Security Focal Point (Managerial Position) (Applications will only be accepted if submitted through the URL link provided below)

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.  In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Program/ Department Summary

Mercy Corps seeks to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping build secure, productive and just communities. Working in Lebanon since 1993, Mercy Corps has been working towards generating positive opportunities for Lebanese people, Syrian and Palestine refugees and other vulnerable groups, with a strong focus on engaging women and youth. 

The Mercy Corps Lebanon team consists of over 100 staff working across three offices throughout Beirut/Mount Lebanon, South Lebanon, North Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley. 

Primary program interventions include market systems development, support to employment, good governance, capacity building, economic development, livelihood support, and humanitarian assistance through cash-based response and support to markets in crisis, along with a research portfolio. 

General Position Summary

The main goal of the Security Focal Point is to ensure that the security of Mercy Corps team members, program participants and assets is maintained and to create and foster a climate of security awareness that enables programs to be implemented. S/he is a strong team leader, able to develop and mentor team members and is an effective communicator, able to work with internal and external stakeholders to achieve common objectives.

While the Country Director holds primary responsibility for security management, the Security Focal Point is the vital contact for safety and security in a country program. The Security Manager is responsible to analyze the context, report incidents, operationalize the country's security plan and guide the Risk Management Team in order to ensure the implementation, accuracy and relevance of security planning. 

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Liaise with key external security stakeholders including Ministries, General Security, local authorities, security / access working group and others. 

Maintains Mercy Corps’ Global Minimum Standards for Safety & Security which include security management planning; documentation; orientations and briefings; journey management, including approval processes and staff tracking; incident reporting; office and workplace safety. This also includes management targets related to training, budgeting and staffing.

Conducts country and local Security Risk Assessments for different security risk contexts and use these periodic assessments to inform its security management planning.  Communicate relevant updates to the context, threats or procedures to team members and documents updated, as necessary. Work closely with the Program team to ensure the security risk assessments feed into activities design and planning. 

Work closely with the team, to strengthen security awareness and identify security focal points at offices level to feed in key local information and report back with main trends to the Security manager

Updates on a regular basis the Security Management Plan. Each plan includes at a minimum: risk assessment; contact information for the Risk Management Team; context analysis; standard operating procedures (SOPs); contingency planning; emergency medical planning and contacts, incident reporting instructions.

Leads mandatory Security Incident reporting. It is the responsibility of the security manager to maintain a security incidents log and also ensure individual security incidents are well-documented in a way that enables the country risk management team to analyze their immediate risk environment and also the agency to learn and improve upon their risk management approach. Critical incidents must be reported to the global security team immediately.  

Coordinates security trainings, orientations, visitor briefing and on-boarding to ensure that team members are prepared for the security risks and environments they will encounter. This is done through a briefing on the environment and orientation to Mercy Corps procedures and planning. This is generally done prior to starting the responsibilities however, in some cases this is done in-situ with trainings, briefings and access to security plans. Updates, briefings and trainings are offered or provided periodically or as situations evolve. 

Identify and lead a Risk Management Team to help guide and implement security management in the country. Chairs Risk Management Team meetings and maintains a file of minutes or notes from the meetings.

Oversee the annual, security self-audit with the Risk Management Team.

Serves as a point of contact for the Senior Director of Global Security and the Regional Security Advisor, as well as MC Syria security team members.  

Ensure being reachable and in capacity to act on short notice in case of escalation, including in crisis contexts with the possibility to work outside regular work hours - nights and weekends. 

Security System Management

Support orientation on key security resources on the Hub and DL.

Sets up incident tracking and security files in the country and/or navigate access to in-country files that already exist.

Promotes a culture of security awareness and management.

Develop and supervise the implementation of

Security Management Plan (SMP) 

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Contingency Plans 

Risk Assessments and mitigation plans (Normally, part of the SMP)

Convene and facilitate the Risk Management Team (RMT). 

