HAS Officer

Job Overview/Summary:

The Humanitarian Access and Security Officer (HAS Officer) will be based in Azaz office and will be covering Maaret Tamsrin office as well and will be responsible for managing relationships with local community structures and authorities and other stakeholders to facilitate humanitarian access and support program activities in NWS. The HAS Officer will work closely with the Humanitarian Access Senior Manager (HAS Senior Manager) to clients, engage local partners, and gather community feedback. Key duties include building relationships with Local communities and authorities and promote program acceptance.

Additionally, the HAS Officer will provide security oversight, ensuring the implementation of safety procedures, conducting security briefings, and supporting movement coordination, including border crossings. The role also involves conducting security risk assessments and assisting the HAS team in greater Idlib as required. The HAS Officer will supervise and build the capacity of staff in NWS, providing training, performance management, and development plans to ensure team success. They will also support compliance mechanisms, liaise with NGOs, and work on solutions for programmatic challenges. This position requires a strong commitment to humanitarian principles, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage complex situations in conflict-affected areas.

Responsibilities:

Liaison and humanitarian Access:

• The HAS Officer will be working with the HAS Senior Manager to manage relationships with community relief structures as well as help identify possible clients’ populations.
• Liaise with Local Relief Committee members in his respected areas of operations.
• Makes contacts with other local authorities to gain new entry points for client’s identification, such as camp managers, religious leaders, mukhtars, school administrators, or other relevant officials.
• Responsible for managing the feedback from the community about potential new beneficiary families and locations.
• Facilitate and attend community meetings.
• Plans and carries out community acceptance events as needed.
• Plans and facilitates focus group discussions and other information-gathering sessions with connectors and dividers in the community.
• Work with the Senior Humanitarian Access Manager to identify local partners,
• Update the partner tracking & mapping in the area of operation,
• Support the compliance team with the compliance mechanism.
• Identify a passable location for the hotline for compliance
• Support the programs by engaging with authorities
• Identify programmatic challenges and work with the HASM to find relevant solutions.
• Conduct training for local partners about the humanitarian principle and further trainings
• Engage with the concerned Local Authorities to facilitate the activities for Programs and work on permissions for the Program activities.
• Liaise with the other NGO’s
• Administrative activities
• Other duties as assigned,

Safety, Security, and movement:

• Ensure the implementation of SoPs, SMP and other related regulation.
• Provide security briefings for newly arrived staff.
• Facilitate border crossing movement.
• Support in conducting security Risk assessment.
• Provide support for HAS team in greater Idlib when needed.

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development

• Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in NWS in relevant technical and management competencies.
• Develop and implement remote management capacity-building approaches to build the strengths of the teams in Syria.
• Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to perform successfully.
• Approve and manage time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage; ensure monthly, accurate timesheet submission and conduct probationary reviews.
• Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, minimally monthly.
• Provide a measurable development plan, including on-the-job learning to strengthen technical capacity, exchange knowledge within the team and provide guidance on career paths.
• As required, identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to perform successfully.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
• Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate. As part of the succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train and develop the capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition roles and responsibilities by the end of the assignment.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A college degree is required
• Approximately two years of relevant working experience.
• Previous professional experience in the fields of Safety, Security, and Humanitarian Access is preferred.
• Previous administrative experience in team management is preferred.
• Previous experience in an emergency or conflict-affected setting is essential.
• Demonstrated experience in completing training in the areas of security management, safety, and humanitarian access is preferred.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• A commitment to IRC’s mission, vision, values, and IRC Way – Professional Code of Conduct.
• Credible written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development
• Validated sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to handle complex situations diplomatically and to effective resolution.
• Excellent management and interpersonal skills and a solid ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, in a cross-cultural context.
• Validated ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional patience.
• Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior level management and all other partners to maximize cooperation and productivity.
• Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop.
• Analytical ability to create effective solutions to complex matters while adhering to labor laws and internal policies.

Language/Travel:

Arabic is essential. 

Ability to travel between field bases.

Key Working Relationships:

Directly supervises: Humanitarian Access & Security Senior Manager

Indirect Reporting (If applicable): Humanitarian Access & Security Director

Key Internal Contacts:Operations- Programs

Key External Contacts:  Local authorities

Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Returning National Candidates: We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the Middle East Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs.

Accountability to Clients: IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and give them greater influence over program design and delivery.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Diversity and Inclusion: at IRC MENA, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Organizations that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, nationality, and perspective are validated to be better organizations. More importantly, creating a safe workspace environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best is the right thing to do. So, bring your whole self to work.

IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. In keeping with our core values of Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality, IRC strives to maintain a work environment built on mutual respect in which all individuals treat each other professionally and free of bias, prejudice, and harassment. IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of IRC Persons in any work setting. All IRC staff, wherever they are located, are accountable for creating an environment free of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and retaliation.