Global Director of Safety and Security

JSI is a global nonprofit dedicated to improving people’s lives around the world through greater health, education, and socioeconomic equity for individuals and communities, and to providing an environment where people of passion can pursue this cause. We are more than 4,000 public health care and education experts working across 46 countries around the world and across eight offices in the United States driven by a passion to improve health and education services for all. Our fundamental goal is to ensure that all individuals can live their best and healthiest life, regardless of age or circumstances. To contribute to this mission, JSI is seeking a Global Director of Safety and Security to lead our safety and security functions across the entire organization. This is a new role within JSI and the incumbent will have the opportunity to shape and lead JSI’s approach to safety and security around the world.

The role of the Global Director of Safety and Security is an enterprise leadership position, reporting directly to the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and a strategic partner to the entire global executive leadership team. The Director will be instrumental in ensuring the safety and security of JSI staff in all environments in which JSI works – focusing on global safety and security, health and safety, and travel risk management. The Director will develop and execute the long-term umbrella safety and security strategy and partner with senior leadership to ensure the infrastructure is in place for the global vision to be fully realized. The Director will be responsible for providing strategic advice and guidance across the full scope of the safety and security function, domestically and internationally, and ensure the global teams receive the support they need to operate effectively. The Director will be responsible for standing up an established safety and security unit and bringing coordination around safety and security across the globe.

The ideal candidate will be collaborative, supportive, diligent, hard-working, proactive, and well versed in the international field of safety and security. They must be a forward-thinking practitioner who has a deep understanding of international development work and the link between safety and security and the delivery of critical services, and is willing and interested to travel to all countries where JSI operates. Because this is a new position, the candidate must be a self-starter, able to drive change, be both a strategist and doer, and bring a global vision for safety and security strategy.

The preference is for this position to be based in Boston or Washington DC and will follow a hybrid work schedule. We may also consider a fully remote position in states where JSI R&T is registered (AZ, AR, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, PA, RI, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WI).

RESPONSIBILITIES

Global security leadership

• Serve as JSI’s senior-most safety and security expert, providing overarching leadership on safety, security, and risk management across the enterprise.
• Develop a safety and security strategy for JSI, including a strategic plan to improve safety, security, and risk management across the organization, and in all countries.
• Work closely with the US and country offices to identify and address security-related issues.
• Be an advocate for safety, security, and risk management and work to raise awareness and incorporate safety and security into JSI’s organizational culture.
• Work closely with safety and security focal points/leads in all countries where JSI works to understand the ongoing environment, provide guidance and support, and provide capacity building.
• Supervise a small team of safety and security professionals (yet to be hired).

  Policy and process development

• Conduct an initial safety and security risk assessment across the organization and provide recommendations for improvement.
• Develop a Business Continuity Plan for JSI that outlines our approach and response to managing unforeseen events and ensure the least disruption to country implementation programs.
• Responsible for ensuring JSI has up-to-date policies, procedures, and training related to safety, security, and risk management.
• Develop and deliver training for staff safety and security and work with external vendors to provide tailored and specific training, as needed. Establish a team of trainers to ensure continuous updating of staff safety and security awareness.
• Develop a sound process for crisis management and serve as the lead on any Crisis Management Team.
• Develop and implement safety and security protocols for all JSI offices worldwide.

  Communication and coordination

• Actively monitor the global security situation and provide real-time updates to relevant staff whose work and personal safety may be impacted by the various security threats.
• Serve as a key business partner for JSI’s executive leadership team, as well as technical and project leadership around the world, to help guide decision making based on staff safety and security.
• Build a network of safety and security resources globally, including coordination with other NGO security professionals, to enhance JSI’s access to real-time information and seek out best practices in the field of safety and security.

  Operational

• Oversee and manage any vendor contracts related to safety and security.
• Participate in any fraud/ethics case management that involve safety and security.
• Responsible for coordinating medical and security evacuations with JSI’s insurance vendor (International SOS), as well as managing and administering the ISOS Communications Portal and Travel Tracker.
• Support business development efforts by providing strategic and budgetary guidance for proposals.
• Travel to countries with greater security needs, to meet local staff, carry out a security assessment of JSI’s offices and protocols, and help to develop or strengthen policies in those countries around safety and security.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as safety and security, risk management, international development or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience working in the field of safety and security, with at least 5 years of experience working in the international not-for-profit sector at increasing levels of seniority.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience managing risk, safety, and security in field operations, across the full spectrum of programming from humanitarian assistance to development, with an understanding of institutional needs supportive of JSI’s global mission (experience in public health a plus).
• Significant leadership experience in risk, safety, and security management in a large and complex international NGO or organization.
• Experience writing SOPs and policies within the context of organizational projects and demonstrated experience in developing and implementing consistent and standardized security systems across multiple geographies.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to influence others, to liaise with a wide range of people at all levels and across different cultures, and to act with credibility, tact, and diplomacy.
• Ability and willingness to travel to any of the countries where JSI works.
• Ability and willingness to change work practices and hours in the event of major events & crises, including traveling at short notice.
• Passionate about the mission of JSI, enthused by the challenges confronting the organization, and dedicated to achieving its goal.

Preferred

• On-the-ground security management experience in Africa, Asia, or the Middle East.
• Record of effective safety and security training delivery in the INGO context.
• Established network of global safety and security services.
• Excellent business partnering, communication and relationship building skills. Demonstrated ability to develop and manage productive relationships with various departments and stakeholders.
• Strong writing and presentation skills – able to convey complex ideas and garner buy-in through communications. Must have cultural competency to communicate with and authentically engage audiences globally.

Salary commensurate with experience.