July 25th, 2020 at 09:00 pm
About CRS
Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion, or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work are accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.
Job Title: Technical Advisor II- Regional Security Risk Manager
Job Summary:
As a member of the Global Security Unit, the Regional Security Risk Manager (RSRM) supports the work of the Regional Director and regional Country Programs. You will plan, direct, implement, and monitor the effectiveness of safety and security risk management policies, procedures, and operations to ensure the continuity, safety, and security of CRS staff, facilities, activities, equipment, information, partners, and program participants. Working closely with the Regional Team and country leadership, the RSRM will provide management support and technical safety and security risk management solutions in strategic planning, program design, monitoring & evaluation systems, and staff training. The contexts of Security Risk Management range from emergency to development and the duration of interventions is from the design stage of a project or country program through evaluation and closure.
Roles and Key Responsibilities:
Operational Leadership
- Define, plan and oversee implementation of security risk management systems for the protection of CRS staff, partners, visitors, program participants, facilities, assets and information for individual activities and operations across multiple sectors within the Region
- Serve as the key liaison for all security stakeholder interaction to ensure the successful completion of program deliverables to the donor as needed
- Mentor country-based security staff to build their security risk management capacities and guide their prioritizing of activities to meet program activity goals in compliance with CRS safety and security policies
- Routinely examine the CRS regional security risk management framework and ensure formal assessments of all regional program sites and activities are up to date and effective
- Assist country programs in aligning safety and security plans and systems with current and future program design in close collaboration with the Regional team
- Develop and maintain an information network to provide analytics of (potential) threats to CRS programs
- Feed into and support the continuous process of improvement of the global CRS Security risk management system
- Strengthen and drive the security risk assessment process by overseeing regular threat and vulnerability assessments, adapting procedures, and designing mitigation measures accordingly and monitoring compliance
- Participate in agency-wide efforts to improve security risk management systems and tools
- Participate in the design, development and write up of security management/staffing plans and budgets for proposals, as needed
Safety and Security Risk Management
- Guide Regional Director (RD) and Management Quality (DRD-MQ) on security management decisions, procedures, policies, and practices, including the management of critical incidents and crisis-level situations
- Develop and cultivate sources and networks relevant to the needs of CRS in the region to support both days today security risk management activities as well as manage in times of crisis
- Provide regular updates and analysis around safety and security trends in the region. Share relevant products with regional and Country programs senior management and the Global Security Unit
- Review, improve and adjust regional staff tracking, incident reporting, and incident management processes as necessary and monitor staff compliance
- Stay up to date with international trends and developments in the region, monitor current events, political decisions, and legislative changes and articulate their potential impact on CRS
- Investigate and forecast emerging threats with country teams to aid in proactive planning and response strategies
- Manage complex security improvement programs across the region
- Carry out the regular threat, vulnerability, and security risk assessments and amend working procedures accordingly
- Monitor CRS’ security portal to ensure Country Programs’ plans, standard operating procedures, contingency plans, constant companions and other relevant safety and security documents are updated and disseminated
- Interface with regional-level and country-level security committees, key contacts, and staff from other agencies to support the revisions of country security plans
- Carry out regular assessments to review and monitor compliance of CRS safety and security policies and procedures
- Provide security risk management support to HRD during emergency response operations within the region
- Provide direct support to the startup of new CRS offices/programs as well as program/office closures
- Direct and coordinate activities in reviewing or updating security measures due to changes in the operating environment or threat levels, or due to new requirements
- Make recommendations for the use of subcontracted security service providers in coordination with country leadership, guiding and defining scopes of work and monitoring the effectiveness of their performance
Organizational & Systems Development and Staff Capacity Strengthening
- Effectively implement CRS’ safety and security risk management policy requirements in the Region
- Assist Country Programs in defining roles and responsibilities for safety and security management, optimizing organizational/departmental efficiency, performance, and accountability
- Support Country Programs in the recruitment and development of staff involved in safety and security management
- In coordination with the DRD-MQ and RD, monitor mitigation of risks as reported in the annual risk disclosure reports; plan for and manage situations that involve staff safety and security, fraud, safeguarding, etc.
- Cultivate and lead the regional community of practice for security focal points and other interested parties to encourage learning and implementation of best practices in security risk management
- Collaborate and coordinate with HQ departments on systems and approaches to drive effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability
- Facilitate the achievement of strategic objectives related to managing Information, Communication, and Technology 4 Development (ICT4D) as they relate to security. Ensure that technological changes and new trends supported by the agency are integrated into the safety and security management culture
- Liaise with other members of the CRS global security community for additional sources of technical or training assistance, best practices, and learning
- Serve as the regional point persons for partner assessment data and analysis related to the security management capacities, providing support and guidance to country programs as needed. In collaboration with the RFO and RTA Risk Management & Compliance, identify and respond to critical training needs of strategic partners and those with the least strong internal controls. Promote the use of CRS standardized approaches and tools for partner capacity strengthening
- Ensure compliance with CRS’s security training and learning policy. Implement agency-wide training at the regional and country-level, including those for drivers and guards
- Document dates and types of security training staff members have received and make recommendations on training needs. Strengthen local training capacity and facilitate training as is needed
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required (graduate degree preferred) in security management, politics, international development, non-profit management, or related field, or equivalent work experience
- Minimum of 7 years of work experience in security management with 5 years in an international humanitarian organization, UN, or related international development organization
- Demonstrated experience of successful security program management across multiple countries, including concurrent management of complex, high and low-value, multi-activity projects, with complicated logistics
- Formal technical training(s) or professional certifications in security risk management is a plus
- Knowledge and familiarity with USG rules and regulations a plus
- Demonstrated understanding of industry standards and management best practices in safety and security
- Knowledge of and working experience in the region is strongly preferred
- Experience in mentoring, coaching, facilitation, and training applying adult learning principles and practices.
- Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, knowledge-sharing networks.
Required Languages – Fluency in English and a high level of French required.
Travel – Approximately 35% of the time, primarily to/within the region, and sometimes in remote areas with minimal amenities available including emergency response. Often with short notice.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Strong strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with the capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions
- Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship
- Team leadership abilities with diverse/multidisciplinary teams. Coaching skills
- Strong communications and presentation skills; able to develop tailored and persuasive messaging for varied audiences
Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented, and results-oriented
Supervisory Responsibilities: No line management
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: Regional Director, Deputy Regional Director(s), Regional Technical Advisors, Country Representatives, Heads of Operations, Heads of Programs, Security Focal Points, Country Security Managers, and Officers, peer RSRMs, and the global security team. HQ departments such as GKIM, HR, GSCM, Internal Audit, Ethics Unit, GRC, OGC, RMSS, and HRD.
External: International and local partners, donors, relevant embassy security staff, contracted security service providers, NGO security organizations, and security staff of other NGOs and UN agencies operating in the region.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications
- Master’s Degree in related to program Area required.
- Minimum of five years of relevant international working experience in an advisory or management role with progressive responsibilities, ideally with an international NGO, with a minimum of three years working for programming interventions in staff safety and security.
- Previous experience providing technical assistance and developing successful proposals for external donor funding is required.
- Demonstrated application of technical principles and concepts in staff safety and security. General knowledge of other related disciplines to ensure proper cross-sectoral approach.
- Experience in business development, project design, and proposal development, including technical writing.
- Experience in mentoring, coaching, facilitation, and training applying adult learning principles and practices.
- Experience with program monitoring and evaluation, including applying data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, and data presentation.
- Experience and skills in networking and relations with donors, peer organizations, and faith-based and civil society partners. Understanding of partnership principles.
- Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, knowledge-sharing networks.
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.
- Integrity
- Continuous Improvement & Innovation
- Builds Relationships
- Develops Talent
- Strategic Mindset
- Accountability & Stewardship
HOW TO APPLY
***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.