Humanitarian Director

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Humanitarian Director will ensure humanitarian including emergency response programming is timely, relevant and of excellent technical quality; attracts significant donor funding; and contributes significantly to Save the Children’s strategic objectives.  As such, the Humanitarian Director will lead the annual development of Save the Children’s Humanitarian Plan and Emergency Preparedness Plan in Sudan, and will provide inputs into the development of strategic humanitarian proposals.  S/he will advocate, identify and follow up on opportunities to develop increased nexus programming; programming which empowers local and national actors and is conflict sensitive; and incorporates enhanced analysis, preparedness and anticipatory action activities across programming, to ensure the greatest sustainable impact for children and their families and communities.  The Humanitarian Director will also lead capacity-building initiatives across the CO to improve implementation of quality response.  S/he will need to coordinate extensively with other departments to achieve the role purpose.

The Humanitarian Director will engage significantly with external stakeholders, including sectors/ clusters, key donors, partners, and authorities, in relation to humanitarian strategic planning, to support coordination of specific emergency responses, as well as to advocate for humanitarian space and access, and continued improvements in practice across the humanitarian community in Sudan. 

The Humanitarian Director will directly supervise the portfolio funded by SHF and provide strategic oversight, performance management, and ensuring alignment of consortium activities with Save the Children’s broader humanitarian strategy. Humanitarian Director will ensure the SHF portfolio is effectively supported to deliver against donor expectations, internal standards, and operational priorities.

The Humanitarian Director will lead Save the Children in Sudan’s efforts to facilitate an increased role of local and national actors in humanitarian action and leadership, closely supporting the design and implementation of new programming/interventions aimed at contributing towards localization, and working internally and externally to facilitate conditions favorable for effective local leadership of response.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: 

Humanitarian Analysis, Humanitarian Programs supervision, Strategy & Programme Strengthening:

• Coordinates and provides strategic leadership, direction, guidance and technical support to the development of humanitarian programming across Sudan.  Aligns the humanitarian response to Save the Children’s Country Strategic Plan and interagency response plans and strategies.
• Leads the annual development and review of a Humanitarian Plan for Save the Children in Sudan based on context analysis, and alignment with Save the Children’s CSP goals; supports its adoption and implementation across the CO.
• Coordinates the development of Save the Children’s contributions to the interagency annual Humanitarian Response Plan.  Ensures contributions to interagency emergency response plans.
• Guides the Humanitarian Analyst, and coordinates with MEAL and GIS staff, to ensure relevant analysis, mapping, research and other learning exercises are undertaken, which inform strategic planning and decision-making, and contribute to effective programme design and advocacy.
• Provide direct supervision and strategic leadership to the SHF Consortium Directors/Leads, supporting effective governance of the consortium, cross-departmental coordination, and high-quality implementation. Ensure SHF-funded programming aligns with Save the Children’s Humanitarian Plan and wider response architecture.
• Support the Consortium Directors/Leads in troubleshooting operational and strategic challenges, including compliance, partner coordination, and engagement with the SHF Technical Secretariat and OCHA.
• Ensure that the SHF approved projects contribute to humanitarian localization objectives by strengthening partnerships with national NGOs, improving accountability mechanisms, and embedding risk mitigation systems across all partners.
• Works with the Advocacy, Campaigns, Communications & Media team to develop and disseminate key messages on the humanitarian context, gaps and needs in Sudan, to key internal and external stakeholders. 
• Supports and follows up on pipeline funding opportunities, and engages directly in the design of strategic humanitarian project proposals that contribute significantly to the objectives set out within the Humanitarian Plan.
• Champions the integration of best practice and relevant innovative approaches within humanitarian programming, to maximize impact and sustainability.  This includes, but is not limited to conflict sensitivity, anticipatory action, community-based DRR/CCA, durable solutions, and triple-nexus. Ensures the Centrality of Protection is embedded across all programming.
• Develops capacity-building initiatives to ensure staff across all functions understand humanitarian principles, standards and best practice, and can effectively undertake their roles, contributing towards timely and quality response.

Humanitarian Coordination & External Representation:

• Represents Save the Children within all humanitarian coordination mechanisms, including relevant cluster meetings and taskforces; as well as NGO fora and working groups.  Specifically, represents Save the Children on Refugee Consultation Forum and Durable Solutions Working Group.
• Proactively engages in relevant fora and working groups to achieve systemic change within the humanitarian community in alignment with Save the Children’s strategic goals.
• Represents Save the Children in donor meetings and visits.  Maintains regular engagement with key donors in Sudan.
• Proactively engages with national NGOs and CBOs to 
• Represents Save the Children with high-level government officials at both the federal and state level, and with authorities in non-government controlled areas, especially in relation to emergency preparedness and response.
• Line manages and supports the Education Sector Co-Coordinator to ensure a coherent and effective response to education needs being addressed by all agencies engaging in Education interventions in Sudan.

