Acción Contra el Hambre

Action Against Hunger (ACF) has been operating in Gaza since 2005, supporting vulnerable populations through programmes in Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL).

The Security Department plays a critical role in ensuring staff safety and enabling programme implementation. Its responsibilities include context monitoring, movement tracking and coordination, security management and access, training and capacity building, as well as external representation and networking. The department works closely with all relevant internal teams to support the safe and effective delivery of humanitarian assistance and to ensure the safety of ACF staff, partners, and suppliers.

Under the management of the Area Manager (AM), the Access and Security Officer will support the day-to-day security and risk management of ACF operations in Gaza Strip. Working closely with all relevant internal departments and liaising with external stakeholders, they will support ensuring the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and the safety of ACF staff, partners and supplies.

Required experience and skills

• Sound knowledge of safety and security standards and protocols
• Experience in negotiating humanitarian access
• Strong analytical capacity, communication and negotiation skills
• Stress resistance and problems solving

• Objective 1: Context monitoring (15%)

  Tasks

  • Monitor security, access, and contextual trends through local media, formal security platforms, UN systems, and field sources, and provide proactive written analysis and updates to the AM
  • Track and share security trends, incidents, and emerging risks, ensuring timely, clear, and proactive reporting to the AM and update ACF documentation
  • Update the ACF Map with the new risks and suggest mitigation measures anytime required.
    
    

• Objective 2: Movement tracking and coordination/notification of movements (15%)

  Tasks

  • Ensure daily movement mapping and review of planned movements, highlighting any observations or changes in the security situation of any area.
  • Close support for security assistants in tracking and monitoring the daily movements in real time.
  • Coordinate and oversee movement notification and coordination mechanisms, ensuring requests are submitted in relevant platforms and channels within established timelines.
  • Act as the liaison between departments with if chronic problematics regarding movements are identified.
    
    

• Objective 3: Support Security management and Access (25%)            

  Tasks

  • Conduct and ensure timely, high-quality security and access assessments of premises and program implementation sites, ensuring qualitative reports with practical recommendations.
  • Contribute to the creation or update of the ACF security management tools (Risk Assessment Table (RAT), Local Security SOP (LSOP),  HREP, SOPs, briefing notes…)
  • Responsible for ensuring the update and the timely implementation of the security Todo list.
  • Ensure timely drafting and follow up of security incident reports, using ACF tools and platform
  • Support teams during changes or incidents and provide regular updates and summaries to management.
    
    

• Objective 4: Training and capacity building (15%)

  Tasks

  • Design, draft, and/or maintain security training materials and tools.
  • Develop and implement a security training plan for ACF staff, contractors, and partners.
  • Deliver and coordinate training and briefings in support of the Security Assistants
  • Liaise with external trainers or service providers when required, including defining needs, coordinating delivery, and monitoring quality and relevance of trainings.
  • Design, draft, and/or maintain security training materials and tools.
    
    

• Objective 5: External representation and networking (15%)

  Tasks

  • Act as the delegated body for security and access related coordination with humanitarian actors (INGOs, UN agencies, clusters, and relevant working groups).
  • Act as the delegated body for liaison with relevant local authorities and official structures as defined by management.
  • Ensure timely reporting to management on external engagements.
  • Support the AM to build and maintain a network of contacts, enabling the regular collection and verification of information related to access and operational presence across all ACF areas of intervention in the Gaza Strip.
    
    

• Objective 6: Team Management (15%)

  Tasks

  • Contribute to the daily supervision, coordination, and task prioritization of security staff, ensuring clarity of roles and responsibilities.
  • Contribute to recruitment processes for security staff, including participation in selection, interviews, induction, and onboarding, as delegated by the AM.
  • Ensure the staff performance appraisal processes, including providing regular inputs, monitoring progress against objectives, and identifying capacity?building needs.
  • Together with the HR department and AM, address performance or conduct issues, including contributing to disciplinary processes in line with ACF policies and HR procedures.
  • Promote a professional, ethical, and respectful working environment, reinforcing accountability, teamwork, and adherence to organizational values.

Education/Training:

• Certification in Human resources, Leadership, Education, GIS, data management or Security is highly desirable.
• Training in leadership, team management, and capacity-building/Training is highly desirable.
• Training in humanitarian access, negotiation is an asset.
• Training in security and incident management is an asset.
• Training in Data management, GIS, telecommunication, is a clear added value

Technical specific knowledge:       

• Knowledge of security management frameworks, security plans, contingency planning, and SOP development.
• Capacity in risk analysis, threat assessment, and contextual analysis is an asset
• Knowledge and practical use of GIS or mapping tools for access, incidents, and movement tracking is an asset.
• Strong skills in report writing, documentation review, and analytical summaries.

Previous experience:

• At least 2 years of previous experience in a related field of expertise
• Proven experience in external representation, including liaison with authorities and coordination actors.
• Experience supervising staff
• Experience managing or supporting the management of security incidents
• In an asset if you have experience in:
• Developing and implementing security plans and risk mitigation measures
• Conducting security assessments of premises, movements, and activities

Humanitarian sector knowledge:

• Experience with NGO is an Asset, National or International
• Strong understanding of the security dynamic in Gaza.
• Excellent knowledge of humanitarian principles and duty of care.
• Ability to integrate protection, gender, and safeguarding considerations into security and access analysis and planning.

Organisation knowledge:    

• Knowledge of ACF Security protocols an asset but not a requirement.

Languages:    

• Arabic and English: excellent written and spoken proficiency required.
• Ability to read, write, and summarise complex documents clearly and accurately.

IT systems:

• Strong working knowledge of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and email/internet tools.
• Ability to produce clear written reports, briefings, and presentations for internal and external audiences.

Mobility (national/ international)

• National position based at the office in Deir Al Balah with travel throughout the Gaza Strip.

Commitment to Gender Equality

• Valuable prior experience in issues related to the promotion of gender equality or personal commitment to gender equality.

• Contract Length: 3 Months (extendable pending performance and budget)
• Based in: Gaza Strip - Deir Al Balah Office
• Salary: Based on Action Against Hunger salary scale.
• Action Against Hunger provides food and transportation allowances for a fully worked month.
• We provide workplace compensation (Insurance)
• Health insurance
• External psychosocial service for the employee and family.
• 21 days leave annually per year (plus 15 paid public holidays)