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 within complex, high-risk and conflict-affected environments, including operations influenced by armed groups.
• Strong knowledge of UN Security Management System (UNSMS) frameworks and demonstrated experience applying security risk management approaches in field operations.
• Experience supporting security planning, including contingency preparedness, evacuation procedures, warden systems and incident response mechanisms.
• Demonstrated experience conducting security analysis, including threat assessments, monitoring security/criminality trends and proposing mitigation measures.
• Proven experience coordinating with UNDSS, UN agencies, local authorities and security actors, including in integrated mission settings.
• Experience supporting community acceptance approaches in coordination with protection and programme functions.
• Proficiency in French language and good working knowledge of English.

Desirable Attributes
• Background in military, police or security services with field-based experience in humanitarian or UN operations.
• Experience in UN mission settings, including collaboration with AFPs and integrated DSS structures.
• Experience in managing security communications systems (e.g. VHF/HF radios, satellite communications) and emergency communication protocols.
• Experience delivering security briefings, training and preparedness exercises.
• Established operational familiarity with the security environment in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
• Valid driving license with experience operating in field conditions and remote environments.

French

,

,

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

Bukavu is the capital city of South Kivu’s province, situated in the eastern part of the DRC, a region with a complex operational context. The province has faced substantial political, structural, social, and economic challenges throughout its history, contributing to a volatile environment. Heavy clashes which occurred in North Kivu between the FARDC and its allies against the M23 in 2024, as well as security incidents in January 2025 in Bukavu and those occurred in Uvira in November 2025 have continue to cause large waves of displacement of populations across the territories in South-Kivu and to the neighboring countries.

The office works in a mixed operational context in which there are several population groups of concern to UNHCR, including: asylum seekers, refugees, internally displaced persons, and returnees, including spontaneous returnees. Since January 2025, the escalation of the crisis by M23 Movement has led to the destruction of displacement sites and the large returns of IDPs; the Operation in South-Kivu hosts 1.2 millions IDPs, 1,036,886 IDP returnees, 83,030 refugees and asylum seekers from Burundi and Rwanda, and more than 49,000 congolese returnees from Burundi. Presently, the areas most affected by conflict including clashes involving M23 are the Hauts and Moyens Plateaux of Fizi as well as several localities in Kabare, Mwenga and Uvira Territories.

With the departure of MONUSCO from South Kivu in May 2024, the security and logistical situation on the ground has deteriorated, despite the development of a government-led response plan, coupled with a UN support plan for several hot spots in the province. At present, South Kivu is at the center of multiple, overlapping, and recurring crises, marked by intra- and inter-community conflicts.

The number of acts of violence and deliberate attacks on civilians against civilians increased significantly with the withdrawal of MONUSCO in South-Kivu since May 2024.

The UNHCR operation in South Kivu covers the protection of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and affected populations, and continues to respond to their urgent needs through the Shelter-Land-Site Coordination and Protection Clusters.

The United Nations Agencies, particularly the UNHCR in Bukavu, have international protection in their mandate, with the refugee populations of the neighboring countries. Diplomatic and security relations between the DRC and Rwanda continue to deteriorate under criticism from the population and civil society activists. The resumption of the M23 violences in North Kivu sparked protests in Bukavu town in early 2023, although this did not directly affect people under UNHCR mandate in Bukavu town, it remains a concern in terms of protection and security of persons under UNHCR mandate in Bukavu.

In addition to the above-mentioned situation, it would be crucial to also list some main existing challenges in South-Kivu as frequent natural hazards, including landslides, floods, and epidemics.

Living and Working Conditions:

Since roughly 3 decades, the number of inhabitants has increased significantly in Bukavu, due to immigration from rural areas, business opportunities, and spatial planning problems in the surrounding areas of the city where people have no access to water, electricity, and roads. According to current estimates, Bukavu has more than one million residents and it is one of the most populated cities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The above-mentioned demographic explosion was not accompanied by the enlargement of the city and therefore resulted in poor and insecure housing and infrastructure; problems related to housing conditions and tenure insecurity in the city.

However, medical facilities are available in Bukavu, but urgent medical conditions are mostly referred to in Goma (North Kivu) and Nairobi (Kenya). Therefore, candidates with conditions requiring regular treatment or medical supervision should be appropriately advised. As general advice, applicants for the post should be psychologically prepared for the context.

Banking facilities are not available in Bukavu; there also is an unlimited access to communication means, such as internet, telephone sim cards etc...

SAL length in Bukavu is two years

Bukavu is currently a non-family duty station, High risk duty station with security level 4 Substantial.

Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

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