Regional Security Director

Job Description

Regional Security Director.

Job Description

Location: This is an international assignment role and will require relocation to Dakar, Senegal. Applications are welcome from West Africa, wider Africa and globally.

Application Language: All applications should be submitted in English as this role has a bilingual expectation (English & French)

Application Deadline: 9th December 2024.

Overview

The purpose of the Regional Security Director is to provide security and crisis leadership for the region that is informed by an understanding of the complex operating context to help the organisation deliver programmes, respond to changes quickly and systematically manage security risks to an acceptable level. The work involves contributing to the creation of an adaptive and resilient organisation that is prepared for, responds well to, and recovers quickly from adverse events using a ‘continuous improvement’ approach. A secondary purpose includes providing support and thought leadership as a member of the global team, including providing surge capacity and acting as Security Operations Director when needed. Importantly, this role is tasked with seeing the bigger picture, thinking collaboratively and taking action.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy

• Lead the development and implementation of the regional security strategy and business planning and contribute to global security strategies, priorities and plans ensuring that strategy concerns of the region are integrated and aligned with that of the Partnership.
• Active involvement as a member of the regional senior leadership team.
• Work closely with security managers and senior leadership teams to ensure security strategies for national level entities and responses are appropriate and aligned with regional and global priorities.
• Collaborate with the other regional functions and entities to ensure a joined-up approach.

Technical Support

• Provide technical advice to the Regional Leader and regional leadership team on security and crisis management issues and their likely impact on World Vision operations.
• Deliver oversight of security activities, particularly in insecure complex humanitarian environments and to counter threats emerging from changing political, social and economic situations.
• Provide regional leadership in implementing World Vision’s Civil-Military and Police (CivMilPol) policy and practice, establishing how the organisation deals with State & Non-State armed actors.
• Lead and guide security recruitment in the region and provide leadership and development opportunities to security teams.
• Provide technical support and oversight of security risk assessment, incident case management, investigations and provision of after-action reviews/lessons learned exercises and conduct security investigations for complex and serious cases.
• Work with national and regional senior management to ensure security budgets are in alignment with the assessed level of risk.

Operational Support

• Engage as part of the Regional Crisis Management Team and provide sound technical leadership in managing critical incidents in the region and provide input to the regional senior management team in crisis management situations and reviews of critical incidents.
• Review Security Risk Ratings with the analysis team and assist in the development of mitigation strategies with offices that are compliant with WV’s Core Security Requirements.
• Ensure that national offices have developed security, evacuation and contingency plans in alignment with the Core Security Requirements and Security Risk Assessment.
• Monitor regional security incident reporting and ensure the appropriate dissemination of information during emergencies.
• Support crisis management and business continuity including impact analyses to accurately define critical time-sensitive security activities and assist the design, development, and documentation of work area recovery plans.
• Manage ‘surge capacity’ requirements for critical incidents that are beyond the scope of national offices and manage the escalation process.
• Support Civ-Mil-Pol relations and profile management and inform decision-making while balancing the tensions between humanitarian principles and operational execution.
• Provide oversight and thought leadership on risk reduction efforts in response to transportation incidents causing serious injury and death.

Capacity Building

• Coordinate assessment, development and implementation of regional capacity building plan for security management based on regional and national program Security Risk Assessments.
• Engage with national offices and regional programme directors to raise the awareness of security management in alignment with World Vision security policies and standards.
• Identify, share, facilitate access to security tools, resources and materials as well as learning and support opportunities for national offices. These may include facilitating, conducting training, engagement of trainers, establishing institutional links and identifying opportunities for staff exchange or mentoring.
• Identify security training needs to operate in complex high risk environments including Security Risk
• Management Training for leadership teams and assist with workforce planning to ensure fully qualified capacity is available when required.
• Develop security managers to be highly competent in delivering Security Context Analysis, Security Risk Assessments, and developing context specific Acceptance, Protection, and Deterrence Strategies. They also need good cross-cultural communications skills and coordination skills to work with various forums and key security stakeholders.
• Consult on the initial stages of program assessment and proposal development to ensure that an end-to-end security solution can be developed and adequately resourced. Operational security planning will affect programmatic decisions, including logistics, budgeting and capacity building.

