Humanitarian Access & Security Manager - Syria

Place: Damascus, Syria
Starting date: mid-September 2026
Duration of contract: 12 months
Closing date for applications: 26th July 2026

Humanity & Inclusion is an independent and impartial aid organisation working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. The organisation works alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

At Handicap International-Humanity & Inclusion, we truly believe in the importance of inclusion and diversity within our organisation. This is why we are engaged to a disability policy to encourage the inclusion and integration of people with disabilities.

Please indicate if you require any special accommodation, even at the first interview. For more information about the organisation.

JOB CONTEXT:
Syria is entering a new phase where pure humanitarian operations will side with early recovery and recovery interventions. According to the latest UN figures, about 15 million people remains still in need of humanitarian response, including about 6.5 million IDPs, while over 5 million Syrians refugees in neighboring countries or in Europe. Threats from explosive remnants of war, lack of recovery in both the health and education sectors make Syria still a fragile context.

HI is managing a humanitarian program covering most of Syria’s governorates, particularly, in north and center Syria:

1. Support to health partners (mainly hospitals) for the provision of multi-disciplinary rehabilitation services (physiotherapy, assistive devices, prosthetics and orthotics and PSS).

2. Education to the risks and effects caused by conventional weapons (including mines, explosive remnants of war and small arms light weapons) and urgent marking of hazardous areas; and non-technical surveys of potential contaminated areas and clearance activities.

3. Community based protection for safe returns and support for the inclusion of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable people in the humanitarian assistance.

4. Preparedness activities against manmade and non-manmade related disasters 4. Inclusive Education in partnership with education actors.

YOUR MISSION:
Reporting to the Programme Director (DP), the Humanitarian Access & Security Manager

(HASM) ensures that procedures are put in place and that an appropriate security strategy is defined. On the programme for which he/she is responsible, he/she develops the security-related aspects of HI’s strategy for accessing vulnerable populations. He/she is the Programme Director’s preferred point of contact, and as such alerts him/her and proposes solutions within the scope of his/her duties.

The HAS Manager helps develop and implement the operational strategy (StratOp) within his/her remit. The HAS Manager can be integrated into the SMT at the request of the DP.

Mission 1: Strategy:

• Helps develop and implement the Access and Security component of the operational strategy (StratOp): risk analysis, scenarios, SWOT analysis, identification of strategic axes and priorities etc;
• Responsible for translating the StratOp into action plans (HAS part): distributing files within the HAS team, monitoring the correct implementation and making adjustments if necessary.

Mission 2: Standards and Expertise:

• Responsible for the development, implementation and updating of HI’s security framework on the programme (procedures, documents and tools);
• Ensures the implementation of HI’s security policy, operational guide and new security guidelines;
• Develops a learning system based on the experiences gained and lessons learnt within the programme;
• Represents HI externally with regard to security matters concerning his/her country (e.g. forums, operational and strategic alliances).

Mission 3: Operational Implementation:

3.1: Context monitoring, strengthening acceptance and humanitarian access:

• Continuously monitors and analyses developments in the local, national and regional humanitarian context and the actors involved, identifies obstacles to access and opportunities for improvement;
• Develops the network of programme contacts by fostering the diversification of information sources and learning the most from the information provided by key contacts;
• Suggests the necessary adjustments to HI’s operating procedures in order to boost the extent to which the organisation is accepted in the various intervention areas;
• Provides a map of the areas concerned based on mapping and spatial-visualization tools;
• Supports the Programme Director with the development of the programme’s access strategy, and helps implement it, which includes making contact and holding humanitarian negotiations with authorities and key actors; preparing fact-finding visits and opening new intervention areas.

3.2: Operational security management:

• Produces security analyses and recommendations;
• With Project Managers, helps identify HI activities that are at risk and suggests any necessary risk-mitigation measures;
• Helps plan operations and define the resulting security framework;
• Provides advice and guidance on evolving security risks, necessary resources, security frameworks, documents and strategies, and shares best practices for the safe and secure management of HI activities in the country, including the necessary inputs to define future project proposals;
• Conducts regular field visits for the purposes of security assessments, and to support
• provincial offices;
• Ensures the proper internal coordination of all security-related matters, with particular regard to the safety aspects of operations and logistics;
• Helps manage incidents/crises: analysis, technical support, recommendations, implementation, reporting, lessons learnt, framework adjusting etc;
• Assumes an alert role for the DP regarding monitoring and managing programme security.

3.3: Capacity building and training courses on security and humanitarian access:

• Assesses the training needs of HI staff on the programme and supports the implementation of an HAS training plan (including internal and external training: Hostile Environment Awareness Training, Security Management, Humanitarian Negotiations etc.);
• Provides ongoing training and skills development for security staff;
• Develops the safety culture within the programme;
• Provides security briefings for new starters and helps with their induction;
• Produces regular security updates for all staff;
• Promotes internal coordination with all the services concerned (sharing information, joint meetings etc.).

Mission 4: Emergency Preparedness and Response:

• Is responsible for providing appropriate support to emergency responses occurring within his/her geographical scope;
• In the event of an emergency response, mobilises and adapts his/her department and its processes: size of the team, line-management, coordination and communication mechanisms, ARCI, reporting, etc.;
• Strengthens external coordination with colleagues from other organizations.

Mission 5: Management:

• Assumes the role and stance of manager with regard to his/her staff;
• Fosters a team spirit and team works to ensure the necessary synergies between the divisions. Encourages the exchange of practices within and between divisions;
• Contributes towards the professional development of his/her team members: sets individual objectives, ensures that the know-how and motivations of his/her staff meet the organisation’s needs;
• Provides individual and collective recognition;
• Develops his/her staff‘s ability to work autonomously.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POSITION:

Security is stable in the capital, where amenities, hospitals and basic commodities are available. Security is mostly stable in all areas of intervention, with recurrency of some violence in areas as Deir Al Zor, Homs, Aleppo.

CONDITIONS:
At HI, the conditions offered are up to your commitment and adapted to the context of your mission: Join the team