SOUTH SUDAN – PROGRAM MANAGER (M/F) – RENK

Desired start date: 15/02/24
Duration of the mission: 6 months
Location: Renk, South Sudan

SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) is an international humanitarian aid association which, since more than 40 years, has been providing assistance to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their basic needs for food, water and shelter. Particularly committed to the fight against diseases linked to unsafe water, the leading cause of death in the world, SI’s interventions provide expertise in the field of access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, but also in the essential area of food security and livelihoods. Present in some twenty countries, the SI teams – 2500 people in total, made up of expatriates, national staff, permanent staff at HQ, and a few volunteers – intervene with professionalism and commitment while respecting cultural norms.

About the mission

SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL (SI) has been operating in South Sudan since 2006, conducting activities in emergency and post emergency context, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas, including IDP camp settings. Its expertise in running emergency WaSH intervention is highly acknowledged by all WaSH actors and donors. Furthermore, SI is implementing longer term WASH and FSL activities in multiple locations.
Since the onset of the crisis in 2013, hundreds of thousands of people have been fleeing the conflict in South Sudan and an estimated 8.4 million are in need of humanitarian assistance as of 2023. Severity of food insecurity continues to grow due to compounding shocks amplified by intensified sub-national violence, three consecutive years of widespread flooding, localized dry spells, and an ongoing protracted macro-economic crisis with heightened poverty and vulnerability (more than 80% of the population is reportedly below the poverty line).
In April 2023, fightin g broke out in Khartoum, Sudan, spreading to other parts of the country in the following days and weeks, and resulting in mass displacement from Sudan to Egypt, Chad, Ethiopia, Libya, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan. By end of 2023, more than 480 000 people had reportedly displaced to South Sudan, the vast majority of entering through the Joda/ Wunthow border point in Renk County, Upper Nile State, the northernmost border crossing in South Sudan. Of those crossing, 82% were South Sudanese returnees, many of whom fled war in then-southern Sudan prior the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, or war in South Sudan between 2013 and 2018.
Following the influx of displaced people to Upper Nile and Unity States, Solidarités International mobilized an emergency response. The two SI emergency teams – responding to natural disasters, epidemics, and population displacement – were deployed early on to participate in the coordination and organization of the response. In Upper Nile, SI already had an office in Malakal (where one of the deployable team is based) and a field-office in Kodok. Two additional field offices in Renk and Melut have been set-up to support the ongoing response to the Sudan Crisis and to ensure constant monitoring and rapid access to affected communities. SI’s long term presence in Upper Nile enables the organization to ensure proper coordination with other key players on the ground in order to provide a high-quality response and avoid duplication of efforts.
The second national emergency team usually based in Juba, has been deployed to Unity State since May 4th to conduct Rapid Needs Assessment and to lead the emergency response in Rotriak and Pariang displacement sites.
SI is currently working to scale-up its response in both Upper Nile and Unity by recruiting additional team members to reinforce its capacities over the coming months.
The activities implemented are in the sectors of WASH, FSL, Shelter, RRM and Emergency Preparedness Response.
In 2023, the mission’s estimated budget is around USD 5+ million, and there are 100+ employees.
To learn more about the South Sudan mission, please click here.

General objective: The program manager is in charge of implementing and achieving the objectives defined in the proposals.

Responsibilities and main activities:

He/she is in charge of supervising the operational teams allocated to his/her program.
He/she guarantees the proper execution and the quality of the implemented program and, if applicable, suggests adjustments or developments to ensure its relevance.

Main responsibilities:
– Project relevance, quality and design
– Implementation and operational monitoring
– Personnel management
– Capitalization
– Reporting / communication / representation

Main challenges:

Overall, the Aid community is new to Renk, with the response there commenced with the outbreak of violence in Sudan in April 2023.
By now, coordination mechanisms are in place and are working. There are many actors and too few resources, making the environment competitive and political. Engagement with auhtorities may as well be challenging to some extent. Furthermoee, while Renk base is in the midst of growth, other teams will be managed remotely with possible visits to the sites.

Priorities for the 2/3 first months:

Key priorities for the beginning of your mission:
– Kicking off and instating new projects; Updating activities in the ever-evolving context.
– Establishing workflows also with the remote teams (both the ones you manage and the ones you report to and/or work with) to enable quality remote work flows.
– While you will have staff implementing the projects per-location, in some of the locations you will have 2-3 complimentary grants; special attention to the split in term of funding accountability and reporting is required.
– Keeping strong coordinaiton with all actors invovled and further SI establishment as key quality partner in its key intervention areas.

Management:

Within Upper Nile state and as the most senior staff in Renk sub-office, the Program manager will manage up to two dozens of proram staff split over 3-4 locations. You will also have the overall respobsibility of the sub-base, with Malakal office managing technically Renk support team. This means security responsibilities, with close guidance of Malakal team, will be part of your routine.

YOUR PROFILE:

Education: Master Degree in humanitarian/development studies, social sciences, management or other related discipline.

Experience & Knowledge:

– Mastering of project cycle management, and project reporting.

– Knowledge in proposal design and writing.

– Good Communication /coordination and representation skills in English.

– Knowledge on WASH or Food Security (ex: indicators FCS, CSI, CARI assessment, etc.), livelihood (agriculture, livestock) and markets (surveys, monitoring) is a strong asset.

– Skills on GIS and MEAL software (Kobo, XLS).

– Knowledge of SI rules and procedures would be an asset.

– Leadership and management.

– Good stress management.

– Important flexibility and adaptability.

– Prior experience in South Sudan would be considered as an asset.

A salaried position:
According to experience, starting from EUR 2310 gross per month (2100 base salary + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) and a monthly Per Diem of USD 700.

SI also covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate’s country of origin and the place of assignment.

Breaks: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of 7 working days every three months (with a USD 850 break allowance, allocated by Sl). To these breaks periods, SI grants one (1) additional rest day per month worked.

Insurance package: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which refunds all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.

LIVING CONDITIONS:

The Program Manager lives in guesthouse with the other national deloclized staffs. Accommodation rooms and bathing facilities are shared. Electricity is quite stable and there is a generator as backup. There is a kitchen with basic cooking facilities, and a cleaner/cook. Satelite internet is available.

Renk is a town setting, about an hour away from the Sudan border.
As such, facilities such as access to a market with local items (and intermittently supplies from Sudan) are available.
Local streetfood and restaurants are available.