Security Officer at North East Regional Initiative (NERI) Nigeria

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The North East Regional Initiative (NERI) Nigeria - An International Development Organization is seeking applications from suitably qualified candidates to fill the position below:

Job Title: Security Officer

Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Contract: Short-term for 6months

Position Summary

• The Security Officer (SO) overall mission is to keep all project personnel and assets in the North East Nigeria safe from harm. S/he has delegated responsibility for the day-to-day management and coordination of operational field security activities in the NE including Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states
• S/he provides continuous security and contextual information to the teams, ensures compliance with corporate security policies and maintains liaison with the Security Manager and Operations Manager of Nigeria Lake Chad Basin Program (NLCB)
• This position will be based in the Maiduguri office, with program activities expected to be carried out throughout the Northeast of Nigeria.

Reporting & Supervision

• The Security Officer reports to the NLCB Operations Manager based in Abuja.  The SO, based in Maiduguri, works closely with the Regional Program Manager, and supervises the guards hired through a local security provider in Abuja.

Primary Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Work with the Operations Manager and Creative’s Regional Security and Operations Manager for West Africa (RSOM) to develop, manage, and coordinate all Creative security and safety programs, plans and policies relevant to the project including detailed security procedures that comply with Creative security policies. This will include emergency response drills and communication procedures for the project.
• Provides security, safety and risk mitigation advice and recommendations to the Operations Manager and NLCB management and staff.
• Ensure that project staff comply with project security procedures including travel protocols.
• Carry out security assessment of offices, compounds, vehicles, and expatriate housing and make recommendations for required security upgrades, as required.
• Monitor and analyze the ongoing threat environment faced by the project and brief the Chief of Party, Operations Manager and Regional Program Manager and other project staff accordingly. Distribute threat warnings in communication with the SM to all staff as appropriate.
• Ensure that appropriate risk migration measures are taken by the project to respond to the threats or changes in threats faced by the project. This is to include physical protection measures, safe working routines, movement restrictions, protection equipment and security staff provision, as required.
• Oversee movement control and coordination for the project, including driver and vehicle deployment and staff whereabouts.
• Oversee the local security provider contracted by the project to ensure contractual compliance and performance of their duties, and act as the focal point of contact with the security provider.
• Provide training, mentoring, and monitoring of the local security provider’s guards.
• Conduct regular training and drills for NLCB staff on lock down drills, office evacuation and fire drills.
• Report security incidents, violations and recommended corrective actions, as appropriate, to the Operations Manager and RSOM.
• Ensure all new employees, consultants, and partners working in Creative offices and traveling in Creative vehicles receive appropriate security orientation and briefings.
• Verify that all security devices such as locks, search procedures, alarms, access systems and physical force protection measures are operational or reported for repair.
• Carry out regular check in calls and communications tests with drivers and field personnel traveling outside of the main cities and or during any critical security incident.
• Ensure that NLCB staff carry charged satellite phone on trips to remote activity and office sites.
• Ensure visitor access and vehicle control systems to NLCB offices and activity sites are effective and appropriate for the threat environment.
• Review Travel requests to ensure staff safety.
• Maintain a “Regional Staff Travel Register” to log and administer all travel by HCN and expatriate staff in the NE region. 
• Work with the RSOM to develop and maintain the project Crisis Response Plan in coordination with the Operations Manager and ensure that the contact information contained therein is always up-to-date.
• Provide, if directed, a weekly security report to the Operations Manager and RSOM.
• Be able to assist with out-of-hours emergency response for the project staff and partners, if needed.
• Assist the project with business continuity planning, as required.
• Ensure that the Creative Sensitive Information (CSI) Plan is distributed to and is being followed by project staff.
• All of the above includes ensuring security protocols are understood and security drills are periodically conducted with staff in the NE NLCB offices.
• Ensure field staff receive first aid and fire response training.
• Additional assignments, as instructed by the Operations Manager and/or Chief of Party.

The SO should understand, brief and regularly train all project staff on:

• The need for all staff to maintain a good level of situational awareness, and to report concerns.
• Project movement / field trip planning and control procedures.
• Project communications procedures including emergency phone trees, SMS blast service, and contact lists.
• Office emergency response procedures including fire evacuation, direct threat lockdown, etc.
• The need to avoid all demonstrations, possible demo sites and areas where crowd trouble could start.
• The location of the nearest medical facilities.
• Implement and execute actions relating to the Crisis Response Plan.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• University Degree in a Security-related field required
• Minimum of three (3) years general security work history is required.
• Minimum of 5 years professional experience in security management for an organization of a minimum of 20 staff
• Minimum three (3) years of experience working in complex and challenging field operational contexts.
• Experience working for an international organization or company
• Proven understanding of security management protocols essential.
• Demonstrated ability to solve challenging and complicated security issues.
• Ability to develop in-depth understanding of and willingness to comply with all Creative security policies and procedures.
• Should have a proven and established network of contacts within the local security establishment and throughout Northeastern Nigeria.
• Proficient at using Microsoft office software: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.  Prior experience using MS Access and web-based database applications.
• Ability to draw information from a broad range of sources and provide concise and timely analysis and recommendations
• Demonstrated ability to engage all team members as resources to manage security and contextual awareness in a manner that is proactive
• Must have the physical capacity to travel extensively on short notice to remote regions within Northeastern Nigeria
• Written and spoken fluency in English.
• Fluency in one or more of the local languages used in Northeastern Nigeria.

Preferred Experience & Skills:

• Past experience as officer from the Nigerian military or police
• Prior extended experience with private security company or Nigerian government security services.
• Proven experience directly and indirectly supervising and managing staff and teams.
• Experience with a USAID-funded or other international organization implementing a program operating in insecure areas and areas affected by Boko Haram and ISWA is desired.
• Strong ability to deploy and use various forms of tracking.
• Develop security management and movement tracking systems.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills are required.
• Excellent record keeping, and documentation skills are required.
• Working knowledge of modern technical security systems, security standards and procedures within the private sector of Nigeria.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should submit the following documents below to: nigeria_recruitment@neri-nigeria.com referencing the job title and location on the subject line, your cover letter and Resume/CV.

• A current CV listing all their work experience and qualifications; AND
• A Cover Letter.