IRC Humanitarian Access, Safety and Security Advisor in Nairobi

The International Rescue Committee is hiring a Humanitarian Access, Safety and Security Advisor for its Emergency Unit, based in Nairobi, Kenya. It is a senior advisory role: you would help IRC teams deliver emergency aid in some of the world’s most dangerous places, keeping staff and programmes safe where conflict and disaster make every move risky.

Pay is senior-level: CHF 100,000–115,000 per year (Switzerland) or GBP 60,000–66,000 (UK), calibrated by location. Two hard requirements: fluent written and spoken French and English, and eligibility limited to nationals or residents of Kenya, the UK or Geneva — or candidates from countries with an IRC office.

At a glance — the key facts

What the job actually involves

The Advisor sits in IRC’s Emergency Unit, in the ASAP team — Analysis, Security, Access and Preparedness — working alongside the Director and the Emergency Response Team Coordinator in an advisory role: challenging and supporting country teams rather than commanding them.

Managing humanitarian access

This is the heart of the job. You would run scenario-planning workshops with frontline teams in major crises, helping them plan how to keep serving people despite conflict and risk. You would help country leadership build access strategies: negotiating with authorities, security actors, community leaders and sometimes non-state armed groups so IRC’s work is accepted and programmes can operate safely.

Managing safety and security

You would help country teams identify, analyse and reduce safety and security risks, making sure they meet IRC’s Security Minimum Standards and duty-of-care principles. You would support security preparedness and contingency plans that fit each programme’s scale, and advise teams during security incidents — backing the people on the ground, not replacing them.

Preparedness, training and learning

The Advisor also shapes how IRC prepares before a crisis. You would help country programmes build access, safety and security into contingency plans, through in-country or remote mentoring and training. You would co-develop an access framework with partner organisations and coach leaders and staff on negotiation and context analysis.

The pay, in plain terms

The posting states: CHF 100,000–115,000 per year for Switzerland, or GBP 60,000–66,000 per year for the UK, calibrated by work location, experience and skills. No Nairobi figure is stated — do not assume either band applies in Kenya; the offer would follow IRC’s local pay structure there. Housing, relocation and other benefits are not mentioned. This is still senior-level NGO pay, matching the eight-year requirement and the weight of advising country directors in active crises.

The residency rule — read this first

This decides whether you can apply. The posting is open to nationals or residents of Kenya, the UK or Geneva, plus candidates from other countries with an IRC office (hosted in that country). If you are not a national or resident of one of these places, this posting is not for you.

IRC works in more than 40 countries, so check whether yours has an office first. Do not assume visa sponsorship or relocation: the posting says nothing about either, and candidates are hosted in their country of residence. Senior field postings, such as this deputy country coordinator role and this field coordinator posting, show the same pattern.

Should you apply? An honest self-check

This is a niche role. You are a strong fit if you:

• 8+ years of NGO humanitarian experience, with security management in volatile environments
• Real experience in humanitarian access, negotiation, civil-military coordination or security management
• Fluency in written and spoken French and English (both required, not either)
• National or resident of Kenya, the UK, Geneva, or a country with an IRC office
• Able to travel up to 40% internationally, including conflict zones
• An experienced facilitator who can train and influence people who do not report to you

Skip this one if you only speak English, lack the 8 years of humanitarian experience, come from corporate security without NGO field work, cannot travel to conflict zones, or are not a national or resident of an eligible country.

How to apply

The application goes through IRC’s careers portal on MyWorkday:

1. Open the official vacancy page using the button below.
2. Confirm you meet the residency and language requirements.
3. Create an account on the IRC careers portal, or sign in.
4. Complete the online form and upload your CV, tailored to highlight access, negotiation and security experience.
5. Submit and watch your email for next steps.

Questions applicants actually ask

Q: What is the real closing date?

A: The official page shows none — the role may stay open until filled. Repost sites list 31 December 2026, but that comes from reposts, not IRC. Apply early.

Q: I speak English but only basic French. Can I still apply?

A: Realistically, no. Fluency in written and spoken French and English is stated twice — a hard filter, since the role involves negotiations and workshops in francophone crisis contexts.

Q: My country has no IRC office. Should I apply anyway?

A: It is open to nationals or residents of Kenya, the UK or Geneva, or countries with an IRC office. If your country has no IRC office, you do not meet the stated criterion — applying would very likely waste your time.