The organization
Plan International is a rights-based development and humanitarian organization that works for a better life for children. We are independent of governments and have no political or religious affiliation.
Our purpose is to fight for a just world that promotes children’s rights and equality for girls.
We have been building important partnerships for children for over 80 years and are currently active in more than 70 countries.
Our global strategy has a specific focus on girls, as they are often the most marginalized and the most left behind. We are committed to the ambitious goal of reaching 100 million girls over a 5-year period, to ensure that they can learn, lead, decide and prosper. This is our contribution to achieving the sustainable development goals, and in particular the goals on gender equality.
Our organization is transforming to meet this enormous challenge everywhere we work.
Purpose
The National Security and Protection Advisor will be responsible for actively supervising and monitoring the security environment in Honduras by establishing and maintaining positive working relationships with colleagues, peers, and government officials, ensuring that the Security Protocols are regularly reviewed and updated and followed by both staff and visitors, to guarantee the safety of all Plan International personnel and beneficiaries, properties and operations.
This will involve, among other things: supervising, contributing, promoting and implementing the Global Security Strategy, policies and guidelines in conjunction with (and in consideration of) the Global Plan Security Policy, Security Standards and Security Plans; promote a positive safety culture among staff; monitor and analyze the security context in Haiti, facilitating the sending of alerts and the decision-making process, promulgating and updating safety documents such as the Safety and Health Operating Procedures (SSOPs), Safety Risk Assessments, as well as Contingency Plans; reporting security incidents; and the supervision and management of security guards,guaranteeing the best security management practices for personnel and facilities, and the continuity of safe operations in the country.
The role of National Security and Protection Advisor will inform the Country Representation and the Cluster Security Coordination, keeping up to date with relevant elements and reporting objectives and results, as well as contributing to the consolidation of information and data. Likewise, this role will have a direct relationship and must inform the Regional Security Management.
General responsibilities
Key responsibilities:
– Identify and mitigate possible security risks for personnel, assets and operational / programmatic security.
– Provide contextual analysis of localized and national security situations and incidents together with appropriate advice to the Country Representation, and collaborating with Security Cluster Coordination and Regional Security Management.
– Maintain strong links and relationships with other safety-related networks and organizations and help develop effective safety nets and context-relevant responses.
– Maintain an adequate level of contact with Security and Protection personnel at the Cluster and Regional level, and other external stakeholders to support the implementation of the Plan Security strategy.
– Prepare security reports and provide regular security analysis.
– Scan the security environment and propose phase adjustments, guidelines and security procedures as appropriate.
– Responsible for security management at the national level in line with the acceptance model and Plan International standards.
– Develop security and contingency plans at the national level and guarantee compliance with the organization’s security policies and procedures.
– Develop capacities of security and official focal points in field locations.
– Initiate security alerts as appropriate in line with the constantly evolving security context throughout the country.
– Manage the country’s security budget for operations, programs, trainings, facilities, offices, equipment such as safety kits and first aid, etc.
– Conduct security site evaluations before Plan opens guest offices / houses / emergency response / activities in a new area of the country, as well as annual hotel evaluations, guest houses and offices.
– Ensure and update communication trees and guarantee communication plans in emergencies.
– Support and availability to be deployed for Security Assessments and Security Management during national emergencies.
– Ensure the annual review of the Travel Security document and the security management of all visits in the country.
– Send to validation Manuals, Security Plans, Procedures and Protocols to the Cluster Security Coordination, before the approval of the Country Representative.
– Ensure intersectional focus on all tools, processes, communication, compliance and validation of Security Risks and Site Evaluations, as well as Security Plans and Operating Procedures.
– Develop / Guarantee and implement safety guidelines during emergencies based on regional and global guidelines / policies.
– Participate or collaborate in Security and / or Access Clusters during humanitarian emergencies.
Policies, Strategy and Implementation of Standards and Performance
– Provide an overview and objective analysis of security trends and risks / problems in Honduras and their implications for Plan as a whole and its partners.
– Offer advice when necessary to Country Representation / Cluster Security Coordination/Regional Security Management on implementation decisions to guarantee Plan’s duty of care at all times for its staff and partners.
