National Project Coordinator - NOB (DC)

The ILO is the United Nations agency whose mission is to promote social justice through improved access of men and women to decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and dignity.

The position is opened in the context of the EU Emergency Trust Fund for stability and addressing the root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa (80%) and the Partnership for improving prospects for forcibly displaced persons and host communities (PROSPECTS) financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (20%). The two projects focus on  supporting the Social Protection System in Sudan.

The project will be implemented by the ILO with the support of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors (GCSPF) between July 2020 and December 2022 and has as its developmental objective to generate a pragmatic evidence-based national dialogue on social protection in Sudan and strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Labour and Social Development and social partner(MOLSD) for a comprehensive social protection system.

The EU project has two specific objectives:

1. Enhanced policy dialogue and coordination among national and international stakeholders across the development-humanitarian nexus, based on different components of the social protection floor approach.
2. Strengthened institutional capacity and operational systems of MOLSD in social protection, and of other social protection stakeholders, including workers and employers’ organizations.

The PROSPECTS project focuses on:

1. Improving education, training and socio-economic prospects for refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the communities that host them;
2. Strengthening and expanding inclusive protection systems for refugees, IDPs and host communities, including social protection;
3. Supporting efforts to develop and promote durable solutions for refugees and IDPs;
4. Improving coordination and collaboration among national and international partners and stakeholders to address forced displacement situations, including through strengthened policy, legislative and regulatory frameworks.

The overall objective of the projects contribute to the progressive achievement of SDGs 1: “No poverty” and 10: “Reduced inequalities”, but also promotes progress towards Goals 2 "Zero hunger", 3: “Good health and well-being", 5: “Gender equality”, 8: “Decent work and economic growth”, 16: “Peaceful and inclusive societies” and 17: "Partnerships for the goals". In particular Goal 1 "Poverty" contains the commitment, through the target 1.3, to "Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable" and Goal 10 "Inequality", through the target 10.4, to "Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality".

The projects aim to mitigate the protracted crises on vulnerable host community, refugee and IDP households in Sudan, including the emergence of the COVID 19 crisis, and reduce poverty and inequality by extending social protection coverage. This will be achieved through the development of an evidence-based national dialogue on social protection led by MoLSD, enhancing social protection policy response across the development-humanitarian nexus and combining short term and longer term social protection sustainable approaches. This national dialogue would be an opportunity to bring together the major Ministries involved in social protection and policy reforms, such as the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP), but also other national stakeholders (workers’ and employers’ organizations, NGOs such as the GCSPF, academics, statistics bureau, etc.) and international organizations (UN agencies working on social protection such as UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP, WHO, international financial institutions such as the World Bank, the Africa Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, but also regional institutions such as the African Union, the EU delegation, INGOs).

To support the MOLSD mandate in social protection, their leadership and the operational capacities, a large component will be related to the institutional capacity building of MOLSD and the social protection institutions, in particular the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the National Pensions and Social Insurance Fund (NPSIF). It will also involve analysis on ICT development and inter-operability between the social protection schemes. The projects will also provide technical assistance in developing strategies for extending social protection to currently uncovered and vulnerable populations, for instance workers in the informal economy.

Carrying out these technical advisory services will require both sound technical expertise and a thorough understanding of the country context, national stakeholders, political and institutional processes. The projects will therefore hire a national project coordinator based in Khartoum. This combination of local and international staff will ensure both local expertise and presence on the ground but also quality assurance and sound delivery of technical outputs while at the same assuring cost-efficiency.

Under direct supervision, within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO, the National Project Coordinator will assist the overall activities of the above-mentioned projects by providing technical support and contribute to the expected outcomes. The incumbent will promote ILO policies in the related technical areas and other components of the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda in the field.

Reporting lines

The National Project Coordinator (NPC) will directly report and work under the overall responsibility of the Country Director for ILO Country Office in Addis Ababa and under the direct supervision of the social protection technical officer and PROSPECTS project manager. At national level, the NPC will coordinate with the office and other projects,

The NPC will work in close collaboration and under the technical supervision of the ILO Social Protection Specialist, based in DWT-Cairo, the Social Protection (SOCPRO) and PROSPECTS technical departments based at ILO Headquarters in Geneva.

