Regional Safety & Security Director

Role Overview

The Regional Safety and Security Director leads risk management and humanitarian access across East Africa, helping IRC country programs protect people and resources while continuing to deliver services in challenging environments. As a senior regional leader and advisor to the Regional Vice President, the role shapes operational and program decisions, guides crisis response, and builds the local capacity needed to adapt as conditions change.

Key Responsibilities

• Advise the Regional Vice President and Regional Management Team on how security, access, and duty-of-care considerations affect regional strategy, program choices, and resource allocation.
• Work with Country Directors and field leaders to assess threats, prepare for emergencies, apply IRC security standards, and address gaps in country-level risk management.
• Help country programs establish safe, principled access to communities, including developing context-specific approaches to engagement with state and non-state actors.
• Support contingency planning for changes in conflict, political conditions, or other threats, and contribute to the management of major regional incidents.
• Extend relevant security guidance and practical risk-management support to local partners, while building relationships with peer organizations and regional security networks.
• Lead regional training, simulations, coaching, and mentoring so staff and leaders can recognize risks and respond effectively; ensure learning considers gender-specific threats and inclusion.
• Oversee incident reporting, analysis, and follow-up, including after-action reviews and quarterly trend analysis using the SHIELD incident database.
• Manage and develop the Regional Humanitarian Access and Security Coordinator, and work with Country Directors on the performance and growth of country security leads.

Requirements & Qualifications

• At least 10 years of experience in international humanitarian assistance, including responsibility for planning and leading security management operations.
• Previous experience in East Africa and a strong understanding of regional and country-level dynamics.
• Fluent English; Arabic, Amharic, Somali, Swahili, or another relevant regional language is an advantage.
• Sound understanding of humanitarian principles, NGO codes of conduct, and the operating culture of humanitarian organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage security in a gender-sensitive way and advance gender equality in security practice.
• Strong judgment and analytical skills, including the ability to explain complex security developments and their operational consequences clearly and quickly.
• Ability to influence and build trust across diverse teams, partner organizations, and stakeholders, including when working without formal authority.
• Experience coaching and mentoring colleagues and transferring practical knowledge through formal or informal learning.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 40% of the time.

What We Offer / Why Join

This role combines regional leadership with hands-on support to country teams, giving the Director a central part in shaping how IRC manages risk and sustains humanitarian access across East Africa. The position reports jointly to the Regional Vice President and the Senior Director for Safety and Security, and is part of both the regional management team and IRC’s global safety and security team.