Security Officer – P4, Burkina Faso

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WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

Are you an experienced Security Professional interested in further developing your professional career while contributing to ending global hunger? Are you passionate about helping those in need? Would you like to join a global organization investing in its people?

If so, an exciting & fulfilling career awaits you! Join our diverse and passionate team that works on varied and international projects directly contributing to saving & changing millions of lives around the globe.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Applications must be submitted by Tuesday, 25 July 2023 (10:59 PM CET)

WHO WE ARE

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), a highly prestigious, reputable & world’s largest humanitarian organization, operating in more than 120 countries and territories, bringing life-saving assistance in emergencies, building pathways to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change and supporting sustainable and resilient livelihoods for a world with zero hunger.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: UN World Food Programme (WFP) and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.

WHY JOIN US?

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment
• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities
• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe
• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section)

OPERATIONAL CONTEXT

The World Food Programme’s humanitarian response in Burkina Faso remained one of the biggest operations in Western Africa. Largely driven by the escalating armed conflict between government forces and non-state armed groups, humanitarian needs reached unprecedented highs with 4.9 million people – almost a quarter of the population – requiring humanitarian assistance in 2023.

Continuously rising since 2018, the displacement crisis in Burkina Faso is one of the fastest growing in the world. As of March 2023, it is estimated that over 2 million people – mostly women and children – have been forced to flee violence, placing Burkina Faso as one of the largest internal displacement crises in Africa.

WFP operations in Burkina Faso include emergency food assistance, school feeding, treatment and prevention of malnutrition, resilience-building activities through food assistance for assets (FFA), smallholder agriculture market support (SAMS), and micro-macro insurance programme, national capacity strengthening, logistics and common services, and the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS).
Burkina Faso has seen its security situation drastically deteriorate since 2019. The country is immersed in a prolonged multidimensional crisis across the security, political, socio-economic, and humanitarian spheres.

Two separate coups organized by the military in 2022 plunged Burkina Faso into political crisis, eliminating many of the significant political reforms implemented after the 2014–15 political transition and thus causing heightened uncertainty as Burkina Faso is facing one of the “Hunger Hotspots” in the world. In 2023, violence continued to escalate with a rising number of attacks targeting the civilian population.
Faced with persistent access challenges and rising hunger and malnutrition in hard-to-reach areas and blockaded towns in northern and eastern Burkina Faso, WFP has been scaling up its airlift and road transport capacity to provide life-saving assistance to people facing critical food insecurity.

JOB PURPOSE

To support the provision of technical advice, guidance and management of WFP’s security operations to enable the effective delivery of programmes that meet food/cash assistance needs and maintain the security and safety of WFP personnel, activities and facilities.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Under the direct supervision of the WFP Burkina Faso Country Director and Representative, the WFP Regional Security Officer (based in WFP Regional Bureau in Dakar) being the technical supervisor, the job holder, based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, will be responsible for performing the following duties:

• Support the Country Director in the provision of advice and formulation of recommendations on all security and safety matters.
• Keep up to date with and advise on regional and local security developments and issues and their potential impact on WFP activities.
• Provide technical advice, guidance, and support e.g. operational security requirements, security assessments, and plans to BKF Country Office to strengthen the capacity within security management and crisis readiness and preparedness, contributing to the development of country strategy, policies, and planning.
• Lead, motivate, and develop a midsized team of security professionals to enable high performance, ensuring the effective management of all security activity and resources to support the Country Office, field offices, programmes, and Emergency response operations.
• Coordinate and oversee WFP’s response to safety and security within a particular area/location, e.g. Security Assessment Missions, providing technical expertise and guidance to strengthen capacity within security management and enabling considered decisions regarding risk management.
• Build relationships and collaborate cross-functionally to align security activities with wider programmes and activities and ensure a coherent approach that complies with security and risk management best practices.
• Identify and build productive relationships with government agencies and national partners to align activities and optimize the best protection for staff, activities, and facilities.
• Represent WFP at inter-agency meetings e.g. security coordination cells to contribute to technical discussions and exchange of knowledge and experience and advocate for the WFP position.
• Work in close collaboration with internal counterparts and external partners to align security activities with wider programmes. Maintain strong relationships between UNDSS Security Advisor and all UN Agencies Funds and Programmes Security counterparts.
• In coordination with UNDSS, support the WFP Country Director in planning, coordinating, and executing evacuations and relocations involving WFP, UN, and, if required, NGO staff.
• Identify potential security training and development opportunities and needs and facilitate training sessions as required to build the security capabilities of WFP staff and external partners.
• Monitor and oversee accurate and timely reporting that meets WFP standards and requirements and enables informed decision-making. Provide Weekly updates with an analysis of security trends and how it may impact WFP activities.
• Support the monitoring and evaluation of WFP activities, providing technical analysis, interpretation, and information as required to support the assessment of activity impacts.
• Take responsibility for an equitable and inclusive workplace that incorporates all dimensions of the WFP diversity and inclusion framework.
• Contribute to preparedness actions, providing technical recommendations and guidance and monitoring the management of risks.
• Update security contingency plans/ Warden System and conduct Warden checks when required.
• Ensure WFP communications are integrated into the appropriate UN security communication system and all staff are trained in security and emergency procedures, in collaboration with Information & Telecommunications Officer.

QUALIFICATIONS AND KEY REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

• Advanced University degree in Security Management, International Relations or Law Enforcement or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses.

EXPERIENCE:

• A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant progressively responsible postgraduate experience in managing security in complex operations.
• In-depth knowledge of the security dynamics in the Sahel region
• Robust knowledge in the United Nations Security Management System (UNSMS)
• Strong experience in security planning
• Proven experience in managing large security teams composed of both international and national staff in a multicultural environment
• considerable experience in two or three operational areas
• completion of the UN Security Certification Program (SCP) is desirable.

LANGUAGE:

• Fluency (level C) in the English language.
• Fluency (level C) in the French language.

MORE ABOUT YOU

You have:

• Advised on regional and local security developments that impact upon WFP’s security and operational activities
• Delivered support in the provision of technical security operations advice to strengthen the security management function of WFP and contributes to the development of country strategy, policies, and planning.
• Managed large teams of staff with somewhat varied areas of expertise
• Experience being a strategic partner offering technical security advice to senior leadership in different contexts.
• Ability to assimilate and analyze complex issues using independent judgment and anticipate potential strategic impact to create effective organizational policy and planning recommendations.
• Experience working with technology to improve security insights and processes, and ensure proactive mitigation.
• Experience coordinating action/reports with external security entities.
• Strong commercial knowledge with the ability to develop and manage budgets, with frequently limited funding.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

These are the common standards of behaviour that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Different expectations of behaviour are defined depending on your grade and role/responsibilities within WFP.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• This is an International Professional position and is open to all nationalities.
• Mobility is the essence of WFP and continues to be a core contractual requirement. These positions are rotational which means that you shall be subject to the regular reassignment process to any other location on a period of 2 to 4 years unless the position is reclassified as non-rotational.
• WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards (http://icsc.un.org) including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, visa, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan, and medical insurance.
• The selected candidate will be required to relocate to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso to take up this assignment.
• Ouagadougou is a non-family duty station, and family members of international staff will not be able to join them at the duty station. However, a Rest & Recuperation (R&R) modality has been put in place, allowing staff to benefit from 7 days off (5 days of R&R +2 days fortravel) outside of the country every 8 weeks of presence in the duty station.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.
• Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language
• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter
• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time
• Please contact us at wfprecruitment@wfp.org in case you face any challenges with submitting your application
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

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All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.

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