Security and safety careers in the United Nations

United Nations security professionals enable programmes to operate within acceptable levels of risk. The field includes strategic advice, security risk management, analysis, operations centres, training, close protection, guard forces and physical security.

It is not limited to UNDSS. The Department of Safety and Security leads and supports the UN Security Management System, while peace operations, political missions, tribunals and other Secretariat entities also recruit security personnel.

Titles and categories

International Professional titles include Security Coordination Officer, Security Adviser, Chief Security Adviser and Security Information Analyst. National Professional roles include Field Security Coordination Officer and Security Officer at NO grades. Field missions can use Field Service grades for operational security functions. General Service or local categories cover Security Assistants, radio-room staff and related support.

Headquarters guard forces can belong to the Security Service category, which is distinct from the P, NO, FS and General Service streams. A uniformed Headquarters Security Officer is not necessarily a police officer and does not hold a P grade.

UNDSS’s official career description identifies P-3 and P-4 Security Coordination Officers and P-5 Chief Security Advisers among its core international roles. The exact category depends on the post and location.

Consultants can support training, analysis or specialist projects. They are non-staff personnel. Commercial guards employed by a contractor are staff of the company, not UN security staff.

What the work involves

Security coordination officers analyse threats, assess risk, recommend measures, prepare plans and advise managers. They work with host governments, UN entities, humanitarian partners and programme teams. Chief Security Advisers support the senior UN official responsible for security decisions in a country and lead the security team.

Operational roles can include incident response, communications, movement tracking, crisis management, fire safety, close protection and premises security. Analysts collect and assess information rather than simply circulate media reports. Training officers design and deliver courses for personnel working in varied risk environments.

The UNDSS risk-management overview explains that the UN system is risk-based. The objective is to enable operations with appropriate measures, not to eliminate every threat.

Education and experience

There is no universal military or police requirement. Some roles accept or value service in national security institutions, while others seek civilian risk-management, analysis, humanitarian security or corporate security experience. The vacancy defines acceptable fields.

Professional posts generally require degree-level education or an alternative combination where the notice allows it. Senior posts ask for deeper leadership and complex-environment experience. Specific functions can require recognised training, driving qualifications, firearms authorisation, medical fitness or other certifications, but candidates should not assume these apply to the whole family.

Experience should be relevant to the duty. Guard supervision, strategic risk advice, information analysis and close protection are not interchangeable. State the environments, responsibility and decision level involved.

Languages follow the operation. English or French is often required, with Arabic, Spanish or a local language important in some locations. National posts can require fluency in the country’s language.

Strong application evidence

Describe a risk decision from assessment through implementation. Identify the threat information used, who was consulted, the measure recommended and how its effectiveness was reviewed. Protect confidential details while showing the method.

For crisis work, give the size and type of operation, your role in the incident-management structure and the communications you maintained. For analysis, explain how you evaluated source reliability and produced an actionable assessment. For training, include audience, subject, delivery format and evaluation.

Avoid presenting exposure to dangerous places as proof of competence. Recruiters need evidence of judgement, planning, respect for policy and collaboration with programme colleagues.

Application route and assessment

Secretariat security vacancies are posted on UN Careers under the Internal Security and Safety network, often in the Security job family. Search UNDSS and mission names as departments, and check P, NO, FS, Security Service and local categories separately.

Assessments may test scenario analysis, written advice, risk concepts, incident response or supervisory judgement. Vacancy-specific physical or technical assessments can apply to operational roles.

Before applying, review hardship and family status, mobility expectations, local nationality conditions and any medical or certification requirements. A security title alone does not reveal whether the role is strategic, operational, local or international. The category and duties do.