Humanitarian Access Officer

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Title:                             Humanitarian Access Officer

Department:               Management

Location:                      Gaziantep with frequent travels to other cities.

Reporting to:              Country Director (CD)

ABOUT Relief International.

Relief International (RI) is a leading nonprofit organization working in 16 countries to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises and chronic poverty.

Relief International combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact. Our signature approach — which we call the RI Way—emphasizes local participation, an integration of services, strategic partnerships and a focus on civic skills. In this way, we empower communities to find, design and implement the solutions that work best for them.

RI includes the four corporate members of the RI Alliance: RI-US, RI-UK, MRCA/RI-France and RI-Europe.  Under our alliance agreement, we operate as a single, shared management structure. RI is active in 16 countries around the world, including some of the most fragile: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen.  Often, RI is the only organization providing assistance to highly vulnerable communities.

RI employs 7,000+ staff and auxiliary workers 97% of staff are local nationals. We only have some 90 ex-pat staff out of 7,000+. RI spent $150 million in 2019 on our programs. Often, RI is the only organization providing assistance to highly vulnerable communities.

About our Country Program/ Regional Programs:

Middle East Region

RI in the Middle East has programs in six countries – Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Yemen, with a focus on the 4 main RI sectors: Health, WASH, Education and Economic Opportunity.

Relief International currently employs 3900 staff (direct and indirect) in the region and has a range of emergency response and development programs valued at 70 million USD on an annual basis.

Position Summary.

The Humanitarian Access Officer ensures the safety and security of RI’s staff and goods at all times through ensuring proper risk analysis, security frameworks, tools and protocols in place and at the same time supervising their correct and effective implementation. S/he develops RI’s capacity to analyse, dialogue, and negotiate with authorities in order for populations to fully access humanitarian aid. The role plays a key role in the implementation of Turkiye-based programs by ensuring close collaboration with key external stakeholders, including the UN System, Governments and National Civil Society Organizations and the Private Sector. The role plays an integral role in ensuring that RI’s reputation is safeguarded and that humanitarian interests are maintained.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

1. Contributes to the country strategies in line with the global strategies

Contributes towards the drafting, revision and implementation of the humanitarian and safety operational strategy
Produces and updates the risk map, proposes and implements risk mitigation measures;
Contributes to incident reporting, and produces, compiles and analyses humanitarian and access dashboard data;
Represents RI externally on humanitarian access and safety matters (e.g. forums, operational and strategic alliances);
Ensures the development of local partnerships necessary to the development of Turkey country of activity.

2. Standards and Accountability

Ensures respect and application of RI standards, with regard to policy, processes and tools;
Adapts and contextualizes RI standards on humanitarian access and safety according to specific Turkey local characteristics;
Under delegation, oversees internal control for his/her whole area of responsibility;
Guarantees compliance with and application of institutional donor rules on all the projects implemented within his/her scope of responsibility.

3. Operational humanitarian access and safety management

Supports the Country Director and SMT in the humanitarian and access watch;
Follows the evolution of local, national, regional and international context and supports the diversification of information sources and capitalize information about key contacts;
Develops his own networking in order to gather and cross check information coming from the field;
Provides context analysis, potential scenario and mitigation measures through regular reporting;
Ensures the link with the Country Director, Program/Project Managers and the Regional Security Manager to share and strengthen analysis;
Ensure that the program is in-line with RI’s humanitarian access and safety policy;
Support the development, update and implementation of the security system for RI in the countries (procedures, documents and tools);
Follows up the application of humanitarian access and safety procedures, analyses and formalized lessons learnt to the Country Director and the Turkey SMT;
Proposes to Country Director and SMT on improvements for the management of
humanitarian access and participates to the planning of access procedures implementation.

Provides feedback and advice on safety risks, as well as resources, security documents,
strategies and good practice for security management of the RI activities Turkey including.direction for future project proposals;

Conducts regular field visit for humanitarian access and safety assessments and to support field activities;
Provides support to Incident Management Support when needed and relevant;
Tracks RI’s acceptance among the community, ensuring an active acceptance strategy is in place.

4. Representation and coordination

Represent RI in bilateral meeting with humanitarian actors and with local actors when requested by the Country Director;
Maintain and expand RI’s network of contact with key staff of INGOs or UN agencies
specialized in analysis and security and with security access referent of other governmental entities if required;
Maintain regular discussion and organize regular updates on security and context with the HQ security advisor.
Liaise and coordinate with support services Managers to ensure proper capacity, resources and assets are available for security follow-up at mission level

