Job Title:                          Head of Field Office (HoFO), for Northern Bahr el-Ghazal (NBeG) State, South Sudan

Reports to:                       Programme Director

Terms:                               Fixed Term, Full Time, Unaccompanied, 12 months

Base Location:                 Nyamlel, Aweil West, Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State (NBeG), South Sudan

Salary:                               Global Band 6 - GB6 (€46,822 - €52,024)

Travel Requirements:    Frequent travel to field sites, within the territory of South Sudan, as required.

About Concern:               Established in 1968, Concern is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian organisation, dedicated to the reduction of suffering and the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Concern’s vision, our mission and our work are all defined by one goal – ending extreme poverty, whatever it takes. Concern strives for a world free from poverty, fear and oppression.

Our culture is values driven and we believe that our people are central to all that we do and are key to delivering on our goal of Reaching the Furthest Behind First. We are committed to ensuring a workplace where everybody feels valued and is enabled to succeed in their work and contribute to delivering on our mission.

Role Purpose:                  The HoFO will be responsible for the overall leadership, coordination and management of Concern Worldwide’s programmes in NBeG State. Key activities include security monitoring and protocol implementation, coordination and leadership of the programmes and sectors, including strategy, budget and implementation oversight and ensuring the effective and efficient management of programme staff and programme logistics, in collaboration with the NBeG-based support team (finance, logistics, admin and HR). The HoFO serves as Concern’s most senior representative at the state level, providing leadership in external engagement with key stakeholders. The role includes oversight and direct or indirect management of all Concern’s staff based in NBeG and across all programme locations in the state. Working closely with and under the guidance of the Programme Director, the HoFO contributes to strategic planning, monitors programme performance and identifies opportunities for scale-up or adaptation in response to development and humanitarian needs and contextual changes, ensuring Concern maintains its position as a leading and agile emergency response actor in NBeG State.

Responsibilities:

Programme Development and Coordination

• Lead on situation and context analysis and programme proposal development for the NBeG programmes.
• Ensure the effective and high-quality implementation of Concern’s integrated emergency response and recovery programme, including Health, Nutrition, FSL, WASH, Protection/GBV, Shelter and NFI, as well as any emerging thematic areas in NBeG, according to international standards, Concern policies and best practices.
• Provide oversight and support to programme managers and staff to monitor conflict sensitivities, ensure accurate and timely stock prepositioning, develop procurement plans, track expenditures and report to donors in a timely manner.
• Monitor programme expenditures and budgets and work with relevant programme staff and the PD to ensure optimal resource utilisation and spending in accordance with Concern's financial procedures and donor requirements.
• Support cross-sectoral periodic programme reviews to assess programme progress, capture lessons learnt and adapt programme strategies as necessary in accordance with Concern’s results based management principles. Ensure mainstreaming of cross-cutting issues/approaches throughout the programme cycle, including Accountability to Affected Population, Gender, Protection, Conflict Sensitivity, Safeguarding, Rights-Based Approach and “Do No Harm” principle.
• Ensure the local authorities and communities are meaningfully engaged in programme development in line with the Core Humanitarian Standards initiative and best practices.
• Contribute to the overall management and strategic planning of the country programme.
• Together with relevant programme and support staff, ensure that NBeG programme activities, as well as the rapid response mechanism, are within the framework of the Concern South Sudan Country Annual Plan and Concern Country Strategy.
• Work with the PD to further build and maintain Concern’s emergency preparedness capacity, including contingency planning and PEER.
• Facilitate and coordinate all external and internal visits within the area of responsibility, including those by regional and HQ-based staff, consultants, donors, and media representatives, ensuring effective planning, logistical support, and adherence to organisational protocols.
• Work with the support functions (Operations Director and Country Financial Controller) to ensure that the programme, finance, HR and logistics needs are planned and met.

Security

• As Security Focal Point for NBeG State, ensure implementation of the Concern Worldwide Security Management Plan, the Standard Operating Procedures and Contingency Plans, with close support from the Operations Director or a delegated person-in-charge of safety and security at the Concern country office.
• Ensure that all NBeG based staff adhere to security protocols, understand the local conflicts and have gone through the orientation on conflict sensitivities.
• Monitor and report on the security/conflict status in the programme area to the Operations Director (OD), Programme Director (PD) and/or Country Director (CD).
• Organise and chair weekly and ad-hoc security meetings at the State level and share minutes with the Security Focal Group, OD, PD and CD.
• Regularly update the Security Communication Tree and share it with relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure that Concern Security staff list is updated weekly and shared with relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure that security information in NBeG is appropriately shared with Security Focal Group Members and that information necessary for the entire staff team is shared with staff.
• Participate in the annual review of the Security Management Plan.