Knowledge Management

• Lead the process of continuous learning on international best practice in security management and identify tools and processes that can be implemented into World Vision operations in the region.
• Encourage mutual learning on security management issues within the region and globally.
• Conduct security analysis to identify emerging organisational security needs and solutions within the changing humanitarian landscape.
• Ensure security policies and practices are informed by industry research and are in alignment with organisational standards, legal considerations and international best practice.
• Oversee the application of acquired learning, research findings and technological advancements to the operating strategy.
• Facilitate formation and coordination of regional security forum/network that promotes the embedding of security management in all layers of World Vision’s programmes.
• Facilitate the documentation of best practices and contribute to the community of practice and centre of excellence.
• Provide a macro view of the region’s security context to assist threat identification and planning.
• Map armed actors and develop potential scenarios.
• Provide ongoing strategic and situational awareness to recognise shifts in the security environment quickly and adjust operations accordingly.
• Mainstream civil-military-police policy.
• Establish process to monitor and ensure compliance with policy, standards, and practices.
• Ensure policy remains relevant and current within dynamic environment. Promote WV’s policy and positions to government, UN and other regional bodies as appropriate.
• Provide leadership and oversight over security information collection and sharing across the region in close coordination with the Analysis Unit.

Quality Assurance

• Review minimum-security standards in the region and promote alignment with World Vision’s Core Security Requirements.
• Support and advise national offices in observing the appropriate security standards in accordance with the country risk rating.
• Support the Regional Leader in addressing ministry quality issues and needs related to security.
• Review each National Office annually to ensure the strategy remains appropriate, and that it is being implemented in a way that maximises the safety of staff and assets.
• Maintain effective management reporting on security metrics and leverage data from OCS and across the organisation for continuous improvement and prioritisation.
• Contribute in developing and implementing collective and organizational guidelines for civil military engagement. This could be via the Civilian Military Working Group (CMWG), Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), or through support to an NGO country forum.

Internal/external Liaison & Co-ordination

• Act as a strategic link for regional security connecting national offices, support offices and global centre.
• Liaise with the World Vision security network on regional security issues and provide analysis on the potential impact on World Vision operations.
• Participate and actively contribute to the partnership forums, working groups and networks related to security management.
• Work with other members of the regional functional groups so as to ensure that they are adequately aware of potential security issues.
• Work closely with and as a member of the global centre security team so as to promote mutual learning, support and accountability.
• Identify and develop strategic regional security networks to share information on security issues affecting humanitarian operations in the regional area.
• Work in close collaboration with the crisis-specific, International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and regional security working groups (WGs), ensuring an appropriate liaison between them, to ensure security and civil military coordination issues are well-understood and discussed as relevant.
• Act as the World Vision regional focal point and liaison on civil-military coordination, facilitating linkages between members and key partners, including United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (UN DPKO).
• Liaise with external security networks (UN, INGO’s, Embassies, etc.) on global and regional operations.

General

Provide other support to the regional office and wider Security, Safety and Resilience group as determined by line managers.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Required Skills and Experience

• Relevant bachelor’s degree in subjects such as Security Management, Risk Management, Strategic Studies, International Relations or Emergency Management or other management discipline. Comparable education and experiences will be taken into consideration.
• 5 years of work-related experience in or extensive exposure to the professional security, resilience, business continuity, NGO or UN working at international level with international agencies, INGO’s, governments, military, law enforcement or private sector in a leadership role.
• Previous experience in or exposure to the professional security arena (INGO, Corporate, Military, Law Enforcement, or Emergency Services).
• Understanding of implementing Core Security Requirements, Minimum Operating Security Standards or equivalent.
• Sound knowledge of INGO security practices with experience in security risk assessments, security planning and crises management in the humanitarian context.
• Application of security and risk management framework within complex NGO operating and organisational environments.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills sufficient to establish effective relationships at senior levels, gain credibility and influence senior decision makers.
• Solid negotiating and networking skills.
• Strong analytical (tactical & strategic), organisational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and deliver effective organisational outcomes related to all aspects of security and risk management.
• Must be willing and able to travel extensively in the region.
• Must be able to coordinate work and interface efficiently and effectively with remote locations and across time zones.
• Strong administrative skills, with effectiveness in developing tasks and managing to achieve target dates.
• Must be a productive team player.
• Fluent in French and effective in written and verbal communication in English.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Relevant master’s degree or other advanced degree in Security Management, Risk Management, Strategic Studies, International Relations or Emergency Management. Or other management discipline.
• Formal qualification in business continuity.
• A good network of contacts in academia, government or humanitarian security fields.
• Experience in liaising with all levels of Government, IO & NGO’s.
• Effective communication in Spanish, Portuguese or other regional languages an advantage.

Work environment

The position requires ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 30% of the time and includes travel to high-risk locations with minimal notice.

Role will require successful completion of Hostile Environment Awareness Training provided by employer.

Depending on location the position may require home based working with some unsociable hours due to global coverage and online meetings.

Will be expected to manage high stress security events.

Flexibility in work hours is expected.

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local and International Applicants (IA’s) Accepted