Job Purpose: Under the direct supervision of the Advisor-Operations (and with strong dotted-line reporting to the Country Director and Deputy Country Director/Program Director in the Country Director’s absence) and working closely with the Program and Security staff in Kabul and the provinces, the Senior Humanitarian Access Officer will: (1) Advise IMC Afghanistan on site selection for project activities in or near areas of conflict; (2) Represent IMC Afghanistan in Humanitarian Access Group meetings and follow-up; (3) Represent IMC Afghanistan in discussions about access with other NGOs in Afghanistan; (4) Advise and/or represent IMC Afghanistan on access issues with the Government and/or armed-groups; and (5) Train and coach IMC Afghanistan staff, as necessary, on access issues such as the UNOCHA Joint Operating Principles.

Main Duties & Responsibilities: 

• Establish and maintain informal relations and a network of contacts in targeted areas in Afghanistan, allowing the collection of information related to humanitarian access in country, specifically in the areas of current or planned programs.
• Develop and update list of contracts (formal/informal) and create a stakeholder’s map per province/district.
• Work with IMC Security to develop and regularly update internal maps on accessible/inaccessible areas.
• Identify barriers to access and develop strategies to address identified barriers.
• Support IMC management to develop and implement community engagement strategies that promote acceptance and access.
• Work with Security to assess the situation in areas of operation for collecting information from formal and informal networks and/or the teams in the field and/or other NGOs/partners working in the area.
• Monitor open sources, in liaison with Security, to collect, compile and report information including incidents and trends pertinent to humanitarian access in program areas.
• Collect information on humanitarian access and report regularly to the in-country Senior Management Team (SMT).
• Provide and coordinate information for areas where people in need are not able to access humanitarian assistance.
• Report immediately to the Advisor-Operations, Country Director and Deputy Country Director/Program Director any sudden changes in access in the areas where IMC operates.
• Suggest to field management and the program teams proper actions to promote the humanitarian intervention of IMC in areas with limited access.
• Liaise with Security to provide recommendations for potential adjustments to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to maintain, improve or expand humanitarian access.
• Provide assistance to the Country Director and program staff for provision of technical input and advice in assessments to consider potential new IMC programs in new geographic areas, and technical input in the writing of new program proposals as required.
• Provide assistance to Country Director and relevant program teams to promote integration of humanitarian access approaches into program design, start-up and implementation.

Training & Capacity Building:

• Develop and deliver training materials, coaching and advice for staff and partners addressing humanitarian access issues.

Coordination:

• Facilitate the proper circulation of information on access.
• Participation in external access coordination meetings/led by the UNOCHA-HAG, INSO, ACBAR and others.

The duties and responsibilities listed in this document are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily inclusive in size. You may be required to travel to other parts of the country if required.

Organizational Responsibilities

Policy Adherence:

• Adhere to the Code of Conduct, maintain humanitarian principles and respect international humanitarian law.

Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse:

• Actively promote PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) standards within International Medical Corps and amongst beneficiaries served by International Medical Corps.

Compliance & Ethics:

• Promotes and encourages a culture of compliance and ethics throughout the International Medical Corps. As applicable to the position, maintains a clear understanding of International Medical Corps and donor compliance and ethics standards and adheres to those standards.  Conducts work with the highest level of integrity

Safeguarding:

• It is all staff’s shared responsibility and obligation to safeguard and protect populations with whom we work, including adults who may be particularly vulnerable and children. This includes safeguarding from the following conduct by our staff or partners: sexual exploitation and abuse; exploitation, neglect, or abuse of children and adults at risk; and any form of trafficking in persons.