UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. UN Women provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

UN Women in South Sudan supports the government to implement commitments to international normative standards on gender equality and women’s human rights. The new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2022-2026 and the corresponding UN Women South Sudan Strategic Note (2022-2026), defining UN Women’s strategic engagement in South Sudan, focuses on strengthening the national structures and mechanisms for gender mainstreaming in policies, plans and budgets; supporting efforts to prevent and eliminate violence against women; promoting women’s economic empowerment; promoting policies and government investment in women’s empowerment and resilience building in the context of climate change, humanitarian crisis as well as threats to peace and security. UN Women works with a range of stakeholders in South Sudan including the government, civil society and women’s organisations, youth, UN agencies and donors, to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Currently, UN Women in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare and the Office of the Vice President (Gender and Youth Cluster) is developing a programme that aims at promoting the social economic empowerment of women and adolescent girls in South Sudan. The project called “South Sudan Women Economic Empowerment Project (SSWEEP)”, will be implemented in 10 states and 2 administrative areas in South Sudan focusing on promoting women’s access to economic opportunities, protection and access to GBV information and services and also strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare to effectively implement its mandate of promoting Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. The project has four (4) components, namely: a) Community Empowerment Support to Women and Girls, b) Establishment of the Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Facility (WEOF), c) Scaling up services for Survivors of GBV and d) Institutional strengthening focusing on the Ministry OF Gender, Child and Social Welfare, Gender and Youth Cluster, and related national institutions.

The Security Specialist directly supports the Country Representative, with a technical line of reporting to the Global Security Advisor through the Regional Security Specialist for Africa. The Security Specialist will provide technical security monitoring, management, and advice to the Country office.

Functions:

1. Provide technical support, guidance, and advice to the Country office:

• Provide timely and accurate security advice and recommendations to the Country office; and approve organizational missions;
• Clarify, interpret, and implement existing UN and UN Women security policy as applicable;
• Oversee security evaluations and provide advice on security measures for the residences (Residential Security Measures - RSM) of UN Women personnel, as well as on latest trends and threats to personnel safety and security;
• Track developing threats and related risks, reviewing the impact of security factors and risk on UN Women personnel, premises, assets, programme design and delivery;
• Provide recommendations regarding effective risk prevention and mitigation measures, including recommendations for possible UN Women support needs and improvements;
• Provide security surge support outside of the designated ‘Duty Station’ as required;
• Provide remote security support to identified UN Women personnel, offices, programmes and projects;
• Advise and support UN Women Security Focal points with regard UN Women online security assessments systems.

2. Oversee security assessments and take necessary action:

• Oversee substantive assessment of the security situation at the duty station and ensure adequate collation and verification of security information;
• Conduct security assessments of UN Women premises and equipment and provide recommendations on risk management.

3. Liaise with and participate in the local security community:

• Liaise and coordinate with the host government security organizations and/or personnel, including national and local provincial authorities, military, and police officers, in partnership with the UNSMS country security advisor, as well as non-governmental organizations, UN entities, and other non-State actor;
• Participate as a member of security groups, particularly the country Security Cell and IASMN Working Groups as directed by the UN Women Global Security Adviser;
• Provide an advisory presence at UN security management meetings such as the country SMT, UNCT, and OMT
• Maintain a security network of international and national security personnel;
• Represent UN Women on behalf of the Security Adviser at security meetings, and attends security workshops/training sessions, working groups and conferences as directed.

4. Collect, update, and communicate security information:

• Provide updates and information to both the RO and HQ in relation to the security intranet portal and documentation;
• Disseminate of security information and measures to personnel;
• Disseminate analytical products and outputs of the Section to stakeholders;
• Disseminate analytical products and outputs of the Section to stakeholders; Conduct regular communications with UN Women Security Focal Points;
• Establish a UN Women Warden System/Communication Tree where applicable.

5. Develop, maintain, manage and implement the UN Women Security Plan, including updating personnel lists:

• Oversee the development and implementation the UN Women Security Plan in accordance with the UN Security Plan; maintain the plan;
• Manage the preparation and review of the UN Security Plan and provide technical support in its implementation;
• Provide advice and recommendations in the selection and purchasing of security equipment;
• Prepare and submit security clearance/movement of personnel requests;
• Maintain, coordinates and implements the UN Women Warden System;
• Keep and update of information related to UN Women offices and residences including Global Premises Directory.

