Senior Safety and Security Officer at Norwegian Church Aid

Norwegian Church Aid ('NCA') is a member of the ACT Alliance and works with people and local actors, especially Faith-based actors in many countries where it works in their struggle to eradicate poverty and injustices. We provide humanitarian assistance in disasters and work for long-term development in local communities and societies. In order to address the root causes of poverty, we advocate for just decisions by public authorities, businesses and religious leaders. NCA has a presence in Nigeria to respond to the Humanitarian crisis in Northeast Nigeria. NCA has its core competencies in Gender Based Violence and Water Sanitation and Hygiene. NCA has its strengths in works and invest in local partners ensures building their capacities are built from the onset of response, in order to enable them to have the capacity to respond in a long-term intervention including recovery and development.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:  

Job Title: Senior Safety and Security Officer Location: Borno

Brief description of the post

• The overall goal of the position is to ensure that security and safety protocols are developed and applied in all NCA offices and guest houses in Nigeria and that the protocols are adaptable to the changing context of programming in North-East Nigeria.
• Additionally, the position will support partners in establishing key security protocols to guide their operations.

Specific objectives of mission

• Objective 1 Security Management: Implement and adapt security management procedures, ensuring that risks are clearly understood, and SOPs reflect the program needs in the operation area
• Objective 2 Staff, and Asset Safety: Ensure measures that assure staff safety are budgeted for and implemented. Provide measures for safeguarding NCA assets in all locations and liaise with other relevant departments to ensure these are implemented
• Objective 3 Trainings; Provide on-job safety and security trainings to staff and outsource for specific safety and security trainings based on analyzed training needs.
• Objective 4 Liaison and Coordination: Regularly attend security coordination meetings and liaise with other actors in monitoring security environment
• Objective 5 Reporting: Ensure prompt incident reporting and action as needed and compile monthly reports as required.

Roles and Responsibilities Objective 1:

• Implement the security management plan and security protocols developed for the country office
• Conduct regular security risk assessments in line with minimum operation requirements
• Maintain and implement location and situation-based security standard operating procedures (SOPs) as applicable
• Adapt security protocols to the shifting operation context in NE Nigeria as need may be.
• Implement and incident and crisis management protocol for the mission identifying and assigning responsibilities as appropriate, in consultation with Head of Mission.

Objective 2:

• Conduct regular safety audits of all NCA premises and recommend measures that would reduce risk, focusing on prevention and deterrence.
• Ensure that Security guards at all NCA premises have undergone basic safety and security trainings and maintain clear records on the same
• Ensure that all NCA premises and vehicles used by NCA staff on official duty are equipped with first aid kits
• Identify hibernation options for staff and ensure that hibernation kits stocks are always available in all locations.
• Ensure that staff is assigned a means for emergency communication when deployed to deep field locations.
• In consultation with Admin Manager, ensure that safety features are installed in NCA premises
• Advise the Admin Manager on safety requirements for asset and commodity movements, asset and commodity storage and use.
• Ensure all NCA premises are equipped with fire extinguishers in clearly marked locations

Objective 3:

• Conduct safety and security training to all new staff before deployment to filed locations and or Maiduguri
• Analyze staff security and safety needs and share with line managers.
• Outsource specific safety and security trainings and liaise with line managers to identify who can benefit from the same
• Conduct regular refresher security and safety training to security guards deployed at NVA premises
• Train staff on the use and maintenance of security communication equipment: Thuraya phones, radios
• Develop a catalog of mandatory trainings that staff should undertake before deployment to deep field locations and communicate this to line managers
• Maintain records of staff safety and security training

Objective 4:

• Ensure close coordination of NCA security protocols with other actors in the operation areas and keep monitoring for any actions that may elevate our security risk for an immediate remedy
• Liaise with the Admin department before vehicles are deployed to deep field locations to assess the vehicle conditions, drivers’ awareness of security requirements and safety provisions in the vehicles
• Liaise with the Security Advisor at Head office and keep updated on new NCA global security and safety issues as they emerge.
• Attend security coordination meetings regularly and keep the Head of Mission informed on any new developments
• Liaise with the Logistics department for cargo movements to ensure security protocols are followed

Objective 5:

• Ensure that incidents are promptly reported, and clear actions are taken as needed.
• Compile monthly security reports and share with Head of Mission
• Ensure that staff understand and clearly apply the incident reporting tools as needed
• Receive daily staff check-ins from all the deep field locations through a designated focal person.

Essential Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Political Science, International Relations, Social Development or other related fields
• Previous work experience as a Safety and Security Officer in the active conflict environment
• Strong analytical skills
• Good command of English
• Good reporting skills.
• At least two years of working experience in North-East Nigeria in the last 7 years
• Strong interpersonal skills

Desirable:

• Ability to travel on short notice to deep field locations
• Ability to speak at least two of the dominant languages in the operation area; Kanuri and Hausa
• Good negotiation skills.

How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and Cover Letter to: [email protected] using the Job Title as the subject of the mail