Humanitarian Access & Space:

• Line manages and supports the Humanitarian Access Manager to undertake effective context and risk assessment and analysis, facilitate programme access, and develop policies and procedures that support the safe delivery of programme activities and are responsive to local context. 
• Engages significantly with relevant stakeholders to maintain access and space to develop and implement effective humanitarian programming in non-government controlled areas. 

Localization of Humanitarian Response:

• Establishes relationships and ensures sustained engagement with a range of local and national actors (LNAs), including NNGOs, CBOs, youth networks, authorities and private sector; provides opportunities for local and national actors to speak.
• Undertakes internal advocacy and coordination to ensure improved ways of working, conducive to the development of strong strategic partnerships with local and national humanitarian and development civil society actors.
• Ensures implementation of ongoing humanitarian capacity-sharing programme of opportunities for LNAs, including NNGOs and authorities (on humanitarian principles, concepts and standards and emergency operations and NGO governance best practice), and develop more sustainable capacity-sharing models, including through engagement with NGO Fora and academic institutions.  Advocates for and supports the use of quality and accountability standards by NNGOs undertaking humanitarian action.
• Leads initiatives to increase NNGO/CBO role in emergency response specifically, including through supporting their integration within Emergency Rapid Response Mechanisms (ERRMs), establishing sub-grant programmes, providing access to pooled resources and support services, and tailored capacity-sharing support, networking opportunities and advocacy.

Emergency Response Planning & Implementation:

• Manages the annual development and review of the Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP), ensuring inputs from field offices and CO functions are integrated.  Follows up on Minimum Preparedness Actions and Advanced Preparedness Actions with all functions / departments, to ensure readiness across the CO for emergency response.  Ensures Contingency Plans are developed for high-risk hazards.
• Plans prepositioning of appropriate emergency relief stock across the country, and advocates for access to common cluster pipelines.
• Strengthens the internal early warning system to enable appropriate decision-making and response at CO level.
• Acts as default Team Leader for Category 1 and 2 responses. Ensures swift response to new emergencies or spikes in emergency are launched, by supporting teams to raise timely alerts, undertake rapid needs assessments, develop response plans and master budgets, mobilise funds, and deploy surge staff.  Ensures that humanitarian sitreps and other reporting are submitted on time and to a high-quality standard.
• Acts as Fund Manager for allocation of internal humanitarian funding.
• Ensures all responses are well-coordinated with and complementary to other actors, including through facilitating ongoing engagement with sectors/clusters, partners, government and other stakeholders, and through contribution to interagency response plans, assessments and reports.
• Supports efforts to enhance project management, technical, MEAL, safeguarding, supply chain, finance and other support service capacity, systems and processes to increase readiness to implement safe, timely and relevant emergency responses.
• Provides guidance to field and humanitarian operations teams to ensure response implementation follows internal guidelines, donor guidelines, and meets standards. 

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (SCI Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modeling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks 

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

Essential

• Minimum of 6 years’ experience gaining progressive responsibility in humanitarian roles with an NGO, to include a minimum of 5 years in field-based roles within a challenging or insecure context.
• Fluency in English, both verbal and written.
• Excellent coordination and interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly and effectively at all levels and with a range of stakeholders. Proven external coordination and representation skills.
• Excellent knowledge of humanitarian principles, relevant humanitarian international laws, regulations and standards, and thorough understanding of key concepts in humanitarian action.  Excellent understanding of humanitarian funding and coordination mechanisms.
• Excellent writing/editing, budget development and presentation/communication skills. Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner.
• Prior experience in assessment, design and implementation of humanitarian programming.
• Demonstrated capacity to work autonomously under pressure and with tight deadlines; develop and manage own workplan to achieve objectives. Excellent organisational skills.
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis and planning, defining a clear way forward and ensuring buy in.
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively to field sites and work independently.
• Commitment to the aims and principles of Save the Children, in particular a good understanding of Save the Children’s mandate and child focus.
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. 

Desirable

• Prior experience of working in Sudan.
• Arabic language skills.
• Prior experience as a member of Country Office Senior Management Team or equivalent.
• Specific experience of supporting change management.

Equal Opportunities 

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Health and Safety

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Additional Job Responsibilities

• The post holder will be a member of Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Senior Management Team (SMT).
• The job duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.