VSO is the world’s leading international development charity that works through volunteers to create a fair world for everyone. At VSO we pride ourselves on doing development differently. We fight poverty not by sending aid, but by working through volunteers and partners to create long-lasting change in some of the world’s poorest regions. We bring key stakeholders together to co-ordinate collective action, from local organisations to national governments. Our programmes in Africa and Asia focus on health, education and livelihoods, with an increasing emphasis on resilience, peace building, social accountability, gender and social inclusion. We’re not about delivering quick fixes, but instead we focus on long-lasting, sustainable change that will improve the lives of generations to come.Job Purpose: To provide technical guidance and operational and programme support to project team, management and partners to ensure compliance with safety & security policies in line with donor expectations and the VSO volunteering for development approach. To build understanding and capacity for safeguarding with partners, CSOs and networks.

Task Responsibilities

Technical support – Operational

• Map local service provision and existing referral systems in the programme delivery area to access and/or mobilise should a crisis occur.
• Develop agreements with key local service providers
• Update the risk register and mitigation measures (including relocation protocols) with detailed information and review and update risk register every 6 months
• Identifying additional PSS support to staff, volunteers and partners and refer within VSO
• Support project team to carry out mandatory due diligence assessments and provide partner support in building security capacities where necessary.
• Provide advice to project team on national laws and regulations relating to safety &security
• Collate, analyze and disseminate security & safeguarding information to project staff, volunteers and ensuring the information remains accurate and neutral.
• Ensure ongoing development and regular review of project safeguarding and security protocols.

Technical support – Programme

• Mapping and Capacity assessment of community level structures and systems (e.g. DRR, Peace Committees)
• Develop and deliver safety & security (and support on safeguarding) capacity building to community level CSOs as part of project implementation
• Accompany CSOs to strengthen their policies and practices
• Link CSOs into existing crisis response and referral systems both within VSO and existing community referral systems

Incident & Crisis Management Response

• Ensure timely escalation and management of, and learning from security and safeguarding incidents in line with VSO global policy & procedures
• Engage with existing local and national organisations/networks on case management
• Data, analysis & reporting
• Ensure effective auditing, accountability and report handling procedures related to the security system are in place and applied.

Capacity building

• Project team at VSO and partner’s project teams are inducted and provided with ongoing accompaniment and training on safeguarding & security.
• Fulfil other appropriate level responsibilities as defined by the line manager from time to time

Requirements

Knowledge/qualifications:

• Demonstrable experience in safety and security in fragile, conflict affected areas.
• Undertaken safeguarding training

Experience:

• Significant of experience managing safety & security in the context of humanitarian, development and peacebuilding programmes in Ethiopia. Experience of cross border/multi country projects an advantage
• Experience of safeguarding incidences and responses at an organizational level
• Experience of strengthening local community capacity on safety & security
• Practical experience of designing and delivering training and ongoing capacity building in security. Similar experience in safeguarding an advantage.
• Experience of working in a cross-cultural context an advantage
• Experience of working with volunteers an advantage

Skills/Abilities:

• Excellent communication skills with good command of both spoken and written English, Amharic. Fluency in Oromo an advantage.
• Ability to handle highly confidential information with tact, discretion, and sensitivity.
• Ability to develop, manage and maintain efficient systems and work under pressure.
• Self-motivated, ability to use own initiative and flexibility.
• Able to travel across project implementation sites and spend time away from work- base location and home.

Desired Skills and Experience

Knowledge/qualifications:

• Demonstrable experience in safety and security in fragile, conflict affected areas.
• Undertaken safeguarding training

Experience:

• Significant of experience managing safety & security in the context of humanitarian, development and peacebuilding programmes in Ethiopia. Experience of cross border/multi country projects an advantage
• Experience of safeguarding incidences and responses at an organizational level
• Experience of strengthening local community capacity on safety & security
• Practical experience of designing and delivering training and ongoing capacity building in security. Similar experience in safeguarding an advantage.
• Experience of working in a cross-cultural context an advantage
• Experience of working with volunteers an advantage

Skills/Abilities:

• Excellent communication skills with good command of both spoken and written English, Amharic. Fluency in Oromo an advantage.
• Ability to handle highly confidential information with tact, discretion, and sensitivity.
• Ability to develop, manage and maintain efficient systems and work under pressure.
• Self-motivated, ability to use own initiative and flexibility.
• Able to travel across project implementation sites and spend time away from work- base location and home.