Reporting and Donor Compliance

• Support the timely submission of internal monthly and donor reports as per the South Sudan grants/funding tracker shared by the Grants Unit.
• Work with the PD and Grants Unit to ensure the timely and high-quality development of programme proposals and concept notes for donors and other interested parties, including government departments.
• Ensure the timely production of high-quality annual reports, including reporting on PEER and CHS.

Staff development

• Supervise managers and lead the entire staff team, working closely with the PD, to provide strategic leadership and management.
• Lead, manage and motivate the team, ensuring they have clear objectives, work plans and receive meaningful and regular feedback on their performance.
• Set performance objectives for the supervised staff and ensure those supervised by your direct reports have performance objectives, routinely monitor their performance and evaluate them at the end of the performance period.
• Strengthen and develop the staff's programmatic, managerial, and operational skills through on-the-job mentoring, coaching and feedback mechanisms.
• Recommend promotions using Concern’s talent spotting.
• Initiate, or lead on disciplinary actions when required and as per the established procedures, in consultation with the PD or relevant managers.
• Address and mitigate staff complaints and conflicts in coordination with the HR Officer, PD and under the guidance of the Operations Director.
• Support PMs and the HR department with timely recruitment to fill vacant positions.
• Lead induction of new staff members to ensure they receive an adequate briefing and information to complete their tasks and responsibilities.
• Make recommendations on core staffing needs and training/capacity building needs for programmes and support.
• Ensure that Concern’s policies - such as the Code of Conduct (Programme Participant Protection Policy, Child Safeguarding Policy and Anti Trafficking in Persons Policy), Anti-Fraud and Whistle Blowing Policy, Conflict of Interest Policy as well as the minimum standards of humanitarian relief (ICRC Code of Conduct, Sphere, CHS) - are adhered to by all staff.

Representation

• Represent Concern to donors, clusters and relevant coordination fora and meetings at state level, as well as at national level as required, and with government departments, donors and communities.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with all stakeholders at state and county levels, including authorities, community leaders, NGOs, UN agencies, community-based organisations and others, to enhance networking, cooperation and coordination.
• Ensure that strong and cordial relations are built with authorities and technical ministries at all levels within the State, for all Concern’s intervention sectors.
• Take a lead role in further developing a coordinated approach towards effective coordination of all partners in the areas of operation for a coherent approach in all emergencies and outreach interventions.

Accountability

In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS):

• Actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all project cycle stages (planning, implementation, M&E).
• Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that the “Feedback, Complaints and Response Mechanism” (FCRM) is functional and accessible and that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed.
• Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about FCRM, safeguarding and expected staff behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Others

• Work in close collaboration with other members of the Concern team, sharing information and designing and implementing programme activities.
• Adhere fully to the commitments and rules of Concern’s Programme Participant Protection Policy and Code of Conduct (P4 and CoC and Safeguarding), including the respect of confidentiality.
• Report to the appropriate manager all violations of the P4 or CoC and Safeguarding policy. This is a mandatory duty of all staff.
• Other reasonable duties as requested by the PD, or a Concern’s senior manager.
• All managers are responsible for upholding and promoting Concern’s values, demonstrating leadership on workplace equality, diversity and inclusion and role modelling a positive safeguarding ethos.
• All managers are required to actively participate in any emergency response as and when required.

Education & Qualifications Required:

Essential:

• At least five years of experience managing and coordinating complex field-based operations, on integrated emergency response programmes in remote and fragile settings, with at least two of those years gained in international contexts.
• Experience and ability to lead a multi-sectoral programme team of international and national staff working in a remote location.
• Solid knowledge of finance, logistics and administration.
• Experience of monitoring and reporting of budgets across a programme and ensuring effective and accountable use of funds.
• Good IT literacy and sound knowledge of MS Office applications, particularly Excel.
• Experience of working in challenging, insecure areas and willingness to travel to remote environments.

Desirable:

• Master’s in development studies or sociology, or any other development related study
• Understanding of sectoral coordination and priorities
• Experience in promoting community participation in programme design, implementation and evaluation
• Experience of institutional strengthening of government and local NGOs
• Experience of conducting emergency assessments and rapid response mechanisms

To apply:  CVs and Cover Letters should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net by the closing date.

Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be shortlisted on a regular basis and we may offer posts before the closing date. 

If you have any concerns about our recruitment process and need particular assistance - for example if you have a visual impairment or are neurodivergent - please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you. 

Concern has an organizational Code of Conduct (CCoC) with three Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy accessible here. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organization, and the standards of behavior expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies. Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work or volunteer with vulnerable adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Subsequently, working or volunteering with Concern is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking. 

Your Personal Data 

During this job application, you will provide Concern with your personal data. Concern takes its responsibilities towards this personal data very seriously and is committed to complying with all relevant data protection legislation. 

For additional information please consult our web site or contact the Human Resource Division in our Head Office. 

You have certain rights under data protection legislation. For more information on how to exercise those rights please visit www.concern.net/about/privacy 

Concern Worldwide is an Irish-based non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.