The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

The Humanitarian Access and Security Coordinator (HASC) reports to the Country Director (CD) and Regional Security and Safety Director (RSSD) East Africa and manages the Humanitarian Access & Security Department for the South Sudan country program. He/she is part of the SMT (Senior Management Team) as per protocol for country at or above level 3. In collaboration with key programs and operations colleagues in South Sudan, he/she will strive to safely enable the delivery of essential services to women, men, and children in South Sudan. She/he will implement humanitarian access and security management systems and protocols in line with humanitarian principles, IRC Standards and Requirements, humanitarian needs, duty of care principles, and IRC’s strategy, and contribute to ensuring that culture of safety is cultivated and maintained.

Job description responsibilities:

Management & Coordination

• Provide technical support to the CD, DDP, and Field Coordinators / Managers on all policies, procedures, guidelines and planning for staff safety, operational safety, and program continuity in adherence to the IRC Global Security Strategy, the S&S strategy of South Sudan created in 2023.

• Evaluate and review, the security management policies, procedures and guidelines in compliance with global safety and security standards and requirements and SMS (Security Minimum Standards)

• Develop and implement responsive humanitarian access strategies and approaches tailored to local contexts in field sites throughout South Sudan.

• Work to ensure that IRC, its mission, and work in the areas of operations is known and accepted, not only tolerated.

• In close coordination with the DDO and finance lead, ensure sufficient funds are budgeted under Security and safety line to maintain the principle of proportionality in alignment with the global financial guideline where the compulsory S&S lines are integrated)

• Manage the Humanitarian Access and Security team (dedicated and non-dedicated focal points) in country including their day-to-day operation and performance, in coordination with the Field Managers/Coordinators.

Context Understanding and Analysis

• Compile and submit regular reports that track incidents and trends in humanitarian access within the IRC’s area of operation.

• Provide credible information and contextual understanding of localized and country-wide safety situations and incidents along with appropriate advice and analysis to IRC field, RSSD and program management staff.

• Provide technical input and advice in assessments to consider new IRC programs in new geographic areas, and regular assessment reviews for existing locations in line with the SAP South Sudan.

• Monitor and support the review of the regular Security Risk Assessments (SRA) and share results with Country Management Team with advisory on how to respond to changing context. He/she is responsible of the technical review after the update from field team, of the sending to RSSD and final validation from CD.

• Conduct in-person and remote safety assessments on a regular basis in each field location to assess the level of adherence to SMS designed for each geographical area.

Training and Capacity Building

• Identify learning and development needs in the country program and provide regular trainings to IRC staff and partners.

• Ensure that IRC partners have access to appropriate capacity building opportunities and all required security awareness sessions.

• Coach and mentor, the Field Coordinators / Managers and Field security focal points on technical topics as described in the Standards and Requirements.

• Ensure the proper implementation and compulsory delivery of the READI training at least once a year

• Provide quarterly update of the training plan to the region

Program and Partner Cycle Management

• Participate in program design, implementation and review sessions in close cooperation with the Program teams.

• Participate in partner and vendor selection and assessment ensuring adherence to Humanitarian Principles.

• Advise program and field management teams on context-specific risks pertaining humanitarian access, safety, and security, and contribute to the development and implementation of mitigation measures and plans.

• Pro-actively collaborate with key members of the leadership, operations and program to ensure that the humanitarian access and security management strategies are appropriately aligned with response priorities across all locations.

Networking and Liaison

• Maintain and disseminate up-to-date warden tree for all IRC offices in South Sudan.

• Maintain a network of IRC security focal points in the country program as well as with external professional contacts and counterparts.

• Identify, create and maintain a network with NGO/UN and other humanitarian access and security specialists or working groups.

Emergency Preparedness and Response to Crisis

• Contribute to development of country emergency preparedness plans.

• Coordinate with Program and Operational departments to develop operational and programmatic contingency plans that respond to identified emergency scenarios.

• Build capacity of in-country Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT) as well as Safety and Security Management Teams (SSMTs – Field Based).

• Maintain up-to-date evacuation plan for international and relocatable staff.

• Update the med evac plan on a regular basis in collaboration with HR department.

People & Culture and Staff Development

• Promote team spirit, cohesion, respect and the IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct among all Humanitarian Access and Security staff in close cooperation with HR department. Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global and IRC South Sudan HR Policies and Procedures.

• Manage all human resources in adherence to IRC People Manager Standards, ensuring state of the art performance management systems and processes are in place for all employees to grow and thrive.

• Provide a quantifiable capacity building plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity and exchanging knowledge within the team. Additionally, ensure that all direct reports develop and implement Capacity Building Plans for their teams.

• Ensure appropriate support to field-based staff via regular site visits, producing reports with action points to monitor.

• Promote and monitor staff care, well-being, and self-care among international and national staff

• Ensures the implementation of the Standards related to staffing according to the risk level assessed. If the number of dedicated staff is not complying with the IRC Standards, he/she advocates to the country SMT to make it happens.

• Act as the safeguarding focal point, ensuring all Humanitarian Access and Security staff are trained on and comply with IRC’s Safeguarding policies and establishing secure reporting channels for concerns.

• Collaborate with the People & Culture and Safeguarding team to integrate safeguarding measures into security assessments and operational plans, ensuring regular monitoring and accountability.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Country Director and Regional Safety and Security Director under MIP (Management in Partnership)

Position Supervises: S&S Manager, S&S Officer, Rooving S&S officer, GAVI Access staff

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Field and support operations and programs teams, Program Coordinators & Managers, Regional Director, Director International Safety & Security

External: NGO counterparts and UN agencies

Requirements:

• University degree in Business/Organizations Management, Political Sciences, Security Management, or related field, preferred. Technical degree or certification in related field with significant applicable experience.

• At least 5 to 8 years’ experience of operational access and security support of multi-sector humanitarian relief or development projects in East Africa or similar context, preferably at senior level positions.

• Strong security management skills and experience, international experience is required.

• Understanding of local context, dynamics, and access limitations related gender, disability, religion, tradition, and local norms.

• Demonstratable experience as a trainer; ability to develop, implement, facilitate and impart learning to a wide range of audiences.

• NGO experience and knowledge of donor requirements.

• Flexibility, adaptability, culturally sensitive, team player.

• Fluency in spoken and written English

Demonstrated Skills & Competencies:

• Proven experience as professional and reliable manager.

• Exceptional organizational and coordination skills.

• Excellent relationship-building, interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively represent IRC at forums and with external stakeholders.

• Ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively with senior internal and external stakeholders.

• Proven ability to design and lead training engagements with staff to enhance skills and adapt to changing program demands.

• Ability to work in unstable security environment and ensure staff abide with the security policies.

• Ability to work under pressure

• Ability to independently organize work and prioritize tasks.

• Self-motivated, honest, responsible, and punctual.

Standard of Professional Conduct: The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.

Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.