Regional Security Specialist, Multiple Duty Stations, Office of the Security Coordinator (OSC), P-4 (ROSTER)

The Position:

The positions are located in: 

• Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office (LACRO - Panama City)
• Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (EECARO - Istanbul)

The Office of the Security Coordinator (OSC) at UNFPA Headquarters, New York coordinates and leads the organization’s global response to safety and security management to enable the strategic direction of the Executive Director with regard to safety and security of UNFPA personnel, property and assets.  OSC provides technical advice, guidance and support in the implementation of security policies and procedures to the Executive Director, senior managers and personnel to fulfill their security related accountabilities.  

The key functions of the Office of the Security Coordinator are:

1. Enable the delivery of activities guided by the 1994 Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) targets and objectives, the UNFPA Strategic Plan in compliance with United Nations and UNFPA safety and security policies and procedures; 
2. Coordinate strategic corporate safety and security management policies and procedures internally within the organization and with external partners. 
3. Mainstream safety and security in organizational programmes and activities;
4. Lead crisis management, preparedness and business continuity management for UNFPA offices globally in support of managers in their respective geographic areas of responsibility.
5. Represent UNFPA at the UN Security Management Policy Forums to ensure the organization's specific interests and needs are incorporated in security policies and procedures. 

In addition to OSC staff at Headquarters, the Regional Security Specialists (RSS) are members of the team, located at each Regional Office to undertake the aforementioned activities in their respective areas of responsibility.

The RSS reports directly to the Chief OSC on security policy, technical and administrative matters, and works closely with the Regional Director, serving as a substantive expert on safety and security. As a senior member of the regional management team, the RSS primarily provides leadership guidance, strategic and technical advice to Regional Director(s), sub Regional Director(s), country offices Representatives, programme managers with the aim to enhance their ability to make informed risk decisions, manage security risks in accordance with the UN Framework of Accountability and UNFPA Security Accountability Policy. 

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

You would be responsible for:

A.  Key End-Results

1. Effective implementation of Security Risk Management (SRM), Business Continuity Management in UNFPA activities and operations conducted in compliance with applicable policies and procedures;
2. Strengthened crisis preparedness and management at regional and country offices;
3. Continued and enhanced programme efficiency and delivery through situational analysis, updated contingency response plans and security risk management compliance levels for all offices;
4. Safety and security considerations including cost considerations for the implementation of security mitigation measures are mainstreamed in programmatic activities;
5. Effective and efficient gender mainstreaming in security and crisis/emergency management;
6. Enhanced collaboration with internal and external partners in support of common goals and objectives;.

B.  Accountabilities, duties and responsibilities

Within delegated authority and the given operational set-up, the incumbent may be accountable for all or assigned parts of the following typical duties to provide coordinated and cohesive approach to the development and/or improvement of processes related to Security Risk Management and Business Continuity Management throughout the designated region.

C.  Strategic Advice - Security Risk Management (SRM)

1. Provide guidance, advice and assistance to UNFPA personnel in their safety and security related functions in accordance with United Nations and UNFPA Security Policy and Security Accountability Framework.
2. Advise managers, and personnel on all aspects related to the interpretation and implementation of the United Nations Security Management policies and procedures, and provide proactive and innovative approaches to the delivery of security management solutions. 
3. Lead and coordinate strategies on organizational policy on business continuity management implementation for the region. 
4. Conduct security assistance missions to assess levels of preparedness, identify gaps and guide Representatives in the implementation of cost effective and pragmatic security management measures. 
5. Provide crisis management advice and support to offices to manage emergency or crisis situations. 
6. Coordinate and oversee the security and safety aspects associated with special events and conferences organized or sponsored by UNFPA.
7. Contribute to development of organizational change in the technical field and support operationalization of policies and procedures, improving and simplifying business processes, sharing best practices and lessons learned. 
8. Strengthen humanitarian response capability in collaboration with internal and external partners to ensure appropriate security support during planning, preparations and delivery of programmes.
9. Guide offices in the implementation of assigned security output/activities included in the corporate planning applications in support of the strategic plan implementation.
10. Review, analyze and provide input to UNFPA Representatives on country security policy documents such as (SRM, SRMM, RSM, LCSSB) prior to approval by the Security Management Team (SMT).   
11. Support the Office of the Security Coordinator in review of United Nations Security Management System policies, technical support and standardization of approaches.

D.  Security Coordination, advisory services and client relations management

1. Advise and support offices affected by crisis, ensuring flow of information and on the threat and risk analysis as a situation develops to reduce exposure or impact on staff, operations, and reputation.
2. Actively participate at senior management meetings, advise on safety and security considerations, highlighting impact of security events on personnel and operations and coordinate required security support. 
3. Covers other regions in absence of regional colleagues on AL/HL or sick leave. 

