Operations Officer, Global Security Team

Position description

Vital Strategies is a global public health organization working in 80+ countries to strengthen public health systems. It has offices in New York City, Paris, Singapore, Jinan, São Paulo, Addis Ababa. Vital develops and oversees programs that address leading causes of morbidity and mortality, providing expertise in project implementation and management, strategic communication, epidemiology and surveillance, and other core public health capacities. Our specific programs include RESET Alcohol, road safety, food policy, tobacco control, overdose prevention, and initiatives to strengthen public health data systems to guide policy and decision-making. Activities are based in low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific, and in seven U.S. states.
Please visit our website at www.vitalstrategies.org to find out more about our work.

Vital Strategies believes our programs are strengthened when they are developed and supported by individuals with diverse life experiences, whose understanding of social and cultural issues can help make our work and workforce more inclusive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or creed, gender, national origin, ancestry, actual or perceived age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, marital status, sexual orientation or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws.

Job Purpose:

The Operations Officer will support the Deputy Director of Global Security in implementing and maintaining global safety, security, and travel programs to ensure they meet the needs of Vital Strategies. This role will assist in monitoring security risks, coordinating travel logistics, managing incident reporting, and ensuring compliance with security and travel protocols.

This is a full-time position, operating on EST or GMT time zone. The candidate must be located in the US, Canada, or the UK. If the candidate is located in the New York City Tri-State area, they are expected to adhere to a hybrid (minimum of 2-days per week in office) schedule. Vital Strategies offers highly competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits. The salary range for this position in the US is $65,000 to $75,000. If the candidate is located in Canada or the UK, the salary will be commensurate with the local market and paid in local currency. The candidate must have authorization to work legally in the country of hire at time of employment (US, Canada, or UK).

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Safety and Security Support – 

• Monitor safety and security alerts, discuss with security vendors, and escalate serious concerns to the Deputy Director of Global Security
• Ensure that travelers going to high-risk destinations are completing all pre-travel preparation requirements
• Administer a safety and security incidents reporting systems
• Schedule and provide logistical support for safety and security trainings
• Support audits and reviews related to travel security and risk management processes.
• Develop basic reports and dashboards on key security metrics for internal use.
• Support Deputy Director of Security in conducting safety and security assessments of hotels and lodging.

2. Travel Support – 

• Assist Vital travelers in obtaining visa support letters, proof of travel insurance, security planning information and forms, booking hotels and lodgings, and ground transportation when they cannot be booked through a travel management company
• Provide guidance and problem-solving support for traveler issues, escalating unresolved concerns as necessary and collecting traveler feedback for continuous improvement.
• Schedule and provide logistical support for staff travel trainings
• Research, negotiate, and prepare contracts with travel service providers
• Procure travel safety-related materials (travel medical kit, respirator masks, insect repellant etc.). Track distribution and usage.
• Manage relationships with contracted hotels, ground transportation agencies, and travel service providers in key operational locations.
• Process invoices submitted by travel management companies, visa agencies, and ground transportation providers and ensure timely payments.
• Collect and analyze travel data from travel management companies and provide insights to Procurement and Finance teams as needed.
• Ensure that the travel tracking system is up-to date including for non-TMC bookings, solicit itineraries from bookers and travelers and upload them into travel tracker.
• Develop basic reports and dashboards on key travel metrics for internal use.

3. Country Office Security Support – 

• Provide logistical, purchasing, and training support for occupational health, travel security, and incident response across the organization’s global offices.
• Assist in tracking and following up on country office security matters, including scheduling meetings, preparing agendas, and documenting discussions for key stakeholders.
• Support the development and rollout of country office travel and per diem policies in coordination with local operations teams.
• Assist in analyzing trends in security incidents and travel data to inform decision-making and risk mitigation strategies.
• Perform additional security and operations tasks as required by the Deputy Director of Global Security.

Qualifications:

Education and Degree – 

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field preferred (e.g., International Relations, Global Security, Business Administration, or related discipline).

Skills and Abilities – 

• Strong organizational skills, ability to handle emergent issues, and adaptability in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to deliver high-level operational support while managing competing priorities and responding to dynamic stakeholder needs.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Comfortable with on-call responsibilities for security and travel-related incidents.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to engage with staff across different levels and international locations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with travel management and security tracking tools.

Experience:

Required – 

• Minimum of five years of work experience, with at least two years in a relevant field such as global operations, NGO security, or global travel management.
• Experience with vendor management, particularly in coordinating travel, safety, or security-related services.
• Experience in training coordination, including developing and organizing security or travel-related sessions.

Preferred – 

• Prior experience working with and supporting international teams.
• Experience in public safety, law enforcement, or crisis management.
• Additional language proficiency beyond English.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

• Occasional on-call support for travel and security matters.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Application instructions

Please be sure to indicate you saw this position on theacademicjob.com