Safety And Security Officer At Street Child

Street Child is a UK charity working to protect vulnerable children and improve access to education in some of the poorest communities in the world.  We work in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nepal and  in the last few months Street Child has been involved in the Humanitarian response for Nigeria as well as, being partner of the Education in Emergency Working Group.

Our work combines counselling, family mediation, business support, school building, and teacher training.  We were a key player in the Ebola crisis and led the global response for children orphaned by Ebola in Sierra Leone and Liberia. We deliver everything through local partners and, since 2008, together we have built/renovated 156 schools and are now helping to educate over 40,000 young people. Street Child works in the fields of education, child protection and livelihoods, working through sustainable solutions to stretch donations and create maximum impact.

Safety and Security Officer

Location:  Maiduguri, with frequent travels in LGAs of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe State

Reports to:  NE Nigeria Programmes Manager

Starting date:  18 March 2019

Contract duration:   9 months, full-time position with opportunity for renewal

Operational Context/Role

Street Child is looking for a dedicated Safety and Security Officer for our programme in North East Nigeria. The role of the Safety Officer (SO) is focused on the continuous implementation of safety strategies and protocols to ensure a high level of safety and wellbeing for all Street Child staff based or travelling in Field locations.  The Safety and Security Officer will maintain a high level of contextual awareness of his/her operating area and strong coordination with Programme Managers and Programme support teams at the Field level.  He/ She will promote a strong Safety culture at their Field office(s) through continuous trainings and collaborative safety assessments with all field-based staff.  The Safety and Security Officer will serve as the Safety unit representative at Field level and serve, when required as the Safety unit representative on the Field Crisis Management Team. This full time position is for 5 months initially, and subject to performance and funding availability, may be extended for up to a year.

Key Responsibilities

• Planning, Preparation and Implementation of established Procedures and Protocols
• Continuously monitoring the environment in the operational areas for which he/she is responsible.  As required, and at a minimum of once per quarter, support the Senior Management Team on updating the context analysis for locations
• Based on current context make recommendations to the NE Nigeria Programmes Manager for updates to Field Level Standard Operating Procedures and Safety Risk Management Plans.
• Ensure that the Field Level Safety Plan and associated documents are kept up to date and reviewed regularly
• Ensure the safety readiness of all Street Child staff at Field level through regular integration of safety management priorities and objectives into Field Office planning
• Brief, manage and liaise on daily basis with the contracted guarding services to ensuring they maintain a high standard of guarding for Street Child office and residence providing for the safety of Street Child compound/staff and assets
• Maintaining physical safety standards for Street Child office and guesthouse at Field level
• Accompany staff on field missions on as need basis in order to better develop an awareness of the challenges faced by Street Child staff in the field
• Per established movement protocols, provide movement tracking oversight and support in coordination with Logistics department.
• Liaise with government, Army, Police, SSS, Local Heads and other key external stakeholders to ensure that Street Child staff can maintain regular and safe access to program areas
• Regularly coordinate with peer organization safety staff/focal points to get the current contextual information.
• Prepare Hibernation, Relocation and Evacuation plan for the area of responsibility with the support of Safety advisor. 

Reporting and Information management

• Submitting when required voice, email or SMS immediate advisories to Field staff and Managers the when a significant safety incident occur
• Submit formal incident reports to the NE Nigeria Programmes Manager and relevant Programming or Programming support staff following a safety incident
• Submit to the NE Nigeria Programmes Manager weekly inputs for the Weekly Contextual review
• Ensure reporting and advisories are disseminated on a routine basis to all Street Child Field staff
• Attend regular security network meetings within the area of responsibility and ensure discussion points from these meetings are incorporated into current safety assessments
• Report to the NE Nigeria Programmes Manager and relevant Field level senior management any instances of staff non-compliance to established protocols or procedures and provide recommendations for corrective actions

Training

• In coordination with the Senior Management Team, develop and implement quarterly training plans for all Street Child Field level staff focused on safety awareness and skill sets
• Ensure that all Street Child Field level drivers receive annual driver training as well as 1st Aid training
• In coordination with the Senior Management Team, ensure bi-quarterly orientation on Hibernation, relocation and evacuation plan with all field staff.
• In coordination with the Senior Management Team, ensure that an annual Crisis management training session is completed with all relevant Field level staff

Crisis Management

• During any critical incident or crises serve as the Safety unit representation on the Field Level Crisis Management Team
• Ensure that all Field Level Crisis management plans are kept up to date and reviewed regularly
• Ensure that the necessary external relationships are maintained at Field level to facilitate a quick response and assistance to Street Child during any critical incident or crises

Education and skills

Required:

• Competent and literate in English, verbal and written, with a sound knowledge of technical expressions
• Competent and literate in local language, verbal and written, with a sound knowledge of technical expressions

Desired:

• Bachelor's Degree in a field related to humanitarian work or risk management
• Competent and literate in local language of North East Nigeria, verbal and written, with a sound knowledge of technical expressions

Experience

3 years of demonstrative experience in INGO/NGO with at least 2 years of field safety management experience included

Technical Skills

• Sound judgment and the ability to work effectively with others at all levels
• Strong assessment, evaluation, analysis and strategic planning skills
• IT literate, MS – Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Experience in developing safety related technical tools guidelines and systems
• Interpersonal communication and proven written / presentation skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage under stressful conditions
• Demonstrated knowledge of the historical and socio-political context of Nigeria

Core Values:

Commitment to Street Child mission, vision and values, and the ability to convey with enthusiasm Street Child’s role in accompanying and serving forcibly displaced people and in advocating for their right to protection and a life in dignity;

High integrity, honesty and confidentiality; Acceptance of diversity and inclusion as a core value. 

Willingness to work in flexible, sub-optimal, stressful and unstable environment

Method of Application

Use the motivation space to clarify concisely why you are interested to work for Street Child and how your qualifications and experience are a good fit for this position.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.