The NPC will implement project activities in collaboration with the MoLSD, the Ministry of Finance (MoF), employers’ and workers’ Organizations,  and will coordinate with other UN agencies and the GCSPF when necessary. 

The NPC will support the effective implementation of project activities through the technical, efficient and timely execution of tasks in accordance with the policies, values and procedures of the ILO, and alignment with Sudan government strategic orientations.  The incumbent will initiate, sustain and guide cooperation with key partners, in close collaboration with the ILO Country Office Director, relevant ILO technical specialists and project team members in Khartoum to ensure that social protection systems are strengthened and mainstreamed in existing government institutions.

The NPC will be responsible for coordinating relevant project activities in Sudan in close consultation and collaboration with key stakeholders mentioned above and will undertake the following duties:

Project management:

• Contribute to effective coordination of planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of project activities, in conformity with ILO policies, programming guidelines, country/action programs, and administrative and financial procedures.
• Provide timely technical inputs and effective backstopping to support the timely and efficient delivery of outputs, and monitoring and evaluation of project activities.
• Collect and analyse data required for planning and implementation of project activities, considering different approaches and alternative methods for activity design, management, problem identification and problem resolution.
• Support necessary tasks for the effective management of project funds and for preparing budget estimates and expenditure forecasts by analysing and monitoring resource requirements and expenditure patterns, and making recommendations to management for any remedial action as necessary.
• Identify training needs and support the organisation of training workshops, seminars, meetings for target groups and partners, including the tripartite partners.

(see more duties below)

Advocacy, networking and partnership:

• In consultation with project teams, collaborate with the partners, target groups and donors for planning and implementation of programme activities.
• Liaise with project partners to increase the projects’ visibility and facilitate the scaling-up of the projects’ interventions.
• Ensure a more effective coordination with a range of relevant national policies and the strategies of various projects, including those being undertaken by other agencies or in complementary fields of activity.
• Liaise with relevant departments at executing agencies, government offices, constituents, ILO Headquarters, ILO Regional office, and other organizations to ensure the smooth implementation of activities, meet targets and solve problems.

Reporting and Knowledge management:

• Develop and review project information materials,
• Prepare periodic and ad hoc reports on the status of project planning and implementation, and establish coordination with concerned ILO departments and other UN agencies involved in the joint proposal.
• Any other duties requested by the responsible chief.

First level University Degree in Economics, Public Finance Management, Social Protection, and Development Studies or related Social Sciences.

At least three years of experience in project management and implementation.  Experience in the area of social protection and inclusion, and public finance management is strongly desirable. Familiarity with ILO policies, technical programmes and procedures, including experience working with officials of relevant government ministries, employers’ and workers’ organizations would be an advantage.

Excellent command of English and good knowledge of Arabic.

• In-depth understanding of social protection and inclusion, and strategies for the extension of social protection to all (including aspects of gender, children and disability). Strong knowledge of trends/landscape of social protection in Sudan.
• Good knowledge of social protection financing and public finance management
• Good knowledge of programming and budgeting, project formulation, administration and evaluation techniques. Demonstrated ability to effectively implement a Technical Cooperation project.
• Good knowledge of the role and operations of UN system activities for development.
• Ability to establish and maintain systems for effective project implementation, reporting and evaluation.
• Excellent drafting skills and the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing in English and Arabic.
• Ability to understand and effectively work with Government, workers and employers organizations, non-government organizations and UN agencies.
• Proficient in basic computer software (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Reader) and ability to use other software packages required by the Office.
• Excellent analytical skills. Ability to contribute to research and policy oriented activities and reports.
• Good planning and organizational skills.
• Ability to work on own initiative, with minimum supervision, as well as a team member and team leader.
• Good interpersonal relations.
• Ability to supervise staff.