Humanitarian Access and Safety (HAS) Manager

Job Posting Organization:
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is a global humanitarian organization established to assist people forced to flee due to conflict and crises. NRC operates in over 40 countries, employing approximately 15,000 staff members who provide life-saving and long-term assistance to millions of people each year. In the Middle East, NRC has over 3,000 staff dedicated to helping those affected by conflict in countries such as Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Libya, and Palestine. The organization focuses on various core competencies, including Shelter, Education, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Livelihoods and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Food Security, and Information Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA). NRC is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, fostering a supportive culture that encourages professional growth and innovative teamwork. The organization emphasizes safeguarding and expects all employees to treat everyone with respect and dignity, contributing to a safe environment for all.

Job Overview:
The Humanitarian Access and Safety (HAS) Manager will play a crucial role in supporting the Area office in Gaza to enable safe and principled humanitarian operations. The position requires ensuring compliance with NRC's HAS minimum standards while reducing security risks to operations at the Area level. The HAS Manager will be responsible for developing and updating HAS strategies, plans, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), as well as providing mitigation measures to ensure safe programming. This role also involves coordinating and conducting mandatory and tailored training courses for area offices, ensuring that all staff are informed and prepared for the security context in Gaza. The HAS Manager will work closely with management to monitor and analyze the political, social, security, and humanitarian situation in Gaza, ensuring that reliable information is available for informed decision-making. The position demands a proactive approach to developing area-based humanitarian access strategies and contributing to advocacy initiatives focused on access barriers faced by vulnerable populations.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The HAS Manager will be responsible for a variety of duties, including but not limited to: monitoring and analyzing the context in Gaza to ensure informed decision-making; collaborating with management to implement relevant mitigation measures; ensuring that Duty of Care (DoC) HAS standards are upheld; developing area-based humanitarian access strategies; contributing to advocacy initiatives regarding access barriers; providing oversight and technical support for emergency preparedness; supporting operational teams during incidents as a Crisis Management Team member; improving humanitarian access by providing technical support and capacity building; coordinating information for national and regional contextual analysis; ensuring regular mobility within Gaza for assessments; leading contingency preparedness efforts; collaborating with support and program departments; designing humanitarian access briefings and data collection tools; and supporting NRC teams and partners on access-related issues.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a minimum of 3 years of experience working as senior security personnel in a humanitarian or recovery context. Previous experience in complex and volatile environments is essential, along with a proven track record of negotiating humanitarian access with military and civilian interlocutors in hostile settings. Familiarity with working alongside civilian, governmental, and military entities is required, and experience in the Middle East is preferred. Knowledge of Arabic is considered a plus, while fluency in English, both written and verbal, is mandatory.

Educational Background:
The position requires a relevant educational background, typically in fields related to security management, humanitarian studies, international relations, or a similar discipline. Candidates should have a strong understanding of humanitarian principles and practices, as well as the legal frameworks governing humanitarian access and safety.

Experience:
The ideal candidate should have at least 3 years of relevant experience in security management within humanitarian contexts. Experience in negotiating access in complex environments and working with various stakeholders, including military and civilian authorities, is crucial. Familiarity with the specific challenges faced in the Middle East will be advantageous.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory for this position, both in written and verbal communication. Knowledge of Arabic is highly desirable and will enhance the candidate's ability to navigate the local context effectively.

Additional Notes:
This position is based in Gaza, Palestine, and applicants must be legally eligible to work in the region, as NRC is unable to provide work permits or visa sponsorship. The contract duration is 12 months, with travel requirements of approximately 50% within areas of operation. The salary will be based on NRC's national scale, specifically at Grade

• NRC is an equal opportunities employer, committed to diversity and inclusion, and encourages applications from all qualified individuals.