Security Advisor

Security Advisor Full Time Posted on July 29, 2026

Localisation

Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe Expiry Date August 6, 2026 Company: Oxfam Please Share Overview

SECURITY ADVISOR

JOB DETAILS

LOCATION: Mozambique CONTRACT TYPE: FTC: 2 years JOB FAMILY: Programmes

ONE OXFAM GRADE: C ZONE: 1

DEPARTMENT:

GLOBAL PROGRAMMES

TEAM: SAF Regional Cluster

SALARY:

HOURS: (FTE)

This is a full time equivalent role. Hours worked will depend on local law in the location where the incumbent is based

FLEXIBLE WORKING

‘We believe flexible working is key to building the Oxfam of the future, so we’re open to talking through the type of flexible arrangements which might work for you. Needs to be considered country by country.

Autres informations

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organization. DEPARTMENT PURPOSE: To lead and enable the delivery of Oxfam’s Global Strategy in Southern Africa by operating as a unified, regionally integrated team that drives systems change through partner-centred programming, strategic influencing, and knowledge-led practice. The department ensures an agile, digitally enabled and cost-efficient operating model that maximises impact, strengthens regional coherence, and positions Oxfam as a catalyst, convenor and trusted partner across the region. TEAM PURPOSE : We are part of a broader movement for justice in Southern Africa and work in solidarity with partners, allies, and the communities we serve. Our role is to enable locally led change by strengthening the capacity, voice and influence of local actors to shape the systems and institutions that govern power and resources. Through partnerships, convening spaces, and evidence-based influencing, we contribute to thought leadership and collective action on gender and social justice, accountable governance, and alternative economic systems. We prioritise impact, quality, legitimacy and solidarity, while fostering inclusive knowledge networks that challenge and transform development narratives and practice at local, regional and global levels.

JOB PURPOSE

The Security Advisor provides senior specialist leadership on security risk management, organisational resilience, duty of care, and operational safety across the Southern Africa (SAF) Cluster, ensuring that security considerations are systematically embedded into programme planning, operational systems, leadership decision-making, humanitarian preparedness, and partner-led delivery models. The role is responsible for developing and maintaining a coherent regional security architecture that safeguards Oxfam staff, partners, assets, programmes, and reputation across complex, volatile, and high-risk operating environments. It ensures that security management is not treated solely as a reactive or compliance function, but as a strategic enabler of safe, effective, and resilient programme delivery within Oxfam’s regional operating model. Operating under the Cluster Director, the role serves as the principal security adviser to Cluster leadership, programme teams, operations systems, and partner structures, ensuring that risk analysis, crisis preparedness, staff safety, and duty-of-care obligations are integrated into all organisational functions. It also plays a critical role in strengthening business continuity, emergency preparedness, safeguarding alignment, and localisation by ensuring that staff and partners are equipped to manage security challenges responsibly and sustainably.

The role functions across strategic advisory, systems development, capacity strengthening, incident response, and external coordination, requiring high professional autonomy, advanced analytical capability, political awareness, and strong relationship management skills. Through strategic leadership, integrated security systems, and strong organisational support, the Security Advisor significantly strengthens Oxfam’s capacity to operate safely, ethically, and effectively across Southern Africa while protecting staff, partners, and communities in increasingly complex environments. As a member of the Cluster Leadership Team, contribute to the collective strategic leadership, governance, and management of the SAF Cluster, sharing responsibility for organisational performance, risk management, and delivery of the Cluster Strategy. Where domiciled within a programme hub, act under delegated authority as the senior Oxfam representative in that country, providing organisational stewardship and representing the Cluster in engagements with government institutions, partners, donors, coordination platforms, and other internal and external stakeholders, while ensuring alignment between regional priorities and country-level implementation. Context Southern Africa is experiencing a convergence of complex and interlinked crises. Persistent poverty and extreme inequality, among the highest globally, continue to shape the lives of millions, compounded by climate shocks, economic instability, shrinking civic space, and entrenched gender inequalities. While economies across the region show periods of growth, the benefits are not equitably distributed, leaving many communities increasingly vulnerable.

