Security Officer

Host entity: UNWomen

Volunteer type: International

Areas of expertise: Safety and security, Training, capacity building, Legal affairs

Application deadline: 11/09/2026

Mission and objectives

Grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, UN Women will work for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, UN Women is leading and coordinating United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

UN Women’s vision is a world in which societies are free of gender-based discrimination, where women and men have equal opportunities, where women and girls are empowered to lead the change that they want to see, and where women’s rights are upheld in all efforts to further development, human rights, peace and security.

Assignment context

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. At the same time it leads efforts in the UN system to integrate and deliver on gender equality, women’s empowerment and rights.

This position is based in Nairobi, Kenya, with its accountabilities and responsibilities stipulated in UN Women Security Framework of Accountability. Organizationally, position sits within the UN Women Country Office Kenya, directly supporting UN Women Country Representative while providing security support to the Regional Office and Global Office based in Nairobi and operationally maintaining a technical line of reporting to the UN Women Regional Security Specialist based in Nairobi. The role will be completed in the country, with the requirement to work outside of regular working hours and travel within Kenya and neighbouring countries based on the organizational needs.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of [UN Women Kenya Country Representative, and with a technical reporting line to the UN Women Regional Security Specialist based in Nairobi, the UN Volunteer will provide security support to the UN Women Kenya Country Office, the East and Southern Africa Regional Office, and UN Women global offices based in Nairobi], the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
1. Provide operational and technical support, guidance, and advice to UN Women offices in Kenya
• Responsible for the security aspects of activities which are specific to UN Women offices in Kenya
• Provide timely and accurate security advice and recommendations to UN Women office based in Kenya; and approve organizational missions;
• Support the UN Women Country representative in their functions in the SMT and support coordination with the heads of the Regional and Global offices around security issues
• Clarify, interpret, and implement existing UN and UN Women security policy as applicable;
• Monitor the implementation of security policies and procedures and all matters pertaining to the safety and security of UN Women personnel, premises and assets;
• Oversee security evaluations and provide advice on security measures for the residences (Residential Security Measures - RSM) of UN Women personnel, as well as on the latest trends and threats to personnel safety and security;
• During and outside of regular working hours respond to security and safety related incidents and provide support to UN Women personnel. Coordinate incidents response with UNDSS and host country security apparatus and provide guidance and instructions to UN Women personnel during incidents;
• Track developing threats and related risks, reviewing the impact of security factors and risks on UN Women personnel, premises, assets, programme design and delivery;
• Provide recommendations regarding effective risk prevention and mitigation measures, including recommendations for possible UN Women support needs and improvements;
• Coordinate activities of and provide technical supervision and capacity building of UN Women Security Focal Points through continuous training, shadowing and guidance.

2. Oversee security assessments and take necessary action
• Oversee substantive assessment of the security situation in the area of responsibility and ensure adequate collation and verification of security information;
• Conduct security assessments of UN Women premises, operations and equipment and provide recommendations on risk management.
• Support and advice new personnel relocating to Nairobi as required to ensure that security guidelines are implemented

3. Liaise with and participate in the local security community
• Maintain close liaison and coordinate activities with Regional Security Specialist;
• Represent UN Women and actively participate at UNSMS Security Cell;
• Represent UN Women when liaising and coordinating activities with the host government security organizations and/or personnel, including national and local provincial authorities, military, and police officers, as well as non-governmental organizations, UN entities, and other non-State actors;
• Represent UN Women and participate as a member of security groups, particularly Inter-Agency Security Management Network Working Groups as directed by the UN Women Global Security and Safety Adviser;
• Provide an advisory presence at UN security management meetings such as the country Security Management Team, United Nations Country Team, and Operations Management Team;
• Maintain an active security network of international and national security personnel.

4. Collect, update, and communicate security information
• Provide updates and information to HQ in relation to the security intranet portal and documentation;
• Disseminate of security information and measures to personnel;
• Disseminate analytical products and outputs of the Section to stakeholders; Conduct regular communications with UN Women Security Focal Points;
• Establish and maintain a UN Women Warden System/Communication Tree.

5. Develop, maintain, manage and implement the UN Women Security Plan, including updating personnel lists
• Oversee the development and implementation the UN Women Security Plan;
• Manage the preparation and review of the UN Security Plan and provide technical support in its implementation;
• Provide advice and recommendations in the selection and purchasing of security equipment;
• Prepare and submit security clearance/movement of personnel requests;
• Keep and update of information related to UN Women offices and personnel residences, including Global Premises Directory.
• Maintain up to date lists of personnel and their recognized dependents.
• Maintain a record of all recognized dependant residing in Kenya of internationally recruited UN Women staff who are serving elsewhere so they are accorded the same provision for security as dependants of international staff serving at the duty station.

