Chief of Service, Security and Safety (Temporary Job Opening) at United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON)

Specific responsibilities will be as follows:

Direction and Management of the Security Services at UNON:  

• Ensuring that the outputs produced by the SSS maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data.
• Ensuring that all outputs produced by the Sections under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.  
• Undertaking or oversees the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the SSS, including preparation of budgets, reporting on budget/programme performance, evaluation of staff performance (ePerformance), interviews of candidates for job openings, evaluation of candidates and preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting.  
• Managing and supervising the functioning of the Service according to the need of Organization, including establishing safety policies and standards, recruitment policies and standards for security personnel and resource planning.  
• Liaising with host country law enforcement agencies, international criminal police organizations, in exchanging critical security information.  

Ensuring the security and safety of staff members by:

• Has overall responsibility for the protection of security and safety of delegates, staff, visiting dignitaries and other visitors within the United Nations complex:  
• Managing the provision of security briefings.  Managing and supervising the investigation of security relevant incidents.  
• Liaising with local law enforcement authorities and Permanent Missions on special security arrangements.  

Coordinate the UN security efforts in both urban centres and up-county areas of Kenya and Eritrea by:  

• Ensuring the safety and security of UN staff assigned to Kenya and Eritrea including their family members.  
• Leading, supervising and carrying out the work programme of the DSS at the UNON.  
• Improving security of UN facilities throughout Kenya and Eritrea; ensuring that the Security equipment and procedures are consistent with the current procedures established by UNDSS.  
• Preparing and updating Security Risk Assessments, Minimum Operating Security Standards and UN contingency plans.
•  Establishing close working relationship with UN Agencies, the Security Forces of the Kenya and Eritrea Government, commercial security companies, Embassies, High Commissions and International Organizations.  
• Managing security arrangements to cover meetings held at UN offices in Nairobi and coordination with relevant local authorities.  

Outside operational activities:  

• Accompanying the Secretary-General and other VIPs on mission to Kenya and organizing security measures in co-ordination with security services.  Participating in international, regional or national meetings on security matters as required.

Competencies

•  PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of security management combined with solid background of military or other security specialization and some political and social knowledge of country of assignment. Ability to deal effectively with stress factor when encountered in security management. Ability to apply technical skills to understand and consolidate the varying specializations such as electronics, communications, mechanics, explosives and other sophisticated devices encountered in security system management. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations; takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.  
• CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.  
• MANAGING PERFORMANCE: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision- making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches tasks to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching of staff, encourages risk-taking and supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.  
• LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.  
• JUDGEMENT/DECISION-MAKING: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent degree) in law, criminal justice, criminology or equivalent specialization in security or police management or in security-related fields.
• A first-level university degree in any of these fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.  
• Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.

Work Experience

• At least 15 years of progressively responsible experience in security management, police or military service is required.    
• Experience in managing a large, complex security service is required.    
• Experience in crisis management and/or emergency management is desirable.    
• Experience in the management of Security and Safety Services within the United Nations system or similar international organization is desirable.    
• Experience in coordinating security operations involving multiple military, intelligence, security and law enforcement agencies is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of French is desirable.  NOTE: "fluency equals a rating of "fluent" in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and " Knowledge of" equals a rating of " confident" in two of the four areas.