Deadline: Wednesday, 14 October 2025 (midnight, local Irish time)
Front Line Defenders is an international organisation/charity based in Ireland that works exclusively for the protection of human rights defenders at risk. Human rights defenders are people who are persecuted because of their peaceful work for the rights of others. Front Line Defenders provides help through protection grants, physical and digital protection training, lobbying, advocacy and campaigning. For more information, please visit here
Front Line Defenders is recruiting a Global Security Lead to strengthen Front Line Defenders’ safety and security policies and procedures, ensuring a robust security management framework, and developing the security strategies for FLD personnel at risk and work worldwide supporting human rights defenders (HRDs) at risk.
- Location: Global
- Contract: Full-time, Permanent
- Reporting to: Deputy Director
- Salary: Grade 4
The Global Security Lead will provide ongoing management and oversight of the safety and security of FLD operations, personnel, as well as premises and events. This will include support for staff in high-risk contexts, and must be grounded in contextual and intersectional analysis on the impacts that race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, location, religion, ethnicity and other identities have in security, in their countries of residence and as they travel across communities, countries and borders.
This role requires extensive (at least 7 years) experience in security management across multiple high risk countries, and in the context of NGO, INGO, news media, inter-governmental agency operations or other relevant organisation. The successful candidate will have the ability to lead risk assessment processes and threat assessments, and to work well with a wide range of people from different cultures, backgrounds and experiences, with empathy and clear boundaries.
The key accountability and associated duties include:
- Safety and Security Strategy for staff and organisation
a. Provide an holistic, rights-based and sensitive security risk management framework across the
organistion, contributing to ongoing active risk management strategies of staff
b. Develop, implement and review the organisation’s safety and security policies, guidelines and
procedures, including for FLD operations, premises, staff country of residence and travel, and events.
c. Provide proactive leadership, guidance and analysis on emerging security issues and vulnerabilities of the organisation, alongside internal and external stakeholders.
d. Chair the internal Security Working Group, playing a pivotal role in driving organisation-wide
security and risk management.
e. Design, implement and review physical protection systems (PPS) for the Dublin and Brussels
offices as needed.
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f. Advise ELT on global risk trends and support the integration of security considerations into
programmatic and strategic planning, including though input into the organisation risk register.
g. Support the organisation in developing risk assessment and mitigation strategies for relevant
programmatic and operational areas and processes such as communications, finances systems, data management, IT etc. - Operational Security
a. Provide operational security and safety advice as required to managers and staff on the
preparation and execution of higher-risk activities, travel and international engagements.
b. Oversee travel security risk management processes at FLD, improving travel planning and
approval processes including potentially development of new internal platforms and systems.
c. In coordination with relevant internal and external stakeholders, provide security support to
events and other external engagements as necessary.
d. Lead FLD’s crisis management capability including associated preparatory training, crisis planning
and crisis response related to security incidents.
e. Provide security incident response in coordination with the Executive Leadership Team and crisis
management team. - Staff security
a. Support staff in the development of their individual (and, if relevant, family) security plans in their
country of residence, many of which are high-risk.
b. Provide advice and support in the management of new threats or security incidents faced by staff.
c. Support staff recruitment process ensuring security is adequately considered in all recruitment
stages including assessment of security related implications of role location, candidate profile etc.
d. Give training, induction and on-boarding on security to new staff.
d. Travel to visit staff in their countries of residence or during their work travel to carry out on-site
security analysis and advice. - Capacity Strengthening and culture setting
a. Develop and implement a security culture strategy for the organisation in conjunction with the
Security Management Working Group, including awareness raising, training and the promotion of
shared responsibility over security across the organisation.
b. Identify, design and deliver appropriate global security training initiatives for staff and
management.
c. Research and develop external key contacts for FLD security, training, and crisis management
support.
d. Continue promoting a positive security culture throughout the organisation, , and follow up on actions to be taken to ensure compliance with safety and security standards.
For more information about the role, click here
About Front Line Defenders
Front Line Defenders is an international organisation/charity based in Ireland that works exclusively for the protection of human rights defenders at risk. Human rights defenders are people who are persecuted because of their peaceful work for the rights of others. Front Line Defenders provides help through protection grants, physical and digital protection training, lobbying, advocacy and campaigning.
For more information, please visit www.frontlinedefenders.org
To Apply
To apply, candidates need to submit a copy of their application – CV and cover letter – via the ‘Apply now’ button as per FLD vacancies page: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/recruitment-volunteering. The closing date for applications is midnight (local Irish time) on Wednesday, 14 October 2025.