HIAS is the global Jewish nonprofit organization that protects refugees—including women and children, and ethnic, religious, and sexual minorities—whose lives are in danger for being who they are.

Situation

As it pertains to this scope of work, HIAS Kenya operations require security support for the following:

• Physical security of the HIAS Kenya office, including its perimeter, access points, guards, surveillance systems, emergency arrangements, parking, and surrounding environment.
• Safe and orderly office access, visitor management, and client service delivery, including waiting areas and interactions between clients, staff, and security personnel.
• Safety and operational concerns associated with clients congregating or camping outside the office, while maintaining protection-sensitive and dignified access to services.
• Security of outreach and satellite service delivery locations, including venue suitability, staff movements, and emergency access and evacuation.
• Clear incident escalation and response procedures and appropriate coordination with emergency services and law enforcement.

Execution

As it pertains to this scope of work, HIAS is seeking a consultant to perform the following:

• Conduct a comprehensive physical security assessment of the HIAS Kenya office, examining building infrastructure, perimeter security, entry and exit points, parking areas, and surrounding environmental vulnerabilities.
• Review office access control and visitor management arrangements, including staff and client entry procedures, restricted areas, and the effectiveness and deployment of security guards.
• Assess CCTV coverage and monitoring, lighting, alarms, emergency exits, evacuation arrangements, and other relevant physical security measures.
• Review client service delivery arrangements to identify security and safety risks at reception, waiting, intake, and other client-facing areas, and recommend practical measures that preserve dignified access to assistance.
• Assess the safety and operational implications of clients congregating or camping outside the premises, including crowding, access to the building, emergency vehicle access, staff movements, and potential incidents; recommend proportionate, protection-sensitive mitigation measures.
• Assess HIAS outreach and satellite service delivery locations identified by the country team, considering venue suitability, site vulnerabilities, risks during outreach activities, staff access and movement, and emergency response and evacuation options.
• Review existing security incident reporting, escalation, and response arrangements; identify gaps and develop or recommend clear procedures, roles, communication channels, and thresholds for escalation.
• Review existing coordination arrangements with emergency services and law enforcement and recommend appropriate contact, notification, and response protocols, taking account of client confidentiality and protection considerations.
• Consult relevant HIAS Kenya management, operations, program, security, and safeguarding personnel, and coordinate findings with HIAS Global Safety and Security.
• Present prioritized, actionable recommendations, identifying immediate corrective actions and longer-term improvements, including resource implications where feasible.

Deliverables

• Physical security assessment report for the HIAS Kenya office, documenting identified vulnerabilities, risk levels, and recommended mitigation measures.
• Assessment findings for agreed outreach and satellite service delivery locations, including site-specific risks and practical recommendations.
• Office access control and client service delivery security review, including recommendations for visitor management, client flow, waiting areas, and guard procedures.
• Assessment of clients congregating or camping outside the premises, with feasible, protection-sensitive measures to reduce risks to clients, staff, and operations.
• Draft or revised incident escalation and response protocols, including relevant emergency services and law enforcement coordination arrangements.
• Prioritized risk mitigation action plan identifying proposed corrective actions, urgency, indicative resource requirements where feasible, and suggested responsible functions.
• Final briefing and consolidated consultancy report summarizing findings, recommendations, outstanding gaps, and proposed next steps.

The consultant will coordinate findings and recommendations with the designated HIAS Kenya focal point and HIAS Global Safety and Security. Significant risks requiring urgent attention should be communicated promptly through agreed reporting channels. Implementation of recommendations requiring organizational approval or additional resources will remain subject to HIAS authorization.

Details

• Duty location and coverage: HIAS Kenya office and agreed outreach and satellite service delivery locations; site visits as required.
• Anticipated consultancy duration: 15 working days.
• Assessment sites, work schedule, reporting arrangements, and designated focal points to be agreed with HIAS Kenya and Global Safety and Security before commencement.
• Consultancy fees, local travel, and other reimbursable expenses to be defined in the consultancy agreement and applicable HIAS procedures.
• The consultant will work in coordination with HIAS Kenya leadership, relevant program and operations teams, and HIAS Global Safety and Security.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Either; Criminology, Safety and Security Studies, or Military Science from a recognized University or Institution of higher learning.
• Previous experience providing security assessments or advisory services to humanitarian organizations, NGOs, UN agencies, or other organizations serving refugees and vulnerable populations.
• Experience working with the Kenya Police, Armed Forces or any other disciplined force is an added advantage
• Demonstrated experience conducting physical security and security risk assessments
• Knowledge of the Kenyan security and operating environment, including relevant emergency response and law enforcement structures.

• Conduct a comprehensive physical security assessment of the HIAS Kenya office, examining building infrastructure, perimeter security, entry and exit points, parking areas, and surrounding environmental vulnerabilities.
• Review office access control and visitor management arrangements, including staff and client entry procedures, restricted areas, and the effectiveness and deployment of security guards.
• Assess CCTV coverage and monitoring, lighting, alarms, emergency exits, evacuation arrangements, and other relevant physical security measures.
• Review client service delivery arrangements to identify security and safety risks at reception, waiting, intake, and other client-facing areas, and recommend practical measures that preserve dignified access to assistance.
• Assess the safety and operational implications of clients congregating or camping outside the premises, including crowding, access to the building, emergency vehicle access, staff movements, and potential incidents; recommend proportionate, protection-sensitive mitigation measures.
• Assess HIAS outreach and satellite service delivery locations identified by the country team, considering venue suitability, site vulnerabilities, risks during outreach activities, staff access and movement, and emergency response and evacuation options.
• Review existing security incident reporting, escalation, and response arrangements; identify gaps and develop or recommend clear procedures, roles, communication channels, and thresholds for escalation.
• Review existing coordination arrangements with emergency services and law enforcement and recommend appropriate contact, notification, and response protocols, taking account of client confidentiality and protection considerations.
• Consult relevant HIAS Kenya management, operations, program, security, and safeguarding personnel, and coordinate findings with HIAS Global Safety and Security.
• Present prioritized, actionable recommendations, identifying immediate corrective actions and longer-term improvements, including resource implications where feasible.

• Conducting physical security and security risk assessments
• Assessing office access control, visitor management, CCTV, lighting, alarms, emergency exits, and evacuation arrangements
• Security incident reporting, escalation, and response procedure development
• Knowledge of the Kenyan security and operating environment, including emergency response and law enforcement structures
• Coordination with emergency services and law enforcement
• Consultation and coordination with management, operations, program, security, and safeguarding personnel
• Developing prioritized, actionable risk mitigation recommendations

• Bachelor’s Degree in Either; Criminology, Safety and Security Studies, or Military Science from a recognized University or Institution of higher learning.
• Previous experience providing security assessments or advisory services to humanitarian organizations, NGOs, UN agencies, or other organizations serving refugees and vulnerable populations.
• Experience working with the Kenya Police, Armed Forces or any other disciplined force is an added advantage
• Demonstrated experience conducting physical security and security risk assessments
• Knowledge of the Kenyan security and operating environment, including relevant emergency response and law enforcement structures.