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Будь ласка, надсилайте свої резюме: Security and Safety Manager in Kyiv (national staff only) | Mercy Corps Ukraine

About Mercy Corps:

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.  

Now, and for the future. 

The Program / Department / Team (Program / Department Summary) 

The Security and Safety Team, headed by the Security, Safety and Access Director, ensures the safety of Mercy Corps staff and provides security support to national partners.

General Position Summary:

The Security and Safety Team, headed by the Security, Safety and Access Director, includes the Security and Safety Manager, Security and Safety Coordinators, Security and Safety Officers, and designated Security Focal Points embedded across departments.
The Security and Safety Manager reports directly to the Security, Safety and Access Director and is responsible for leading and coordinating the Security and Safety Team in achieving its goals. The position is based in Kyiv, with up to 50% travel to field offices to provide leadership, guidance, and direct support.
This role combines strategic leadership with operational oversight. The Security and Safety Manager ensures that Mercy Corps’ humanitarian and resilience programming can be implemented safely in high-risk and hard-to-reach areas, while upholding the organization’s legal and duty of care obligations to staff. The Manager guides the team in providing peer-to-peer support to the relevant national partners’ staff, while demonstrating composure under pressure, expertise in NGO security risk management, and strong people management skills to lead the team through evolving security challenges.

 Essential Responsibilities

Safeguarding Responsibilities

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

Security strategy and planning

• Develop and regularly update a comprehensive security strategy and framework tailored to the risks faced by Mercy Corps staff in Ukraine.
• Lead the development and maintenance of contingency plans for different emergency scenarios, ensuring they are practical, communicated, and regularly tested.
• Coordinate and conduct threat analyses and risk assessments with SSC/SSOs to identify risks and organizational vulnerabilities.
• Maintain updated security documentation, including the Country Risk Register, Security Management Plan, and related protocols.

  Team Management and Collaboration

• Lead and support SSCs, SSOs, and Security Assistants, ensuring clear workplans, regular follow-up, and professional development.
  Recruit and mentor Security staff and maintain a pipeline of trained Security Focal Points (SFPs).
• Foster a culture of trust, responsiveness, and collaboration within the Security and Safety Team and across departments, ensuring security considerations are integrated into program design.

Crisis Management and Response 

• Coordinate and activate crisis management systems in response to incidents, ensuring staff safety and program continuity.
  Implement contingency plans during emergencies, including medical evacuation and other critical measures.
• Provide real-time updates and coordination with relevant teams during crises.

 Security Risk Mitigation and External Liaison

• Advise senior management on risk mitigation measures, including movement restrictions, security protocols, and adaptation to changing dynamics.
• Stay abreast of technical means of security risk prevention and mitigation; propose innovative approaches to strengthen organizational resilience.
• Ensure operability and consistent use of security tools and mechanisms to safeguard staff, programs, and assets.
• Coordinate with government and military actors through the Civil-Military and Government Liaison Team to resolve security-related issues affecting operations.

Networking and Information Sharing

• Build and maintain effective relationships with other NGOs, UN agencies, and security networks.
• Engage with Mercy Corps’ national partners and their Security Focal Points as a key source of security information from the ground.
• Share relevant security updates and best practices with stakeholders to strengthen collective humanitarian security approaches.

Contextual Analysis and Adaptation 

• Monitor and analyze political, social, and cultural dynamics in conflict-affected areas.
• Adapt security strategies and measures in response to evolving risks and contextual changes.

Incident Management and Learning

• Ensure systems are in place across all offices for effective management of safety and security functions.
• Act as Security Focal Point during critical incidents and emergencies.
  Maintain the Security Incident Log and ensure systematic reporting, analysis, and follow-up on incidents.
• Promote organizational learning from incidents to improve future risk management practices.

Staff Safety and Well-being

• Ensure staff are regularly briefed on risks and preventive measures.
• Refer staff affected by incidents to relevant Well-being Officers (HR) for appropriate support, while upholding Mercy Corps’ duty of care obligations

Training and Capacity Building

• Plan the training needs of Mercy Corps Ukraine and lead the process of organizing security-related trainings.
• Originate the procurement of training providers, assess the quality of delivered trainings, and report outcomes.
• Oversee training programs for SSCs, SSOs, and SFPs in line with organizational requirements.
• Coordinate specialized trainings such as Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT), trauma first aid, defensive driving, and crisis management.
• Identify additional training needs and propose them to senior management for approval.
• Foster a strong security culture across Mercy Corps by leading and monitoring training initiatives.

Supervisory Responsibility Security and Safety Coordinators, Security and Safety Officers. The Manager also provides functional oversight and guidance to designated Security Focal Points across departments. 

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Security, Safety and Access Director

Works Directly With: Operations Team, Senior Management Team, Program Departments, IT Team, People’s Team, other teams as required, and all staff in general.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualifications & Transferable Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Security Studies, International Relations, Risk Management, or a related field. A Master’s degree is an advantage.
• Minimum 3 years of relevant professional experience in humanitarian security management, including work in high-risk environments.
• Proven experience in supervising and mentoring staff located in different areas.
• Strong knowledge of humanitarian INGOs’ operating environments in Ukraine, with solid understanding of humanitarian and resilience programming.
• Demonstrated expertise in security risk analysis, and in the development and implementation of security risk prevention and mitigation measures, as well as NGO safety management.
• Working proficiency in English required. Ukrainian language skills are a must.
• Proven experience in developing, delivering, and facilitating staff security trainings (e.g., mine awareness, personal security and safety, first aid, HEAT).
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to build and maintain relationships with staff, partners, and external stakeholders.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently and work in highly challenging and remote environments.

Success Factors:

The successful candidate demonstrates deep expertise in humanitarian security management and proven ability to operate effectively in high-risk and remote areas. They remain composed under pressure, applying sound judgment and practical solutions in rapidly changing environments.
They show strong leadership in managing dispersed teams, fostering trust, and ensuring clear communication and guidance. They actively support national partners by promoting peer-to-peer learning and strengthening local security capacities.
In line with Mercy Corps’ Core Behaviors, they collaborate across departments, act with integrity, cultivate inclusion, and remain curious by continuously seeking innovative approaches to security risk management.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

During the field trips living conditions will be adjusted to the field conditions.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.   

Team Engagement and Effectiveness 

Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work.

We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. By applying for this role an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or trafficking policy. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Ethics Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]). 

Deadline for submission of applications: 26 September 2025

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