Develop and maintain organization-wide efforts to strengthen a culture of security through the provision of security advice and support that ensures a person-centred approach in security management.
Monitor and oversee security risk management practices globally to ensure consistency with standards.
Raise security issues to senior management that require their attention through the provision of analysis and recommend solutions.
Maintain awareness of global security staffing requirements, working with regional bureaux and the Division of People Management (DPM) on HR-related matters to achieve solutions that meet organizational needs while helping to build a professional, agile, diverse, and inclusive security workforce.
Work with DPM to strengthen the professional standards and requirements of the employed security workforce.
Support the organization to ensure that security training is aligned with global needs and priorities, including the UNSMS, which focuses on security decision-makers, security personnel, and the workforce.
Institute procedures and mechanisms to ensure appropriate organization-wide oversight of security processes and standards.
Represent UNHCR in strategic interagency and external forums; engage regularly with sister UN agencies and United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), partners ensuring that interagency security, policies and practices suit the organization's needs.
Support security incident management and security crisis management, coordinating with necessary stakeholders internally and externally to ensure the security of the workforce while recognizing the organization's ability to operate within acceptable risk levels.
Undertake or delegate missions to the field, recommending activities and measures for UNHCR and the UNSMS as necessary.
Provide guidance and support on engagement with respect to civil-military coordination and humanitarian access.
Benefits
Vision insurance
Additional Information
Please note that this vacancy is only open to eligible staff members who have been individually notified of their eligibility to apply for positions advertised in the Accelerated Posting Compendium.
Deadline for Applications
June 12, 2026
Hardship Level
H (no hardship)
Family Type
Family
Residential location (if applicable)
Grade
PR5
Staff Member / Affiliate Type
Professional
Reason
Regular > Regular Assignment
Target Start Date
2026-05-26
Standard Job Description
Chief of Field Security Section
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Chief of Field Security Section reports to the Director of DEPS (Division of Emergency and Programme Support). The incumbent provides advice for the implementation of security policies and procedures within UNHCR and the organization's alternate security focal point. The incumbent leads the Field Security Section in Geneva and, through the functional line ("Green Line"), provides technical oversight and support to the field security personnel globally.
The primary activities of Field Security are aimed at providing advice and support to senior management and the field operations on security matters, providing situational and contextual analysis in support of decision-making, assisting in contingency and operational planning, supporting organizational critical incident management, ensuring a security workforce suited to the organization's needs, ensuring appropriate security policy, oversight, and governance, and ensuring that UNHCR's priorities and needs are reflected in interagency policies and practices. In accomplishing these objectives, the section works in close collaboration with field operations, the regional bureaux, the various divisions and services at headquarters as well as external stakeholders within the United Nations Security Management System (UNSMS), partner organizations, donors and member states.
All UNHCR personnel are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, personnel are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.
Unhcr · Geneva, Switzerland