Safety and Security Officer

Job Summary: The Safety and Security Officer will ensure that relevant and achievable safety and security protocols are established and maintained in order to best provide for programmatic and staff safety, security and wellbeing and program continuity.  This position will be based in Addis Ababa Helvetas HO and work with focal persons and other staff members in HELVETAS field locations (Sekota, Debark, Bahr Dar, Hawassa and Yabelo) and any other as required and as requested.

Detail Responsibilities and Tasks:

1.    Planning and Preparation:

• Actively monitor the safety and security environment within HELVETAS’s current operational areas and when required conduct risk assessments;
• Conduct regular routine assessments and join with program teams in the field in order to ensure up to date access to information is maintained in order to support current programs. Particularly work closely with the Emergency Response and Preparedness officer to develop programs and support programming decision on an ongoing basis;
• Routinely review the readiness of teams deployed to remote field locations to ensure that minimum safety standards are met with respect to vehicle, personal equipment and knowledge of areas to which teams are deployed;
• Develop office level staff safety, security and wellbeing procedures, standards and tools, including those on anti-sexual harassment and exploitation and give trainings to all staff on a clearly set timeline;
• Identify resources for training and development for staff (e.g drivers) in safety and wellbeing related topics;
• Maintain a relationship, collaboration and active information channels with UNDSS, HINGO S&S group and other likeminded NGOs (including Alliance 2015), forums and partnership to keep Helvetas informed of current trends and developments on matters pertaining to staff safety security and wellbeing.

2.    Procedures and Protocols:

• Based on any available information at HO and in alignment with Helvetas standards and guidance, develop and routinely review and when required update a standard operating procedures (SOPs) based on any changes in the operating environment or HELVETAS’s programming; These protocols will cover all aspects of HELVETAS operations ranging from offices to remote field locations and to staff safety and security issues;
• Ensure that Helvetas’s commitment to safety, security and wellbeing of staff is clearly communicated and commonly understood through posters, brochures and other materials in visible locations with clear communication and referral lines for reporting misconduct and whistleblowing;
• With the support from the Safety and Security Coordinator – International Programmes and the Emergency Response and Preparedness officer prepare specific Safety and Security Management Plan (SSMP);
• Through routine interactions with field teams ensure current protocols and procedures are in place (field movement protocols, Security SOPs, standard and rolling safety and security trainings, anti-sexual harassment and exploitation trainings and procedures, standard SSS trainings in inductions) and being adhered to and complied with;
• Develop organizational, and when needed project based, Feedback, Complaint and Response Mechanism with clear referral lines for incident reporting and handling, including investigation procedures in line with the NPR.

3.    Reporting:

• Provide routine, reports to the Head Human Resources which covers the primary safety and security concerns for HELVETAS staff at field level and current mitigation measures being adopted;
• Provide to the Head Human Resources incident reports as required;
• Work closely with the Emergency Response and Preparedness officer as required to inform triangulate information and Humanitarian and emergency response programming.

4.    Training:

• Conduct field level trainings to staff focused on current SOPs as well as safely moving and operating within remote locations.  Areas of focus will be basic driver and first aid training’s as well as basic skills required for moving in and remaining overnight in field locations, anti-sexual harassment training on reporting, whistleblowing and referral pathways;
• Conduct half-yearly crisis and incident management trainings with field based focal persons in order to ensure crisis management readiness when and where needed.

5.     Crisis and Incident Management:

• Support the field based Project Managers in the event of an incident and serve as the Security focal point on any Crisis Management Team setting;
• Be the organizations focal point for any sexual harassment related reporting and investigation as would be indicated in FCRM to be developed.

6.    Upholding HELVETAS’s Core values and ensuring its principles

• Comply and exercise organizational values and culture as stipulated in the CoC and anti-sexual harassment and exploitation policy and others;
• Help to promote rights and good governance;
• Responsible for gender transformative behavior in all actions and decisions.

• Master’s degree in social science particularly Development, Gender Studies, Sociology and other related fields with ample implementation experience in different parts of Ethiopia;
• A minimum of three years of safety and security management with INGOs, UN or other relief and development organizations;
• Direct and relevant experience on Gender and social equity programming, training and communication in an INGO setting is a must;
• Ability to conduct ongoing risk assessments relevant for HELVETAS staff and develop achievable risk mitigation protocols and strategies;
• Ability and experience to conduct safety and security trainings for field based staff and liaise with local communities and security forces in order to enhance staff safety.