Security Manager - National Post - Lebanon - Beirut

This position will sit on the Country Senior Management Team, and lead security management of Relief International’s operations in Lebanon. The primary goal is to ensure safe program implementation, maintain humanitarian access, and foster positive relationships with Lebanese authorities and other key stakeholders. This role requires a dynamic individual who can work well with individuals across the organization through a solution-oriented approach that takes into account the competing challenges of implementing programming within Lebanon’s extremely complex and volatile operational context. The Security Manager should seek to facilitate program implementation by mitigating risks, while also being prepared to make difficult decisions and support adaptive approaches when necessary.

Key responsibilities 

Situational Analysis:

• Provide a comprehensive weekly security report and ad-hoc reports where/when needed to Country Director and Global Security Team.
• Monitor formal and informal information networks as well as open sources of information to issue appropriate security and access related advice in accordance with Relief Internationals policies.

Stakeholder Engagement, Representation and Liaison:

• Manage relationships with existing and potential RI stakeholders. Represent and liaise with authorities, INGOs/NGOs, UN agencies, local partners, and other relevant stakeholders as needed for RI in Lebanon.
• Focal point for resolving problems, operational and administrative issues with local and national stakeholders.
• Participate in official meetings when requested and meet regularly with internal and external security stakeholders.
• Must be able to act with the highest level of professionalism, integrity and trust, due to the importance of official external communications. Leadership and integrity are important elements of the role.
• Act as the primary focal person when dealing with security and/or emergency services in response to incidents affecting RI team members.
• Participate in INGO/NGO security forums in relation to Lebanon ensuring the RI is represented in security and access working groups.
• Represent RI in the Laison Working Group and share back the information that guides RI operations in Lebanon.
• Communicate, exchange information, and co-operate with relevant external actors in the areas of responsibility as determined by the Country Director.
• Ensure field teams and staff conduct principled and sustainable negotiations with relevant actors in all areas of intervention, adhering to humanitarian principles, needs, and the duty of care.
• Facilitate communication between departments to streamline access-related processes.
• Coordinate with IT, HR, and other stakeholders for a cohesive and secure operational environment.

Security Management:

• Develop and maintain the Country Security Plan, Local Security Plans, SOPs, Travel Briefings for visitors/expats, and Contingency Plans in coordination with the Global Security Team
• Conduct and develop Security Risk Assessments (SRAs) and Security Improvement Plans (SIPs) of Relief International locations, facilities and activities and support in the implementation of mitigation measures.
• Review and approve field movement requests through a movements board, working closely with the Supply Chain and Operations Coordinator and with program teams to produce safe plans where necessary and then monitor field movements. This includes submitting requests through the Humanitarian Notification System (HNS) and being the main focal point for all matters related to Journey Management and Travel Safety between internal and external stakeholders.
• Monitor and track all RI team members and dependents’ locations in Lebanon including RI or external visitors on RI’s behalf to Lebanon.
• Analyze, manage and report relevant information within Lebanon to the Country Director, Area based Leads or other departmental staff on relevant context updates in a proactive manner.
• In close collaboration with the Country Director and Global Security Team, the incumbent will develop a capacity building plan for Relief International Lebanon staff and local partners.
• Deliver any relevant safety, security and medical related training for staff and local partners.
• Mentor and provide technical supervision for Area Security Focal Points including drivers and other colleagues with ancillary safety responsibilities.
• Update and maintain relevant country and area level security and access related documentation, data and records Relief International Lebanon area of operations, including but not limited to maps, incident reports and ad hoc briefings to local, international and local partner staff.
• Provide technical support on the procurement of safety-related equipment, facilities, services and other resources at the area level.
• Support and deliver security-related training and exercises to program and support staff at the area level.
• Provide technical support to the Country Director and area leads on a daily basis in all operational planning elements.
• Monitor, evaluate, suggest and implement changes and improvements in the RI Lebanon Security Management System based on observations and inputs from team members.
• Participate in program design, proposal development, and program management initiatives to inform planning and implementation of current and future RI programming in Lebanon.