E.  Technical and operational support

1. Review requests for funding for projected security related costs from respective Regional Office, Sub-Regional Office, and Country Offices and make recommendations to the Office of the Security Coordinator in respect of funding allocation.
2. Provide technical support to security related procurement processes, contract management, and administration for new and ongoing projects and new business development needs such as technical clearances for UNFPA Country Offices/premises and for security related equipment. 
3. Oversee and evaluate validation of the office Business Continuity Plan based on the country SRM and organize learning sessions on crisis response team roles and responsibilities based on country-specific scenarios. 
4. Guide and provide technical security input to managers and personnel in relation to programme criticality assessments;
5. Support offices and provide technical advice in the recruitment of security personnel, in collaboration with the HR Focal Point. 

F.  Monitoring, Evaluation and Compliance

1. Evaluate and monitor implementation of UNSMS/UNFPA security policies and procedures and guide offices to improve their compliance levels. 
2. Assist the Regional Director and Representatives in the Performance Appraisal and Development System (PAD) review for personnel assigned with security functions and responsibilities including security focal points. 
3. Collect and review compliance with regional key performance indicators capturing preparedness and compliance of offices and the status of the security output supporting the UNFPA strategic plan implementation. 

G.  Training and capacity building 

1. Deliver Crisis preparedness and Business Continuity Management training and awareness Including through the design and conduct of simulation exercises within UNFPA based on country-specific scenarios. 
2. Review country office performance to identify training needs and capacity building requirements for business continuity and to proactively identify opportunities to innovate and improveUNFPA’s ability to deliver its mandate during crisis situations. 
3. Develop and Provide regional security briefings to senior management and deliver security awareness and capacity building training to Country Office Security Focal Points (SFPs) and UNFPA personnel on how to operationalize and utilize security management policies. 
4. Develop and implement a specific UNFPA training programme in line with current United Nations security training programmes to ensure that managers stay current on roles and accountability, latest policy and methodology, risk management, security awareness and topics related to crisis management and business continuity. 
5. Mainstream gender considerations into the review, and operationalization of UNSMS policies and procedures. 
6. Monitor trends and emerging new issues, keep abreast of best practices and lessons learned in managing security for women, and proactively identify opportunities to innovate and improve performance, advise and coordinate related required Women Security Awareness Training needs.

H.  Networking and representation

1. Represent UNFPA at interagency technical working and advisory groups/forums and Security Cell meetings to enable support of UNFPA’s mandate.  
2. Liaise, collaborate, exchange and implement effective risk communications and security information with Regional Security Advisers, internal and external counterparts to ensure the effective flow of information and improve operational planning to enhance security awareness and compliance with security and business continuity management arrangements. 
3. Act as Office of the Security Coordinator’s substantive focal point for the region.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

Advanced university degree in Social or Political Science, law or public administration or a discipline related to Risk Management, International Relations, Conflict Analysis and Resolution or equivalent formal training in security and risk management such as military and/or police senior command staff college. 

Knowledge and Experience: 

• A minimum of 7 years of relevant professional work experience, with at least two years’ field experience in a position within the UNSMS, proven crisis management and; 
• Experience in working in crisis /humanitarian response locations enabling programme delivery is an asset.
• Analysis /information capabilities from police / military contexts would be considered an important asset.
• Knowledge of UN Security Management System, policies, practices and procedures is required  
• Strong background in political and security analysis ideally in a regional context is desirable.
• Security Certification Program (SCP) certified. 

Languages: 

Fluency in English is required; in addition, fluency in Spanish is required for the position located in the Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office (LACRO). 

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,  
• Communicating for impact, 
• Judgment and decision making. 

Functional Competencies:

• Organizational leadership and direction 
• Ensuring operational effectiveness and accountability for results
• Delivering results based programmes
• Providing conceptual innovation to support programme effectiveness
• Generating, managing and promoting the use of knowledge and information
• Providing a technical support system 
• Strengthening the programming capacity of Country Offices 
• Facilitating quality programmatic results
• Managing data
• Managing documents, correspondence and reports
• Managing information and workflow
• Planning, organizing and multitasking
• Ensuring Safety and security of UNFPA personnel and operations
• Safety and Security; Coping with Pressure and Setbacks; Analyzing; Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise; Relating and networking; Deciding and Initiating action; Formulating Strategies and Concepts; Impact and influence; Innovation and Marketing of new approaches; Organizational Awareness; Client Orientation.

 

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.