Position: Sr. Safety and Security Officer
Ref. No. MF/HR 22-049
Reports to: Quality Assurance & Operations Manager
Job Type: Full–time Location of Work: Gaziantep – Türkiye
Contract Duration: 12 Months
Closing Date: 31/08/2022
Ultimate accountability for staff safety and security rests on the Executive Director/CEO, to enforce effective security risk management. Day-to-day management and responsibility for security is then shared across different levels in the Maram foundation department heads and personnel.
The Sr. Safety and Security Officer at Maram Foundation for Relief and Development holds one of the most critical position within the foundation, and responsible for the biggest challenge facing the foundation and that is the security of personnel in north Syria. With growing insecurity, threats and violence all personals are faced with growing insecurity, threats and violence, working and travelling in such unpredictable environments will always carry a degree of risk.
The Sr. Safety and Security Officer is expected to develop, implement monitor and control a safer and more secure working environment for Maram foundation staff. However, this requires increased prioritization and resourcing of security risk management by the foundation security officer.
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Implement Maram foundation approach to safety and security, including the policies, procedures and mechanisms which have been put in place to ensure effective security and risk management.
2. Understand and develop security plans, travel security procedures, security training, and incident reporting are the key parts of safety and security operating procedure.
3. Understand the risks and consider all foreseeable risks related to a particular location or activity.
4. Must be able to
Identify the risks – identify all possible security and safety threats that could affect staff, programs or the foundation (including its reputation), and understand how, when and why each threat might occur.
Analyze the risks – undertake a comprehensive assessment to determine staff members’ exposure to the different threats identified. The Sr. Safety and Security Officer must assess each risk (threat and exposure to it) to determine the severity, considering the likelihood of it occurring and the potential impact should it occur, given the current measures and procedures in place.
Evaluate the risks – with a good understanding of the foundation risk exposure, the Sr. Safety and Security Officer must make informed decisions on whether to accept certain risks or take additional actions to prevent or minimize them.
Treat the risks – Sr. Safety and Security Officer must be able to make immediate decisions to prevent or minimize/mitigate risk which include reducing the risk, transferring the risk to, or sharing it with, other parties, or ultimately avoiding the risk by not undertaking that activity. Reducing security risks involves implementing different strategies that minimize the likelihood and/or impact of certain threats. These strategies are put into practice through the development of country, or area, security plans.
Monitor and review – Sr. Safety and Security Officer must continually review each component of the risk management process to ensure that current approaches and measures remain appropriate to the changing situation. Effective communication and consultation are integral to the risk management process. No individual can hold all the information needed to identify, analyze and mitigate the risks. It is, therefore, important to identify a range of stakeholders, both internal and external, who can assist you in this process.
F. Acknowledgement of risk – managing security will not remove the risks. Sr. Safety and Security Officer must educate staff to appreciate, as part of their informed consent, that they are still exposed to risk.
G. Proportionate risk – the risk to staff must be constantly assessed and should be proportionate to the need for, and benefits of, certain activities, and to the ability of the Maram foundation to manage these risks.
H. Equitable security – some individuals may be more vulnerable to certain threats than their colleagues. These individuals must be informed of the risks, but security restrictions/measures should not discriminate against individuals based on their personal characteristics.
Work close with local authorities, camp security and stakeholders;
5. Must be able to identify right to withdraw – all staff should have the right to withdraw from, or refuse to take up work in a particular area due to security concerns.
6. Must decides when to suspend activities or withdraw staff from situations that it considers to be too dangerous. Staff do not have a right to remain in a location if they have been directed to withdraw from it by CEO.
7. Establish mitigation measures – The Sr. Safety and Security Officer must develop comprehensive up-to-date plans, procedures and mechanisms and one safety and security must be in place in order to mitigate the risks that exist in a particular location or associated with a specific activity.
8. Develop emergency plans – detailed plans, measures and assistance must be in place to respond to emergency situations involving staff, regardless of the location.
9. Ensure informed consent – staff must understand and accept the risks they face and the measures in place to manage them. There must be a process in place to document their understanding of the risks and their role in managing them. However, such documents will not provide a legal waiver in a court of law.
10. Raise awareness – staff must receive detailed, up-to-date information and guidance, and in many cases training, related to the risks that they are exposed to.
11. Provide appropriate support – organizations must have appropriate support to assist staff and Maram Foundation managed camps affected by an incident. Duty of care responsibilities apply equally in both high- and low- risk environments. However, it is expected that Maram foundation takes even greater responsibility for staff and beneficiaries in higher risk situations. It is recognized that not all risks can be removed, particularly in high-risk environments. Therefore, a lot of weight is placed upon the ‘reasonableness’ of actions, and on staff being provided with the information needed to make an informed decision about the residual risks they could still be exposed to.
12. Use automated applications to report incidents and near misses, and of sharing their security concerns. Must and capture incidents.
13. Establish security forums and presentations – Must be involved in various meetings or mechanisms within the foundation or represent the foundation where security issues and challenges can be raised and discussed.
Qualifications
Minimum Bachelor’s degree in risk, economy, accounting, Business Administration, or any other related area;
1. At least three years of relevant experience in the following;
· Personal security awareness – aimed at individuals who work in or travel to moderate-risk environments. Supplies basic personal awareness about security risks and how to reduce and respond to them.
· Advanced personal security awareness or Hostile Environment Provides intensive, threat-specific personal security training, including simulation exercises.
· Security risk management –security risk management responsibilities (security focal points, program managers and members of senior management). Introduces the core concepts of security risk management and helps develop skills in security risk assessment, operational security risk management and critical incident management.
2. Crisis management – aimed at members of senior management or crisis management teams (at headquarters and country levels). It provides awareness of the principles and actions involved in responding to critical incidents or crisis situations.
3. Previous experience in relief and development preferably in an international organization;
4. Ability to listen, communicate (written and verbal), and follow-up effectively with all staffing levels and Ability to multi-task, prioritize and work efficiently
5. Strong local credentials in the given area inside Syria;
6. Ability to manage important and fast response in a fast-paced ever-changing work environment.
7. Ability to show good common sense and sound judgment.
8. Flexibility to adapt to emergency situations and work varied hours; work weekends or evening
Job Requirements Related to the Syrian Conflict
1. In-depth knowledge of the Syrian conflict, Syrian NGOs and stakeholders
2. Flaunt in Arabic and English languages, Turkish language is definite plus.
3. Valid Turkish residency permits and ability to travel in the region.
Technical Requirements
1. Microsoft office 365 Experience with spreadsheets and automated accounting system
2. Basic computer skills and word processing
3. Ability to sort, check, count, and verify number
4. Social media