Formation / Diplômes

At the same time, the region is undergoing rapid transformation. Climate-induced disasters such as droughts, floods, and cyclones are intensifying, humanitarian needs are rising, and urbanisation is reshaping patterns of poverty and exclusion. Youth populations are expanding rapidly, presenting both opportunities for change and risks of deepening inequality if economic inclusion is not achieved. In response, Oxfam in Southern Africa has undergone a significant organisational transformation; shifting from country-based programming to a unified regional model designed to increase impact, efficiency, and influence across the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This evolution reflects a broader commitment to localisation, feminist leadership, and working through strong partnerships to drive systemic change. The 2026–2030 Strategy builds on these lessons and marks a decisive shift toward locally led, partner-driven approaches , with Oxfam acting as a convenor, catalyst, and influencer rather than a direct implementer. It prioritises systems change over fragmented projects, focusing on climate and economic justice, gender justice, and humanitarian action, while strengthening regional advocacy and amplifying the voices of communities most affected by inequality. This strategic direction positions Oxfam as a regional actor working across borders to address the structural drivers of poverty and inequality, supporting resilient communities, accountable governance, and inclusive development pathways across Southern Africa.

JOB REPORTS TO

Cluster Director

ROLES REPORTING TO THIS JOB

BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY

GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE

Regional – All SAF Cluster countries (excluding South Africa and DRC), including SADC engagement

IMPACT

Enhances staff and partner safety, reduces operational risk, strengthens organisational resilience, and ensures that programmes can operate effectively in challenging environments.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Cluster Leadership Team, Operations Team Lead, Programme and Influencing teams, People, Culture and OD Lead, partners and local organisations, Oxfam Global Security team, and relevant national security actors.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• 1. Security Risk Management & Analysis (20%) The role leads the identification, assessment, and monitoring of security risks across the Cluster, ensuring that decision-making is informed by up-to-date and context-specific analysis. Conduct and maintain security risk assessments across countries and programme areas Monitor and analyse evolving security trends including conflict dynamics, political risks, civil unrest, environmental threats, organised violence, and access constraints and provide timely advise to SAF partners, operational teams and leadership. Develop context-specific risk mitigation strategies Strengthen scenario planning and strategic foresight. Ensure leadership decisions are informed by robust security analysis. Promote security as a strategic organisational function.
• 2. Security Frameworks, Policies & Protocols (15%) The role is responsible for developing and maintaining security policies and procedures that are aligned with organisational standards and adapted to local contexts. Develop, update, and harmonise and maintain security policies, SOPs, Crisis protocols , travel systems, access frameworks and security governance tools. Ensure alignment with Oxfam global security policies and duty-of-care frameworks, humanitarian principles, and safeguarding systems. Support implementation and compliance across all operational hubs Standardise security systems while adopting to local realities. Strengthen organisational security maturity and resilience Promote operational consistency across a decentralised regional model.
• 3. Duty of Care & Staff Safety (15%) The role ensures that duty-of-care obligations are met, with a strong focus on staff safety, wellbeing, and preparedness. Advise on staff safety, field travel, access protocols, safe accommodation, and incident prevention. Support development of safe working practices across all contexts Work with People, Culture and Organisational Development Lead to integrate security into wellbeing systems, staff care, and crisis support. Strengthen business continuity and safe operating environments. Ensure security systems support staff resilience, morale, and retention. Promote feminist and inclusive security practices.
• 4. Incident Management & Crisis Response (15%) The role leads and supports effective response to security incidents, ensuring timely action, coordination, and learning. Provide guidance during security incidents, critical events , emergencies, evacuations, and access disruption. Lead or Support incident report coordination, escalation protocols, crisis management structures, and after-action reviews. Ensure incidents are documented, analysed, reporting, and used for institutional learning. Strengthen business continuity systems and contingency planning. Promote organisational preparedness for disruption.
• 5. Security Capacity Building, Awareness & Organisational Culture (10%) The role strengthens staff and partner capability to manage security effectively. Design and deliver security training, HEAT-related preparedness, briefings, Incident simulations, and risk awareness systems Build security competence across staff, leadership, partners, and field teams Promote a culture of preparedness, accountability, safe decision-making, and risk awareness Strengthen organisational confidence in high-risk contexts. Ensure security awareness is embedded institutionally.
• 6. Security Integration into Programme Design, Delivery & Humanitarian Systems (10%) The role ensures programme ambitions remain aligned with operational realities. Advise programme teams on risk-sensitive design, safe implementation, access strategies, and context adaptation Strengthen integration of security considerations into programme planning, humanitarian response, partner-led systems, operational decision-making Ensure programme continuity in volatile contexts. Support ethical programming in fragile environments. Strengthen nexus between programme effectiveness and security.
• 7. Partner Security Support, Localisation & Responsible Risk Sharing (10%) The role strengthens security systems within Oxfam’s partner-led model. Support partners in security assessments, risk management, incident response, and security systems design Strengthen partner organisational resilience and preparedness. Promote responsible localisation by ensuring shared risk understanding, ethical risk transfer, and partner safety Build partner capability without externalising disproportionate security burdens. Ensure equitable security standards across partnerships.
• 8. Coordination, External Engagement & Security Network Management (5%) The role strengthens Oxfam’s security ecosystem through strategic coordination. Liaise with Oxfam global security teams, regional security networks, governments, security actors, and humanitarian coordination systems Build credible external security relationships. Support strategic coordination across countries and affiliates. Strengthen information sharing and intelligence systems. Enhance Oxfam’s institutional resilience through external engagement.

