Job Description

Please note that this vacancy is only open to eligible staff members who have been individually notified of their eligibility to apply for positions advertised in the Accelerated Posting Compendium.

June 12, 2026

D

Non Family with Residential LocationDanger Pay

Nairobi (CO), Kenya

PR2

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-05-26

Associate Field Security Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Associate Field Security Officer coordinates and supports all activities pertaining to workforce security and security for forcibly displaced and stateless people. The duty of the incumbent is to support, develop plans and monitor the management of security issues.

The incumbent is supervised by a senior officer who defines the work objectives and provides general guidance. The incumbent contacts are predominantly with other UN agencies, implementing partners and government departments on relevant subject matters at the working level.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

• Advise and support the Representative or the Head of Office in managing the safety and security of UNHCR personnel, partners, operations, premises, and forcibly displaced and stateless people.
• Undertake and advise on Security Risk Management (SRM) and support in compliance with security measures and identify areas needing improvement.
• Support the development of security plans for evacuation/relocation, medical evacuation, and other security contingencies.
• In cooperation with UNHCR senior personnel, assist in ensuring that security measures are fully integrated into operational planning, including budgetary provisions, at the earliest stages of development.
• As a member of a multi-functional team, contribute to efforts to ensure the physical protection and security of forcibly displaced and stateless people.
• Establish and build relationships with security-related actors on behalf of UNHCR, including host government law enforcement authorities, the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), and partner agencies.
• Support UNHCR management as members of the country Security Management Team (SMT) or Area Security Management Team (ASMT), and Area Security Coordinators (ASC).
• Represent UNHCR at the Security Cell as required.
• Provide country-relevant security advice and training to UNHCR personnel and, where appropriate, to personnel of NGOs and operational partners.
• Conduct rehearsals and practical exercises to ensure that personnel are familiar with security contingency plans and can implement them confidently in an emergency.
• Establish communication mechanisms in support of security plans, providing training to personnel, including wardens.
• Prepare periodic reports on security issues in accordance with UNSMS and UNHCR standard operating procedures, sharing with managers in the country of assignment and, as appropriate, regional security coordinators and the Field Security Service.
• Maintain linkages with the Psychosocial Wellbeing Section, and the Medical Service, referring cases as required.
• Ensure a person-centered approach to all aspects of UNHCR security risk management, including the diverse personal profiles of personnel and the development of appropriate support and measures.
• Undertake other security-related functions or responsibilities as necessitated by the operational context.
• Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues, and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
• -Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For P2/NOB - 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

Security Management; Risk Management; Political Science;

International Relations; or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

Security Management Learning Program; First Aid Training;

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Not specified.

Desirable

Relevant trainings (first aid, etc.). Experience in having established working networks with law enforcement and other security actors.

Functional Skills

FS-Security Risk Management

FS-Security Analysis

FS-National Security Forces

FS-National Law Enforcement Agency

FS-Security Planning

CO-Drafting and Documentation

IT-Computer Literacy

(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English

For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language

For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English

Competency Requirements

All jobs at UNHCR require six core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross-functional competencies. The six core competencies are listed below.

Core Competencies

Accountability

Communication

Organizational Awareness

Teamwork & Collaboration

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies

Judgement and Decision Making

Managing Resources

Cross-Functional Competencies

Analytical Thinking

Political Awareness

Stakeholder Management

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination, and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Essential Attributes
• Proven experience in security management, including security risk assessment and operational security coordination in complex humanitarian or conflict environments.
• Strong knowledge of the UN Security Management System (UNSMS), UNDSS procedures and security risk management frameworks.
• Experience in security planning, contingency preparedness, evacuation procedures and incident response.
• Demonstrated experience integrating security considerations into operations and advising managers, with active coordination with UNDSS, UN agencies, government counterparts and partners.
• Experience conducting security assessments, incident reporting, briefings, training and emergency preparedness exercises.
• Proficiency in French

Desirable Attributes
• Experience in high-risk duty stations affected by armed conflict or complex humanitarian emergencies.
• Participation in Security Management Team (SMT) or Area Security Management Team (ASMT) mechanisms.
• Experience delivering security training and mentoring staff in emergency preparedness and hostile environment awareness.
• Familiarity with staff welfare considerations and operational support in high-stress environments.
• Knowledge of the eastern DRC security environment and regional conflict dynamics.
• Experience engaging with local authorities and security actors in complex contexts.

French

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Eastern DRC continues to grapple with one of the most complex humanitarian crises globally, characterized by recurring conflict, widespread displacement as well as emergency and protracted protection challenges. Together with other humanitarian stakeholders, UNHCR supports governmental authorities in North Kivu in responding to the needs of over 1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 2 million IDP returnees as well as nearly 160,000 refugees and asylum seekers through a broad protection and solutions-oriented strategy that integrates emergency response, transitional support and durable solutions.

Nature of Position:

The Associate Field Security Officer reports to the Head of Sub Office and manages 1 national staff.

In the highly volatile and high-risk security environment of Goma, the Associate Field Security Officer (AFSO) is expected to maintain close and professional engagement with all relevant security stakeholders, including de facto local security and military actors, strictly within the framework of UN principles and humanitarian neutrality. The AFSO must exercise sound judgment, discretion, and diplomatic skills to ensure the safety and security of UNHCR personnel, assets, and operations, while carefully preserving the organization’s humanitarian and non-political posture. This requires the ability to operate within extremely sensitive environments, balancing operational access and security coordination without entering into any form of formal or inappropriate engagement with armed groups.

Given the unpredictability of the security context, the AFSO must demonstrate exceptional availability, responsiveness, and commitment to staff welfare and operational continuity. The position requires readiness to respond rapidly to emergencies, including security incidents affecting personnel, evacuations, relocations, or staff members in distress.

Living and Working Conditions:

Housing/accommodation Available through UN-approved providers.

• Healthcare Available but limited, thus cases requiring advanced treatment are referred to Kinshasa, South Africa or Kenya.
• Ongoing Ebola outbreak
• Education Limited international schooling options in Goma but international schools are available in Kinshasa.
• Security Goma is classified as category D non-family with residential location and danger pay. 6-week cycle for rest and recuperation. Goma experiences insecurity due to armed group activities in surrounding areas. Movement is subject to UNDSS protocols and staff must remain security conscious.
• Other Services Other basic services are available in Goma except banking services that are currently suspended.
• Access to utilities (Internet, electricity and water) can be limited in certain time
• Banking Goma is under rebel control. All banks are closed for the time being. Both local currency (Francs Congolais) and US$ are accepted. But one need to cross border to cash money in Gisenyi in Rwanda. The banking operation may require at least 2 to 3 hours including cross-border formalities.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Bachelor of Arts: International Relations, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science, Bachelor of Arts: Risk Management, Bachelor of Arts: Security Management

Certifications

First Aid Training - Other, Security Management Learning Program - Other

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Accelerated Posting Compendium 2026 - Part B

Additional Information

This position requires Functional Clearance