Operational Security & Advocacy Specialist V
About The Position
The Operational Security & Advocacy Specialist advises and assists Voice of America with designing and executing operational safety protocols, threat-mitigation strategies, and high-level crisis response for journalists, freelancers, stringers, and field personnel worldwide. The role supports risk assessment, hostile-environment operations and communications, emergency exfiltration, inter-agency escalation, and diplomatic and congressional advocacy for journalists facing detention or hostility. The specialist helps establish safety, security, and equipment standards; conducts risk assessments and operational briefings; and supports hazardous deployments. The role also oversees 24/7 security monitoring and communications, develops emergency evacuation options, leads crisis management for missing or detained personnel, coordinates advocacy with government and external partners, and maintains vetting, insurance, coaching, and training support for contractors and stringers.
Requirements
- Extensive leadership experience in high-risk operational security, journalist safety, geopolitical threat analysis, or diplomatic crisis management.
- Proven ability to manage real-time emergency exfiltration, incident response teams, and complex arrest or detention cases in authoritarian or conflict zones.
- Skill coordinating multi-agency advocacy efforts across the Department of State, Congress, international NGOs, and specialized extraction operators.
- Deep expertise in international journalism, hostile-environment medical protocols, digital security and data protection, secure satellite communications, and personnel-tracking systems.
Responsibilities
- Assist the Agency with establishing and enforcing uniform minimum safety, security, and equipment standards for staff, freelancers, and stringers operating in elevated-risk or hostile environments.
- Conduct comprehensive risk assessments, daily field briefs, post-operational debriefs, and go/no-go evaluations before hazardous deployments, and present assessments to agency management to inform final decisions.
- Provide operational deployment support, including securing credentials, press permits, visa documentation, and environmental safety gear.
- Ensure international transport of protective equipment complies with applicable laws and regulations.
- Implement strategic branding and press identification protocols based on location-specific safety risks.
- Oversee the 24/7 Security Focal Point desk and around-the-clock duty rosters for high-risk operations.
- Maintain redundant, multi-channel communications architecture and personnel-tracking systems.
- Manage check-in protocols, missed-check-in escalation timelines, and emergency call-out trees.
- Develop and maintain multi-tiered exfiltration, emergency evacuation, and escape options with predefined evacuation red lines.
- Lead crisis-management operations involving missing personnel, unlawful arrest, physical violence, hostage situations, or arbitrary detention.
- Participate in VOA meetings with congressional offices, human rights organizations, legal counsel, and specialized external rescue operators to build sustained pressure for detained journalists.
- Develop background information, data, and materials for agency distribution to diplomatic officials, multilateral organizations, and advocacy organizations supporting agency safety and security engagements.
- Document and maintain records on stringers and freelancers, including location, credentials, risk factors, and security contacts.
- Ensure active hostile-environment, medical, and extraction insurance coverage for non-staff contributors entering hazardous areas.
- Provide ongoing coaching and training on editorial safety standards, digital security, source protection, and de-escalation tactics.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Education Level
No Education Listed
