Security Lead - Africa & Asia

Job Posting Organization:
Relief International is an international non-profit organization dedicated to partnering with communities that have been impacted by conflict, climate change, and disasters. The organization aims to save lives, build resilience, and promote long-term health and wellbeing. Established to address the urgent needs of vulnerable populations, Relief International operates in various countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. The organization focuses on providing essential services such as Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Education, and Livelihoods programming, which are crucial for fostering community resilience. Relief International is committed to inclusivity and diversity in its workforce, actively encouraging applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences. The organization prides itself on being a global recruiter, offering competitive salaries and benefits that are applied fairly and transparently, although specific salary details are not publicly advertised due to variations in local job markets.

Job Overview:
The security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security Lead for Africa and Asia is a pivotal role within the Safety and Security Team at Relief International. This position is designed for individuals who can provide strategic security leadership across the organization's country programs in Africa and Asia. The Security Lead will be responsible for enhancing Security Risk Management (SRM), developing access strategies, and ensuring Duty of Care standards are met across a diverse and complex portfolio of operations. Reporting directly to the Global Security Director, the Security Lead will collaborate closely with Country Directors, senior management teams, and security focal points to establish robust security frameworks, manage incidents effectively, and continuously develop security capacity across multiple countries. The role requires a proactive approach to security leadership, with a focus on building resilience and preparedness in high-risk and conflict-affected environments. The position also involves significant international travel, with up to 50% of the time spent in the field, necessitating a flexible and responsive approach to security management.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Security Lead will undertake a comprehensive set of responsibilities, including but not limited to: providing strategic leadership and oversight of security risk management, access, and safety frameworks across Relief International’s Africa and Asia portfolio; leading responses to critical security incidents and offering expert guidance to country teams, senior management, and global leadership during emergencies; conducting security assessments, field visits, and audits to enhance compliance, preparedness, risk mitigation, and operational resilience across country programs; delivering training, coaching, and capacity-building initiatives for security focal points, senior managers, and country teams, particularly in critical incident management and security risk management; representing Relief International in regional security coordination forums, donor engagements, and inter-agency networks; contributing to the development of global security policy and strategy; and being prepared for frequent international travel, including at short notice, to support security operations in various locations.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates for the Security Lead position must possess a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in security, risk management, international relations, or a related field. Additionally, substantial proven experience in leading security, access, and risk management functions within humanitarian or NGO operations in conflict-affected and complex environments is essential. The ideal candidate will have strong experience in supporting multi-country or regional portfolios, including security risk management, critical incident management, and security strategy development. Demonstrated expertise in security training, mentoring, and capacity building is also required, particularly in supporting security focal points and senior management teams across multiple locations. A strong knowledge of Security Risk Management (SRM) processes, security frameworks, ISO standards, and humanitarian security best practices is crucial. Excellent analytical, leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills are necessary, along with the ability to operate independently and make sound decisions in challenging environments.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in relevant fields such as security, risk management, international relations, or a related discipline. This foundational education is critical for understanding the complexities of security management in humanitarian contexts and for effectively leading security initiatives across diverse operational environments.

Experience:
The position requires substantial experience in security leadership, particularly within humanitarian or NGO operations in conflict-affected and complex environments. Candidates should have a proven track record of managing security, access, and risk management functions, with specific experience in supporting multi-country or regional portfolios. This includes expertise in critical incident management and the development of security strategies that are responsive to the unique challenges faced in various operational contexts.

Languages:
Professional fluency in English and French is essential for this role. Additionally, knowledge of Arabic is considered desirable. Candidates with security risk management certifications, HEAT/HEIST qualifications, emergency first aid certifications, and experience in humanitarian access negotiation will have an advantage in the selection process.

Additional Notes:
This position is classified as requiring advanced pre-employment checks and enhanced due diligence. The role is remote, open to candidates based in existing Relief International countries of operation, and involves up to 50% international travel to high-risk and conflict-affected environments. The organization emphasizes its commitment to safeguarding and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, expecting all staff and volunteers to uphold these values. Recruitment for this role includes a criminal records self-declaration, references, and other pre-employment checks, which may involve police and qualifications checks. Due to the nature of this role, applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and the position may be filled before the closing date of August 7, 202

• Early applications are encouraged, and candidates must have the right to work in their country of residence within a Relief International country program.