The Security Advisor is responsible for enhancing security risk management by supporting operations through developing guidelines, conducting training, and supporting analysis of contextual risks to ensure the safety of staff and continuity of operations.
The role promotes and supports a community-based security approach: prioritizing acceptance, trust, and support engagement with local communities to inform security strategies and enhance early warning, mitigation, and response mechanisms.
Unusually, this role will also be embedded into the MSF OCA Security Focal Point Unit for the first 18 months at least, in order to “learn by doing” and to link MSF Ubuntu to the tools, methodologies, and protocols to OCA, ensuring interdependence and a high-quality security management system is developed for MSF Ubuntu.
As such, the role is initially positioned within the MSF Ubuntu and MSF OCA Operational Departments, and the role operates under the guidance of the respective Ubuntu Director and OCA Deputy Director of Operations (DirOps) to support both programme and HQ operations in security management and in the preparation and response to security incidents.
Tasks & Responsibilities
Strategic Responsibilities
- Strengthen security risk management & operational continuity: Lead and support the integration of security risk management into operations by developing, updating and reviewing security tools.
- Promote community-based security & acceptance approaches: Advance a security approach centred on acceptance, trust, and engagement with local communities to enhance access, early warning systems, and effective mitigation and response strategies.
- Provide strategic security support to operations (HQ & field): Support operations and coordination teams by advising on security management, contributing to incident preparedness and response, and ensuring alignment between field realities and organizational security priorities.
- Foster collaboration & intersectional alignment: Represent MSF Ubuntu in intersectional security platforms and collaborate with key units (e.g., ISA, SIMM, ILD) and support OCA to ensure coherent, principled, and effective security frameworks, reporting, and practices.
Technical and Operational Responsibilities
Security Strategy, Frameworks & Reference Documents
- Briefing and debriefing coordinators: Strengthen security management capacity among HQ and field leadership through structured knowledge exchange with briefing/debriefing sessions before, during, and after deployment.
- Security Research and Innovation Lead: Participation or initiation of transversal security-related research topics in line with MSF Ubuntu and/or OCA interests.
- Develop, update, and promote the use of security reference documents, SOPs, contingency plans, and mission security documentation.
- Monitor adherence to security frameworks and provide corrective recommendations where gaps are identified.
Security Risk Analysis & Operational Advisory
- Advise operational line management on security risk analysis and management in alignment with operational and security strategies and framework.
- Support missions in insecure and high-risk contexts with in-depth analysis of context-specific risk drivers and appropriate security mitigation measures.
- Provide strategic recommendations to the coordination teams following debriefings of key field staff including identification of transversal risks.
- Follow up on updates of mission risk analyses, critical incident preparedness, simulations, and implementation of HQ recommendations.
- Provide specific security inputs to operational strategies, project openings, scale-ups, suspensions, or relocations.
Security Information Systems, Data Management & Reporting
- Ensure systematic recording, documentation, and classification of all security incidents affecting MSF staff, assets, and operations, including oversight of Sindy use and reporting standards.
- Lead the deployment, maintenance, and continuous improvement of security information systems and IT tools for incident data collection and analysis.
- Coordinate post-incident reviews, lessons learned processes, and structured sharing of insights internally and internationally, contributing to dashboards, annual security assessments, and reports.
Critical Incident Preparedness & Crisis Management
- Lead headquarters-level critical incident preparedness, including development, regular maintenance, trainings, simulations, and preparedness sessions for HQ and field staff.
- Identify, propose, and maintain the crisis management pool (CMP) in coordination with the Director of Operations.
- Act as regulator to all CI structures to ensure smooth working relations, provide and outsource resources and support where needed.
- Contribute to post-crisis evaluations and follow-up actions to strengthen organisational preparedness and response capacity.
Security Capacity Building & Training
- Design, develop, deliver and review security training modules and workshops based on documented operational experience and incident analysis.
- Contribute to onboarding and preparation of newcomers (PPD) on MSF security principles, responsibilities, and informed consent.
- Provide security inputs to learning pathways for key field-based positions and applied security courses.
- Support learning departments in reviewing existing tools and identifying gaps in security capacity development.
Coordination & Representation
- Represent MSF Ubuntu in intersectional security platforms, ISA-related fora, SIMM exchanges, and external humanitarian security networks.
Other Responsibilities
- Budgeting & Resource Management: Prepare and monitor the budget related to security activities, tools, trainings, and missions.
- Monitoring, Reporting & Accountability: Ensure timely provision of information required for management oversight, including activity reports, dashboards, and analytical notes.
- Policy Compliance & Quality Assurance: Support and monitor compliance with MSF Ubuntu Security Policy, internal procedures, and minimum standards.
- Ad Hoc Operational Support & Representation: Provide ad hoc security advice, field support missions, briefings, or representation as requested by the Director of Operations.
Qualifications & Requirements
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in security management, Business Administration, International Relations, Political Science, Conflict Studies, or related studies.
- Languages: Fluency in spoken and written English and 1 additional language (Arabic/French) is required. Local languages in Eastern and Southern Africa is a plus.
- Experience: Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience in security advisory, risk management, or operational security in complex humanitarian, conflict, or high-risk environments.
- Field Operations: Demonstrated experience in field security operations, incident reporting, and crisis management within NGOs, UN agencies, or international organisations.
- Operational Experience: Worked as Country Director or Project/Emergency Coordinator in MSF with demonstrated experience in integrating security expertise with operational realities.
- Skills: Risk assessment methodologies, critical incident preparedness, data management, analysis, and reporting.
Conditions and Benefits
- Location: The position will be based in either MSF Eastern Africa office in Nairobi (Kenya), or Johannesburg (South Africa).
- Travel: Regular travel to countries of operation and MSF Ubuntu hubs (including short notice travel).
- Contract: 3-year renewable, full-time contract.
- Start date: 01 October 2026.
- Salary: In line with MSF reward policy, subjected to local conditions.
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