Humanitarian Access and Safety Specialist

Introduction

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfilment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Based in Copenhagen (Denmark) and present in forty countries, the Danish Refugee Council is a non-profit-making, politically independent, non-governmental and non-denominational relief organization.

Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced. All our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

1. Background

DRC has been present in West and Central Africa since 1998. DRC's HQ Hub for West Africa & Americas is based in Dakar, Senegal, and covers twelve countries outside Senegal.  

The Cameroon country office opened in 2018 and currently comprises a coordination office in the capital Yaoundé, a base in Bamenda covering the Northwest region, a base in Garoua Boulaï covering the Adamaoua and East regions, and a base in Maroua (sub-base in Mokolo) for the Far North. DRC’s interventions in these areas include providing assistance to vulnerable populations, especially IDPs and refugees to enable them to meet their basic needs and protection, providing durable solutions to the ultrapoor while rendering them resilient to shocks via resilience and peacebuilding activities. Due to the lack of emergency response services to the newly displaced in the NWSW regions, the DRC has stepped in with emergency protection and multipurpose cash in the NW region in collaboration with three national organizations as partners.  

2. Overall purpose of the role:

Under the authority of the Country Director, the Humanitarian Access and Safety  Specialist will provide advice and technical support on the four stages (Assess, Decide, Plan, Act) of the DRC Safety Risk Management system (SRMS) in Cameroon, ensuring compliance with DRC Global Safety and Global Access policies. A detailed description of DRC SRMS can be found here Chapter 20 - DRC SRMS; the areas of competence of the  Humanitarian Access and Safety Specialist are detailed in chapters 20.4 to 20.7.

The Humanitarian Access and Safety Specialist will be based in Bamenda, but is expected to travel approximately up to 40% of the working time through the country (NWSW, Adamaoua/Est, Far north, not limited to these regions) to ensure  the implementation of the Security Risk Management System and provide technical support to DRC partners. Examples of such responsibilities include but are not limited to, training delivery,  how to plan and conduct field movements, how to correctly do a Safety Risk Assessment, and how to select, monitor, update contingency plans, indicators, context monitoring, and ensuring safe and holistic humanitarian access in implementation areas.

This position requires previous experience in safety and humanitarian access, strong communication and analysis skills to feed informed decision-making regarding DRC operations.,

3. Responsibilities:
The Humanitarian Access and Safety Specialist will support the Country Director in maintaining the mentioned aspects of the DRC Safety Risk Management system (SRMS) in the country, for all regions with DRC operations.  Under the direct management of the Country Director, he /she is expected to pursue the following objectives and duties in his/her daily work:

Overall objectives

• Oversee the development and implementation of the Danish Refugee Council’s (DRC’s) Safety Risk Management System (SRMS)
• Support the Country Director and the Country Offices in ensuring compliance with DRC safety policy as stated in Chapters 19 & 20 of the DRC Operations Handbook
• To develop and update policies and procedures (SOPs), in coordination with project staff, for the safe delivery of program activities
• Visit offices in the Centre, Far North  and Adamaoua/Est regions regularly to ensure compliance with DRC’s SRMS and provide recommendations where required. Regularly monitor safety/security dynamics across areas of operation and provide advisories and recommendations to the Senior Management Team.
• Work closely with DRC’s local partners, assess their needs and build their capacity in terms of safety and access, while incorporating any best practices and lessons learnt from their experience and mastery of the local context.
• Lead on “Equitable Partnership for Hard to Reach” component of the FLASH project, including the joint development of an access and security roadmap and action plan with DRC partners in the NW region.
•  

SRMS:

• Ensure that the country is up to date with the different components of the DRC Safety Management System: Contingency plans; Safety Level System (SLS), Minimum Operating Safety Standards (MOSS), Local Safety Rules (LSR), Safety Risk and Threat Assessments (SRA); Record of Emergency Data (RED) as per the SRMS tracker that will be provided.
• Ensure that the country provide updated Safety Risk Assessments (SRA), Context Assessments and Programme Assessments for each programme area pursuant to DRC Safety Policy.
• Ensure each programme area has appropriate SOPs developed and implemented. Monitor compliance with SOPs. Keep track of the SOPs in the SRMS tracker.
• Ensure that appropriate Safety improvement plans (SIP) accompany the MOSS audits to address outstanding requirements not yet met.
• Conduct regular reviews with Incident Management Teams (IMTs) in country offices to ensure that all components of the contingency plans (Hibernation, Relocation, Evacuation, Medical Emergency and Abduction) are up to date, realistic and understood.
• Ensure coverage in case of absence of the Country Director as the primary point of contact for safety related matters with the Regional Office and other local actors (UNDSS, etc).

