Overall purpose of the role:

The overall aim of the Safety Officers post, he/she will be responsible for supporting the day-to-day oversight of DRC Somalia Safety Risk Management function at district level, while having the capacity to rove throughout the various activity sites when/if required, while supporting the programme teams. This includes ensuring compliance with the DRC Somalia Mission safety policies, plans and procedures within his/her areas of responsibility; monitoring staff movements; delivering safety pre-departure briefings; static guard management; conducting district and area level and site-specific security risk assessments and safety improvement plans; staff movements and communications; providing safety advisories and notifications and aiding in the delivery of safety training and capacity building of program staff to enable DRC Somalia Mission operations to be implemented in a safe and secure manner.

Responsibilities:

Humanitarian Access:

• Oversea and ensure the safe implementation of the DRC Somalia Missions humanitarian access strategy and set approaches tailored to the local context in activity sites within Jowhar.
• Ensure humanitarian access approaches are responsive to the local context and include overarching community engagement components during all phases of the operation.
• Ensure that the DRC Somalia Missions field teams conduct principled and sustainable negotiations with relevant actors in all areas of intervention in line with the humanitarian principles, humanitarian needs, and duty of care principles.
• Work to ensure that the DRC Somalia Mission, its mandate, and operations in the areas of operations is known and accepted within the Jowhar district and operational area.
• Provide technical input and advice in assessments to consider new DRC Somalia programs in new geographic areas with the Jowhar district, and regular assessment reviews for existing locations as directed by the Safety Team Leader.
• Provide technical advice to the Area/Base Manager and field teams on the implementation of program activity and review of tailored acceptance strategies as directed by the Safety Team Leader.
• Maintain a high level of preparedness vis-a-vis predicted contextual fluctuations operationally and programmatically.
• Work with the BHB Area Manager and Safety Team Leader, to ensure timely and appropriate follow-up to violations of DRC Code of Conduct, in addition to operational breaches to humanitarian principles.

Staff Movement, Communications and Equipment Issue, Oversight and Support:

• Review, and action respective Field Travel Authorisation requests, ensuring all information is complete, correct and a rapid security risk assessment are conducted, followed by the issuing of clear safety related advice and guidance to field teams deploying within Jowhaar.
• Ensuring the issue of serviceable safety equipment is completed to support all field deployments and program staff; Delivering equipment familiarisation with program staff to ensure correct usage is maintained while in the field; Equipment maintenance completed to ensure serviceable safety equipment is available to support all program activities.
• Coordinate with the respective DRC Somalia Mission fleet staff when directed to support field level movement oversight; Ensure all movements are conducted and in-line with the DRC Somalia Mission SOPs at all times and all movements are coordinated.

Staff Briefings:

• Deliver pre-departure and post safety briefings to all field staff prior and post field deployments to ensure the staff are familiar with and fully understand the DRC Somalia Mission safety policies, plans, standard operating procedures and protocols.

Static Security and Asset Management:

• Ensure the physical protection system (access control, perimeter protection, building protection) at each DRC facility at area level is operational at all times; Ensure all static security guards maintain a high level of professionalism, and readiness through the delivery of training, capacity building and regular emergency drills and rehearsals at all DRC facility; Ensure all static security SOP’s, compound safety plans and both daily and emergency protocols are fully understood.
• With support of the Supply Chain focal point, ensure the Safety departments current asset register at area level and oversight on all assets that are both utilized and stored. Coordinate with the DRC Logistics and Procurement department to ensure that the overall DRC asset register reflects the Safety Unit’s current asset register.

Security Risk Assessments And Safety Improvement Planning:

• Conduct regular security risk assessments at area level, of building and compound infrastructure and area specific locations, ensuring a safety improvement plan is drafted, reviewed and approved prior to the implementation of mitigation measures and strategies.

Assessment, Planning and Information Management:

• Draft and disseminate as required SMS alert advisories for DRC staff in the Safety WhatsApp group when relevant and significant security incidents occur, or elevated threat levels are reported.
• Conduct regular security risk assessments at area level, of building and compound infrastructure and area specific locations, ensuring a safety improvement plan is drafted, reviewed and approved prior to the implementation of mitigation measures and strategies.
• Maintain a live risk register of all safety and security incidents and near misses.
• Ensure compliance is maintained with the safety incident reporting SOP and all safety and security incidents are reported, managed and followed up with in a timely manner.

Networking And Liaison:

• Organize and ensure DRC Somalia field office located within Jowhar keep and maintain a network of key informants and interlocutors at field level to ensure timely and accrete information sharing.
• Identify, create and maintain a network with INGO/UN and other humanitarian access and safety/security professional operating within the Jowhar district.

Context Understanding And Reporting

• Work closely with DRC Somalia field teams operating in Jowhar to ensure all incidents are followed up with an official Safety Incident Report (SIR).
• Monitor the operating environment within the Jowhar district, identify new threats, assess the level of vulnerabilities and recommend mitigation.
• Contribute to local-level conflict sensitivity analysis and macro-level analysis of trends within the Somalian security context.
• Provide credible information and contextual understanding of localized and country-wide security situations and incidents along with appropriate advice to DRC field and program staff.

About you

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.

Qualifications and Experience

• Tertiary education (Bachelor minimum) in Security Operations, Management, Communication, Criminology, Public Administration or related field.
• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Previous services with any of the Somalian Disciplined forces (police and Army etc) will be a desired advantage, Certificate of Certificate of discharge or recommendation from immediate supervisor will be required as proof.
• Computer skills (primarily MS Office applications), especially Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• 3 years’ experience working with international agencies or UN agencies.
• Proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
• Stable, moral and robust character and a good team-player.
• Excellent communication skills, calm and a good sense of humour.
• Proven commitment to accountability practices.
• Ability to comprehend security related subjects as threats/risk management, security management, personal and organizational security awareness.
• Competent and literate in English, verbal and written, with a sound knowledge of technical expressions.
• Demonstrative experience in INGO/NGO or UN field (operations) with experience of safety and security.
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal. Fluency in Somali local languages appropriate to the target population.

Conditions

Contract: 12 Months with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance. Salary and other conditions are offered in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment for National Staff in Somalia; Employment band Non-Management H2

Availability: 1st November 2022 or Immediately

Duty station: This position is based in Jowhar – Somalia

Reporting Line: SCRP Project Manager (with technical line to Head of Safety)

Providing equal opportunities, we are committed to creating an inclusive and positive work environment based on mutual respect for all employees. All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, age, ability, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other factor. At DRC we celebrate diversity and appreciate our employees for the people they are and their unique skills, backgrounds, and perspectives. We encourage all interested candidates to apply.

Promoting high standards: DRC’s capacity to ensure the protection of and assistance to refugees, IDP’s and other persons of concern depends on the ability of our staff to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. DRC conducts thorough and comprehensive background checks as part of the recruitment process