Safety & Access Officer - Westbank

JOB DESCRIPTION

Title Safety & Access Officer  

Location Westbank Ramallah  – oPt Country office

Travel NA

Job Family and Level  On completion of Job Evaluation

Pre hire checks This role is classified as requiring pre-employment checks /enhanced due diligence

 Scope Keep all sections below if not applicable, confirm None. Do not delete the fields.

Department: Safety & Security

Reporting to:  Safety & Security Manager  

Direct reports: NA

Budget responsibility:  NA 

Relationship management  NA

 Context

About Relief International

Relief International (RI) partners with communities impacted by conflict, climate change, and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long-term health and well being.

Currently, RI is active in 14 countries around the world, including some of the most fragile: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen.

Relief International includes the four corporate members of the RI Alliance: Relief International Inc., Relief International-UK, Relief International-France and Relief International-Europe Under our alliance agreement, we operate with a single, shared management structure.

About our Country Program/ Regional Programs

Relief International was operational in OPT starting in 2007, and after entering hibernation period in 2017, has recently reactivated its operations at the end of 2023. Relief International is currently building its response to the current and evolving situation in both Gaza and the West Bank through both a direct implementation and partnership approach. Relief International’s programming in OPT follows Relief International’s global strategy with Health as a central focus with components linked to our work in Health through the sectors of WASH, Protection, Education and Livelihoods. The context in OPT is extremely dynamic and requires focus on nexus programming that brings together both humanitarian service delivery combined with systems strengthening and longer-term programming

Middle East Region

RI operates in six countries in the Middle East region:  Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Yemen, with a focus on the four RI sector pillars: Health, WASH, Education and Economic Opportunity.  We employ more than 4,000 staff (direct and indirect) in the Middle East region and implement a range of humanitarian and development programs valued at approximately $70 million USD on an annual basis.

3. Job Profile

The Safety and Access Officer is a key leader in ensuring the safety and security of Relief International's team and programs in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Your role will be to develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive security and access strategies, ensuring the safety of staff and facilitating access to RI's areas of intervention in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. You will directly manage the Safety and Access Assistant and collaborate closely with the Area Director and Country Security and Access Manager.

Key responsibilities

 Accountability and Complexity

The Safety and Access Officer needs to demonstrate a deep understanding of the cultural, political, and social dynamics of the region, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The role requires effective communication and coordination with Israeli and Palestinian authorities to ensure safe and unimpeded access for RI's operations.

The ability to conduct comprehensive risk assessments and develop appropriate mitigation strategies is crucial for maintaining the safety and security of staff and programs.

Position Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversee and ensure the effective implementation of the Relief International’s humanitarian access strategy and tailored approaches within the West Bank, Including East Jerusalem.
• Directly manage the Safety and Access Assistant, ensuring responsive and context-specific humanitarian access initiatives.
• Ensure humanitarian access approaches are responsive to the local context and incorporate comprehensive community engagement components throughout all operational phases.
• Ensure field teams and staff conduct principled and sustainable negotiations with relevant actors in all areas of intervention, adhering to humanitarian principles, needs, and the duty of care.
• Work to ensure the mission, mandate, and operations of Relief International are known and accepted within areas of intervention in the West Bank, Including East Jerusalem.
• Provide technical input and advice in program assessments for new initiatives in geographic areas within the West Bank, Including East Jerusalem and conduct regular assessment reviews for existing locations as directed by the Country Security and Access Manager and Area Director.
• Advise the Area Director and field teams on program activity implementation and review tailored acceptance strategies as directed by the Country Security and Access Manager.
• Maintain a high level of preparedness in response to predicted contextual fluctuations, both operationally and programmatically.
• Provide cover and assistance to other Safety and Access staff in the field during their absence.
• Ensure timely follow-up to violations of Relief International's Code of Conduct and operational breaches of humanitarian principles in collaboration with the Area Director and Country Security and Access Manager.
• Review and action Field Travel Authorization requests at the West Bank, Including East Jerusalem level, ensuring completeness, accuracy, and rapid security risk assessments, followed by clear security-related advice and guidance for field teams.
• Ensure the issuance and maintenance of serviceable security, communications, and medical equipment to support field deployments and staff, delivering equipment familiarization training ensuring correct usage.
• Coordinate with fleet staff to support field-level movement oversight, ensuring compliance with Staff Movements SOPs and Local Security Rules, and coordinating all movements.
• Deliver pre-departure and post-deployment security briefings to field staff and visitors to ensure understanding of security management policies, plans, SOPs, and protocols.
• Ensure the operational status of physical protection systems (access control, perimeter protection, building protection) at all facilities in the West Bank, Including East Jerusalem, maintaining professionalism and readiness of static security guards through training, capacity building, and regular emergency drills.
• In collaboration with the logistics focal point, ensure the current asset register reflects all utilized and stored assets, coordinating with the logistics department to align the overall asset register with the Security and Access Department’s records.

Communication:

• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Problem solving skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Committed to providing a quality service
• Teamwork

Behavior and conduct

• Ensures that behavior inside and outside of work promotes the values in RI’s code of conduct and safeguarding policies
• Acts with integrity and holds themselves accountable for being respectful, inclusive and professional
• Reports any concerns

RI Values

Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:

• Integrity
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Inclusivity
• Sustainability

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 Skills, knowledge and expertise required for the role.

• At least 5 years of experience in direct safety and access position.
• Previous experience working in non-governmental organization
• Strong organizational skills
• High computer skills on MS Office programs
• Demonstrate good presentation and analysis skills.
• A demonstrated ability to multi-task and process information into action
• Ability to work under pressure and with very short deadlines & strong communications skills.
• Fluent in oral and written Arabic and very good English.

Please send your CV to [email protected] with Subject "Safety & Access Officer Westbank"

Closing date: 31 July 2024  Please apply immediately we will be reviewing applicants on a rolling basis, therefore we may withdraw the position from the jobs board before the closing date.

As a humanitarian organization, Relief International is committed to the safeguarding of all those we come into contact with through our work. We are committed to the core humanitarian principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. Relief International expects all st aff and volunteers to share this commitment and uphold the values and behaviors outlined in the Code of Conduct.