Regional Security Advisor – Middle East & North Africa (Mena) Region

Internal Job Grade –

C1

Contract type –

2 years Fixed term(renewable)

Reporting to –

MENA Regional Director (or as designated by RD), technical management: OI Global Security Team

Staff reporting directly to this post –

Line management: None;

Functional matrix management with Security lead of all countries and cluster in the region(Security Focal Points, Officers or Advisors),

Key relationships/interactions –

Regional Leadership Team,Regional Platform, Country Security Focal Points, OI Global Security Team, Country and Cluster Directors.

Location

The position is based in the MENA region. We are flexible to posting to a country that Oxfam works in in the region, subject to our ability to obtain right to work in that base. Preferred location is Amman, Jordan. The role will be required to cover and visit all the countries composing the region

Budget responsibility

No budget responsibility

Shaping a stronger Oxfam for people living in poverty.

Department Purpose

The Regional Platform (RP) of Oxfam in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has a mandate to:

• Provide strategic leadership, management & accountability of and to Oxfam country and cluster programmes in MENA.
• Deliver regional impact, developing partner relationships, brand and impact in the region through relevant influencing and advocacy work, public engagement and programming
• Connect, coordinate, convene – Connect practitioners to sources of expertise, convene people to share knowledge and learnings, and coordinate capacity building initiatives
• Enable operational agility and efficiency – Provide support to Oxfam country offices

In MENA, Oxfam works in development, humanitarian, and campaigning, with a large part of the current transformation focused on becoming a major influencing & advocacy, knowledge-for-impact global reach organisation.

Team Purpose

To ensure that the region has the capacity to effectively support the management of security risks in-country helping enable Oxfam to meet its programme objectives.

Job Purpose

Oxfam currently works in 11 countries in the MENA region; Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Morocco, Tunisia, Western Sahara, Turkey and OPTI. The Regional Security Advisor (RSA) will support the security lead / contact point in each country in the region in order to ensure that the country security strategy is developed, implemented, monitored and reviewed; consistent with Oxfam policies, standards and requirements and that country teams are sufficiently resourced and skilled for security management as appropriate to their context.

Job Responsibilities

The Regional Security Advisor will be responsible for:

1. Provide Technical Support

• Remotely supporting field security management teams and Country Leadership Teams (CLT). Field visits to countries within the region will be part of the role. These visits may be planned, but can often be in a very short notice and in difficult environments
• Matrix management to country security leads in MENA countries
• Providing support and advice to Country/Cluster Directors and Security Leads on the development of security procedures and plans for each country (ensure they are complete, up to required quality and up to date) including support to the COP process to monitor adequate budgeting is in place
• Provide support to countries and clusters working with partners in regards to security risk management related issues (support, training and advice).
• Supporting on incident management, lessons learnt and any follow up actions/ changes to procedures.
• Supporting in the case of crisis management (support to the Crisis Management Team) specifically when it is a security related crisis
• Facilitating / providing learning & development as well as exchange experiences at all levels. Identifying staff security training, learning and development needs and ensuring access to the training across the region (including appropriate planning and resourcing)
• Providing technical inductions and briefings as required.
• Advising and assisting the Regional Director in discharging Duty of Care for the region as directed by the Oxfam Security Policy (During transition this will be to the Affiliate (OGB) Regional Director).
• Ensuring there is adequate capacity in security management through providing and advising on training. Repeat of 3 lines above on L&D / training This is from the previous JD. Ensure that all countries in the region have updated, appropriate and inclusive security management plans, in line with the global guidance on this, and in line with the level of security risk in the country. In connection with this, provide support, guidance and leadership as needed to countries in order to ensure that these documents are in place, are socialized, and that SOPS are followed and well understood
• Work with Country HR in relation to Health and Safety and safeguarding issues in country
• As the security expert in the region, providing strategic and operation leadership in the management of security.

1. Monitoring & Evaluation/ Reporting & Analysis

• Monitor compliance with security policies, plans and procedures at a country level, including but not exclusive:
  • Completing an annual Stock-take including advising on and ensuring completion of more frequent updates to LSMPs, as dictated by any shift in context/situation of the country SMPs and incident reports.
  • Completing security audits in the countries composing the region and ensure a strong accountability between the region and countries.
  • Advise on ‘best practice’ in line with Oxfam security tools and templates.
  • Monitoring and making sure reporting security incidents in compliance with OXFAM reporting mechanism , ensuring advice and recommendations are appropriate in line with Oxfam policy and ensuring follow on actions are implemented.
  • Reporting organizational security management performance at a regional level on a regular basis including:
    • Managing a database of all incidents in the region and providing ongoing analysis to RTG
    • Providing monthly reports on incidents and associated analysis/ trends to the appropriate line management, the EAs and as well as the Global Security Team.

1. Managing available Resources

• Managing requests for support from the countries and forwarding it to the Global Security Team when appropriate.
• Ensuring an equitable allocation of resources in the region.
• Potentially covering absence/back-up of in-country security leads for short periods, especially in countries that are highly volatile or high risk.
• Supporting during the recruitment of security personnel in the countries. Support in developing ToRs for HSPs and or consultants as required.

1. Representation of Oxfam Security in the region

• Coordinating and following up on Oxfam’s participation to external security networks.
• Facilitating learning & development as well as exchange experiences at all levels.
• Making proposals and recommendations regarding security management coordination to the Global Security Team (Security Working Group).
• Encouraging a transversal approach through coordination with other departments in the region.
• Strongly involved when programmatic emergencies arise, including planning and potentially deploying to new or rapid onset emergencies in support.

Job Requirements

Essential

• Languages: English excellent spoken and written
• University diploma or equivalent.
• Expertise on the general regional security context and trends as well as good understanding of the most volatile areas in the region.
• At least 5 solid years practical experience of security assessment, planning and implementation of procedures in the context of UN or NGO humanitarian operations,
• Relevant working experience in volatile areas due to security and/or politics.
• Proven influencing and negotiating skills with internal and external audiences including in complex and stressful circumstances.
• Proven experience in working with partners in a equable manner
• Proven experience of field-based training.
• Demonstrable ability to advise and support country staff from distance and in a consultative manner.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, together with the capacity to remain calm under pressure and not lose sight of strategic priorities. Must be organized and efficient.
• Sensitivity to cultural differences and the ability to work in a wide variety of cultural contexts.
• Willingness to travel at short notice, and often in difficult circumstances.
• A sound understanding of the importance of gender especially in relation to security risk and management
• Proven influencing and negotiating skills with internal and external audiences including in complex and stressful circumstances
• Strong understanding of humanitarian principles and the role of security in programme delivery
• Committed to Oxfam principles

Desirable

• Languages: French, Arabic highly desirable
• Experience in Health and Safety sector
• Experience with the use of telecommunications (satellite phone, HF, VHF, etc.)
• Experience with the management security related aspects of vehicle fleet.
• Experience with the management of sites / buildings and related security aspects
• Basic understanding of air safety
• Experience in working with partners

Other

Must be able to travel in the region.