Safety and Security Advisor (Retainer)
Vacancy Announcement: Safety and Security Advisor (Retainer)
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Organization: ActionAid
Deadline: August 9, 2026
Job Description
About ActionAid Ethiopia
ActionAid Ethiopia (AAE) is a Gender justice and poverty eradication organization. In Ethiopia, ActionAid works to challenge gender inequalities and the structure causes of poverty through empowering communities to create critical mass of communities especially women and Girls living in poverty and exclusion.
ActionAid Ethiopia believes that Gender justice and poverty eradication are achieved through purposeful individual and collective action to bring socio-economic changes from household level to local, national, and international levels. Empowerment of people living in poverty and women leadership with the support of their allies is crucial to drive change that will ensure equality and poverty eradication.
- Position: Safety and Security Advisor (Retainer)
- Duty Station: Addis Ababa, with occasional field travel as required
- Department: Human Resources and Organizational Development (HROD)
- Contract Type: Retainer/Consultancy (Part-time) Reporting to: Head of HROD
Role Purpose
ActionAid Ethiopia is seeking an experienced and strategic Safety and Security Advisor to provide highlevel technical and advisory support in strengthening the organization’s Safety and Security Risk Management (SRM) systems. The Advisor will support the development and review of policies, SOPs, and security frameworks; provide contextual analysis and incident-based advisory support; and strengthen staff capacity through trainings and awareness initiatives.
The role requires a highly skilled professional with strong experience in humanitarian and development settings, capable of supporting operational decision-making in complex and high-risk environments while ensuring alignment with ActionAid’s values, Duty of Care obligations, and global standards.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic advisory support on safety, security, access, and risk management matters.
- Conduct context analysis and provide regular security updates, alerts, and risk assessments.
- Review and strengthen safety and security systems, policies, SOPs, contingency plans, and incident management mechanisms.
- Support incident and crisis management processes, including post-incident reviews and lessons learned.
- Advise on humanitarian access strategies, stakeholder engagement, and risk-informed programming.
- Design and deliver security inductions, trainings, simulations, and staff awareness initiatives.
- Support integration of safety, wellbeing, and Duty of Care considerations across organizational operations and programmes.
- Provide technical guidance to strengthen partner safety and security risk management capacity.
About You
- Bachelor’s degree in Security Management, Political Science, International Relations, or a related field.
- Advanced certification in security/risk management is an added advantage.
- Minimum of 6 years of progressive experience in safety, security, and access management.
- Proven experience working with humanitarian, development, NGO, INGOs, or UN organizations.
- Strong experience in security risk management systems, crisis management, contextual analysis, and advisory roles.
- Excellent understanding of Ethiopia’s socio-political and security context.
- Strong communication, analytical, and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Commitment to feminist values, neutrality, impartiality, and cultural sensitivity.
Required Competencies
- Strategic thinking and sound judgment
- Strong advisory and facilitation skills
- Ability to operate under pressure and respond rapidly to emerging risks
- High level of confidentiality and professionalism
- Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills
- Ability to coordinate multiple tasks and work under pressure.
- Consulting
How to Apply
Interested and qualified applicants are invited to submit their updated CV and cover letter detailing their relevant experience and suitability for the role no later than August 9, 2026, via:
- ActionAid Ethiopia, P.O. Box 1261, Addis Ababa Or Email: hrod.ethiopia@actionaid.org
Please indicate the title of the position you are applying for in the subject line of your email.
Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
Women are encouraged to apply