Access and Security Officer

Location: Ramallah

Position Status: Full-time, Regular

Salary Level: 4A- 86,700 ILS Gross/Annually.

Duration: One Year, renewable

Department: Security

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Position

The Access and Security Officer (ASO) reports to the Mercy Corps Palestine Humanitarian Access & Safety Manager (HASM). The ASO is responsible for monitoring the overall security situation in West Bank and East Jerusalem, enforcing security regulations, providing sound and timely advice to MC West Bank and Jerusalem staff and providing regular situational awareness, coordination and communication checks to staff at the field locations.

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

Essential Responsibilities

• Provide technical support and guidance in the areas of safety, security and access to all WB+J based/located staff.
• Ensure compliance to the MC Security Management framework within the SMP and all annexes.
• Manage protocols and procedures to ensure MC facilities are secure.
• Evaluate, review, and update the hibernation and evacuation plans for MC GHs/offices in WB+J and ensure that practical preparations are in place and briefed to all staff.
• Work with the MCP HASM to develop and implement operating procedures and contingency plans
• Compile and submit monthly security reporting for the Security Department that tracks incidents and trends within MCs WB/J area of operation.
• Establish daily cadence of contextual updates with the HASM.
• Ensure all WB/J incidents are formally reported within MC Incident Reporting protocols.
• Undertake continual assessments of equipment and the protocols by which that equipment is used, to ensure that conditions for security and safety are being met.
• Provide and implement the best possible solutions for the use of equipment to facilitate communication between staff, including here proposing safe alternative means of communication and equipment
• Coordinate and monitor security incidents across WB+J and MC field activities to ensure that safety and security policies and procedures are implemented
• Ensure that all field staff are fully cognizant of prevailing security threats and fully advised on means to reduce their vulnerability to those threats
• Ensure compliance with Minimum Operating Security Standards (MOSS)
• In collaboration with the HASM conducts security assessments of facilities, GH and accommodations, ensures a standard level of facilities protection, and supervise guards if needed.

Humanitarian Access duties

• Identify barriers to access, and support program teams in developing mitigation strategies.
• Provide technical support to HASM in assessing the suitability of establishing operations in new locations and provides input into Security Risk Assessments for new locations and/or high-risk environments.
• Constantly monitor available sources to collect, compile, and report information, including incidents and trends pertinent to humanitarian access in areas of operations
• Support key field management teams to develop and implement community engagement strategies that promote acceptance and access.
• Assist HASM and relevant departments in the issuing, renewals and troubleshooting of WB Permits and other related travel authorizations.
• Supports HASM in matters pertaining to representation of institutional interests in stakeholder meetings, Working Groups, or vis-a-vis key actors.
• Support, as requested, with the permit and visas processes for expatriates related to movement of all staff to and from JWB.

Training and Capacity Building

• On-the-job capacity building in topics of safety and security, risk mitigation, and situational awareness for WB+J team members.
• Ensure regular security training and drills are conducted for all staff, including fire drills, first aid, etc.

Response Development

• Participate in program review meetings and contribute to implementation plans to ensure the timely, safe, and secure delivery of MC service to beneficiaries.
• Advise program and field management teams on context-specific risks pertaining to Security Safety & Access and contribute to developing and implementing mitigation measures and plans.

Supervisory Responsibility

• Coordinates relevant tasks assigned to Security Focal Points

Accountability

• Reports directly to: Humanitarian Access and Security Manager
• Works directly with: Security Focal Points; Programmes and Operations Department

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our field projects.

جميع الحقوق محفوظة لموقع جوبس.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• 4+ years in a relevant security management, risk management, NGO country program management position
• Certification in Security Risk Management or risk management is desirable
• Knowledge of operating humanitarian INGOs- solid understanding of humanitarian and resilience programming is required
• Prior experience in critical incident management
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively with others in a multi-cultural and high-risk environment
• Experience, planning coordinating and liaising with logistics and Operations is desirable.
• Must have working proficiency in English. Proficiency in Arabic and/or Hebrew is a plus.
• Computer skill: proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, experience in mapping and routing.
• Travel to field missions for assessments and/or support

Success Factors

The ideal candidate is a person with a deep understanding of NGO’s best practices for security management and experience in a relevant field. The candidate thrives in a fast paced, high-risk environment and is able to operate effectively under pressure. They should be confident, taking the lead and able to clearly communicate and guide team members.

This position requires obtaining medical clearance through the successful completion of a medical assessment by an external third party prior to deployment and following any medical evacuation if applicable. If you are not medically cleared and Mercy Corps cannot reasonably accommodate a medical condition if required, you may not be able to deploy for/return to this position.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]).

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply online HERE no later than 12:00PM on Monday,20 Jan 2025. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.