Humanitarian Access, Safety, and Security Coordinator

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.









General Overview of IRC in Nigeria

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities to help people survive, reclaim control of their future, and strengthen their communities. In Nigeria, the IRC provides lifesaving and resilience-building programs across multiple sectors, addressing the needs of conflict- affected and crisis-impacted communities through integrated humanitarian assistance and development projects.

The Humanitarian Access, Safety & Security Coordinator (HASS Coordinator) plays a critical role in supporting the effective implementation of IRC’s operations in Nigeria. Reporting to the Senior Humanitarian Access, Safety & Security Coordinator (SHASSC), this position deputizes for the SHASSC and provides technical oversight to the HASS Team, ensuring compliance with IRC’s global standards and alignment with donor requirements. The HASS Coordinator will drive the development and implementation of humanitarian access strategies, safety protocols, and security management systems across IRC’s programs in Nigeria.

Major Responsibilities

Management & Coordination

• Deputize for the SHASSC in providing day-to-day oversight of the Humanitarian Access & Security Department, including mentoring and supporting HASS team members.
• Provide technical guidance and support to field managers and coordinators on safety and access-related policies, procedures, and guidelines, in line with IRC’s Global Security Strategy and Security Minimum Standards (SMS).
• Contribute to reviewing, updating, and implementing country-wide security management plans, operational protocols, and context-specific guidance for all IRC locations in Nigeria.
• Collaborate with supply chain, finance, and HR teams to ensure security and safety considerations are integrated into budgeting, procurement, and personnel planning as needed.
  
  

Context Understanding & Analysis

• Compile and share regular reports on security incidents and humanitarian access trends, offering clear, data-driven insights to the SHASSC and senior leadership.
• Provide credible information, analysis, and forecasting on localized and national security contexts, highlighting implications for IRC programs and staff safety.
• Conduct or support security risk assessments (SRAs) and access reviews in coordination with field teams, ensuring that recommended mitigation measures are tracked and implemented.
  
  

Humanitarian Access & Strategy Development

• Develop responsive, context-appropriate humanitarian access strategies that facilitate program delivery in insecure or hard-to-reach areas.
• Promote community acceptance of IRC’s mission and humanitarian principles through proactive stakeholder engagement, relationship-building, and effective communication strategies.
• Contribute to contingency planning for new operational areas, supporting program design and implementation with risk-mitigation inputs.
  
  

Training & Capacity Building

• Identify knowledge and skill gaps among IRC staff and partners regarding security protocols, humanitarian access, and risk management.
• Facilitate and/or co-deliver trainings on security awareness, incident reporting, and crisis management, ensuring consistent capacity-building across all field sites.
• Coach and mentor the HASS team, field security focal points, and relevant program staff to strengthen technical competencies, including readiness to respond to emerging risks.
  
  

Program & Partner Cycle Management

• Collaborate with program teams during project design, implementation, and review, ensuring that access and security considerations are integrated into all phases.
• Engage in partner and vendor assessments to verify adherence to humanitarian principles, identifying and mitigating security and access risks in supply chain and partnership arrangements.
• Support the implementation of mitigation measures, ensuring alignment with donor requirements and IRC’s duty of care obligations.
  
  

Networking & Liaison

• Build and maintain a network of security focal points within IRC and among peer agencies, government offices, local communities, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Represent IRC in inter-agency forums, security clusters, and NGO security networks, as delegated by the SHASSC.
• Keep updated contact lists and warden systems for IRC offices, ensuring effective communication channels for staff alerts and incident reporting.
  
  

Emergency Preparedness & Response

• In coordination with the SHASSC, assist in developing and testing country-level emergency preparedness plans, ensuring alignment with identified scenarios.
• Advise and support the establishment of Critical Incident Management Teams (CIMTs) at field levels, strengthening rapid response and crisis management capabilities.
• Contribute to maintaining current evacuation and medevac plans, working alongside HR and other departments to safeguard staff well-being.
  
  

People & Culture & Staff Development

• Promote a culture of safety, respect, and team spirit, fostering an environment in which staff feel supported and well-informed about security policies.
• Ensure regular check-ins and performance reviews for direct reports, guiding the creation and monitoring of individual development plans.
• Advocate for staff care, self-care, and psychosocial support, engaging HR as necessary to address well- being concerns related to security stresses
  
  

Key Working Relationships

• Internal: SHASSC (Supervisor), Country and Field Management Teams, Program Coordinators/Managers, Supply Chain, HR, Finance, and M&E teams.
• External: NGO counterparts, UN agencies, community leaders, security networks, government security agencies (as appropriate).
  
  

Education

Minimum Qualifications:

• University degree in Security Management, Political Science, International Relations, or a related field preferred; a technical degree or certification in security-related disciplines with significant experience may be considered.
  
  

Experience

• 5+ years of progressive experience in humanitarian access, safety, and security management in complex contexts, preferably including Nigeria or similar environments.
• Demonstrated record of implementing security management frameworks, protocols, and capacity-building initiatives at the field level.
• Technical Skills & Competencies:
• Strong grasp of humanitarian principles, duty-of-care standards, and NGO security protocols.
• Proven ability to analyze security contexts, synthesize information, and produce actionable recommendations.
• Experience in designing and leading staff trainings, capacity-building workshops, or simulations related to security and access.
• Soft Skills & Attributes:
• Excellent coordination, interpersonal, and negotiation skills, with an ability to cultivate collaborative relationships internally and externally.
• Self-motivated, able to work effectively under pressure, prioritize tasks, and deliver high- quality results in dynamic security contexts.
• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity, professionalism, and a commitment to safeguarding and ethics.
• Language Proficiency:
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required; proficiency in local Nigerian languages is an advantage.
  
  

Standards of Professional Conduct The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Work Environment

The position will be based in Maiduguri, Nigeria with extensive travel to field sites. Travel may be under challenging security environments that require robust risk-management protocols and flexibility.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Standard of Professional Conduct:The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.










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