6. Monitor, manage and implement UN Women compliance of the Security Risk Management Measures (SRMM) established for the duty station/s:

• Compile data required for the SRMM Self-Assessment of the UN Women and UN Security & Safety Compliance Survey (SSCS) Programme;
• Provide technical support to and advise the UN Women Security Focal Point in the completion and updating of the SSCS;
• Provide technical support to and advise the UN Women Security Focal Point in the evaluation and implementation of the UN Women Security & Safety Compliance Action Plan (SSCAP);
• Provide technical advisory support to the Security Focal Point for the UN Women Security & Safety Compliance Enhancement Funding (SSCEF);
• Implement SRMM for UN Women personnel, premises, assets, systems and protocols, in accordance with organizational risk acceptance, ensuring the mainstreaming of security & safety;
• Provide UN Women managers with prescriptive content such as policy, risk management methodology, SRMM and Residential Security Measures (RSM);
• Provide technical support to security & safety compliance input of all UN Women offices within AOR;
• Provide technical support to the Programme/Project team in completing and submitting the UN Women online Programme Assessment format.

7. Report security incidents affecting UN Women personnel, programmes, offices and assets:

• Collate information and provide inputs to security reports, such as the Serious Security Incident Reporting System (SSIRS), Security Risk Management (SRM) Assessments and other ad-hoc incident reports;
• Oversee security & safety evaluations and surveys of Country office;
• Develop accurate and timely written country briefings; add inputs to position papers from a field perspective;
• Provide information to the country UN Security Management System (UNSMS) as required.

8. In consultation with the UN Women Security and Safety Team, develop and conduct training courses on security awareness, preparedness, mainstreaming, BCP and specialized security functions:

• Participate in the development and delivery of UNSMS training;
• Develop UN Women specific security training and conduct security training;
• Provide security orientation to newly assigned personnel members and security briefings;
• Provide security mainstreaming sessions as required;
• Provide BCP & Crisis Management training sessions as required;
• Coordinate with Human Resources to provide UN Women Representatives and Heads of Offices security briefings.

9. Oversee the Budget and Finances:

• Oversee the security annual work plan and related budget; initiate budget revisions for approval;
• Prepare security budgets as well as completion of UN Women SSCEF funding requests;
• Provide substantive security inputs to UN Women AWP/BWP/SN, programme appraisal bodies, and related budgets;
• Monitor and support allotted UN Women Security & Safety Compliance funds to budget and utilize them in a timely manner within the respective system or platform;
• Monitor that costs and expenditures remain within budget and approved limits through the monitoring of monthly budget reports;
• Keep the Global Security Adviser updated on expenditures in the operational budget and follow closely remaining expenditure;
• Oversee budget closures and reports as per HQ processes;
• Ensure that all projects and programmes contribute resources to implementation of security & safety measures.

10. Perform other security & safety-related tasks including but not limited to:

• Provide Air Travel Focal Point services to UN Women as per CATSU requirements;
• Maintain liaison with commercial companies used for UN Women security at offices and residences, in order to ensure the effective and efficient use of the guard force.

Key Perfomance Indicators:

• Quality and timely security recommendations and advice;
• Adherence to UN Women and UN security standards;
• Provide timely and accurate security reports;
• Accurate and timely implementation of the overall UN Women security plan;
• Provide accurate information and briefings to personnel, including newly hired personnel and non-personnel;
• Regular interaction and maintain good relationships with important partners, including Security Focal Points, UN agencies and external parties;
• Timely completion and input to the UN Women security business process SSCS – SSCAP- SSCAP;
• Full implementation of the UN Women Security & Safety Mainstreaming Process.

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and  Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

Functional Competencies: 

• Strong knowledge of business, operations, and programming cycle
• Strong knowledge of security and risk management
• Strong knowledge of local country’s security situation/ laws
• Good knowledge of UN System policies and procedures
• Ability to work under pressure and in crisis situations
• Strong analytical skills
• Ability to be strategic and provide advice

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in security management, business administration, leadership, political/social science, psychology, international relations or a related field;
• A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree UN, military or police senior Command and Staff College qualification with command experience at senior level, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree;
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree;
• The UN System Security Certification Programme (SCP) although not required would be an asset.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in security out of which 2 years in international security context including programme management in the field  development context; 7 years of security experience if not in possession of a Master’s degree;
• Budget management experience as it relates to field support;
• Experience of conducting security risk management process as integral part of operational planning and the enabling of programme delivery;
• Experience in the United Nations Security Management System is highly desirable;
• Security experience in disaster, conflict or post-conflict environment is highly desirable.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required; 
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.

All applications must include completed and signed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2022-07/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form-en.doc  

Applications without P11 may be treated as incomplete and may not be considered for further assessment.

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need. 

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check).