Safety, Security and Humanitarian Access Coordinator

IRC started its emergency intervention in Mexico in 2019 which has transitioned to a longer-term operation as a result of the continued needs experienced by refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people, migrants, and crisis-affected communities throughout Mexico. We are currently implementing different activities in the northern border with the U.S and southern border with Guatemala in the areas of:

• Safety: through the provision of timely services for gender women and girls suffering based violence and promotion of healthy and safe relationships.

• Health: supporting clients to access emotional support services.

• Power: providing accurate information to clients about available services.

• Economic wellbeing: ensuring that clients have the most basic needs cover.

Currently, IRC has the following offices/sub offices:

• CDMX: coordination office

• Northern Border:

o Nogales

o Ciudad Juarez

o Tijuana (in process)

• Southern border:

o Tapachula

o Acayucan

o Tenosique

o Palenque

Job Overview:

The Safety & Security Coordinator is a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), reporting to the Country Director (CD). She or he will develop and oversee the implementation of humanitarian access and security management systems and protocols in line with humanitarian principles, humanitarian needs, duty of care principles, and IRC’s strategy in Mexico.

The Safety and Security Coordinator will identify changes and trends in the humanitarian access and security environment in the country, develop and oversee the implementation of responsive plans, standard operating procedures, and contingency plans, and facilitate training and capacity building of both management and field staff.

The position holder will provide expert humanitarian access and security risk management advice to all levels of IRC staff in the country office on building relationships with stakeholders, negotiating and mediating humanitarian access, contextual understanding, managing critical incidents, and providing timely advisories.

The safety and security coordinator will work closely with the SMT and the Field Coordinators (FC) to ensure that organizational security policies and procedures are responsive to the context, adequate and known to staff, and in line with global safety and security standards.

Working closely with the Deputy Director of Programs and Program Coordinators, the Safety and Security coordinator will help maximize the effectiveness of IRC’s activities in Mexico by contributing to the design and ongoing adaptation of programming to ensure it is contextually appropriate. Where applicable, provide guidance and support to partner organizations and ensure the capacity building of IRC staff, incentive workers, and partners with active hands-on collaboration.

Major Responsibilities:

1. Safety and Security Management Planning

• Oversee and provide technical support to SMT and Field Coordinators to implement all policies, procedures, guidelines and planning for staff safety, operational security, and program continuity.

• Evaluate, review, and update the security management plans on a regular basis in compliance with global safety and security standards and requirements.

• Work with SMT and Field Managers to develop, consolidate and implement operating procedures and contingency plans.

• Evaluate, review, and update the hibernation and evacuation plans for all IRC offices and residences or Guest Houses in all areas of Mexico and ensure that the practical preparations are in place and known to all staff involved.

• Oversee risk assessments of contracted and prospective offices and residences. Follow up on actions to be taken to ensure compliance with safety and security standards.

• Undertake continual assessments of equipment, and the protocols by which that equipment is used, to ensure that minimal conditions for security are being met.

• Provide and implement best possible solutions for use of equipment to facilitate communication between staff.

• Mainstream gender and diversity in all phases of the security management ensuring safety and security protocols, reporting mechanism, and capacity building initiative account for gender-specific risks, staff profiles and background, and are sensitive to local contexts.

• Ensure that incident and crisis management protocols are known by the different teams that may be implicated.

2. Humanitarian Access Management

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

• Ensure humanitarian access approaches are responsive to local context and include overarching community engagement components.

• Provide technical input and advice in assessments to consider new IRC programs in new geographic areas. Ensures that new locations are evaluated form security perspective before deploying any team member.

• In coordination with SMT, liaise with relevant security actors e.g., NGO Security Focal Point, NCCI, INSO, other NGO security coordinators, region UNDSS contacts, local community stakeholders, Governors, etc.

• Assist in the continued development of humanitarian access and security teams and activities across Mexico.

• Contribute to developing and implementing guidelines for humanitarian access and engagement with non-state actors articulating standard IRC policy and guidance.

• Oversee and advise on the implementation and review of tailored acceptance strategies.

• Enhance IRC image and acceptance within the community and amongst stakeholders by providing guidance on inclusive visibility strategies.

