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.

Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates 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 supporting Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

Afghanistan is one of the world’s most complex emergencies and the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Afghan people are grappling with the impact of conflict, poverty, economic decline, and natural disasters. In this context, Afghan women and girls face unique vulnerabilities and require urgent support as gender inequality is interwoven with conflict dynamics and humanitarian needs. It is essential that Afghan women and girls can continue to shape the development of their country, and that their gains are protected. UN Women remains fully committed to supporting Afghan women and girls and to putting them at the center of the global response to the crisis in Afghanistan.

UN Women has been in Afghanistan for two decades. UN Women’s programming approach is informed by analysis of the political, economic, and humanitarian situation, risks to and capacities of partner organizations, and needs of Afghan women and girls. UN Women Afghanistan currently has four key program priorities: (1) Gender in Humanitarian Action, (2) Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW), (3) Women’s Economic Empowerment, and (4) Women, Peace and Security.

Under the direct supervision of UN Women’s Head of Sub-Office and the overall guidance of UN Women’s Security Specialist, the Local Security Assistant (LSA) assists in the implementation of security operations and all matters relating to the management of safety and security for UN-Women personnel Afghanistan’s Western Region.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.  Assists the Security Specialist in collecting, updating, and communicating information regarding the security situation in the operational area:

• Liaises and coordinates, as appropriate, with DSS, local authorities security organizations, and/or personnel, including national and local provincial authorities, military, and police officers, as well as non-governmental organizations and other non-State actors in the area of operation;
• Helps to assess the security situation at the duty station and ensures adequate gathering and verification of security information; that may be required for a proper analysis of the situation by the Security Specialist;
• Maintains regular contacts with Security Focal Points and LSAs of UN agencies;
• May be requested to provide technical assistance at meetings, in the absence of the Security Specialist;

2.  Assists in maintaining the Security Plan, including updating staff lists:

• Helps in the preparation and review of the UN Security Plan;
• Supports actions during the implementation of the Security Plan, as required;

3.  Assists the Security Specialist in monitoring compliance with Security Risk Management (SRM) established for the Western Region, in providing comments to draft and/or revised SRM as circulated by DSS, and also assists with the compilation of data required for the SRM;

4.  Assists in reporting security incidents affecting UN-Women personnel, offices, and assets, and assists in the preparation of security reports, such as the Security Incident Report, the Security Assessments, and the Quarterly Incident Report;

6. Coordinates with DSS, other agencies, and local authorities regarding road and air missions organized by the Sub-office, as well as coordinates with, advises, and provides any support required to UN Women’s sub-office staff to ensure full compliance with SRM;

7.  Provides general administrative assistance to the Security and Operations units:

• Maintains routine and confidential correspondence files/documents;
• Maintains a database of contact details about host country security authorities;
• Arrange appointments, receive visitors, places and screen telephone calls answer queries with discretion, and take minutes and/or notes at meetings;
• Provide any support to operations units when required;

8.  Performs other security-related tasks assigned by the Security Specialist, including but not limited to:

• Conducts security evaluations and provides advice on security measures for the residences and project offices in the government facilities by Security Risk Management (SRM) of UN-Women personnel, as well as on the latest trends and threats to personnel safety and security;
• Establishes and maintains warden system and keeps updates on information related to UN-Women offices and residences.
• Maintains liaison with commercial companies used for UN-Women security at offices and residences, to ensure the effective and efficient use of the guard force;

Summary of key functions:

• Supports UN Women’s sub-office staff in complying with SRM for the Western Region and overall awareness of developments that may impact the safety and security of UN Women’s staff and delivery of UN Women-funded projects;
• Assists Security Specialist and DSS in collecting, updating, and communicating information regarding the security situation in the operational area;
• Provides inputs to Security Risk Management (SRM) and ad-hoc SRM for the Western Region, road missions in the operational areas, and events (Workshops, Seminars, Meetings) taking place outside of UN premises;
• Assists in reporting security incidents affecting UN-Women personnel, offices and assets;
• Organizes and delivers training courses on security awareness and preparedness;
• Assists in maintaining the Security Plan, including updating staff lists, warden list, and radio checklist;
• Assists in ensuring all UN personnel are in-housed in security-compliant residences by the country SRM;
• Assists with investigations as directed by the Security Specialist;
• Provision of security mandatory training for non-English speakers;
• Conduct security briefings for new staff;
• Conduct security briefings for mission team leaders;
• Sends and updates security advisories to all national security focal points as guided by DSS in the Western Region and whenever directed by a Security Specialist;
• Represents UN Women at the Security Cell meetings;
• Responsible for procurement of security-related items including submissions and tracking;
• Provides general administrative assistance to the Security Specialist;

Competencies

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

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

Functional Competencies:

• Planning and Organizing: Demonstrated ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate, and monitor his/her work plan with minimum supervision. Ability to work under pressure or in crises. Availability to travel within the area of responsibility.
• Creativity: Ability to actively seek to improve services, offer new and different options to solve problems/meet client needs, and promote and persuade others to consider new ideas
• Teamwork: Proven interpersonal skills and the ability to listen and work in a multi-cultural,
• multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• High school graduate.  A University Degree is desirable, but it is not a requirement;

Experience:

• Minimum 3 years experience in security, preferably in the military or police context or related field of work. Prior experience with the UN system or an international NGO is desirable but not a requirement. Experience in diplomatic security, protection, and intelligence is considered an asset;

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English language and Dari/Pashto is required;

Other Skills and Requirements:

• Knowledge of HF and TETRA radio operation;
• Solid computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint);
• Possession of a valid driver’s license;
• Ability to travel;

Application:

• All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from   Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.

Note:

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.

Inclusion Statement:

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 based on qualifications, competence, integrity, and organizational need.

If you need 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.)