– Disseminate globally and regionally approved information, guidelines and policies as necessary and appropriate.
– Contribute to global policy and strategy amendments as requested.
– Ensure the use of approved security management templates, tools and guidelines.
– Review the country’s Security SOPs annually, propose any improvements and create ad hoc SOPs or necessary changes and implement changes that have been necessary and have been approved.
– Maintain records of security-related training programs across the country to ensure and monitor that the security training needs of country personnel are being planned and met.
Reports, Monitoring and Compliance
– Lead the continuous improvement of Plan Honduras’ capabilities and compliance with global and regional security standards or initiatives.
– Carry out security and protection evaluations to inform programming decisions and actions.
– Carry out and / or review the risk matrix of the Cluster countries and ensure adequate validation of the risk matrices for any potential Cluster project.
– Review all reports of vehicle and security incidents and follow up on the implementation of the recommended management actions.
– Monitor events / trends / dynamics, support incident management (any high-risk security incident and crisis will be treated with guidelines from the Regional Security Management)
– Lead the Security Risk Assessment to analyze, prevent, mitigate and report programming decisions and actions.
– Produce a quarterly proactive mapping of critical security points across the country and upcoming events for the Country Management Team.
– Provide timely, concise and clearly articulated semi-annual security management compliance reports to the Cluster Security and Country Representation Coordination.
– Ensure contingency plans and systems for each office in the country.
– Ensure that post-incident support mechanisms exist and that they are promoted among staff, including medical, family and psychosocial support.
Capacity development and training
– Guarantees the development of FAST / VESPA / SSAFE / HEAT training in the countries of the cluster, with the aim of achieving the global KPI of 100% of trained personnel in the assigned cluster.
– Support the Cluster Security Coordination in the development of capacities of the Focal Points of the Country Offices.
– Help provide security awareness training to staff members.
– Strengthen the culture of reporting security incidents between National Security Focal Points and all national personnel.
– Monitor compliance with all requirements of safety standards related to staff / visitors / contractors travel and security briefings.
– Provides security briefings to newly recruited staff, including personal security and a reference to the Security Protocols.
Networks, Communication and Coordination
– Provide alerts / trends / security analysis at the country and group level in line with the country’s evolving security context.
– Maintains efficient lines of communication between the Cluster Security Coordination and the country’s SFPs.
– Serve as a liaison with internal / external Security Specialists, ensuring interagency relationships between security peers to share information, validating alignment and precision with the Cluster Security Coordination.
– Monitor and provide support / reports on government / UN / NGO field security initiatives as needed, and always report and align with the Cluster Security Coordination and/or the Regional Security Management.
– Identify, create and maintain a safety net with NGOs / UN and other security specialists in the country.
– Assist in the collection of information for Situational Reports (SitRep) and security-related alerts and notices for Honduras.
– Ensure, coordinate and manage the proper use of telecommunications systems, always ensuring communications in emergencies.
Evaluation, Analysis and Supervision
– Review and recommend the approval / non-approval of travel requests from staff.
– Secure and update Security Site Evaluations for all offices, hotels, etc.
– Participate in field missions and carry out security risk assessments.
– Lead the identification and minimization of possible security risks for personnel, partners, assets and operational / programmatic security.
– Monitor events, review incidents and coordinate analysis, follow-up actions and recommendations.
– Provide informed recommendations in the context of security evaluations and reviews.
– Evaluate the application of security policies and the level of vulnerability of the facilities and recommend / monitor any changes necessary to improve security.
– Ensure quarterly security reports and management standards, monitor and share KPI and map critical security points.
– Develop and implement a security training plan for all staff and partners.
– Carry out and guarantee the update of the Security Risk Assessments (SRA), Safety Standards Operating Procedures (SSOP), Site Assessments and Security Plans (including contingency plans) for each office, providing recommendations for adjustments to security phases, policies, and procedures.
– Request validation from the Cluster Security Coordination of Security Risk Assessments (SRA), Safety Standards Operating Procedures (SSOP), Site Assessments and Security Plans (including contingency plans) for each office.
