The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), an international non-governmental organization (NGO), has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. DRC promotes and supports solutions to the problems faced by refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), and migrants. The organization has offices across the region and has been operational in Ethiopia since 2009. With funding from bilateral and multilateral donors, DRC is currently implementing a range of activities across Ethiopia and Djibouti, including WASH and shelter provision, child and youth protection, gender-based violence response, awareness-raising of migration risks, protection monitoring of migration routes, and livelihoods support for returning migrants or those at-risk of migration.

Through DRC as hosting agency, the HINGO forum is recruiting a highly qualified Access and Safety Coordinator who will be responsible for supporting operational and information access and security management and analysis in the Northern region mostly but also look after other regions of Ethiopia. The coordinator will support and share directives given by the humanitarian INGOs and NGOs for access and security needs that support access and acceptance related strategies in these environments. The post holder will report directly to the HINGO Director and the Steering Committee on invitation.

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:

There are currently almost 30 INGOs and NGOs operating in Tigray in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis with an estimated 4.5 million people in need. The humanitarian NGOs operational in Ethiopia recognise the need for this role who will support the humanitarian partners in Tigray to systematically collect, monitor, analyse and disseminate information on access and security constraints. He/ she will also help determine the access’ priorities in regards to information management, advocacy and field support. The position will undertake humanitarian negotiations, advocacy, and some elements of humanitarian civil-military coordination and protection analysis. The primary goal is to support the safety and business continuity of the hosting agency, INGOs and NGOs through ensuring access to the rapidly changing context. This role will provide inputs to advisories, actions, approvals and messages through critical analysis and predictions based on the conflict, demographics and historical context, results of enquiries and collection plans directed by the HINGO Director and the Steering Committee for the HINGOs. They will support training programs, input to frequent briefings, and provide critical analysis to program staff, and give technical advice and support for improved assessments and planning Coordination between all actors actively engaged in this response is essential including the UN and interim Government agencies to provide a holistic overview of issues, analysis and recommendations enabling an informed, predicted, and safe intervention for all involved

RESPONSIBILITIES (In their capacity as the Access and Safety Coordinator (ASC), the ASC will be)

Access Coordination:

• Liaise with humanitarian partners to promote and encourage systematic reporting of access constraints. Monitor analyze and report security incidents impacting humanitarian operations.
• Serve as the primary focal point for all matters (including policy) related to access coordination within Tigray in close consultation with the HINGO forum manager and steering committee.
• Attend the Access Working Group (AWG) in Addis Ababa and also in Tigray and the Tigray NGO Forum meetings to identify key access challenges.
• Assist the HINGO forum manager in building synergies and facilitating collective understanding and analysis around access impediments among humanitarian partners, especially among NGOs.
• Engage with relevant actors on humanitarian access issues, bringing expertise of local culture and dynamics, including traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms.
• Establish a strong liaison with the UNOCHA team in Addis Ababa and Tigray to collaborate on all types of access advocacy and information gathering.
• Attend log cluster and UNHAS meetings to discuss policy and systems with HINGO members and to bring up any problems the members may be having with the system or policy.
• Make effective connections with government, military or armed groups for smooth access of the HINGO members.

Policy and Advocacy:

• Monitors current media and context. Maintain an information flow with the ability to create context analysis documentation for external bodies such as donors or peer agencies. If applicable, lead the development of Tigray-specific guidelines on access and security issues.
• Provide partners with updates on risk assessments for each location as well as an understanding of program activities.
• Maintain and secure access in all areas of operation using relevant standard operating procedures (SOPs) in each.
• Promote and enforce adherence to the aforementioned guidelines among HINGO members, and advise on potential consequences if these principles are violated.
• Participate in the briefing and orientation of all new humanitarian NGO staff, focusing on access and analysis functions as needed. Participate in the resolution of all critical incidents through access and security functions as requested by humanitarian NGO partners.
• Act as an advocate for the dissemination of access and security concepts, principles, and activities, as well as the promotion and protection of humanitarian principles.
• Support the need for donor reporting requirements for commodity losses or incidents to ensure that everything is documented, investigated, and reported to the required standard, as requested by humanitarian organizations.
• Attend log cluster and UNHAS meetings to discuss policy and systems with HINGO members and to bring up any problems the members may be having with the system or policy.

Establish and maintain network:

• Maintain a contact list of relevant stakeholders and access influencers.
  Maintain logs of all incidents affecting NGOs operating in Tigray and analysing their contributing factors and impact.
• Verify access and security incidents together with partners and UN agencies.
• Develop a network of local contacts among key stakeholders, including authorities and the humanitarian community to identify, monitor and analyse key access constraints in collaboration with Tigray NGO partners and UN agencies.
• Establish and maintain connection with the embassies and donors and share access and security challenges.
• Establish and maintain contact with all humanitarian actors in the area of responsibility and serve as an information channel and advocate for their issues with relevant organizations.

Security and Risk Management:

• Act as a security focal and maintain liaison with UNDSS and FSOs in the regions.
• Maintain HINGO security group and conduct and chair monthly meeting for the group.
• Arrange training/workshop for the security focal from the HINGO member organization both is Addis and Tigray.
• Identify actual, perceived and foreseeable risks and define risk thresholds in order to maintain programme continuity while enhancing operational resilience through robust security and risk management to HINGO members.
• Lead the development and production of contextualized risk management measures policy, protocols and procedures in close collaboration with field teams and management.

Other duties:

• Present access and security matters in the HINGO meetings.
  Performs other duties as required.

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master

DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values

Job Requirements

Experience and technical competencies: (include years of experience)

• Minimum 5 years as Safety and Security Coordinator for an INGO or equivalent in an emergency context.
• Proven experience in context/security analysis and advising humanitarian personnel.
• Experience in developing and updating SOPs, contingency plans, and other risk assessment and management documents and tools.
• Proven in-country experience liaising with UN missions or agencies.
• Proven experience in incident/crisis management.
• Experience in conducting safety training for international and national staff, and experience of capacity building.
• Fluent English, and strong interpersonal, communication, and networking skills.
• Proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines under pressure.
• Computer literate, able to use common software packages.
• Be able to diffuse tension and remain calm at all times and particularly following an incident.
• Be able to encourage, motivate, and guide team members to approach safety and security issues with confidence especially during crises.
• Be flexible to travel at short notice to difficult and risky areas.
• Proven ability to work effectively with minimal supervision.

EDUCATION: (include certificates, licenses, etc.)

• A degree in a relevant field, or equivalent experience.
• At least 3 years’ experience working with INGOs and/or international agencies on similar duties.
• Other security management related qualifications (desirable)

LANGUAGE: (indicate fluency level) : Full professional proficiency (Read, write, speak) in English