Deputy Africa Regional Security Advisor

General Description of the Programme/GOAL.

GOAL has worked in Africa for many years and has managed its in-country security in the region through a combination of Security Officers and Security Focal Points (double-hatted GOAL staff) working to a GOAL Regional Security Advisor. It is assessed that all GOAL countries should have access to effective security support and advice. This will be a combination of full time security officers and dual hatted security focal points. There is a GOAL Regional Security Advisor in post in Africa and this position is to provide a deputy to the RSA. GOAL’s commitments in Africa are extensive and growing and this role is to support and reinforce the RSA, doing much the same job as the RSA but allowing the two Security advisors to cover GOAL’ s countries with more frequency and in more depth.

Job Purpose

The primary function of this role is to be a member of GOAL’s Security management team in Africa; to provide security advice and support to GOAL’s operations in all GOAL’s countries in Africa; and, to ensure that GOAL adheres to best practice in the areas of safety, security and risk management.

The DRSA role has the following primary objectives:

• To support and assist the RSA in providing advice and to support to the senior GOAL country management on safety and security related issues and ensure that they are kept informed of all security risk developments and are in a position to take appropriate action when required.
• To ensure that appropriate systems and procedures are in place to maximize the safety and security of all GOAL staff in these countries and that these systems and procedures are revised and practised on a regular basis. This will involve providing training and oversight of security plans and SOPs.
• To work with Country Directors and GOAL managers in the field at all levels to ensure that safety and security is mainstreamed into all areas of planning and operations.

Key Duties Responsibilities:

Security documentation

• Produce security analysis and reports for the region to the RSA, Regional Directors and all CDs.
• Ensure that all incidents are reported, analyzed and actions taken where necessary. Ensure that incident tracking systems are present in all countries.
• In each country, ensure that the Country Safety Security and Evacuation Plans (SSEP) and relevant Annexes are reviewed and updated on a regular basis.
• Ensure that all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and other security protocols relating to safety and security are reviewed and updated on a regular basis.
• Advise and guide each of the Country SMTs in developing a range of appropriate contingency plans, ensuring that staff understand their roles in an emergency and that GOAL has the resources to carry out the contingency plans.
• Ensure that staff in each country are sufficiently trained, briefed, and prepared so that they are equipped to make sensible and timely security decisions for themselves.
• Ensure that adequate communication and reporting systems are in place in each country.
• Ensure that each country maintains an Emergency Contact database with up-to-date information for all staff.
• Ensure that security information is available to all staff in the relevant GOAL countries.

Health and Safety

• In conjunction with the appropriate GOAL health staff, ensure that offices and GOAL accommodation in the region have fully stocked, up to date First Aid kits.
• Ensure that appropriate fire safety equipment is in place in all the countries and includes offices, compounds and vehicles. Ensure that staff are aware of what to do in the event of a fire.
• Oversee each country’s transport managers to ensure that all vehicles have the necessary safety and security equipment.
• Ensure that each country has hibernation kits in all compounds and that the contents are checked on a regular basis to ensure that nothing has expired.
• Assist each country to develop security phone/contact/Whatsapp trees and maintain a GOAL warden system.
• Advise on and oversee the production of security induction materials for each country and in concert with the RSA, ensure that staff arriving in the region are thoroughly briefed on the security situation and relevant security SOPs and protocols.

Training

• Ensure that in all the relevant countries; drivers and guards receive appropriate training to carry out their duties in a manner that keeps GOAL employees safe and secure.
• Identify training courses that are appropriate to the needs of each GOAL Country and maintain a database of security trainings undertaken by individual GOAL staff, by country. These trainings include, but are not limited to, personal safety, first aid, mine risk education, and security risk management.
• Train staff on various means of communication, including the use of radios and satellite phones.

Coordination

• When visiting the GOAL countries you should attempt to attend relevant local security forums and meetings in order to develop more detailed regional security knowledge and understanding.
• Develop contacts and information gathering systems amongst UN, NGOs, INGOs, government and embassies and share security information with them on a regular basis.
• Liaise closely with the RSA and the Regional Director/s concerning changes in the security environment in any of the countries you are responsible for or within the region.

Assessments

• As directed by the RSA, carry out regular threat assessments and risk analysis at the country level and, as far as is possible, in each of the key, higher risk, programme sites.
• Assess communication equipment and systems in each country to ensure that they are adequate and effective, and that staff are trained to use them.
• Carry out assessment reports for all GOAL countries visited and brief the RSA and the relevant SMT on the vulnerabilities and propose solutions.

Other requirements

• In exceptional circumstances you should be prepared to assist a temporary Country Director in any of the countries you are responsible for.
• You should be part of the Country IMT for any countries that you are delegated security responsibilities for by the RSA.
• You should be prepared to provide emergency cover for the RSA in consultation with eth GSA.

Requirements:

Essential:

• At least 3 years’ experience working with INGOs in a security management position and/or field coordinator position with security management responsibility
• Experience of working in Africa
• The ability to analyse and report on a variety of security information and data
• Experience of crisis management systems;
• Ability to work under pressure to pursue multiple tasks simultaneously to successful conclusions;
• Excellent report writing skills;
• Committed team player
• A good sense of humour

Desirable:

• Ability to speak Swahili, French or another local language.