Advise Program and field offices on security safety management strategies, including the transfer, avoidance, acceptance and/or control of risks.

Regular posting of security information to all staff via a convenient platform that they can easily access.

Ensure all MC team members present in-country, including regional, global, PSP, are taken into account in security planning for Lebanon, including for training, communication and risk management 

Assist in the reporting and management of incidents and provide timely and accurate incident reports. Ensure incident reporting is conducted as necessary, documented and logged. Includes completion of incident report form, informing necessary actors and maintaining incident report file.

Maintain an updated list of all necessary telephone and contact numbers of key stakeholders and authorities in all Mercy Corps areas of work and residence

Coordinate with IT on maintaining the movements of communication devices (VHF radios, satellite phones, company issued cell phones and others)

Develop emergency communication systems, including a communication tree - regularly test and update the tool to ensure team members participation and effectiveness

Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Code of Conduct; Gender, Diversity and Inclusion guiding documents; Core Humanitarian Principles and Do No Harm.

Security and Contextual Information Analysis 

Monitors local and national news (radio, television and print), information available from other agencies, Mercy Corps offices, and translates appropriate information in regular updates.

Conduct routine site visits to Mercy Corps field offices and provide situation reports on the security situation in the area. Provide specific recommendations for the field offices and field staff conduct, as required.

Use these periodic assessments to ensure that appropriate measures are taken for safe operation.

Inform on issues that may have an effect on Mercy Corps security in the country and advice on precautionary measures.

Produce regular written reports in the appropriate language (by demand) on the security situation in the areas of operation.

Ensure regularly updated incident mapping based on gathered information. Map and advice on Go/No-Go areas.

Coordinate with Mercy Corps supervisory staff in tracking national staff movements in the field. Establish a communication system with field staff when/where necessary. Advise on travel restrictions or precautionary measures, as required.

Team members learning and Training

Ensure orientation of new expatriate staff is completed on the first day of arrival. 

Provide regular briefings/trainings to expatriate and national staff on preventative security measures, and conduct on and off Mercy Corps premises.

Respond to staff inquiries about security issues and emergencies, and provide immediate assistance when necessary

Maintain an updated database of all essential contacts, phone numbers and addresses of law enforcement agencies in the area

Prepare a security training plan with the supervisor, and conduct or organize security trainings as needed. 

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders: Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: none

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: The Country Director 

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Regional Security Advisor, all Heads of departments, all Program teams.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: 

Minimum 5 years of experience in the field in similar and/or relevant contexts

Must have the ability to troubleshoot bureaucratic hurdles and problem solve so as to facilitate MC program activities throughout the country. 

Must be diplomatic and follow MC protocols on representation and reporting. 

Fluency in English and Arabic, and good computer skills. 

Must be able to work independently and show initiative.  

Good organizational skills are necessary.

Technical competencies:

Certified to deliver first aid training to a basic standard

Certified to deliver advanced driving instruction

Can provide training on conflict awareness and survival

Understands donor regulations and how they can impact humanitarian access, particularly in regards to dealing with proscribed groups and individuals

Possesses advanced knowledge about International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and humanitarian principles in relation to humanitarian access.

Functional competencies

Understands goals and aims of program management in order to support program implementation

Supports team members through capacity building

Has basic understanding of human resources, procurement processes, and basic functions of operations.

Leadership competencies

Nurtures sense of responsibility toward security across the team

Broadens influence by role-modeling/leveraging networks

Success Factors

The successful candidate will have deep commitment to humanitarian principles and values and the willingness to learn new skills and methodologies while driving an innovative and impactful program strategy. They will have the ability to work under pressure, independently and with limited supervision and demonstrate creative problem-solving skills. The candidate will have highly developed interpersonal communication skills and demonstrate decision- making and leadership skills and excellent time management capacities.

Living Conditions/Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Beirut, Lebanon and is an accompanied position. The country is currently going through an important economic crisis that has some effect on the living conditions, access to basic services and infrastructure.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. 

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. 

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.