Senior Security Officer

The Central African Republic (CAR), a vast territory of more than 623,000 km2 , characterized by  rich  biodiversity and subsoil, is paradoxically one of the poorest countries in the world and ranked 188th out of 189 countries according to the United Nations Human Development Index of December 2020. According to the same source, more than 71% of the population lives in poverty, with an inadequate and poorly maintained road network exacerbating the inequalities between the populations of the capital and those of rural towns. The Central African Republic has around 9,300 km of roads classified as "main or regional" and more than 15,000 km of rural roads. Of the 9,300 km of main roads, less than 10% are paved, a consequence of the country’s poverty, one of the causes of which is attributable to its landlocked nature.

In the search for solutions to reduce this increased poverty, the Government requested and obtained funding from the World Bank (WB) and the French Development Agency (AFD) for the Projet d'Urgence de Rétablissement des Infrastructures et de Connectivité en Centrafrique (PURIC-CA).

UNOPS is assisting the Government of the Central African Republic and its financial partners to  implement the sub-components 1.2 and 1. 3 of PURIC: the restoration of road connectivity in the North-East of CAR (Ndélé - Ouadda - Ouadda Djallé - Birao - Am Dafok axis) and the rural connectivity in the Vakaga region including the completion of the road works on the Kaga Bandoro - Mbrès - Bamingui - Ndélé axis, carried over from the PCR (Rural Connectivity Project).

In line with the implementation of this project, UNOPS is seeking qualified candidates to fill a position of Senior Security Officer.

The incumbent functions within the framework of the UN Security Management System, under supervision of Senior Project Manager and technical guidance of the Field Security Advisor, coordinating directly with the local UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) office in its area of operations, if available. The position is responsible for providing effective and efficient security services to enable the safe conduct of  projects activities and operations in the relevant geographical business unit/s within a threshold of acceptable risk. The incumbent promotes a compliance and client-oriented approach consistent with UNOPS rules and regulations and UN Security Management System policies, guidelines and regulations.

He/she works closely with and advises Senior Project  Manager,  Field Security Advisor and the projects’ personnel to plan for and resolve security related issues. This position is located in Ndélé , Central African Republic.

1. Advisory and Technical 

• Advise the Senior Project Manager, the Field Security Advisor and the projects’ personnel  on all safety and security related matters including the planning and implementation of the projects in the area of responsibility. 

• In line with the UN Security Management System methodology, policies, and procedures, assist the FSA in developing, as required, security risk assessments outlining potential threats, risks levels and recommended mitigation strategies for office and project operations, taking into consideration relevant and existing assessments; 

• Provide technical advisory and oversight services to ensure that safety and security is a core component of the projects  and that appropriate funding is provided based on actual needs.

• Advanced university degree in social or political science, law, public administration, business management or security management or related  is required 

• A first-level university degree in combination with an additional  4 years' relevant experience at the international level may be accepted in lieu of formal education 

• A Technical/Professional Diploma in combination with an additional 6 years relevant, international and national experience may be accepted in lieu of formal education 

• A Secondary Diploma in combination with l  8 years’ of relevant, international and national experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree. 

• Substantial experience (a minimum of 8 years) in civilian police/military may be accepted in lieu of formal education

• A minimum of  2 years of progressively responsible experience in security management are required

• Experience with the United Nations Security Management System is a strong advantage; 

• Experience in post conflict environments or RCA is desirable 

• Ability to produce Standing Operating Procedures/Security Risk Assessments/Security Plans in accordance with UNDSS methodology is an asset; 

• Proficiency in computer skills, including G Suite is desirable.

Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreements (IICA) 

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and it is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, or disability.
  
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS – an operational arm of the United Nations – supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by successfully implementing its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management, and human resources.


Working with us

We are proud of our people. With a wealth of knowledge and skills in various disciplines – engineering, finance, human resources, ICT, leadership, project management, procurement, and more – they help tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time. Their work around the world supports progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).


At UNOPS, we offer a range of short- and long-term opportunities in various environments and duty stations – from Denmark and Kenya to Mexico, Switzerland, Myanmar, Senegal, Uganda, and many more.


Diversity

With over 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,400 personnel recruited on behalf of our partners, spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced and diverse labor force — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs. We continually strive to maintain our gender-balanced workplace. We encourage qualified underrepresented groups as per UNOPS Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy to apply for our vacancies.



Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.