6. Monitor, manage and implement UN Women compliance of the Security Risk Management Measures (SRMM) established for the duty station/s
• Compile data required for the SRMM Self-Assessment of the UN Women and UN Security and Safety Compliance Survey (SSCS) Programme;
• Provide technical support to and advise the UN Women Security Focal Points in the completion and updating of the SSCS;
• Provide technical support to and advise the UN Women Security Focal Points in the evaluation and implementation of the UN Women Security Compliance Action Plan (SCAP);
• Provide technical advisory support to the Security Focal Points for the UN Women Security and Safety Compliance Enhancement Funding (SSCEF);
• Implement SRMM for UN Women personnel, premises and assets, and systems and protocols, in accordance with organizational risk acceptance, ensuring the mainstreaming of security;
• Provide UN Women managers with prescriptive content such as policy, risk management methodology, SRMM and RSM;
• Provide technical support to security compliance input of all UN Women offices within area of responsibility;
• Provide technical support to the Programme team in completing and submitting the UN Women online Programme Assessment format.

7. Report security incidents affecting UN Women personnel, programmes, offices and assets
• Collate information and provide inputs to security reports, such as the Security & Safety Incident Reporting System (SSIRS), Security Risk Management (SRM) Assessments and other ad-hoc incident reports;
• Oversee security evaluations and surveys of Country Office and Field Offices;
• Develop accurate and timely written country briefings; add inputs to position papers from a field perspective;
• Provide information to the country UN Security Management System (UNSMS) as required.

8. Develop and conduct training courses on security awareness, preparedness, mainstreaming, Business Continuity Plan and specialized security functions
• Participate in the development and delivery of UNSMS training;
• Develop UN Women-specific security training based on established needs and conduct security training;
• Provide security orientation to newly assigned personnel members and security briefings;
• Provide security mainstreaming sessions as required;
• Provide Business Continuity training sessions as required;
• Fully rollout Business County and Crisis Management Application;
• Coordinate with Human Resources to provide UN Women Representatives and Heads of Offices security briefings.

9. Perform other security-related tasks, including but not limited to:
• Provide Air Travel Focal Point services to UN Women as per air travel requirements;
• Maintain liaison with commercial companies used for UN Women security at offices and residences, in order to ensure the effective and efficient use of the guard force.
• Ensure 100% with UN Women UN Women Security and Safety Compliance Survey.
• Ensure 100% compliance with UN Women Business County and Crisis Management Application.
• Deliver SMT talking points for the Country Representative prior to the meeting and provide updates on the Security Cell discissions.
• Complete a review of physical security arrangements at UN Women office locations in the area of operations.
• Prepare movement plan for field missions for UN Women personnel.
• Establish proof of life protocol with the UN Women offices in Kenya and regional HR Business Partner for Kenya based and visiting personnel.
• Develop a quick reference guide for the HIM scenario for the Office.
• Accurate and timely implementation of the overall UN Women security plan
• Provide accurate information and briefings to personnel, including newly hired personnel and non-personnel
• Regular interaction and maintain good relationships with important partners, including Security Focal Points, UN agencies and external parties
• Timely completion and input to the UN Women security business process SSCS – SSCAP- SSCAP

Skills and experience

• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in security with experience of programme management in the field in a development context.
• Experience on gender equality and gender responsiveness in security and other sectors
• Budget management experience as it relates to field support.
• Experience of conducting security risk assessments as an integral part of operational planning and the enabling of operations.
• Experience in conflict operations is desirable.
• Knowledge of UN Security Policy Manual in highly desirable.
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.

Competencies and values

Core Values:
• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:
• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Functional Competencies
• Strong knowledge of business, operations, and programming cycle
• Strong knowledge of security and risk management
• Strong knowledge of local country’s security situation/ laws
• Good knowledge of UN System policies and procedures
• Ability to work under pressure and in crisis situations
• Strong analytical skills
• Ability to be strategic and provide advice
• Ability to maintain an appropriate level of confidentiality regarding security matters.

Living conditions

The contract lasts for the period indicated above with possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. A UN Volunteer receives a Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) per month and is paid at the end of each month to cover housing, utilities, transportation, communications and other basic needs. The VLA can be computed by applying the Post-Adjustment Multiplier (PAM) to the VLA base rate of US$1,602. The VLA base rate is a global rate, while the PAM is country-specific and fluctuates on a monthly basis according to the cost of living. This method ensures that international UN Volunteers have comparable purchasing power at all duty stations irrespective of varying costs of living. The PAM is established by the International Civil Ser-vice Commission (ICSC) and is published at the beginning of every month on the ICSC website http://icsc.un.org.
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In non-family duty stations that belong to hardship categories D or E, as classified by the ICSC, international UN Volunteers receive a Well-Being Differential (WBD) on a monthly basis.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are provided a settling-in-grant (SIG) at the start of the assignment (if the volunteer did not reside in the duty station for at least 6 months prior to taking up the assignment) and also in the event of a permanent reassignment to another duty station.

UNV provides life, health, permanent disability insurances as well as assignment travel, annual leave, full integration in the UN security framework (including residential security reimbursements).
UN Volunteers are paid Daily Subsistence Allowance at the UN rate for official travels, flight tickets for the final repatriation travel (if applicable). A resettlement allowance is paid for satisfactory service at the end of the assignment.

UNV will provide, together with the offer of assignment, a copy of the Conditions of Service, including Code of conduct, to the successful candidate.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.