Humanitarian Acces Coordinator, DRC, 100% Full Time

HEKS/EPER employs around 600 full-time staff members. Its work is guided by the vision of a just world where peace prevails, the dignity of all people is respected, and natural resources are preserved. HEKS/EPER is active in 25 locations in Switzerland and 30 countries worldwide, running more than 380 programmes and projects with a total volume of 138 million Swiss francs. Within the framework of Agenda 2030, the organisation focuses on four priority themes: “Climate Justice,” “Right to Land and Food,” “Asylum and Migration,” and “Inclusion.” HEKS/EPER also provides humanitarian aid to victims of natural disasters and armed conflicts, aiming to bring about change at the social, economic, and political levels. HEKS contributes to improving the living conditions of people both domestically and internationally, advocating for their rights. It raises awareness and mobilises society, politics, business, and churches. In 2023, around 16 million people benefited from the work of HEKS/EPER.

In the DRC, where it has long been active through development programs, HEKS also opened a humanitarian aid mission in February 2019. Since then, it has concentrated its humanitarian interventions in hard-to-reach areas of several territories in North Kivu (Rutshuru, Masisi, Walikale and Lubero) and South Kivu, where it has a permanent presence and directly executes, with its own teams, Rapid Response activities (notably through the distribution of unconditional cash), Humanitarian Watch (monitoring population movements), Water/Hygiene/Sanitation, Rehabilitation/Opening humanitarian access via Cash for Work, and Agricultural Recovery. The humanitarian aid mission’s projects are currently funded (directly or via a consortium with MEDAIR or Dan Church Aid) by ECHO, BHA, SDC, OCHA – CHF and own funds.

The Humanitarian Access Coordinator will be based in Goma and in the field, and is a key member of the logistics and security management team.

GC DRC, Humanitarian Acces Coordinator, 100%

Your main responsibilities:

Objective 1: Follow of the security management tools and process.

Activities:

• Review the security plan according to the methodology and formats described in the HEKS’s Logistics/security Kit.
• Make sure the security plan is known by all staff in accordance with their profile.
• Hibernation and delocalisation capacities of different bases
• Implement process to be sure the plan is always updated and validated (duty of care).
• Implement and shared accessible and understandable SOP needed with checklist: Safety check, Vehicle travel plan, …
• Ensuring HEKS mission is meeting minimum standards and complying with HEKS policies and procedures.
• Develop and regularly update the Safety and Security Management Plan and tools in accordance with the nature of safety and security risks (inc. detailed threat assessment, security protocols, standard operating procedures for personal movement & transport, office, warehouse, communications, incident report sheets, etc asset protection).

Objective 2: Guarantee that all the Bases meet the minimum standards:

• Security equipment
• Security list, Protocol and SOP specific for each base
• Communication (functional, ready-to-use, and enough people have the know-how)
• Trainings in place for security procedures and using radio and Thuraya
• Hibernation capacity: box, food and water reserves

Objective 3: Guarantee the Process to – collect, analyse and disseminate the security and context evolution information.

Activities: collection of information

• Create and maintain a network of contacts (NGOs, Embassies, Civil Society, etc.)
• Guarantee a functionable system around the security focal point to allow him to have enough focal point (with airtime) to collect as much information as possible for the analysis.
• Systematic organisation of the security and context evolution security information, particularly the one related to the one that could affect the HEKS mission.
• Keep an incident data base.
• Create and maintain a mapping representation system of the security and context evolution information.
• Create a real living map of influence areas and activities (with process to keep it updated)

Activities: information analysis

• Analyse the security data base to anticipate the possible evolution of the conflict as well as the tendencies related to the risks.
• Analyse the information collected and put them in perspective with the evolution of the context.
• Evaluate the risks of the mission.
• Evaluate the risks of the locations where HEKS is working (included premises and programs).
• Propose the specific security rules for the mission, bases and activities to reduce the risk identified.

To be successful you bring:

Education and experience:

• University / HES education and/or 5 years’ experience in one or more positions in security departments
• 3-5 years’ relevant experience in a humanitarian NGO
• Experience in emergency situations and tense security contexts

Additional specialized knowledge required:

• Operational security management
• Ability to plan, organize and solve problems.
• Good communication skills

Personal skills / psycho-social requirements :

• Organized, proactive, autonomous
• Highly motivated and willing to learn and develop skills
• Ability to work in unsafe/stressful environments and in emergency situations, ensuring a high standard of work and quality programming.
• Ability to follow instructions but be assertive if necessary.
• Ability to analyze (judgment, practicality) and synthesize.
• Ability to adapt
• Organization, discipline and respect for deadlines
• Excellent listening, negotiating and team management skills
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work with different partners with an open mind and appropriate communication
• Calm and composed

What you can expect from us:

• An interesting and challenging position in a dynamic international environment
• A competitive salary package
• Work location: Goma and in the field
• Insurance package
• Housing provided by HEKS
• A 6-month contract – with possible extension

Tagged as: Democratic Republic of the Congo, HEKS/EPER