DRC Health, Safety and Security (HSS) Associate (Fixed-Term)

About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund equips 5.5 million smallholder farmers to make their farms more productive. Across nine countries that together are home to two-thirds of Africa's farmers, we provide high-quality farm supplies, tree seedlings, accessible credit, modern agronomic training, and a wide range of other agricultural services. On average, this model enables any farmer to increase their income and assets on supported land by more than 35 percent, while permanently improving their resilience. This is all made possible by our team of 9,000+ full-time staff, drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions.

To learn more, please see our Why Work Here blog post.

About the Role

The Health, Safety & Security (HSS) Associate will lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of all health, safety, and security systems for the DRC program. The role is responsible for ensuring staff safety and security across office, warehouse, and field operations in a complex and volatile risk environment. You will serve as the primary technical authority and key advisor to country leadership on staff safety and security topics. This role has a 12-month fixed-term contract, with the option to renew on business terms.

Responsibilities

Expertise in security risk management & advisory

• Lead regular context-specific security risk assessments across all operational locations, including high-risk security contexts and remote areas.

• Develop and maintain location-specific security risk profiles, movement protocols, and mitigation measures.

• Serve as the primary security advisor to country leadership during incidents, civil unrest, elections, armed conflict, or other security events.

• Act as the focal point for incident management, including coordination, documentation, after-action reviews, and corrective actions.

• Act as the budget owner and advocate on all staff safety and security expenditure ensuring only relevant and high-impact interventions are expensed.

Policies, SOPs & Systems Development

• Develop, adapt, and maintain Health, Safety & Security SOPs aligned with global ESG standards and tailored to the DRC risk environment, including:

• Staff movement and travel security

• Field operations and remote site safety

• Incident reporting and escalation

• Emergency response and crisis management

• Office and warehouse safety

• Contractor and visitor safety

• Ensure SOPs are practical, clearly communicated, and consistently applied across departments.

• Support integration of HSS requirements into program design, operations planning, and logistics.

Training, Awareness & Capacity Building

• Design and deliver HSS training programs for staff at all levels, including:

• Security awareness and personal safety

• Defensive driving and road safety

• First aid and emergency response

• Incident reporting and duty of care

• Lead security briefings and inductions for new staff, consultants, and visitors.

• Build a strong safety and security culture, encouraging proactive risk reporting and compliance.

Incident Response & Crisis Management

• Lead emergency response during security incidents, accidents, or critical health and safety events.

• Ensure timely reporting and documentation of incidents in line with organizational requirements.

• Conduct post-incident reviews and ensure lessons learned are integrated into SOPs and training.

• Support crisis preparedness, including contingency planning, evacuation planning, and business continuity.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Work closely with the Global ESG Lead to ensure alignment with organizational standards, reporting requirements, and continuous improvement.

• Collaborate with HR, Operations, Supply Chain, and Program teams to embed HSS considerations into daily operations.

• Maintain professional relationships with local authorities, security networks, peer NGOs, and service providers where appropriate.

• Provide HSS inputs for donor compliance, audits, and reporting.

Compliance, Monitoring & Reporting

• Ensure compliance with internal HSS standards, national laws, and donor requirements.

• Maintain accurate HSS documentation, risk registers, and training records.

• Prepare periodic HSS reports for country leadership and global teams, highlighting risks, trends, and mitigation actions.

Career Growth and Development

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications

Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, we are mostly focusing on:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Security Management, Occupational Health & Safety, Risk Management, International Relations, or a related field.

• Relevant professional certifications (e.g., ASP, CSP, NEBOSH, HSE etc) are a strong advantage.

Experience

• 5+ years of progressive experience in health, safety, and/or security management, preferably in Humanitarian, development, or international NGO contexts. Experience working in conflict-affected or high-risk environments is a strong advantage.

• Demonstrated HSS expertise in occupational health and safety, security risk management, duty of care, and hands-on experience with incident management and crisis response.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong contextual understanding of DRC security dynamics, including political, social, and operational risks.

• Ability to balance risk mitigation with program delivery, avoiding overly restrictive approaches.

• Excellent training and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage diverse staff groups.

• High level of professional judgment, discretion, and decision-making under pressure.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Fluency in French required; English proficiency strongly preferred. Local languages are an asset.

Personal Attributes

• Calm and resilient in high-pressure situations.

• Practical, solutions-oriented, and field-focused.

• Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence without direct authority.

• High commitment to staff duty of care and organizational values.

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Benefits

Health insurance, housing, and comprehensive benefits

Contract Duration

1 Year

Eligibility

This role is only open to citizens or permanent residents of DRC.

Application Deadline

25 March 2026. Please note that we hire on a rolling basis which means that applications are reviewed and processed on a continuous basis until a hire is made.

One Acre Fund never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. Official One Acre Fund emails will always arrive from an @oneacrefund.org address. Please report any suspicious communication here ([email protected]), but do not send applications or application materials to this email address.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism are deeply connected to our organization’s mission and purpose. One Acre Fund aspires to build a culture where all staff feel consistently valued, represented, and connected – so that our team can thrive as professionals, and achieve exceptional impact for the farmers we serve.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.