You will be expected to analyze potential solutions using judgment and precedents to address security risks, manage access, and respond to challenges in a dynamic operational environment.
- You will need to manage evolving security risks while supporting humanitarian operations, often requiring quick decision-making and close coordination with the Area Director, Country Security and Access Manager, and local staff.
- You will work within standard guidelines and policies, receiving moderate levels of guidance. However, there will be a need to exercise independent judgment in assessing security risks, managing field movements, and making decisions that impact both staff safety and program operations. The ability to adapt to new situations and proactively offer solutions is essential.
Capacity Building and Knowledge Transfer:
- Develop a capacity-building plan for local partners and field staff in close collaboration with the Country Security and Access Manager.
- Support the transfer of knowledge to local safety and access teams, identifying training and development needs.
- Deliver relevant safety-related training and provide technical supervision to local safety staff, including drivers.
Security Management and Framework Implementation:
- Support the development and implementation of the Security Management Framework at the area level, maintaining high standards in all security-related documents and protocols.
- Collaborate with the Country Security and Access Manager to audit security policies and operationalize protocols.
- Develop Security Risk Assessments (SRAs) and Security Improvement Plans (SIPs) for locations and activities in Gaza.
Information Management and Reporting:
- Analyze, manage, and report relevant security information to the Country Security and Access Manager, Area Director, and other departmental staff in a proactive manner.
- Maintain security-related documentation, data, and records for Gaza, including maps, incident reports, and briefings.
Field Movement and Journey Management:
- Review and approve field movement requests, ensuring safe travel plans in collaboration with the Supply Chain and Operations Coordinator.
- Be the focal point for Journey Management and Travel Safety, handling requests through the Humanitarian Notification System.
Equipment and Resources Oversight:
- Ensure security, communication, and medical equipment is serviceable and available for all field deployments.
- Provide familiarization training for the correct usage of equipment to support field teams.
Emergency Response and Coordination:
- Coordinate emergency responses in Gaza, offering technical advice to the area-level management team.
- Monitor information networks and issue security and access-related advice according to RI policies.
Training and Staff Development:
- Collaboratively create development plans for security and access staff, supporting their progress and delivering training and exercises for program and support teams.
Stakeholder Engagement and Humanitarian Access:
- Ensure field teams conduct principled and sustainable negotiations with relevant actors, adhering to humanitarian principles.
- Oversee the implementation of RI’s humanitarian access strategy within Gaza, ensuring the mission is understood and accepted by key stakeholders.
Staff and Visitor Briefings:
- Provide comprehensive security briefings for international staff, visitors, and new hires arriving in Gaza.
- Offer pre-departure security briefings to RI field staff.
Other Responsibilities:
- Provide technical support to the Area Director in all operational planning elements.
- Play a key role in the Incident Management Team at the area level.
- Follow up on violations of RI’s Code of Conduct and operational breaches of humanitarian principles in collaboration with the Area Director and Country Security and Access Manager.
- Performany other tasks reasonably required for the role.
Person Specification
Skills, knowledge and expertise required for the role.
Essential criteria
To be successful in this role we expect you to have at least 3-5 years of experience in a position with security and humanitarian responsibilities for an INGO (Programs and Operations personnel who meet these criteria but who may not have had a position with Safety or Security in the title are strongly encouraged to apply). Moreover, we also expect the following:
- Willing to learn, good sense of humor and high emotional intelligence
- Team player and collaborative but with the ability to work independently, take initiative and make decisions.
- An interest in politics, security and a critical understanding of the current situation across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem; a knowledge of regional and wider geopolitical developments and how they influence the war.
- An understanding of personal limitations and areas for personal development.
- Driven, dedicated and proactive with a drive for excellence.
- Stable personality, able to operate in a professional manner under stress.
- Experience working in multicultural work settings.
- Experience with information gathering analysis and report writing, with critical incident management.
- Full professional proficiency in English (the ability to read and write English to a high level and to operate in a professional space).
- At least 5 years of experience in direct safety and access position.
- Previous experience working in non-governmental organization
- Strong organizational skills
- High computer skills on MS Office programs
- Demonstrate good presentation and analysis skills.
- A demonstrated ability to multi-task and process information into action
- Ability to work under pressure and with very short deadlines & strong communications skills.
- Fluent in oral and written Arabic and very good English.
- support.
RI Values
Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:
- Integrity
- Adaptability
- Collaboration
- Inclusivity
- Sustainability
How to apply
Please send your CV to opt.recruitment@ri.org with Subject “Safety & Access Coordinator Gaza”
Please apply immediately we will be reviewing applicants on a rolling basis; therefore, we may withdraw the position from the jobs board before the closing date.
As a humanitarian organization, Relief International is committed to the safeguarding of all those we come into contact with through our work. We are committed to the core humanitarian principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. Relief International expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and uphold the values and behaviors outlined in the Code of Conduct.