3. Context Monitoring, Analysis and Supervision

• Compile and submit monthly security reporting that track incidents and trends within the IRC’s area of operation.

• Submit daily contextual updates as needed to the Country Director (CD), Deputy Director of Operations & the Regional Safety & Security Advisor.

• Work closely with IRC teams in Field Offices in Mexico to ensure all incidents and accidents are followed up with an official written report, which is then shared with relevant stakeholders and filed appropriately. Ensure also that final incident reports are provided when IRC is closing the case and that lessons learnt are incorporated in the security management system.

• Coordinate regularly with the RSSA on safety, security, and access, and fulfill reporting requirements to the region.

• Collect and compile all security reports for IRC Mexico.

• Contribute to local -level conflict sensitivity analysis and macro level analysis of trends within Mexico.

4. Training / Capacity building

• Identify safety, security and access learning and development needs for program staff

• Ensure regular trainings for IRC staff on humanitarian principles and safety and security preparedness. Training(s) may include Standard Operational Procedures; Humanitarian Negotiations; Contextual Understanding; Safety & Security Risk Management; Incident Management &Reporting; etc.

• Liaise with partners to explore security management systems and support mutual learning if necessary.

• Work with HR Coordinator on reviewing the IRC Mexico Security Information Package for new hires and visitors, ensuring they went through a complete safety and security briefing.

5. Program Development

• Participate in program design in close cooperation with the Deputy Directors of Programs and Deputy Director of Operations.

• Ensure that safety and security needs are included in the country program’s budgets. In case, there is a specific budget allocated to Safety and Security, he/she will oversee managing it.

• Support program coordinator and field management staff in developing conflict-sensitive and contextually-appropriate approaches when relevant.

• Participate in program review meetings and contribute to implementation plans to ensure the timely, safe, and secure delivery of IRC service to clients.

• 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

6. Emergency Preparedness and Response

• Contribute to the development of country emergency preparedness plans.

• Support and advise the SMT during humanitarian or security/safety emergencies.

• Assist with the humanitarian access and security component (situation analysis and background information, security assessments) of the Emergency Response Team deployments. This could be also required for emergencies outside Mexico.

• Contribute to the development of operational and programmatic contingency plans that respond to different emergency scenarios.

7. Human Resource Management and Development

• Hire, supervise and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies. She/he will be the direct supervisor of the Security Officers and will define their objectives and conduct their performance appraisal.

• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions including staff development plans.

• Coach, train, and mentor staff with the aim of strengthening their technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing professional development guidance

• Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, and providing documented annual and mid-year performance reviews.

• As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train and develop capability and capacity of a national staff to successfully transition role and responsibilities

• Provide constructive feedback and counsel on appropriate career paths and professional development.

• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being; approve and manage all leave requests to ensure adequate coverage.

• Offer leadership support for successful adherence by staff to IRC’s Global HR Operating Policies and Procedures.

• Lead with commitment, integrity and accountability the “IRC Way” – Global Standards for Professional Conduct – and ensure adherence.

Job Requirements

• Graduate degree in a related field, or equivalent work experience.

• At least 5 years’ experience in a non-profit or NGO within international humanitarian assistance programs.

• Previous NGO security management experience is an asset.

• Demonstrated capabilities in coordination, planning, organizing, and executing humanitarian security operations in the field.

• Understanding the humanitarian principles, code of conduct and specific sub-sector work linked to NGO field and operations contexts.

• Advanced knowledge in communications technology, including, satellite communications, cell phone mediums, etc.

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

• Ability to gain a precise understanding of the various local, regional, country and international policies, operational positions and interactions, providing clear dynamic briefings and analysis of given and unfolding security and political situations when they occur.

• Demonstrated strong writing and reporting skills.

• Regional LATAM experience is highly preferred

• Excellent oral and written skills in both Spanish & English.

• Critical thinking

Professional conduct standards: IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles described in IRC Way-Standards for Professional Conduct. These are integrity, equality, service, and accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and implements policies on protecting the beneficiary from exploitation and abuse, safeguarding the child, harassment in the workplace, tax integrity and anti-retaliation.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to reducing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce, including parental leave, gender-sensitive safety protocols, and other benefits and support subsidies.

Equal Employer Opportunity: IRC is an equal opportunity employer. The IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit regardless of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic.