About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long-term impact.

PROGRAM / DEPARTMENT SUMMARY

Mercy Corps has been actively involved in providing emergency assistance and addressing long-term needs in Syria since 2008. From 2023 to 2027, we are focusing on 1) Responding to immediate humanitarian needs, 2) Increasing economic opportunities, 3) Improving social cohesion and inclusion, and 4) Increasing climate awareness and action.

Mercy Corps has been operating in NWS since 2012. We provide humanitarian assistance and early recovery support in various sectors, including Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Shelter, Food Security & Livelihoods (FSL), and Peace & Conflict activities, through various modalities (Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA), in-kind). Mercy Corps directly implements in Idlib governorate (though our Dana-based team) and also works through partners.

Our interventions are led through our Amman-based team. We are committed to mainstream gender, diversity, inclusion, safeguarding, and conflict sensitivity throughout its intervention. Our funding comes from a wide-range of donors including institutional donors and other private donations.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY

Under the supervision of the Syria Risk & Security Director, the Senior Officer will manage the Safety & Security Officer(s) and Assistant(s) in Dana, North West Syria (NWS). S/he is responsible for overseeing security management of MC humanitarian activities, including via context monitoring, security reporting, training and internal capacity building, incident management and support to day-to-day operations. The role will also support program teams on activities design, ensuring access to new areas of operations, and up to standards contribution to donor reports and proposal drafting.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Context / Situation Monitoring

1. Stay informed of  security dynamics in Syria, with a specific focus on NWS.
2. Ensure day-to-day contact with Safety & Security team members in the field on security dynamics and contextual trends. 
3. Verify acquired information through secondary sources and a regularly updated list of reliable media and social media resources.
4. Develop and maintain a network of security peers on NWS for the purposes of situational understanding and access.
5. Leverage internal resources, including Crisis Analysis (CA) team, on context analysis and dynamics monitoring, through regular briefing as well as processing of updates and reports released on a regular basis

Operational security

1. Oversee movement tracking of team members in NWS, and of relevant activity-related stakeholders, in coordination with Ops and Programme Teams 
2. Ensuring that the appropriate systems are in place, functional, and effective.
3. Lead on the periodic review of the NWS Security Management Plan, including all annexes and SOPs.
4. Ensure that the weekly/daily movement of team members in the field are reviewed and approved by the Safety & Security team and maintain an awareness of team members’ locations.
5. Oversee the identification, running, maintenance, and procurement physical security assets to mitigate against safety and security threats.
6. When necessary, liaise with NWS authorities, in order support and protect the NWS program and team members working in the field.
7. Ensure out of hours availability, particularly in cases of security escalation or major incident, to support the field team and WoS team in Amman.

Reporting and information management

1. In coordination with the field team, draft weekly updates summarizing key events impacting safety and security, to be shared every Thursday.

1. Deliver bi-weekly context briefings for Amman and Dana team members.

1. Contribute to donor reporting and proposals by drafting/reviewing risk analysis documents in coordination with other departments; contextual sections, etc.
2. Develop internal security notification system for field team members, in order to systematically inform them of all relevant safety and security updates, in line with pre-defined editorial standards
3. Support the Programs team with contextual advice during all phases or program design and implementation.
4. Maintain daily communication with the NWS and Security senior leadership, keeping them abreast of any ongoing concerns, trends, themes, incidents, and events relevant to the safety and security of NWS team members.
5. Ensure all incidents are systematically captured in incident reports, according to editorial standards, escalated to the relevant team members, and logged into a centralized database of incidents.

Management

1. Line manage all Safety & Security Officer(s)/Assistant(s) within the NWS hub.
2. Oversee the professional development of the NWS Security Officers/Assistants.
3. Provide detailed feedback on individual work, and highlight contribution from in-country team members
4. Support HR, Safeguarding and Ethics team members on investigation-related needs and discussions.

Training

1. Ensure that the NWS hub is up-to-date and compliant with MC Minimum Safety and Security Operating Standards (MSSOS) and Program Minimum Standards (PM@MC).
2. Deliver safety and security trainings in person to Amman-based NWS team members and remotely to Syria-based NWS team members. These trainings include but are not limited to incident reporting, personal security awareness, fire safety, first aid, kidnap-prevention, joint operating principles, and security management plan,
3. If unable or unqualified to deliver training personally, facilitate the trainer through other team members, contractors, or other relevant parties, through planning, procurement, and communication.
4. Build the capacity of the in-country security team on reporting and analysis.

Safeguarding Responsibilities 

1. Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work
2. Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members
3. Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options

How to apply:

Preferable to receive CVs before  Wednesday July 17 ,2024.

*If you are interested, kindly apply as soon as possible, since resumes will be reviewed on rolling basis. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted before the submission deadline.*

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

ACCOUNTABILITY

This position is managed by the Syria Risk & Security Director.

SUPERVISORY LINES

This position directly and remotely supervises Mercy Corps NWS Safety & Security team in Dana (Officer(s) and Assistant(s).

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION & KNOWLEDGE:

• High school diploma with significant professional experience in security related report writing and analysis experience OR Bachelors degree with some security related report writing and experience.
• Security related trainings in analysis, training, medical care, risk assessment, and risk management are desirable.
• Extensive experience covering humanitarian security, especially in the Syria context.
• A strong understanding of Syrian conflict, current socio-political and economic dynamics, and the challenges of delivering humanitarian operations in the country. Within this, a highly in-depth knowledge of Northwest Syria and the plethora of organized armed groups, authorities, and agencies operating in the area.
• Fluency in Arabic and English.
• Good English written skills, ability to synthesize important volume of information, attention to details
• Awareness and understanding of humanitarian coordination bodies, particularly in the Northwest Syria context.

EXPERIENCE

• Significant experience in humanitarian security positions, ideally in a hub-level security leadership position.
• Experienced, competent, and confident in delivering security trainings and briefings across a wide range of safety and security related topics.
• Experienced in remote management.
• Significant experience in conflict and context analysis using primary source and secondary source data including personal/professional contacts, INGO reports, security reports, media, and social-media.
• Significant experience managing security team members, both in person and remotely. Including career management, training and development, target setting, task delegation, and leadership.
• Significant experience in risk analysis, assessment, and management.
• Experienced, confident, and competent in briefing senior team members on complex security situations.
• Significant experience in dealing with heavy workloads, deadlines, and priorities.
• Experienced in responding to, advising on, managing, and reporting on security incidents and crises.

SKILLS & PROFILE REQUIRED

• Fluency in Arabic and English.
• Good English written skills are essential:
  • Ability to synthesize important volume of information, attention to details.
  • Ability to develop documents in formal English and respond to standard academic format.
• Ability to work independently, and to prioritise work-related needs/gaps, in coordination with supervisor the various supported teams.
• Facilitation skills would be an advantage.
• Essential initiative-taking and problem solving character.
• Great sense of humour is always a plus!

• Demonstrated mentorship ability.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme By applying for this role an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or trafficking policy. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([اضغط هنا لمشاهدة البريد اﻹلكتروني]).

Personal Consent:

Mercy Corps collects your personal data for the purposes of managing Mercy Corps recruitment related activities as well as for organizational planning purposes globally. Consequently, Mercy Corps may use your personal data in relation to the evaluation and selection of applicants including, for example, setting up and conducting interviews and tests, evaluating and assessing the results thereto and as is otherwise needed in the recruitment processes including the final recruitment.

Mercy Corps is an international organization consisting of multiple affiliated companies in various countries. Mercy Corps has international sites and uses resources located throughout the world. Your data may be held on secure platforms globally, including outside of the EU. All personal data whether relating to recruitment or employment, is held on a secure platform and system which is subject to regular testing and audit. Unless stated in the job description that the post involves other organizations with which the information will be shared as part of the recruitment process, your personal data will only be shared with third parties where consent is given.

Mercy Corps participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (the “Scheme”) (www.schr.info/the-misconduct-disclosure-scheme). Accordingly, we request information from a job applicant’s previous employer(s) about any investigations which found that the applicant committed sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents of misconduct under investigation when the applicant left employment. By applying, you confirm your consent to Mercy Corps collecting your prior employment history under the Scheme as part of the application process. Your data will be stored for up to four years.