Risk and Safety Specialist

About CVT:

The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to providing trauma rehabilitative services to survivors of gross human rights abuses, including torture, and works toward a future in which gross human rights violations cease to exist and victims have hope for a new life. We are headquartered in Minnesota, USA with offices in Africa and the Middle East. We work locally, nationally, and internationally through programs that provide trauma rehabilitative services, conduct technical assistance and capacity building to human rights activists, civil society organizations, and local service providers around the world who can prevent and treat gross human rights abuses, and advocate for human rights and an end to gross human rights violations.

General Description of Role

The Risk and Safety Specialist (RSS), based in, Ethiopia will report directly to the Zonal Manager (ZM).  The RSS will play a key role in planning and implementation of all security policies and practices for CVT locations in the Amhara region.  The responsibilities encompass a range of issues including, but not limited to, physical safety, security, and well-being of CVT Dabat Amhara staff, clients, contracted workers, and visitors; as well as safeguarding of psychical, financial, intellectual, and reputational assets under CVT’s control.  This position will play a key role in the CVT security management team and advise the team regarding physical security threats and risk and the mitigation options to ensure the appropriate level of protection.

Main Responsibilities

Risk Assessment and Mitigation

• Conduct risk assessments in operational sites by liaising regularly with available sources of risk management information, including participation in regular health, safety and security activities and briefings within the (I)NGO, diplomatic and UN communities as well as communicating with local administration and security sector to continuously update and modify existing policies and procedures appropriately.
• Monitor the political, economic, environmental and social context of the area of operation as well as at the regional and country level.
• Provide oversite and ensure compliance with security strategies, policies, procedures, standards and practices that mitigate risks.
• Act as the security focal person (SFP) in while present in that location. Respond to incidents, and limit the organization’s exposure to risk of unauthorized disclosure, misuse, theft, vandalism, and damages of the information and physical assets under CVT’s control; financial and reputational losses; and/or injuries, illness, or death of staff members and clients. Advise and liaise with the ZM to respond to incidents.
• Determine and advise on the appropriate level of protection for clients, staff, physical assets, intellectual property and information assets throughout in Amhara region, while ensuring optimal use of personnel, technology and equipment.  Recommend procurement of additional equipment as appropriate.
• Conduct risk assessments in new areas of operation or after security incidents or risk levels change.

 Risk Management Coordination

• This position will play a key role in the CVT security management team.
• Serve as CVT’s key risk management contact in Amhara region, ensuring local team members understand protocols and policies related to health, safety and security.
• Advise the Zonal Manager in identifying, developing, implementing and maintaining security processes across program sites.
• Arrange regular testing for safety and security devices in all the operations sites (e.g. fire extinguishers, first aid kits, fire drills); report immediately any malfunctioning equipment, locks, or doors; maintain log of completed, pending, and future checks.
• Manage and ensure the security and safety of staff, premises, materials, and assets in all CVT locations in with comprehensive security management systems and procedures.

Security Communication Management

• Act as the focal point for all safety and security-related systems, including phone-tree incident notifications and satellite phone oversight.
• Serve as a focal person for convoy and verify security status and make Go/No-Go determination in communicating the decisions to all relevant staff members and partner agencies.
• Liaise with partner organizations to facilitate radio communication as needed.
• Update the Risk and Safety Manager on local developments.
• Provide all new and traveling staff in location with comprehensive health, safety and security briefing in collaboration with local resources and partners.
• Train program staff, security guards and drivers on safety and security topics.
• Communicate with and manage relationship with security service providers in Dabat.
• Support, advise, and guide logistics staff in monitoring the work of security guards in field offices and in camps.

 Incident Response

• Prepare and submit security incident reports for Dabat to the Dabat ZM.
• Assist the staff in ensuring internal incident reporting systems are understood, utilized, and responsive to ongoing developments while recommending any necessary improvements.
• Oversee and/or conducts investigations of security incidences as needed, liaising with local law enforcement authorities as appropriate and updating the ZM on any outcome.
• Keep track of all incident reports, regularly analyze any trend, and submit monthly Risk Management report to the Risk and Safety Manager.

 Others:

•  Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:  No direct supervisory responsibilities.

Work Environment:

• Office environments with regular travel to the operation sites.
• Position is based in with frequent travel to in other locations within Amhara region.

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear and see. The employee frequently is required to sit, stand, walk and climb stairs; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. This position requires the ability to occasionally lift and carry heavy supplies. This position requires car travel up to 2 hours per one-way journey.

Travel: Regular travel to locations within Amhara region, depending on project development and security conditions.

Terms of Employment: Initial contract through August 31, 2023 (60 business days of probationary period) and with a possibility of continuation thereafter depending on the funding availability.

Supervisor:  Program Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

Supervisor (Administrative): Zonal Manager

Supervisor (Technical): Risk and Safety Manager

Department: Administration

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in security, risk management, development, business, logistics, or a related field is required.
• At least five (2) years of experience working in a security, risk management, coordination, logistics, facility management, or operational capacity in different locations in Ethiopia is required; experience in a humanitarian setting is strongly preferred.
• Formal risk management and security training required. 2 years of professional experience in security and risk management position can be substitute for formal training.
• The ability to train other staff in risk management and security strongly preferred.
• At least two (2) years of experience working with an international organization is required, ideally with regular interaction with expatriate staff.
• Must be detail- and result-oriented, a self-starter, flexible, adaptable, analytical, approachable, ethical, impartial, and an excellent team player with excellent organizational skills and commitment to humanitarian work.
• Effective verbal, written, presentation, and listening communications skills including report writing. Can multi-task effectively, with ability to meet strict deadlines.
• Written and spoken fluency in English and Amharic is required. Proficiency Tigregna is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing security measures.
• Demonstrated experience sensitively building trust with local communities and partners.
• Strong analytical skills and sound judgment, with the ability to synthesize diverse and complex information from a wide range of sources, and to develop clear and actionable recommendations based on that information.
• Demonstrated flexibility to adapt to changing project requirements, client or staff needs and security climate.
• Demonstrated ability to problem-solve creatively and mitigate risks effectively to support successful project implementation.
• Political, culture and gender awareness in the context of Ethiopia.  Ability to maintain a high level of professionalism while interacting with many internal and external actors from various cultural, political, linguistic communities.
• First aid certification is preferred.