Safety and Security Assistant at Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI)

Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI) is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965. COOPI aims to help the world’s poorest to improve their access to healthcare, food, and financial security, and to overcome their special vulnerability to wars, civil conflicts and natural disasters. For 50 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economical Services, Water and Sanitation, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Safety and Security Assistant

Location: Gashua - Bade LGA, Yobe
Employment Type: Full-time

Overall Responsibilities
Under the general supervision and guidance of the Safety and Security Officer or another designated staff, the Safety and Security Assistant will be responsible for the following key duties:

• The Safety & Security Assistant is responsible to follow up the security context in COOPI areas of intervention and assists in maintaining a safe and secure environment for COOPI employees and visitors, premises, and assets as well as maintaining regular communication with staff during field movement.
• The Security Assistant is responsible for ensuring that appropriate systems and procedures are in place to maximize safety and security and that they are adhered to at all times.
• The Safety and Security Assistant is responsible for supporting the Northeast Nigeria Security team in Yobe State to ensure that safety and security is mainstreamed into all field operations across Northeast Nigeria and that the high-quality information is available for decision making.

Main Responsibilities and Tasks

• Under the direct supervision of the Safety and Security Officer (SSO), the Safety & Security Assistant (SSA) will assist in building up the capacity, awareness and preparedness of staff to deal with security-related risks, threats and incidents through the delivery of high quality, regular trainings or briefings to national and international staff and COOPI visitors within the area of responsibility.
• The SSA will maintain a high level of contextual awareness of his/her operating area and strong coordination with Program and Operations support teams at the Field level. He/she will form a wide web of network to proactively collate and source for relevant security information.
• The SSA will assist Safety and Security Officer in conducting collaborative security risk assessments with all field-based staff in line with the standard COOPI security management structures.
• The SSA will support Safety and security officer and Logistics Coordinator in enforcement and implementation of existing SOPs and other risk mitigation plans guided by the acceptance, protection, and deterrence strategies.
• The SSA will act as a liaison link between COOPI and other external security functionaries within the areas of responsibility, represent COOPI in security forums as directed by supervisor to objectively ensure that the operations and program needs of COOPI are well addressed.

Under the direct supervision of the safety and security officer, he/she will:

• Continuously monitor the environment in the operational areas for which he/she is responsible, as required, and at a minimum of once per quarter, support Safety and Security Unit and Head of Base in updating risk registers and security/safety SOPs.
• Ensure that the Base Office SOPs and associated documents are kept up to date and reviewed regularly, and staff constantly kept aware of their contents.
• Brief, supervise and liaise on daily basis with the contracted guards and drivers to ensure the guard force and fleet is aware of COOPI SOPs and are effectively enforcing the required regulations.
• Accompany program staff on field missions on a need basis in order to better develop an awareness of the challenges faced by COOPI staff in the field
• Liaise with government, Army, Police, DSS, Local Heads and other key external stakeholders to ensure that COOPI staff can maintain regular and safe access to program areas.
• Regularly coordinate with peer organization safety staff/focal points to get the current contextual information.
• Using standard trainings developed by the safety and security unit, SSA, conduct regular refresher training to COOPI staff on personal safety, fire prevention, defensive driving among others.
• Prepare weekly reports for the Base office and update data on available incident data tools.
• Submitting when required, immediate email advisories to Gashua office / Damaturu office when significant security incidents occur.
• Submit formal post-incident reports to the Head of Base, Safety and security officer, Area Coordinator and Logistics Coordinator.
• Work closely with the Head of Base and Safety and security officer, Logistics Coordinator and Area Coordinator, to ensure that the Security Focal Group (SFG) meetings are held, and minutes submitted to Area Coordinator, Logistics Coordinator and Safety and Security officer as required.
• During a critical incident, he/she will support the Head of Base, Safety and security officer, Area Coordinator and Logistics Coordinator in critical incident management giving all the required support as outlined in the COOPI Security SOP.
• The SSA will be available 24/7 to respond to any staff concerns or incidents that might require urgent attention.
• Track and monitor COOPI staff movement within the areas of responsibility and report any movement breaches to Safety and Security officer and Head of Base.
• This ToR shall be inclusive of any other task specifically assigned by the direct supervisor for what concerns the implementation of the program activities

Code of conduct and associated policies:

• Treat beneficiaries with dignity and apply COOPI’s Code of Ethics and Conduct, the UN Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in the field, including sensitizing Field Monitors and vendors/agents on such principles.
• Promote the zero-tolerance policy regarding corruption and ensure adherence to COOPI Code of Conduct and Anti-Fraud policy.

Profile of the Candidate (Education, Training, Experience, Competences, Skills)
Minimum Requirements:

Education:

• Degree or Higher National Diploma,

Experience:

• At least 2 years working as a security personnel with an INGO.
• Previous experience in implementing and managing safety and security situations for large groups of staff,
• Experience working in North East Nigeria will be an added advantage.

Technical Skills & Knowledge:

• Sound understanding of Security management, concepts and principles with a broad knowledge of best practices and techniques.
• Ability to rapidly analyse and integrate diverse information.

Competencies:

• Good communication and negotiation skills with the ability to persuade, influence and adapts quickly to different situations;
• Excellent oral, and writing skills.
• Well organized and detail-oriented;
• Can work well in highly stressful situations
• Ability to work independently and in a team with other departments and units

Essential:

• Be professional, motivated, flexible, and culturally sensitive
• Be excellent in communication skills and proficient in report writing.
• Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office programming (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word).
• Excellent communication, writing, and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication, coordination, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to work in a team, and establish effective working relationships with people from different nationalities and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and simultaneously manage multiple tasks in an autonomous manner.
• Previous work experience with INGOs and UN Organization is desirable.

Preferred:

• Knowledge of the local language (Hausa and Kanuri).
• Willing and able to be based and travel regularly within remote areas, where services are limited.
• Previous experience in a similar position
• This ToR shall be inclusive of any other task specifically those assigned by Safety and Security officer, Area Coordinator and Logistics Coordinator.

Application Closing Date
6th February, 2024.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• Qualified female applicants are especially encouraged to apply.
• Qualified candidates with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply
• Applications are on a rolling basis.