UN Women: Global Security and Safety Associate, Nairobi, Kenya, G7 FTA

Position details

• Grade: G7
• Vacancy type: Fixed Term
• Application deadline: 2026-11-28T04:59:00+00:00

This vacancy is re-opened to broaden the applicant pool. Candidates who have already applied for this position remain under consideration and are not required to reapply.

Background:

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.

The Division of Finance and Administration (DFA) is responsible for the planning, allocation and management of financial, human and administrative resources including information communications and technology, the effective and efficient delivery of essential operations services in UN Women, continuous development and improvement in operations, policies and methods to align with UN Women and stakeholders’ evolving business needs and advisory support to the Executive Director in the formulation and implementation of the UN Women overall mission, strategy and plans of actions.

With a high degree of operational independence and managerial focus on facilitation and coordination, reporting directly to the UN Women Global Security Advisor through Global Training and Admin Analyst; the primary role of the Global Security and Safety Associate is to provide highly specialized administrative and technical support services for security and safety operations across UN Women’s 60+ global locations.

The Associate coordinates and administers security information systems, compliance monitoring, training logistics, and administrative operations, exercising substantial independence in routine administrative matters and seeking guidance from the Global Security Advisor on complex, sensitive, or precedent-setting issues.

The Associate serves as the primary administrative coordinator between UN Women Regional, Multi-Country, Country Offices, Programme Offices and UN Women for security and safety support services to protect and minimize the risk to UN Women personnel, property, and operations in the field and at the same time enabling UN Women programme delivery. 

The Associate coordinates the implementation of UN Women security and safety policy, delivers technical training, administers security mainstreaming and biannual budgeting processes (multimillion USD portfolio), monitors UNSMS compliance, and provides effective administrative support to field security operations as identified in the Security and Safety Section biannual work plan. This role will require periodic deployment to high-risk duty stations at short notice in line with SURGE requirements. 

Note: This vacancy announcement is open to Kenyan nationals only.

Key Functions and Accountabilities:

Provide administrative services to the UN Women Security and Safety Services:

• Maintain and update a global directory  of all UN Women Security and Safety Focal points worldwide;
• Coordinate regular communications with UN Women Security and Safety Focal Points;
• Maintain and develop contacts within UN Women Divisions, Units and Sections;
• Maintain and develop a security network of international and national security personnel;
• Prepare and process UN Women Security plans in accordance with HQ Security Plans, Facilities and the UNSMS;
• Coordinate and administer the UN Women HQ Warden System;
• Organize, coordinate and deliver training sessions and briefing sessions to personnel;
• Coordinate with Human Resources to ensure new UN Women Representatives and Heads of Offices receive security and safety briefings from the Global Security Advisor or designate, prior to deployment or when reassigned;
• Design and maintain routine and confidential correspondence files/documents;
• Maintain accurate office location records within the EDM platform for UN Women security and safety compliance system;
• Manage appointments, receive visitors, and answer queries with discretion, and take minutes and/or notes at meetings as required;
• Liaise with the travel agent and UN Women administration when preparing Security travel, procurement of equipment, supplies, and other logistics;
• Ensure the proper and timely dissemination of analytical products and outputs of the Section to stakeholders;
• Ensure that the output of the Section is properly coordinated with the work of other departments, Divisions, Units and Sections at UN Women HQ.

Provide Budget Management Support:

• Support the analysis and monitoring of projects and programmes contributions  to the implementation of security measures;
• Prepare budget utilization forecasts based on budget utilization analysis.
• Prepare draft and finalize the format for the biannual work plan and related budget, initiating budget revisions for approval;
• Monitor and administer allotted UN Women Security and Safety Compliance funds to budget and utilize them in a timely manner within the ERP;
• Monitor that costs and expenditures remain within budget and approved limits through monthly ERP budget reports;
• Keep the Global Security Advisor updated on expenditures in the operational budget and follow closely the availability of the security budge;
• Prepare budget closures and reports as per HQ and organizational processes.

Support the integration of security and safety into programming:

•  Gather and compile information on the potential impact of current as well as potential security and safety factors and trends on UN Women planning, programme design and delivery, as well as information on the possible impact that programme design might have on the stability and security;
• Liaise and communicate with partner organizations and counterparts ensuring the safety and security of UN Women personnel as the highest priority;
• Participate as a member of security and safety groups, particularly UNSMS policy level working groups as designated by the UN Women Global Security Advisor, where applicable.

