Head of Safety and Access - South Sudan

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and we enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

For over 85 years, we have rallied other determined optimists to transform the lives of all children in more than 80 countries.

We won’t stop until we are all equal.

The Opportunity

Plan International is seeking an experienced Head of Safety and Access to lead safety, security and access management across one of the most complex humanitarian operating environments in the world.

South Sudan continues to face significant challenges including political and inter‑ethnic conflict, displacement, food insecurity, flooding and climate shocks. Plan International is delivering emergency and recovery programmes across multiple states, including food assistance, livelihoods, education in emergencies and child protection. Ensuring the safety of our people and the communities we serve is critical to our ability to operate.

About the role

Based in Juba, South Sudan this role is responsible for setting and implementing Plan International South Sudan’s safety and access strategy, ensuring staff can deliver humanitarian programmes safely, responsibly and in line with humanitarian principles.

You will:

• Lead countrywide security risk assessments and provide expert advice to the Country Director and senior leadership

• Develop, implement and continuously update security strategies, SOPs and contingency plans across all operational areas

• Oversee incident management, crisis response, evacuation planning and post‑incident recovery

• Coordinate closely with UNDSS, NGOs, UN agencies, local authorities and other security actors

• Build a strong safety and security culture across the organisation through training, coaching and leadership

• Directly manage and support Safety and Access Coordinators and field security focal points

This role operates in a high‑risk, non‑family duty station and requires sound judgement, calm decision‑making and strong leadership under pressure.

About you

You are a seasoned humanitarian security professional with significant experience managing safety and access in complex or conflict‑affected contexts. You bring deep technical expertise in security risk management, strong coordination and negotiation skills, and a clear commitment to humanitarian principles and safeguarding.

You will bring:

• Extensive experience in humanitarian security management, ideally in fragile or conflict settings

• Proven ability to lead incident response, crisis management and evacuation planning

• Strong analytical, communication and relationship‑building skills

• Confidence working with senior leaders, UN agencies, NGOs and local authorities

• Excellent English; Arabic is an advantage

Why join Plan International?

This is a critical role supporting humanitarian work for children and communities affected by crisis. You will play a central role in enabling safe access, protecting staff, and ensuring Plan International can continue delivering impactful programmes for children and girls in South Sudan.

Location: Juba, South Sudan. 30% travel to other areas of Sudan. This is a mandatory unaccompanied assignment. 

This is a global recruitment and support with relocation is available if required.  

Type of Role: 13 month Fixed term contract 

Reports to: Country Director 

Closing Date: 11th May 2026

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.