Organization: UNDP – United Nations Development Programme
Location: Khulna
Grade: Administrative support – NPSA-5, National Personnel Services Agreement
Occupational Groups:
Administrative support
Security and Safety
Closing Date: 2025-01-16

An overview

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Discrimination, harassment of any type, including sexual harassment, and sexual exploitation and abuse are not acceptable to UNDP. As a result, all chosen applicants will go through stringent background and reference checks.

There is a history of violent rallies and the ensuing conflicts, and civil disturbance is growing more common in Bangladesh, including the current statewide student protests. Anti-government marches, mostly motivated by sociopolitical events, resulted in altercations with police, vandalism, and arson assaults against government and party locations, transportation, and the homes of officials.

After the Supreme Court overturned the 2018 reform and reinstated a 30% quota for descendants of independence fighters, a countrywide student-led campaign for quota reform arose in response to the High Court’s decision on June 5, 2024. Under the slogan “Students Against Discrimination,” the demonstrations started on July 1 at Dhaka University and quickly expanded to smaller cities and other educational institutions. Things became much more heated starting on July 16th.

were six recorded deaths that day as a result of widespread protests.

Hasina’s resignation resulted in the release of opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia from house detention and the appointment of Muhammad Yunus as temporary prime minister. There were celebrations and acts of violence against Awami League supporters and former government officials when Hasina’s administration came to an end. Minority Hindu groups were the focus of mobs that damaged homes and places of worship, forcing many to make fruitless attempts to escape to India.

While the security and protection of employees of United Nations Security Management System organizations (including UNDP), their eligible family members, and their property are primarily the responsibility of the Bangladesh Host Government, the UNDP Bangladesh Country Office security team, working with the UNDP Security Office and regional security personnel, supports and enhances the Host Government’s capacity where necessary to enable the continued delivery of UNDP programs, especially in unstable and insecure environments. But currently,

The UNDP BD Security Unit is understaffed and unable to fully and adequately support all of the organization’s present and future security needs, particularly in light of the impending national elections in 2025 and the genuine risk of a resurgence of civil unrest linked to the UNDP BD’s failure to satisfy opposition and student group demands.

Therefore, it is urgently necessary to hire a Security Assistant to directly support the current Country Office Security Associate (COSA) with duty in each of the following three regions: Khulna, Cox’s Bazar, and Rangamati in order to strengthen and improve UNDP’s current security arrangements. Under the COSA’s direct direction,In addition to helping with all aspects of safety and security operations and management in each region, the Security Assistant will support the execution of the security strategy. In addition to reporting to the appropriate regional program manager (in Khulna, Cox’s Bazar, or Rangamati) for all daily security-related activities supporting those projects in their respective regions, each security assistant will also report to the COSA for all functional security matters. It is crucial to remember that the Security Assistant is a local citizen with security-related work experience who must always work closely with UNDSS and report directly to the UNDP COSA and the relevant regional program manager.

• Provide support to security risk management for UNDP Programmes and activities in designated areas.
• Gather and organize information on security factors that are relevant to the design and delivery of UNDP programmes.
• Assist in conducting segments of security assessments and gather information on latest trends and threats to personnel safety and security, as requested.
• Assist in implementation of person-centered security risk management approaches to address specific threats or vulnerabilities in alignment with security assessment results and procedures.
• Gather inputs for preparation of country security documents covering areas where UNDP personnel, dependents and equipment are present.

Perform assigned activities to support implementation of the Country Security Plan, Contingency Plans and Business Continuity Management, and the UN Security Framework:

• Help in the preparation and updating security aspects of procedures for dealing with emergencies involving UNDP personnel and operations.
• Coordinate closely with HR Unit to ensure the personnel lists provided to UNDSS are kept up-to-date.
• Provide support in organizing training courses and briefings on security awareness and preparedness for UNDP personnel and provide security orientation to newly assigned personnel, as requested.
• In coordination with HR, monitor UNDP personnel security training compliance.
• Liaise with UNDP administration when preparing for procurement of security equipment and supplies, and other logistics.

Assist in monitoring security compliance of UNDP premises and international personnel residences within assigned areas of responsibility:

• Gather information relevant to the implementation and assessment of security and security risk management measures for UNDP premises.
• Maintain liaison with commercial companies used for UNDP security at offices and residences to ensure deployment of security resources are consistent with contract requirements.
• Assist in monitoring and assessing the safety and security preparedness of country offices and international personnel residences.

Sharing Information:

• Immediately report all security and safety related incidents involving UNDP personnel to the COSA or DRR, in the absence of the COSA.
• Assist to ensure that UNDP personnel are provided with situation reports and other appropriate security related information by UNDP or UNDSS, as required.
• Assist in the preparation of UNDP security reports, such as the Incident Reports and Weekly Reports.
• Support the COSA in collecting and updating information with regards to security issues and communicating them to key interlocutors.
• Encourage an exchange of security related information with UNDP project personnel.

Provide support in keeping UNDP management and personnel informed on security matters affecting UNDP programmes, the Country office and its personnel:

• Gather information for inclusion in Country Office security reports.
• Respond to and assist in reporting safety and security incidents affecting UNDP personnel and eligible dependents by gathering and verifying security information relevant to analyzing the situation.
• Maintain a database on UNDP security contact details and the list of UNDP Security Focal points.
• Contribute to knowledge networks and professional communities.

General assistance to the COSA:

• Maintain routine and confidential correspondence files/documents related to security issues.
• Take minutes and/or notes at UNDP Security meetings.
• Assist in implementation of Business Continuity Management, as required.

Other tasks:

• Carry out checks on safety equipment and fire extinguishers.
• Perform field missions, as required.
• Perform other security-related tasks assigned by the COSA and/or DRR.
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The Security Assistant works under the direct supervision of Country Office Security Associate for all security matters and under the secondary supervision of the regional Program Manager in either in Khulna, Cox’s Bazar or Rangamati for all daily security related activities in support of those projects in the respective regions.