Provide administrative and technical support to threat and risk assessments:

• Provide inputs to identify and facilitate the implementation of appropriate risk measures for threat and risk assessments where UN Women activities are implemented;
• Provide technnical inputs as required to UNDSS/UNSMS in preparing comprehensive threat and risk assessments in all locations where UN Women personnel, dependents, offices and equipment are present;
• Provide coordination support to the Global Security Advisor in conducting assessments of the Compliance Security and Safety Standards for UN Women offices in collaboration with UN Women Security and Safety personnel at all levels and  Security Focal Points and provide inputs to assessing headquarters security;
• Adopt the role of alternative Air Travel Focal Point (AFTP) for UN Women, in accordance with UNDSS CATSU policies and guidelines.

Maintain and coordinate UN Women’s Security and Safety Plan and provide training:

• Monitor UN Women procedures to ensure that UN Women procedures conform to the UN Security Framework;
• Provide inputs to UNDSS/UNSMS to establish, maintain and update the country specific security and contingency plans when necessary;
• Liaise with UN Women offices, providing guidance to ensure that all UN Women personnel are included in the Security Plans of the respective duty stations;
• Facilitate security clearances for all UN Women Security and Safety personnel;
• Participate in any UN Women BCP/Crisis Management activation as identified in such documents;
• Organize and deliver Business Continuity and Crisis Management Application training sessions for UN Women offices.

Monitor and coordinate Security and Safety Compliance Standards:

• Provide administrative support in the oversight of UN Women personnel and equipment for security and safety compliance;
• Provide inputs to ensure CO management teams are briefed sufficiently on security and safety requirements in order to take decisions and provide adequate resources;
• Provide support in the implementation of the UN Women emergency notification system including configuration of roles and assignment of users;
• Provide administrative support in the selection and procurement of appropriate equipment for security and safety (vehicles, telecommunications equipment, PPE, etc.);
• Provide routine orientation and training to international and national personnel regarding security guidelines, communication procedures, travel precautions, emergency procedures and existing restrictions in movement, as needed
• Maintain a list of all equipment assigned to Global Security Team members and ensure that the same is properly registered. 

Ensure timely information sharing and coordination:

• Gather and verify security information required to facilitate informed analysis of security and safety situations by the Global Security Advisor and Security and Safety Services team;
• Report immediately all security and safety related incidents involving UN Women personnel and eligible dependents as per the prescribed UN Women procedures;
• Provide UN Women personnel with appropriate security and safety related information generated by the UNSMS in a timely and efficient manner;
• Develop and maintain relationships with national law enforcement, military and civil intelligence authorities, counterparts in the Diplomatic Missions, where necessary;
• Coordinate an exchange of information relative to risk management for UN Women programme implementation;
• Coordinate HQ reporting of security and safety incidents;

Provide Organizational Security Rapid Response and Remote Support:

• Provide security SURGE support often on short notice, outside of the designated ‘Duty Station’ as required;
• Provide remote security support to identified UN Women personnel, offices, programmes and projects as required;
• Participate in inter-agency security coordination efforts as required.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

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

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

• Knowledge of UN system and processes
• Knowledge of security and risk management
• Ability to be flexible
• Ability to work in high pressure situations
• Ability to perform a broad range of specialized activities aimed at effective and efficient functioning of Security
• Ability to create, edit and presents information in clear and presentable formats, using appropriate IT functionality
• Ability to organize and complete multiple tasks by establishing priorities
• Ability to handle a large volume of work possibly under time constraints
• Ability to administer and execute financial processes and transactions

Recruitment Qualifications:

Education and Certification:       

• Completion of secondary education is required. 

• A bachelor’s degree or a diploma from a police or military education institution, college, or academy, is an asset.

• A certificate in Business Administration, Public Administration, Procurement, or an equivalent field certificate is desirable.

Experience:        

• A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in security, administration, risk management or a related field is required.

• Experience monitoring and administering multimillion USD budget is required.

• A minimum of 2 years of experience in coordination and delivery of training is required. 

• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) spreadsheets, database packages, and experience in handling of web-based management systems is required.

• International experience is desirable.

• Experience in Inter-Agency working groups is desirable.

• Experience working in gender focused operations or programming is desirable.

• Experience working with the UN Security Management System (UNSMS) is desirable.

• Experience in the use of a modern web-based ERP System, preferably Oracle Cloud, is desirable.

Languages:         

• Fluency in English is required.

• Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

 

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.