Community and Rural Development Senior Officer

The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

Based in Addis Ababa, the Horn of Africa Multi-Country Office (HAMCO) delivers project management, procurement, and infrastructure services across Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Sudan, with a primary focus on health, agriculture, and economic development. Established in 2009, HAMCO partners with governments and development stakeholders to implement impactful, results-driven initiatives that contribute to sustainable development. Since 2024, new projects have been aimed at expanding access to healthcare, education, energy, and livelihoods, particularly in underserved and conflict-affected regions. HAMCO also provides human resource management services, supporting the effective implementation of development initiatives. Key efforts include equipping research facilities, strengthening education and health systems, building vaccine research capacity, and enhancing resilience in communities affected by crisis. Through these interventions, HAMCO contributes to inclusive growth, regional stability, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the Horn of Africa.

Since 2005, UNOPS has supported South Sudan’s development through critical infrastructure projects that improve access to essential services and livelihoods, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Efforts focus on the design, construction, and rehabilitation of roads, airstrips, ports, and bridges to enhance connectivity and promote economic activity. UNOPS also builds schools, health facilities, and government offices to strengthen basic service delivery and institutional capacity. In addition to infrastructure, UNOPS provides procurement and operational support to the Government and development partners, enabling efficient and transparent implementation of key initiatives. All efforts are geared toward improving socio-economic conditions, fostering resilience, and supporting long-term development across South Sudan.

This position operates within the South Sudan Livelihoods and Resilience Programme (SSLRP), a critical initiative aimed at improving livelihoods, food security, and climate resilience for rural smallholder households in South Sudan. The role involves coordinating agriculture and livelihoods activities under Component 2, requiring close liaison with state and county governments, implementing partners (NGOs), and Community Rural Development Associates. The incumbent will navigate a complex political environment with multiple stakeholders, ensuring effective project implementation and capacity building.

The Community and Rural Development Senior Officer conducts substantive analysis, synthesizes proposals, and adapts existing policies to support the effective implementation and coordination of agriculture and livelihoods activities under the South Sudan Livelihoods and Resilience Programme (SSLRP). S/he ensures robust stakeholder engagement, monitors project progress, and contributes to capacity building, playing a pivotal role in achieving the programme's objectives in a complex operational environment.

1. Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination

• Support the organization of stakeholder engagement meetings and workshops with the participation of state and county governments, implementing partners (NGOs) and other stakeholders; related to the implementation of the agriculture and livelihoods activities under component 2 of SSLRP;
• Support the organization of sessions for approach alignment and sharing of best practices between the implementing partners for agriculture and livelihoods activities of SSLRP;
• Support the communication with the implementing partners and with the government departments coordinating the areas related to agriculture and livelihoods activities.

2. Monitoring, Reporting and Quality Assurance

• Conduct supervision visits to the agriculture and livelihoods activities implemented by the Implementing Partners and produce reports from the supervision visits, including recommendations for improvement;
• Follow up on the monthly and quarterly reporting schedules of the Implementing Partners and support the review of the reports (narrative reports, indicator tracking tools, work plan updates);
• Support the monitoring of progress of agriculture and livelihoods activities on each site on a regular basis;
• Receive and revise weekly reports from Community Rural Development Associates and produce consolidated monthly and quarterly reports summarizing progress;
• Support the documentation of best practices and innovative approaches within the agriculture and livelihoods interventions.

3. Project Support and Capacity Building

• Support the coordination of activities agriculture and livelihoods activities implemented by Community Rural Development Associates;
• Support partner’s capacity building training and all other ad hoc meetings related to quality management and timely implementation of planned activities;
• Participate in regular unit team meetings and follow up on action points assigned;
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Project Manager.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) inDevelopment Studies, Project Management, International Relations/Diplomacy, Political Studies, Agriculture, Sociology, or Administration or related fields with 4 years of relevant experience OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 2 years of relevant experience OR 

• A Master's Degree in Development Studies, Project Management, International Relations/Diplomacy, Political Studies, Agriculture, Sociology, or Administration.
  

  Technical/Professional Diploma with 6 years of relevant experience   is required.

Desired

A Master's Degree in Development Studies, Project Management, International Relations/Diplomacy, Political Studies, Agriculture, Sociology, or Administration.

Required

• A minimum of two (2) years of relevant work experience in the field of agriculture and livelihoods, community development, stakeholder engagement, liaison with the government, project coordination and community engagement is required.

•  A minimum of two (2) years of experience in reporting and monitoring and evaluation of field interventions is required

Desire

Experience in post-conflict and disaster contexts.

Experience in implementing donor-funded projects. 

Knowledge of the local context of South Sudan.

Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.

Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
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• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
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• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
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• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.