The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
Context
The East Africa region supports effective, efficient, and high-quality programming by strengthening capacity around client outcomes, program quality, strategic positioning, and business development. It addresses overlapping humanitarian and development challenges – conflict, weak governance, and environmental degradation – through integrated, impactful approaches.
The region prioritizes cross-learning, innovation, and harmonized technical strategies, especially in high-need areas. It ensures continuity of care and coordinated service delivery for clients on the move, while advancing strategic donor engagement through cohesive fundraising and regional collaboration.
The region responds swiftly to country program needs, filling critical gaps and navigating access constraints, emergencies, and security shifts. It amplifies client and frontline voices to inform global advocacy and fosters strong team cohesion to enhance program delivery. EA focuses on cost-efficient and adaptive approaches to the evolving humanitarian and donor landscape, with a clear focus on resourcing country programs.
The EA region operates country programs in Uganda, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and Ethiopia.
Position Summary
The Regional Safety and Security Director (RSSD) is one of the most senior leadership roles in the East Africa region and provides strategic leadership for safety, security, and humanitarian access across the region. They set and drive the implementation of a comprehensive strategy to anticipate, analyze, and mitigate risks, safeguard staff and assets, enable principled humanitarian access, and ensure the continuity of IRC’s operations and programs in complex and high-risk environments.
As the principal safety and security advisor to, and close partner of, the Regional Vice President (RVP), the RSSD works alongside the RVP on the decisions that shape IRC’s presence, access, and continuity across the region. They are a full member of the Regional Management Team and of IRC’s global safety and security (S&S) team. Within the Regional Management Team, the RSSD contributes as a senior leader to regional strategy, priorities, and decision-making, not only as the safety and security function, bringing a risk-informed perspective to program, operational, and resourcing choices. They integrate Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) informed security risk analysis into strategic, operational, programmatic, and partnership decisions so that security considerations are embedded across IRC’s work.
Reporting jointly to the RVP and the Senior Director for Safety and Security (SDSS), the RSSD operates with significant autonomy and influence. Working in close partnership with Country Directors, they ensure that each country program has robust, context-appropriate protocols, systems, and capacities in place to address unique threats and challenges, while remaining agile to adapt to shifting environments.
The RSSD maintains in-depth knowledge of security dynamics across all EA countries, monitors early warning indicators, and deploys regularly, including at short notice, to support local teams. They play a central role in mentoring and building the capabilities of…