CORE DIMENSIONS

Senior specialist advisory role with regional strategic scope Principal security and duty-of-care focal point for the SAF Cluster High influence across programme, operations, HR, and partner systems Significant impact on staff safety, operational continuity, and institutional resilience Operates across politically sensitive, volatile, and rapidly changing environments Requires high autonomy, strong judgement, and systems-thinking capability Critical to safeguarding Oxfam’s people, programmes, and reputation

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Most importantly, every individual in Oxfam needs to be able to:

• Live our values of INCLUSION, ACCOUNTABILITY, EMPOWERMENT, COURAGE, SOLIDARITY and EQUALITY (read more about these here )

• Ensure you commit to our ORGANIZATIONAL ATTRIBUTES (including adhering to the Code of Conduct):

Expérience

• 1. Be committed to our feminist principles , and to applying them in your day-to-day behaviour and your work. Be ready to keep learning, with accountability to those who experience oppression as a result of their identities, such as their gender, race/ethnicity, disability, class, or LGBTQIA identity."
• 2. Be committed to undertaking Oxfam’s safeguarding training and adhering to relevant policies, to ensure all people who come into Oxfam are as safe as possible.

EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE & COMPETENCIES

Essential

• Master’s degree in Security Management, International Relations, Risk Management, Humanitarian Security or related field. A Bachelor’s degree combined with relevant postgraduate or professional qualifications and significant experience of at least 10 years may be considered.

• At least 6 years’ experience of progressive senior experience in security risk management, humanitarian security, crisis response, and multi-country operational security

• Strong understanding of risk assessment, incident management, and duty-of-care frameworks.

• Proven ability to provide strategic security advisory, risk analysis, incident management and duty of care systems.

• Strong communication, leadership and systems capability. Ability to build strong, credible relationships with internal and external individuals and organisations Excellent personal communication skills, in written and verbal English, with strong influencing and persuasive skills A high level of self-awareness, personal energy, stamina and flexibility. Ability to work creatively, effectively and in an innovative manner, adjusting to constantly changing situations while maintaining focus on delivery and follow-through Proven experience as a team worker and demonstrably cooperative with members of other teams Commitment to Oxfam’s safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into

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