United States of America: Security Advisor- Chicago Loop

Job Title: Security Advisor

Reports To: Chief Operating Officer

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Schedule: Part Time – hours to be defined with candidates

Location: Negotiable, Chicago or Washington, DC preferred

Join Heartland Alliance International’sheadquarters’ team to assess, strengthen, and implement security infrastructure and systems to supportprograms addressing some of the world’s most complex human rights challenges. This is a temporary role with an anticipated duration of one year.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Security Advisor will assess, strengthen and ensure effective implementation of HAI’s security infrastructure and systems with the following activities:

• Assess HAI’s current security infrastructure and systems based on industry best practices, HAI’s duty of care to employees, and considerations of risk and prevention. Propose and implement changes to HAI’s security systems according to the assessment;
• Make changes to HAI’s security systems in accordance with organizational philosophy, incorporating an approach to security that, to the extent possible, integrates local staff, subrecipients and participants as well as international and headquarters staff;
• Provide guidance on HAI’s security systems and plans based on program risks, such as programs in high risk locations or programs that support highly marginalized populations that may be targeted as a result of their legal status, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, or other factors to reduce both staff and participant risks;
• Conduct security briefs with HAI staff prior to all international travel;
• Review existing training modules and select and implement a security training program for HAI staff based on best practices, staff types, and organizational risk;
• Coordinate security training and planning for any volunteer, board of directors, student or other occasional organizational trips in addition to regular staff security briefs and training;
• Represent HAI in security working groups and engage with peer NGOs to ensure HAI’s security systems meet best practices and responsive to changing trends;
• Ensure HAI country-specific security plans are up-to-date by providing hands-on support to HAI country offices, including drafting security plans as needed. Draft all security plans for new country start-ups;
• Manage HAI’s security systems, including emergency contact information, security applications, and other databases;
• Travel to HAI countries as appropriate/needed to support country office security planning; and
• Provide direct support to manage security incidents when they occur from the moment an incident occurs through a final debrief post-incident.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or competency required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience:

• The selected candidate will have a minimum of 5 years of security management experience in an international non-governmental organization (NGO);
• Demonstrated experience managing security incidents in operating environments similar to HAI countries and programs;
• Demonstrated experience in developing new or dramatically improving existing security systems;
• Demonstrated professionalism and ability to maintain organizational confidentiality;
• Strong written and oral communication skills, and demonstrated ability to write and clearly articulate ideas. Fluency in English essential. Oral or written language skills in French, Spanish or Arabic strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in social sciences or related field, or commensurate work experience
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange, Windows operating systems

Other Competencies:

• Time Management – Ability to prioritize tasks, manage time and complete projects in a fast-paced, changing environment with minimal supervision.
• Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness
• Analytical - Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data
• Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively;
• Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events
• Cultural Sensitivity – Respects cultural environment in which person is working and does not act in a manner that is outwardly offensive to the local community.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to handle or feel and reach with hands and arms.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• If based outside of Chicago, this is a telecommiting position; incumbent is expeted to establish a home office, with a designated work area, including a workstation setup accounting for safetey measures, such as ergonomics.
• The employee is required to travel regularly to often insecure and limited-resource environments.

Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions without regard to race, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, sexual identity, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the Organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September, 1987. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation should contact the Employee Services Office at +1 (312) 660-1431.

Please apply via the Heartland Alliance Careers Site:

http://chk.tbe.taleo.net/chk01/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=HEARTLANDALLIANCE&cws=1&rid=3508