Job Opportunity- Security Advisor (INT11689)
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.
Essential Qualifications
- 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 contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible.
- Excellent personal communication skills, in written and verbal English and Portuguese.
Desirable
- Partner security systems strengthening experience
- Professional training or certification in security management, crisis management, or humanitarian security (e.g. HEAT training or equivalent)
- Commitment to Oxfam’s overall aims and policies and experience of promoting gender equity and diversity and the interests of marginalized people in all aspects of Oxfam’s work
- Ability and willingness to travel regularly, at times at short notice, locally and regionally.
Organisational Values:
- Accountability – Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions.
- Empowerment – Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen.
- Inclusiveness – We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences.
The closing date is Thursday, 06th August 2026.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Oxfam is an equal opportunities employer, we are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation.
If your qualifications meet the requirements, and believe in Oxfam values- please apply by visiting our website at :https://jobs.oxfam.org.uk/jobs/vacancy/security-advisor-int11689/24855/description/