Incident Reporting and Management;

• Prepare security incident reports as needed and follow through in the management of security incidents in support of RI team members, Partners, or facilities
• Lead the engagement with security or emergency services and departments in the event of a team member safety or security incident
• Being the lead security focal point in Lebanon for all RI-based personnel. He/She will be the first point of contact for team members in coordination with the Country Director. Regional Security and Access Director and/or other relevant departments during an incident response
• Be an active member of the Lebanon incident management team (IMT) and be the security lead advising on security, access, and authority liaison.

Information Sharing and Management:

• Lead the administration of security group(s), ensuring that timely, accurate safety and security information is sent to all RI team members and visitors in Lebanon.
• Send out timely safety and security alerts to all RI team members in Lebanon including flash reports for key incidents.
• Provide comprehensive briefing for international staff and visitors as well as new staff upon their arrival into Lebanon.
• Provide pre-departure security briefings to Relief International field staff. Ensure that security welcome packs are distributed to incoming staff visitors and consultants.
• Proactively support in the transfer of knowledge to local safety and access departmental staff.
• Maintain confidentiality when dealing with issues of a sensitive nature and ensure a trusting relationship is built and maintained with all RI team members in Lebanon.

Humanitarian Access:

• In coordination with the program team, ensure that RI in Lebanon and programs in our areas of operations are known and accepted by key stakeholders
• Work closely with the field-based team members to understand local actor dynamics and any potential impact RI operations could have
• Complete actor mapping activities where needed in coordination with the Lebanon country program for areas of planned implantation
• Facilitate and ensure that permissions are gained and maintained from relevant Government Departments and Task Forces to ensure program continuity for the country office.
• Work to ensure the mission, mandate, and operations of Relief International are known and accepted within areas of intervention in Lebanon.
• Advise the Deputy Country Director and field teams on program activity implementation and review tailored acceptance strategies as directed by the Country Director.
• Oversee and ensure the effective implementation of the Relief International’s humanitarian access strategy and tailored approaches within Lebanon.

Other related tasks that may arise from time to time.

• Uphold and promote RI’s commitment to ensuring the safeguarding and safety of the vulnerable communities we serve.
• Consistent with RI’s safeguarding and protection policies, contribute to ensuring that all those who encounter Relief International staff and the communities we serve can be trusted to work safely with them
• Support and develop systems that create and maintain an environment that prevents sexual exploitation and abuse and promotes the implementation of the Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies.
• Work collaboratively with the Global Safeguarding Manager to advocate for the inclusion of safeguarding activities and resources within program
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of donor requirements of safeguarding standards and protection from exploitation and abuse. Essential criteria

Behavior and conduct

• Ensures that behavior inside and outside of work promotes the values in RI’s code of conduct and safeguarding policies
• Acts with integrity and holds themselves accountable for being respectful, inclusive and professional
• Reports any concerns

Management and leadership

• Ensure the highest standards of behavior inside and outside of work promotes the values in RI’s code of conduct and safeguarding policies
• Be a model for ethical conduct standards for other team members
• Embrace diversity and model inclusive and equitable behavior.
• Ensure own actions and the actions of the teams’ members they manage do not adversely impact the safety of the RI team and the vulnerable communities we serve
• Ensure donors, partners and communities are aware of RI conduct and reporting mechanisms
• Ensure safeguarding is embedded in all the work we do
• Be responsible for ensuring a culture and systems in place for reporting
• Report any concerns

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

• Minimum bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject, or other compelling, equivalent work experience.
• 5-7 years previous experience in a similar position in an INGO/NGO where security, access and government liaison were areas of responsibility
• Proven experience delivering high quality safety, security and access negotiation training to all levels of audiences
• Certified trainer in first aid and trauma care (desirable)
• Experience with external liaising and strong knowledge of key interlocutors in Lebanon required
• Fluency in English required (spoken and written)
• Solid management, programming and administration experience required.
• Willingness to travel and work extensively – sometimes at short notice, in difficult places and under long hours – according to a results-based approach
• A readiness to uphold the highest standards of integrity, adherence to humanitarian principles and standards as well as a commitment to RI’s overall mission
• Proven ability to network and liaise with external stakeholders with extreme professionalism.
• Strong skills in analytical thinking, communication, leadership, and writing.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Relief International is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Relief International (RI) 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. 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 RI’s 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.

RI Values

Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:

• Integrity
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Inclusivity
• Sustainability