Programme Officer

UNICEF is a leading humanitarian and development agency working globally for the rights of every child. Child rights begin with safe shelter, nutrition, protection from disaster and conflict and traverse the life cycle: pre-natal care for healthy births, clean water and sanitation, health care and education. UNICEF has spent nearly 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families.
Working with and for children through adolescence and into adulthood requires a global presence whose goal is to produce results and monitor their effects. UNICEF also lobbies and partners with leaders, thinkers and policy makers to help all children realize their rights—especially the most disadvantaged.

This UNV assignment is to support UNICEF’s work in the Nuba Mountains area of South Kordofan and in parts of the Blue Nile (2 Areas), Sudan which is characterized by a complex interplay of historical grievances, political aspirations, and socio-economic challenges. The area is under the control of non-state actors with established governance systems that oversee access to the areas, local resources and facilitate the approvals of humanitarian aid activities. The April 15th 2023 war in Sudan has worsened the humanitarian situation in the area; movement of people and flow of goods has become more restricted.

The humanitarian situation in the 2 Areas is critical, with ongoing conflict exacerbating vulnerabilities. Immediate and sustained humanitarian assistance is necessary to address food insecurity, health/nutrition needs and protection concerns. Collaborative efforts between local authorities, NGOs, international organizations, and United Nations Agencies are essential to improve the situation for affected populations.

UNICEF in partnership with international and national NGOs is supporting Health, Nutrition, Education, WASH and Child Protection Programmes in both areas. The programmatic activities are a mix of emergency response – for example cholera and other disease outbreaks, severe and acute malnutrition, lack of access to clean water and sanitation, among others as well as development programming on education provision, child protection, and cohesion.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Emergency Coordinator or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the focus of work of the UN Volunteer Programme Officer is as follows:

• Programme Support: Providing field level technical support to partners working on UNICEF’s key areas of intervention: WASH, Health and Nutrition, Child Protection, Education and Social & behavioral Change.
• Emergency Response: Participating in assessments to identify needs and gaps that will inform UNICEF’s priorities. As well as providing expertise for the development of emergency response planning during humanitarian crises.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Assessing the effectiveness of UNICEF’s sectoral interventions to ensure they meet objectives and improve outcomes for children.
• Reporting: Contributing to the preparation of periodic progress reports, briefings, and other documentation as required.
• Collaboration and Coordination: Working with other UN agencies, key local stakeholders, NGOs, and community organizations to coordinate efforts and maximize impact.
• Capacity Building: Support the capacity building of local partners as part of UNICEF’s commitment to a localization strategy.
• Data Management: Supporting the collection and analysis of field data in coordination with the field-based Programme Coordinator to support evidence-based programming. Prepare and present findings to key local stakeholders and partners.
• Resource Mobilization: Providing input to funding proposals as requested, by providing contextual updates and understanding of changing programmatic priorities in the field. Attending donor coordination meetings.
• Community Engagement: Facilitating community consultation as part of design and implementation/monitoring of programmes to ensure cultural relevance and sustainability as well as facilitate community awareness of UNICEF-supported interventions.
• Other: Undertaking regular travel to the field, and support with additional tasks as assigned by the supervisor in relation to humanitarian activities