Background

Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that started on 15th April 2023 continues in Sudan amidst multiple failed ceasefires, generating a multi-layered crisis. The conflict is dramatically worsening Sudan’s already dire Human Development outlook, taking a massive toll on human lives, livelihoods, public infrastructure, and basic services. The continued fighting is devastating the economy, with prices for food, fuel and other basic goods soaring, putting critical goods out of reach for many households. Residential areas are caught up in shelling and crossfire, civilians trapped without electricity or running water, and with limited access to food, drinking water and medical services. Key infrastructure, such as power plants, the electricity grid, health facilities, water stations, banking and communications infrastructure have been severely damaged, making basic services unavailable. Banks have closed, many small businesses in the urban areas have collapsed due to looting, food prices have spiked while cash circulation is limited. 

About 10.7 million people are now displaced by conflicts in Sudan. Their needs are overwhelming: shortages of food, shelter, healthcare, and sanitation, all combine to place them at heightened risk of disease outbreaks, malnutrition, and violence. 

Facing crisis as development emergencies that require integrated solutions, UNDP Sudan Country office has designed Field Office Manager to implement its interventions during this violent conflict with a focus on people’s livelihoods, socio-economic progress, basic services, peace building and institutional service delivery systems. The Field Office Manager aims to support the nexus of humanitarian assistance, transition to peace, security, and sustainability.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative (Programme), the Field Office Manager, will be responsible for the overall management of the Field Office, building partnerships with UN Agencies, Civil Society, local authorities and Community based organizations. The incumbent will also support programmatic synergies between UNDP projects in the region, with a focus to ensuring efficiency and effectiveness by utilising UNDP’s Quality Assurance principles. When needed, the incumbent will be responsible for the provision of support services to UNDP Country Office and local projects.

Scope of Work:

Ensure Effective Partnership building in the area:

  • Identify and build partnerships with development actors, government officials, civil society and stakeholders at the provincial and local level.
  • Particiapte meetings with local authorities and/or partners’ fora, providing information and updates on UNDP activities in the area.
  • Foster and maintain coordination and collaboration of activities among partner agencies.
  • Engage in development-related forums at the provincial and local level.
  • Facilitate sharing of relevant data between UNDP and other development partners.
  • Liaise as necessary with government and other UN agencies and development partners at the provincial and local level to facilitate implementation of the UNDP Country Programme.
  • Contribute to UN coordination within the area and maintains strong partnership and collaboration with other UN Agencies working in the area.
  • Promote visibility of UNDP activities at the provincial and local level.
  • Assist UNDP, as needed, in problem-solving at the provincial and local level.
  • Participate in UNDP annual planning and review processes.
  • Provide UNDP with regular updates on provincial and local development issues and operating space, early warnings and recommendations.
  • Share information, experiences and best practices among partners and other relevant stakeholders.
  • Ensure practical implementations issues and matters of concern are raised with the sub national authorities to ensure provincial projects and partners have conducive environment to implement projects.
  • Act as SDG focal point in the area for raising awareness, advocacy and promotion.

Coordinate UNDP projects and promotes/foster programmatic synergies:

  • Ensure overall coordination of UNDP projects implemented in the area and follow up on issues of integration and synergy.
  • Establish lines of communication and coordination between UNDP projects, to ensure cost efficiency, maximize results and foster a continual learning environment.
  • Coordinate with other UN agencies to promote joint UN efforts and raise awareness of shared progress towards UNDAF and SDG goals.
  • Coordinate with government partners to ensure ownership of projects and advocate for mobilization of government resources for scaling up successful UNDP models.

Ensure Quality Assurance of UNDP projects:

  • Organize the collection of data from beneficiaries, focusing on change brought about by UNDP development initiatives.
  • Verification of project outputs
  • Ensure integration of cross-cutting issues such as Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, accessibility, environment, disaster risk reduction, voice and participation of beneficiaries and following the principles of Do No Harm into project planning, implementation and results.
  • Follow up on quality assurance recommendations to ensure projects are following best practice.
  • Facilitate the collection and alignment of high-quality data for country office from projects in area, including but not limited to, the creation and maintenance of real-time data system accessible by UNDP country office staff.
  • Contribute to the collection and communication of data and findings towards annual country office quality assurance cycle for all projects in the region.

Ensure service provision for UNDP projects and Country Office:

  • Support the country office to gather relevant socioeconomic and political data and analysis for project and programme planning, project review and continual evaluation.
  • Building the capacity of field office staff and field monitoring staff in the areas of planning, monitoring and quality assurance.
  • Facilitate field visits by UNDP Country Office staff, UN Agencies, development partners, media and others when requested
  • Participate in provincial security and safety meetings
  • Act as focal point for good practice and lessons learnt, communicating with Country Office communication and programme teams.
  • Oversee the compilation of data for communications team.
  • Support the country office programme units to coordinate and ensure best practice with projects in region.
  • Conduct ‘third party’ monitoring of project activities at the request of projects and/or country office staff, providing feedback for improvement.

Management of the Field Office and facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

  • Manage day to day administration and financial activities of field office.
  • Ensure fiduciary accountability of the field office
  • Manage petty cash in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations
  • Ensure proper use, management, maintenance and record keeping of assets and equipment
  • Ensure proper safety measures as prescribed by Country Office are adopted for the safety and security of staff and office, while maintaining timely communications with country office security staff.
  • Manage the performance of field office staff, including setting annual targets and reviewing staff performance.
  • Manage and be accountable for overall field office work planning and delivery.
  • Identify policy-driven issues; and identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme country policy goals.
  • Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks, communities of practice, and digital knowledge platforms.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation

Institutional Arrangement:

He/she will work under the direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative Programme and closely with the projects staff in the field and other UN agencies staff to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery. He/she will participate in the formulation, management and evaluation of programme activities within the field office area.  

Competencies

Core:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.

Think Innovatively:   LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.

Adapt with Agility:    LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.

Act with Determination:  LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.

Engage and Partner:    LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:  LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.

Cross -Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Management:

Results-based Management : Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools. 

Portfolio Management : Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as- usual, while optimizing return on investment Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.

Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.

Digital:

Agile' methodologies and practices: Ability to manage projects and processes through continuous iteration, learning and improvement. Ability to manage a self-organizing cross-functional teams, foster a team culture of curiosity and learning. Being nimble and being able to improvise and quickly adjust to unforeseen events or changes in conditions or context.

Business Direction and Strategy:

System Thinking:Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Partnership Management: 

Relationship Management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent )  in International Development, Social Sciences, Public Administration, Business Administration, or other relevant development areas is required. Or
  • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree

Experience:

  • Minimum of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects and managing teams.

Required skills:

  • Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.). 
  • Experience in handling web-based management systems.

 Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section:

  • Experience of working in fragile and conflict settings 
  • Previous experience in an international organization 
  • Experience in working with national counterparts 
  • Experience  in developing, maintaining, and  strengthening partnerships with others inside (Programmes/projects) or outside the organization 
  • Experience on local dynamics 
  • Experience in managing partnerships with national and international partners 
  • Experience in managing teams 

Required Language(s) :

Fluency in English and Arabic is required. 

Professional Certificates: N/A

Duty Station(s) :

  •  Madani
  •  Kassala
  •  Kauda
  •  Darfur 
  •  Atbara

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

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