– Support with information on the national security context or any other information that the Cluster Security Coordination or the Regional Security Management requests.
Diversity and inclusion approach
– Focus on people and support initiatives that address the unique risks facing our staff in all their diversity.
– Ensure that the intersectoral approach, gender and child protection are integrated into all safety-related programs, evaluations and analyzes.
– Lead / guarantee the implementation of the ‘Security for all ’ strategy and ensure that the action plans of the ‘Consultation on women in security’ and access to PYP kits are implemented in the Country.
Child Protection (CPP), Gender Equality and Inclusion (GHG)
– Ensures that the global policies of the International Plan for the protection of children and youth and gender equality and inclusion are fully integrated in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy, including relevant implementation rules and guidelines as appropriate to your area of responsibility. This includes, among others, ensuring that staff and associates know and understand their responsibilities under these policies and the Plan International Code of Conduct (CoC), its relevance to your area of work and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures
Key Relations:
Internal
– Bidirectional report to the Country Representation and the Cluster Security Coordination
– Regional Security Manager
– Cluster Management Team
– Security / Safeguard / Communications / Programs / DRM / PyC Focal Points
External
– Security networks within Honduras, especially UN Agencies and international NGOs. Leadership and staff of local and international security management companies, and government officials.
Knowledge, skills, behaviors, and experience required to achieve the objectives of the position:
Fundamental Requirements:
– Bachelor’s degree is required.
– 3 to 5 years of relevant work experience in a security and protection management or advisory function, possibly with experience in contexts with political-humanitarian crisis
– Formal technical training in safety and protection are an advantage. Previous management roles with international NGOs in complex / insecure environments are an advantage
– Excellent interpersonal, negotiation and leadership skills. Ability to lead through influence and knowledge, rather than hierarchical authority
– Experience in the design and delivery of training, particularly basic personal security
– Ability to get along with a diverse group of people, serve staff while managing multiple priorities
– Ability to work under pressure and support humanitarian emergencies
– Knowledge, ability and willingness to learn. Plan International’s management tools and frameworks and programs adhere to Plan International policies and guidelines
– Mental / physical requirements: Availability to travel up to a possible 50% of the time, mainly within Honduras
Desirable Requirements
– Spanish translation capacity – English / English – Spanish
– Formal technical training in safety and protection is an advantage
– Previous management roles with international NGOs in insecure / complex environments are an advantage
– Access and Humanitarian Negotiations as a plus
Level of contact with childhood:
– Low contact: Low frequency of interaction
Job site: Tegucigalpa
Function type: Programmatic
Gives account to: Bi-directional report to Country representative and Cluster Security Coordination
Deadline / closing date: August 2, 2024
Plan International values
We are open and responsible
We create a climate of trust inside and outside the organization by being open, honest and transparent. We hold ourselves and others accountable for the decisions we make and for our impact on others, while doing what we say we will do.
We strive for lasting impact
We strive to make a significant and lasting impact on the lives of boys and young people, and to ensure equality for girls. We challenge ourselves to be bold, brave, responsive, focused, and innovative.
We work well together
We are successful working effectively with others, within and outside the organization, including our sponsors and donors. We actively support our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals. We meet to create and implement solutions in our teams, throughout Plan International, with children, youth, communities and our partners.
We are inclusive and empowering
We respect all people, appreciate differences, and challenge inequality in our programs and our workplace. We support children and young people to increase their confidence and change their own lives. We train our staff to do their best and develop their potential.
Advance application is recommended as we will review applications during the advertising period and reserve the right to close the ad in advance.
In accordance with Plan International’s “ Safeguarding Children ” and “ Young People ” policy, a series of pre-employment checks will be carried out.
As an international child-centered community development organization, Plan International is fully committed to promoting the realization of children’s rights, including your right to protection against violence and abuse. This means that we have particular responsibilities to the children with whom we come into contact.
Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we as an organization do everything possible to keep children safe. We must in no way contribute to harming or putting children at risk.
Plan International operates an equal opportunity policy and actively fosters diversity, receiving requests from all areas of the international community.