Capacity Building

• Conduct – or facilitate the delivery of – safety training for staff at all levels. Ensure that the country is at par with DRC Safety Training agenda.
• Regularly travel to offices in Centre, Far North  and Adamaoua/Est regions to deliver training to DRC staff and partners on the diverse aspects of the SRMS and the associated SOPs. Contribute to maintaining a “safety culture” by mainstreaming DRC Global Safety Policy and SRMS at all levels of DRC operations.
• Assist and mentor the Area  Managers and Program Managers in their role as custodians of the SRMS integrity.

Humanitarian Access and Programme Continuity

• Ensure a holistic approach is implemented with regards to access negotiations to include DRC program and support services staff as well as local communities and other stakeholders.
• Work in collaboration with the partners’ teams to ensure that humanitarian access and engagement strategies deliver the required purpose while minimizing unforeseen adverse consequences on people in need (do no harm) and respect of humanitarian principles, within DRC risk acceptance.
• Jointly with the partners, produce analysis and evaluations on the humanitarian space and access on a regular basis, with regard to DRC Partners’ presence and operations. Jointly identify potential scenarios, indicators of change in the humanitarian space and key decision points at micro, mid and macro level.
• Keep track of any developments related to access and humanitarian space and ensure timely reporting of any security incidents or concerns

Information Management and Reporting

• Maintain detailed soft and hard copy files of all relevant safety documents and make sure they are rapidly accessible to of Critical Incident or Crisis Management Teams. 
• Maintain the SRMS tracker and the Safety SharePoint up to date and available online to all the designated users. 
• Conduct regular calls with the Area Managers, and Program Managers in field offices to monitor the overall situation and provide regular situation reports regarding compliance with DRC Global Safety Policy.
• Ensure an up-to-date visitor briefing package is provided to all visitors and international staff,.
• conductsafety briefings for all visitors and staff at the Country level.
• Provide briefings on thematic and specific issues, as requested by the Country Director or the Regional SMRS Coordinator, and the Global Safety Advisor.

In addition to the above, the  Humanitrain Access and Safety Specialist may be asked to carry out other duties requested by the Country Director.

4. Required Qualifications

Experience and technical competencies: 

• Minimum 3-5 years of working experience as a safety and security Specialist/advisor with an INGO
• Proven ability to conduct and produce high-quality safety risk assessments (SRAs) and capacity building internally and externally
• Proven experience in coaching partners
• Proven ability to develop and implement effective and contextualized protocols and systems
• Experience with information gathering analysis and report writing
• Ability to conduct and produce high quality safety risk assessments (SRAs)
• Experience with critical incident management
• Experience working in hostile or hazardous environments
• Experience working in multicultural work settings

Desirable:

• Valid HEIST or HEAT training will be considered an asset.

Education:

• Master's degree (e.g., political science, international development, or economics) or proven qualification in Occupational Health and Safety. 

Languages: (indicate fluency level)

• Proficiency in listening, reading, writing, and speaking English is required. 

• Proficiency in listening, reading, writing, and speaking French is required. 

• Fluency in local spoken languages (English Pidgin) will be considered an asset 

5. Required Skills & Qualities

• Core Competencies of DRC:
  • Striving for excellence
  • Collaboration
  • Taking the lead
  • Communication
  • Demonstrating Integrity
• Ability to work in a multinational and multicultural environment
• Proactivity, with a sound commitment to teamwork and with a spirit of genuine collaboration
• Excellent communication skills, as well as patience and politeness, are required
• Multi-tasking and Organizational skills is a must
• Adaptable and Flexible
• Proven analytical and critical thinking skills
• Exemplary sense of ethics in the workplace
• Team-oriented & good sense of humour

6. General Regulations

• The employee shall follow DRC instructions on safety, confidentiality, and ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Accountability Framework
• Employee should not engage in any other paid activity during the DRC contract period without prior authorization
• Employee should not engage in any activity that could harm DRC or the implementation of any project during the DRC contract period
• Employee should not give interviews to the media or publish project-related photos or other material without prior authorization
• Employee shall return all borrowed equipment for the project to DRC after the end of the contract period or upon request

7. Application Process

Are you interested? Then apply for this position online: www.drc.dk/about-drc/vacancies/current-vacancies. All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages).

DRC provides equal opportunity in employment and prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, sex, colour, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability.

DRC encourages all applicants to apply and does not practice any discrimination in any recruitment process.

However, all applicants shall take into consideration that DRC cannot offer an international work contract to a citizen of the country of assignment (in this specific case: Republic of Cameroon)

Applications close on the 22th of January 2026 at midnight (GMT-time). Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.

Due to the urgency of the position, DRC has the right to recruit a candidate who matches the required profile before the above deadline.      

Worldwide, DRC does not request or accept any form of payment in connection with its recruitment processes.