Security and Safety Specialist

Role Overview

This role is responsible for delivering comprehensive security support across country, multi-country, and regional offices, ensuring that security risks are identified, assessed, and mitigated to enable safe programme delivery. Day-to-day work involves advising senior managers on security policies, conducting assessments of premises and operations, liaising with host governments and UN security bodies, and training staff on safety protocols. The position is critical because it directly protects personnel, assets, and programme integrity in often volatile or complex environments, allowing the organisation to operate where it is most needed.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide real-time security and safety advice to country, multi-country, and regional offices, including approving organisational missions and interpreting UN and UN Women security policies for local application.
• Conduct and oversee security evaluations of UN Women premises, personnel residences, and programme sites, recommending risk prevention measures and tracking emerging threats that could affect operations.
• Serve as the primary liaison with host government security forces, UN entities, and non-state actors, representing UN Women at security management team meetings, UNCT sessions, and IASMN working groups.
• Collect, verify, and disseminate security information to personnel through warden systems, communication trees, and the security intranet, ensuring all staff receive timely updates and threat briefings.
• Develop, maintain, and implement the UN Women Security Plan for assigned duty stations, managing personnel lists, clearance requests, and the selection of security equipment.
• Monitor and enforce compliance with Security Risk Management Measures (SRMM) by coordinating self-assessments, completing the Security & Safety Compliance Survey, and supporting the implementation of compliance action plans.
• Report all security and safety incidents affecting UN Women personnel, assets, or programmes via the SSIRS system, and prepare analytical briefings, country reports, and position papers for headquarters and field use.
• Design and deliver security and safety training for staff, including orientation for new arrivals, business continuity planning sessions, and specialised courses on occupational health and safety, in coordination with the Global Security Adviser.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in security management, business administration, international relations, political or social science, psychology, or a related field. A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience, or a UN/military/police senior command and staff college qualification with command experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in security, with at least two years at the international level (country, regional, or global context).
• Proven experience conducting security and safety risk assessments that directly inform operational planning and enable field activities.
• Experience in disaster or conflict operations is desirable.
• Experience implementing business continuity programmes is desirable.
• Experience in a regional or global security role is desirable.
• Experience within the United Nations Security Management System is desirable.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish) is desirable.