5. Liaison with Local Authorities and any other RI Stakeholders

Develops and maintains relationships with all RI stakeholders throughout Turkiye concerning Liaison.
Under delegation, represents RI towards government entities and other key stakeholders and maintain effective relationships with them.
Ensure the RI Principal Agreement/renewals are submitted and approved on time and in compliance with RI Business Services requirements.
Coordinate with the Program Department in the preparation and review of project sub-agreements and protocols.
Follow-up with progress on sub-agreement(s) and liaise with relevant internal departments to ensure they are processed in timely manner and that all documentation requirements are met.
Prepare, finalize and submit necessary documents for international visas, residency permits, and work permits for international staff.
Regularly meet local authorities’ focal points to maintain effective organizational communication.
Maintain up to date contact lists of relevant stakeholders and communication.
Research and share with management information about new announcements coming from government ministries or offices that are relevant to INGOs.
In consultation with management, prepare and issue correspondence to government offices as necessary. Respond to any official correspondence or requests for information in a timely manner.
Prepare periodic program reports for government ministries and ensure that the required government reports (are submitted in timely manner to relevant government authorities.
Provide coordination and required support for meeting or events with relevant government offices.
Support on day-to-day liaison activities with government offices at field level, as may be necessary.
Training and management
Assess risk behavior from RI staff (national and international) of the country program;
Provide training and on the job training toward persons who have humanitarian access and safety responsibilities in the mission;
Organize and provide extensive training on any security related issues to all RI staff; induction for newcomers, regular briefing for international and national staff on security rules and procedures and any other specific training for staff.
Responsibility 2: Reporting, Archiving & Data Analysis
Maintain an up-to-date tracker on visa application, residency, work permit status for all international staff and ensure renewals are submitted on time.
Draft, submit, follow up and record physical and electronic archive all communication with government authorities, including but not limited to: program (agreement signing) authorization request, meeting and workshops, reporting permit (work, field visit and work plan).
Coordinate with other INGO’s to analyze and document best practices for engaging with local authorities and obtaining program/ project approval.
Capture and share lessons learned for ensuring adequate collaboration with different level of local authorities and its official bodies in the target area.
Other related tasks that may from time to time

Safeguarding

Uphold and promote RI’s commitment to ensuring the safeguarding and safety of the vulnerable communities we serve.
Consistent with RI’s safeguarding and protection policies, ensure your job-related activity and practice is compliant with safeguarding standards.

Experience and skills required for the role.

• Minimum bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject, or other compelling, equivalent work experience.
• 5-7 previous experience in a similar position in an INGO, UN agency or in the private sector. Experience with external liaising and strong knowledge of key interlocutors in Turkey required.
• Fluency in English and Turkish required; ability to also communicate in Arabic a plus.
• Solid management, programming and administration experience required.
• Willingness to travel and work extensively – sometimes at short notice, in difficult places and under long hours – according to a results-based approach.
• A readiness to uphold the highest standards of integrity, adherence to humanitarian principles and standards as well as a commitment to RI’s overall mission
• Proven ability to network and liaise with high-level officials with extreme professionalism.
• Strong skills in analytical thinking, communication, leadership, and writing.

RI Values.

Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:

We value:

Integrity
Adaptability
Collaboration
Inclusivity
Sustainability

How to apply

In case you meet the requirements and that you are interested in the position, please send your CV and Cover Letter in English in addition to three professional references to provided. in turkey.recruitment@ri.org  before , September 25, 2023, stating in the subject “Humanitarian Access Officer” 

Please apply immediately we will be reviewing applicants on a rolling basis, therefore may withdraw the position for the job board closing date.

Due to limited resources, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Relief International has a zero-tolerance policy for unlawful harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse. Relief International is committed to protecting our staff and the communities we work with from abuse and harm including sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and sexual harassment.

Note: Relief International is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability, marital status, or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

If needed, Relief International will submit a work permit application on behalf of the selected candidate after the job offer is accepted – Failure to provide the required documents or rejection of a work permit application by the Government of Türkiye will result in the employment offer being rescinded
Due to limited resources, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

RI TÜRKİYE CANDIDATE PRIVACY NOTICE

This Privacy Notice was drafted by Relief International Türkiye (“RI Türkiye”) as a data controller in accordance with Article 10 of the Turkish Law No 6698 on the Protection of Personal Data (“Law”) and the Communiqué on the Principles and Procedures in Conforming with the Obligation to Inform.

On the legal bases referred to in Article 5/f processing of data is necessary for the legitimate interests pursued by the data controller, provided that this processing shall not violate the fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject.” RI Türkiye shall process your name-surname, e-mail address, mobile phone, references, and CV/resume personal data for carrying out selection and placement processes for job candidates, and transfer them to third party suppliers through your applications to published RI Türkiye job ads via employment agencies or sending your CV/resume to RI Türkiye directly by wholly or partly automatic means. Additionally, RI Türkiye is going to get in touch with your references assuming that all obligatory information is given, and consents are obtained by your side about sharing their personal data with RI Türkiye.

You may submit your requests to RI Türkiye under Article 11 of the Law concerning the rights of the data subject in accordance with the Communique on the Procedures and Principles of Application to a Data Controller.

For more information please click here.

Relief International is committed to protecting our staff and the communities we work with from abuse and harm including sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and sexual harassment.

All staff are expected to abide by our Code of Conduct.

Recruitment to all roles in Relief International include a criminal records self-declaration, references and other pre-employment checks, which may include police and qualifications checks.