Safety and Security Manager – USAID Kenya Primary Literacy Program

EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT CENTER (EDC)

Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity, with a focus on vulnerable and under-served populations. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.

EDC is committed to the principle of “Do No Harm” to ensure that children, at-risk adults, and vulnerable communities are safeguarded during operational and program activities. In fulfillment of our commitment, all EDC personnel are expected to treat program participants with dignity and respect, and are prohibited from engaging in harmful, abusive, or exploitative behaviors. EDC maintains a zero-tolerance policy for any form of sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment, and all other abuses of power that may harm children or adults at risk of harm or undermine the mission of EDC’s work.

All successful candidates will be required to review and agree to the Safeguarding Policy, EDC’s Anti-Trafficking Policy, and Code of Conduct. Upon hiring, all personnel will complete mandatory training in accordance with the policies. To promote a safe, healthy, and inclusive organization, all EDC personnel are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner consistent with the policies and EDC’s organizational values.

EDC is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.

Project Description

The USAID Kenya Primary Literacy Program (USAID KPLP) is a five-year initiative that supports the Kenyan Ministry of Education to deliver interventions at scale as well as pilot and expand innovations that address the language and literacy needs of primary grade learners while building more inclusive, accountable, and resilient education institutions and systems.

USAID KPLP has three broad objectives:

1. Improving education services and student learning outcomes, including for vulnerable populations;

2. Strengthening education institutions and systems to become more accountable, self-sustaining, and resilient; and

3. Empowering local youth organizations to strengthen and sustain community and family support for student learning and wellbeing

Position Description

The Project Safety and Security Manager will contribute to ensuring the overall safety and security of the USAID KPLP staff as well as risk mitigation measures related to project implementation. This will be accomplished primarily through information collection and triangulation with a diverse group of stakeholders, followed by analysis and developing, rolling out and monitoring adherence to organizational policies and procedures as they relate to staff health, risk mitigation and security. This position reports to the Chief of Party and is expected to collaborate closely with EDC’s Project Director and Global Safety and Security Director. This is a full-time position based in Nairobi.

Essential Functions include, but are not limited to:

Safety & Security Project Implementation

• Work with USAID KPLP Chief of Party (COP) and other designated personnel to ensure coordination and compliance with USAID KPLP project specific Security Management Plan, policies, and procedures across all USAID KPLP project sites.
• Advise COP and oversee the day-to-day conduct of project security, ensuring preparation of adequate responses to security incidents as well as natural and humanmade disasters.
• Devise, advise and implement access procedures for the Nairobi office and regional offices.
• Review weekly staff travel schedules and projected travel itineraries to identify potential security and safety related issues.
• Serve as in country emergency point of contact for staff visiting from EDC Home Office.
• Send frequent security and safety alerts/information to EDC staff.
• Prepare and update the project Security Management Plan to include evacuation, relocation and hibernation plans for all project implementation locations in coordination with EDC’s Global Security Director.

Fleet Operations Coordination

• Review the vehicle use policy and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the project staff. Monitor compliance and suggest improvements as required.
• Coordinate with the Logistics Officer on the fleet oversight systems to ensure proper fleet safety and security (GPS, fuel management system, internal vehicle control system).
• Coordinate with Logistics Officer to ensure that the GPS devices SIMS are active and charged.
• Advise on rental vehicles safety and security.
• Ensure that the domestic travel complies with the project Security Management Plan and security SOPs.
• Coordinate with Logistics Officer to ensure vehicles have security materials such as first aid kits and vehicle recovery kits. Ensure kits are adequately supplied and maintained.

Incident and Crisis Management

• Initiate emergency response actions in the event of an emergency or crisis.
• Serve as advisor to the Incident Management Team.
• Coordinate all safety and security actions between USAID KPLP staff and EDC Home Office in the event of a major incident or crisis.
• Report incidents to Project Leadership and EDC’s Global Security Director as soon as possible.

Analysis

• Regular evaluation of the situation, flag potentially dangerous situations and significant deterioration to both Project Leadership and EDC’s Global Security Director.
• Determines, reviews, or changes the levels of security regarding acceptable tensions levels, precautionary measures to be adopted, and restrictions in movement, relocation, or evacuation of personnel.
• Provide the periodical situation report on safety/security related crises or emergencies with impact at the country level.

Document & Resource Maintenance

• Develops, reviews and/or edits area specific threat/risk assessment protocols, including threat/risk assessment indictors, travel recommendations during a permissive environment, uncertain environment, and a hostile environment, concerning USAID KPLP’s daily activities for office and field staff.
• Coordinates revisions of project specific Security Situation Plan and other security management documents on a quarterly basis or more frequently as required.
• Maintains and updates all USAID KPLP office contingency planning material, reference documents and annexes on an annual basis.
• Advises COP to ensure budgetary requirements for safety and security are prioritized and implemented across all projects.
• Provides regular audit of security and safety procedures within project locations.

Training

• Train national and international staff at minimum in personal security, security management, crisis management and access procedures. This includes providing security briefing and training to visiting staff.
• Organize periodic tabletop exercises to test the Safety and Security Plan and maintain and periodically test the staff telephone trees and warden system.
• Provide training as needed to KPLP implementing partners on incident mitigation measures and reporting.

Networking & Communication

• Develops and strengthens engagement with local authorities and law enforcement, diplomatic/international organizations, and private security officers in close consultation with the COP.
• Serve as in country representative to relevant security forums within Kenya including INSO, USAID funded PLSO and OSAC Kenya Chapter.

Vendor Oversight

• Liaises with the contracted security provider at country level and provide general residential security advice to all staff.
• Develop, review and/or monitor to ensure security contractor compliance and establish clear audit trails in relation to USAID KPLP deliverables associated with the security provider’s contract and during all financial matters and transactions with the Director of Global Safety & Security and the USAID KPLP Chief of Party.
• Reviews all security provider and related service contracts to ensure accuracy and value for service, (this duty completed in coordination with COP, Security Focal Points, and other designated personnel).

Occupational Health and Safety

• Develop and update the premises safety plans, including firefighting plans, detection and protection measures.
• Update the premises evacuation plan and conduct evacuation drills on frequent basis as guided by the security plan.
• Supervise the preventive and reactive maintenance of the firefighting equipment, CO & smoke detectors. Ensure there is an active maintenance service plan in place.
• Train staff on fire safety and fire equipment use, evacuation planning and drills.
• Conduct frequent occupational health and safety inspections at EDC premises, inform the office managers/administrators to take the appropriate corrective actions.
• Ensure that the first aid kits are allocated, checked periodically and replenished.
• Train staff on the basic first aid at the office and the medical evacuation to the hospital if needed.

The candidate for the position of Safety and Security Manager shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Education:

Master’s degree in relevant field required.

Skills and Experience:

• 7 to 8 years’ experience of directly relevant security management experience in international non-governmental organizations or UN agencies.
• In-depth knowledge of the security context in Kenya
• Ability to solve problems and complete tasks.
• Ability to work in a team and work independently.
• Excellent organizational, communication, computer, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent technical writing skills.
• Experience supervising staff would be an asset.
• Strong training and facilitator skills; ability to develop and implement successful training sessions.
• Previous experience working with USAID projects.
• Proven ability to work successfully within a cross cultural setting, negotiate diplomatically, and function well under pressure.
• Ability to travel throughout Kenya and the project’s regional offices.

Language:

Fluency in English is required.

Other:

Applicants must be Kenyan nationals or hold current work authorization.