Security Manager, P-4, FT, Gaza, State of Palestine

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to Safety

How can you make a difference?

The security team in UNICEF SoP carries a broad set of responsibilities in a highly complex and volatile environment: including security risk management and compliance, operational security and incident response, humanitarian access facilitation, mission planning and movement coordination, programme security support, physical security and asset protection, emergency preparedness, capacity building and training, and civil–military coordination.

As these demands have grown in scale and complexity, particularly in Gaza, the proposed changes aim to clarify supervision, accountability, and decision‑making across the team, while strengthening field‑based leadership and oversight. The adjustments also seek to reduce the burden currently placed on the Chief of Field Office, ensure sustainable national security capacity in both Gaza and Jerusalem, prepare for increased civil–military coordination linked to the anticipated International Stabilisation Force, and maintain direct support to the Special Representative. Together, these changes position the security function to operate more coherently, responsively, and sustainably across East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.

The P4 Security Manager functions in a highly complex, fragile and volatile operational setting requiring advanced operational judgement, coordination, negotiation and field security management capabilities. The position plays a key role in the implementation of humanitarian movement and of the security risk management measures enabling the continuity of UNICEF humanitarian operations across Gaza, including support to emergency programmes, inter-agency movements, partner operations and high-risk field missions.

The scale and complexity of the Gaza response require the position to independently manage sensitive security coordination responsibilities, including engagement with de facto authorities, local power brokers, armed actors, convoy coordination mechanisms, community leaders and humanitarian partners to facilitate operational access while ensuring compliance with United Nations security management policies and humanitarian principles.

The Security Manager, P4, serves as the senior operational security focal point for UNICEF Gaza operations. The incumbent provides operational leadership and supervision of Gaza-based security personnel and ensures effective implementation of UNICEF security risk management, humanitarian access coordination, emergency preparedness and operational security compliance.

The role supports senior management through operational analysis, crisis coordination, humanitarian liaison and field-level operational decision support in a highly volatile operating environment.

Reporting to the Senior Emergency Coordinator (SEC)/Chief Field Office (CFO), the Security Manager will work in very close collaboration with the Country Office Security Manager in Jerusalem on technical issues and advise the SEC/CFO on their security duties and responsibilities in the area of responsibility in accordance with UN and UNICEF Security Management Systems.

The Security Manager will also contribute to the UNICEF mandate through strong security risk analysis, advice, and relevant mitigation.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: JD - P-4 Security Manager, Gaza.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements

• Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Safety, security studies, international relations, conflict studies, intelligence studies, humanitarian affairs, political science and any other related fields.
• Work Experience: At least 8 years of relevant work experience in Security, Security Management, Risk Management, Emergency Response, Humanitarian Access, Crisis Coordination, Incident Management, Movement Coordination, Civil Military Coordination, Physical Security, Capacity Building. and any other related fields.
• Skills: Knowledge of Security Management, Coordination, Leadership, Analysis, Humanitarian Operations, and Emergency Coordination is Required.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables

• Language: Working knowledge of Arabic language is a strong asset. Knowledge of another official UN language (Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.
• Conflict environment experience, UNSMS knowledge, Humanitarian operations exposure, UNDSS coordination experience, Arabic language, Field leadership experience.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.