Humanitarian needs in Sudan are complex with multiple drivers including internal displacement due to armed conflict between state and non-state armed groups, and inter-tribal /communal conflicts related to access to land and scarcity in natural resource; and the influx of refugees due to armed conflict and political insecurity in neighboring countries.  As of May 2017, the Sudan Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) estimates that there are some 1.6 m IDPs; 0.16m returnees and 1.5m vulnerable residents in need of humanitarian assistance.  In addition, as at 31 January 2018, Sudan is host to some 921,000 refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from South Sudan (767,400) and Eritrea (114,000).  Over 196,000 South Sudanese have arrived in Sudan in 2017.  Protracted IDPs, often having faced multiple displacements and asylum seekers and refugees remain largely dependent on humanitarian aid. Additionally, cyclical challenges such as fire outbreaks (in arid areas in Darfur) and seasonal heavy rains and flooding result in IDPs/refugees losing their shelters and belongings.

UNHCR Sudan took over the leadership of the Emergency Shelter/Non-Food Item (ES/NFI) Sector from WFP 1st April 2012. Since then, Sector coordination and management of the NFI Common Pipeline (CHP) of ES/NFIs for internally displaced/ disaster affected and returnee populations in Sudan, including transportation of ES/NFIs to the location of distribution have been managed by UNHCR. Since the first large influx of South Sudanese refugees into Sudan beginning December 2013, the ES/NFI sector also supports the Refugee Consultative Forum (RCF) in the provision of emergency shelter and non-food items to refugees.

UNHCR established itself in Kordofan State of Sudan since 2011 initially to provide assistance to persons affected by conflicts opposing the Government and armed group in South Kordofan. In 2018, the Field Office based in Kadugli was upgraded to Sub-Office (SO) with a wider responsibility to oversee the management of the operation in South Kordofan and West Kordofan following the influx of South Sudanese refugees in Sudan.

The Field Office in El Fula is responsible for the management of the refugee response in the main settlements including Kharasana, El Meriam, Muglad, and El Nuhud Localities and oversees the refugee concerns in other 12 Localities in West Kordofan State. Since 1st November 2018, the Sub Office extended its presence by opening a new Field Office in Abu Jubeiha town in the eastern corridor which is hosting more than 90% of the refugee population in South Kordofan. In addition to refugees, there are an estimated 200,000 IDPs in South Kordofan State and 80,000 returnee IDPs.

To ensure that people of concern get access to appropriate assistance and protection, UNHCR in Kordofan’s State is working in close cooperation and partnership with the Government, Lines Ministries and National Counterpart (COR and HAC) as well as International and National Organizations and UN Agencies (OCHA, UNICEF, WFP, IOM, WHO, FAO, UNMAS). Based on the out of camp approach and to promote complementarity among agencies, UNHCR developed LoU with UNICEF which outlines the areas of responsibility in health, education and wash sectors and a MoU with WFP for the provision of foods assistance to PoCs. The main activities are in the areas of Protection, Health and Nutrition, Education, WASH, Livelihoods, etc. though Project Partnership Agreements (PPA)

The Assistant Shelter and NFI Coordinator is part of Field/Coordination and will be the direct supervision of the Protection Cluster Coordinator in the Sub Office, Kadugli and guidance from the ES/NFI Shelter Coordinator in Khartoum.

S/he will be based in the Sub Office, Kadugli and will support the Field Office, El Fula and Field Units in Abu Jubaiha and El Obeid. S/he will support the implementation of earmarked funded projects (CERF and Danish) in South Kordofan State in the localities of Kadugli, Abu Kashola, Abu Jubaiha and Talodi.

S/he will work closely with colleagues in South Kordofan, the five Darfur States and Blue Nile where the project is being implemented as well with colleagues in Khartoum and if necessary, in the region and headquarters. S/he will also work closely and provide support for UNHCR colleagues in Kordofan and Khartoum and partners in the implementation and reporting on community-based protection; community support projects and provision of enhanced NFI kits and shelter cash grants.

Working under the supervision of the Protection Cluster Coordinator and guidance of the ES/NFI National Sector Coordinator, the incumbent, will perform the following duties as required:

• Convene monthly meetings of the ES/NFI Sector in Kadugli, informing  implementing partners of meeting date, time and venue and taking meeting minutes;
• Ensure the refugee response is included as an agenda item at ES/NFI Sector coordination meetings, sharing relevant documents to ensure implementation of the UNHCR ES/NFI Strategy within the RCF;

• Convene sector-specific meetings such as Strategic Advisory Group and technical working groups for the Sector and for the Refugee response;
• Maintain document templates for information products according to information management protocols, standard letters, briefs, reports, presentations, policy guidelines, agendas, minutes, and all other public documents;
• Participate in interagency needs assessment meetings and field missions as required for the IDP and Refugee response;
• Participate in the Annual Humanitarian Response Plan processes with implementing partners to develop the ES/NFI Sector portions of the HNO, sector objectives/ priorities and the Sector Response Plan;
• Participate in the annual RCF work plan process to ensure that the sector response plan for ES/NFI assistance is developed in a consultative process with implementing partners, and in line with the Refugee Response Chapter and Refugee Regional Response Plans;
• Work with ES/NFI focal points in the field, Camp Coordinators and Area Coordinators in locations hosting refugees and sector partners to develop project sheets, covering gaps and convene PRG meetings to vet and approve project sheet as and when reuired to;
• Participate in pooled fund processes including working with partners in the development of allocation proposals taking notes at the PRG meeting, and reporting against allocations;
• Establish and maintain a Monitoring and Evaluation system to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of ES/NFI activities on all people of concern assisted;
• Ensure that PDMs and on site monitoring exercises are conducted routinely;
• Contribute to the maintenance  and updating of relevant documents such as the SOP for the various processes involved in ES/NFI interventions for IDPs and refugees;
• Draft reports related to the Sector activities and management of the NFI Common Pipeline for internal and extermal audiences including donors and OCHA.   Specifically:
  • Sudan ES/NFI Sector Quarterly Updates – drafted by the 10th of the following month
  • NFI CP quartelry reports – drafted by the 10th of the following month
  • Global shelter cluster quartlerly fact sheet – drafted by the 10th of the following month
  • Input to the UNHCR monthly Sitrep – as requested
• Work closely with the Associate IM Officer for the final products for disemminateion widely;
• Manage and monitor the Sector shared network drive;
• Manage electronic filing of important documents, reports relating to ES/NFI activities;
• Upload relevant documents to the GSC website and the Humanitarian info website;
• Manage, moderate and administer existing e-mail lists by conducting regular ‘cleaning’ of the ES/NFI e-mail lists to ensure appropriate recipients

Education:

• Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Political Science, Public Policy, International Relations, Public Administration, Economic, Business Administration, Engineering or other relevant field is required.

Work Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of previous job experience relevant to the function (with UN or NGO).  In addition to the qualifications and requirements stated above, the incumbent is expected to be flexible and ready to adapt to eventual new tasks as the situation evolves, great autonomy, dynamism and creativity; good sense of responsibility and initiative.

Professionalism:

• Demonstrate sense of ethics and sound judgment in dealing with clients
• Very good knowledge of State/Region of assignment, including the cultural, political and economic dimensions.  Ability to work under extreme pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment.  Very good knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining to humanitarian affairs and sound knowledge of the institutions of the UN system.

***For National Officer positions, very good knowledge of local language and local institutions is essential.

Only short listed candidates will be notified.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply

Candidate Assessments may include a written examination followed by a Competency Based Interview.