Humanitarian Access & Security Manager - Gaza

Place: Gaza
Starting date: 15th May 2025
Duration of contract: 6 months - renewable
Closing date for applications: 9th April 2025

Humanity & Inclusion is an independent and impartial aid organisation working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. The organisation works alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights. At Handicap International-Humanity & Inclusion, we truly believe in the importance of inclusion and diversity within our organisation. This is why we are engaged to a disability policy to encourage the inclusion and integration of people with disabilities.

Please indicate if you require any special accommodation, even at the first interview. For more information about the organisation: www.hi.org

JOB CONTEXT:

• The Palestine mission was up to February 2025 part of the Mashriq regional programme, which covers Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine. However, the mission is now under the direct management of the Emergency Division (HQ).  
• Since 2023, HI has been implementing a mix of humanitarian and development projects in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including a long-term rehabilitation project in Gaza.  
• The conflict between Hamas and Israel in October 2023 has created a major humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Around 100,000 Palestinians have been injured in Gaza and several thousand among them have suffered from amputations or permanent impairments.  
• The total budget for 2024 will likely be between 7 and 12 M EUR. The total number of staff is around 150 + around 200 volunteers. 
• Current sectors of activity: physical rehabilitation, humanitarian mine action, humanitarian logistics, education in emergencies, emergency preparedness, disability mainstreaming/inclusion in humanitarian action, advocacy.

Main challenges: High security risks, access constraints, and potential further escalation in West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Reports to: HASM Palestine / Area Manager - Gaza (for national staff security)
Team managed: direct management: 1 HAS, 1 Tracking Officer; indirect management: 20 guards 
Interacts with:

• Internally: HASM OpT, Area Manager, Base Managers, Project Managers, Senior Log Officer, Country Manager, expat team leader, expat team members;
• Externally: Israeli, Palestinian and UN contacts for access and security; field access and security advisers of other aid agencies. 

YOUR MISSION:
Responsibility 1: MANAGEMENT 

• An exemplary manager: embodies HI’s values daily and is a role model. 
• A manager who conveys meaning: understands the strategy, clarifies it, translates it into operational objectives for his/her team, drives the changes required. Gives purpose to each managerial act. Fosters the inter- and intra-divisional exchange of practices. Encourages innovation and risk taking. 
• Manager/administrator: organises the operational management of his/her team, structures work around the processes identified, oversees performance, and facilitates problem solving. 
• No. 1 HR Manager: contributes to the development of his/her team members, creates the conditions for their commitment, professionalism and dedication to HI. Ensures compliance with the code of conduct and institutional policies, the mindset, and the individual and group behaviour expected.

Responsibility 2: STANDARDS AND EXPERTISE 

• Responsible for the development, implementation and updating of HI’s security framework on the programme (procedures, documents and tools). 
• Ensures the implementation of HI’s security policy, operational guide and new security guidelines. 
• Develops a learning system based on the experiences gained and lessons learnt within the programme. 
• Represents HI externally with regard to security matters concerning his/her country (e.g. forums, operational and strategic alliances). 

Responsibility 3 Context monitoring, strengthening acceptance and humanitarian access 

Responsibility 3-1: 

• Continuously monitors and analyses developments in the local, national and regional humanitarian context and the actors involved, identifies obstacles to access and opportunities for improvement. 
• Develops the network of programme contacts by fostering the diversification of information sources and learning the most from the information provided by key contacts. 
• Suggests the necessary adjustments to HI’s operating procedures in order to boost the extent to which the organisation is accepted in the various intervention areas. 
• Provides a map of the areas concerned based on mapping and spatial-visualisation tools. 
• Supports the HAS Country with the development of the programme ’s access strategy, and helps implement it, which includes: 
• making contact and holding humanitarian negotiations with authorities and key actors; 
• preparing fact-finding visits and opening new intervention areas 

Responsibility 3-2: Operational security management:

• Produces security analyses and recommendations. 
• With Project Managers, helps identify HI activities that are at risk and suggests any necessary risk-mitigation measures. 
• Helps plan operations and define the resulting security framework. 
• Provides advice and guidance on evolving security risks, necessary resources, security frameworks, documents and strategies, and shares best practices for the safe and secure management of HI activities in the country, including the necessary inputs to define future project proposals. 
• Conducts regular field visits for the purposes of security assessments, and to support provincial offices. 
• Ensures the proper internal coordination of all security-related matters, with particular regard to the safety aspects of operations and logistics. 
• Helps manage incidents/crises: analysis, technical support, recommendations, implementation, reporting, lessons learnt, framework adjusting etc. 
• Assumes an alert role for the DP with regard to monitoring and managing programme security. 

Responsibility 3-3: Capacity building and training courses on security and humanitarian access:

• Assesses the training needs of HI staff on the programme and supports the implementation of an HAS training plan (including internal and external training: Hostile Environment Awareness Training, Security Management, Humanitarian Negotiations etc.). 
• Provides ongoing training and skills development for security staff. 
• Develops the safety culture within the programme. 
• Provides security briefings for new starters and helps with their induction. 
• Produces regular security updates for all staff. 
• Promotes internal coordination with all the services concerned (sharing information, joint meetings etc.).

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POSITION:
Gaza Strip: Although the whole population is less exposed to the risk of frequent air strikes and ground offensives with the ceasefire deal, the security situations remain tense in the strip. HI has established premises with the capacity to accommodate international staff and has put in place the necessary security systems to manage their presence. The context remains volatile and might improve or worsen in the coming weeks and months (depending on the ceasefire deal). The selected candidate will be thoroughly briefed about the context and the security systems before deployment to Gaza.

Due to the current difficulties in obtaining an authorization to enter Gaza, it is possible that the selected candidates will have to carry out part or all of their mission from Amman. This situation is beyond our control and beyond the responsibility of our organization.

YOUR PROFILE:

• You have at least 6 years of overall professional experience in access and security functions and at least 3 years of experience in conflict-affected countries;
• Ability to manage stress;
• Proactiveness and productivity ; 
• Negotiation skills; 
• Ability to make decisions and move forward;
• Ability to simplify and prioritise;
• English require, Arabic and Hebrew language skills are a strong asset.

CONDITIONS:
At HI, the conditions offered are up to your commitment and adapted to the context of your mission. https://hi.org/en/join-the-team

• 6 months International contract starting from 15th May 2025;
• The international contract provides social cover adapted to your situation:
• Unemployment insurance benefits for EU nationals;
• Pension scheme;
• Medical coverage with 50% of employee contribution;
• Repatriation insurance paid by HI;
• Salary from 2813€ gross/month upon experience;
• Perdiem: 756,27€ net/month - paid in the field;
• Hardship: 500 € net/month paid with your salary;
• Paid leaves: 25 days per year;
• R&R: Level 3: 5 days every 8 weeks => + possible transport/package support;
• Position unaccompanied;
• Housing: Collective taken in charge by HI;
• If you are resident in the country: local package.