Country Manager – Sudan

The purpose of the Norwegian Red Cross (NoRC) Country Offices (CO) is to ensure implementation of the international strategy at country level through programme support to the National Society partner, as articulated and established in the country framework. The CO is responsible for ensuring results-based project management, risk management, and operational in-country Movement coordination. Furthermore, the CO is responsible for ensuring project implementation in support to NS partners, in line with established project agreements and project plans. The CO ensures sound technical quality of all country projects, in line with established technical standards and best practices. The CO ensures that Norwegian Red Cross programme support is based on regularly updated humanitarian needs analysis in line with established practices. The CO represents Norwegian Red Cross in-country with regards to external partnerships and relationships. The CO is responsible for security management.

The purpose of the Sudan Country Manager is to achieve Norwegian Red Cross humanitarian, enabling objectives and organizational objectives, as per NorC International Strategy and relevant Africa Regional Framework, at country level through strategic partnership management, results-based project management and risk management.

Strategic Responsibilities:

• Follows up and strengthen the partnership with Sudanese Red Crescent National Society through partnership management, project development and management in line with established project agreements and project plans.
• Represents NoRC’s in-country, coordinate strategically and programmatically with RCRC Movement (RCM) partners, particularly ICRC and IFRC and contributes to complementary RCM roles and responsibilities in country.
• Manages CO in accordance with Norwegian Red Cross leadership development framework, NorC financial routines and established in-country security.

Operational Responsibilities:

• Develops annual country plan of action and follows up on progress through regular meetings and reporting for Sudan.
• Follows up and supports the strategic and operational cooperation with Sudanese Red Crescent in accordance with the Partnership Agreement and NorC partnership process.
• Ensures annual joint operational planning and complementary implementation with ICRC and other Movement partners as applicable.
• Safeguards project agreements and plans and follows up on risk assessments for all in-country initiatives for Sudan.
• Organizes needs assessments and develops fundable proposals for Sudan.
• Ensures that Norwegian Red Cross supported programmes in Sudan comply with technical standards and thematic frameworks.
• Consistently monitors planned and unplanned effects of all projects supported by the NoRC in Sudan and reports on progress through tertiary and yearly reports and complies with established deadlines.
• Ensures reliable data and information collection from all projects in accordance with NoRC results framework.
• Ensures accountability in line with Norwegian Red Cross Accountability Matrix and Partnership Calendar. This includes contribution to the annual budget process, mid-term budget review, and timely submission of cash requests / working advances.
• Supports financial and overall risk management, including annual audit process and proper handling of financial irregularities, in line with established rules and regulations.
• -Engages the Sudan country team by providing clear expectations manifested in individual objective setting processes for all staff linked to annual Plan of Action, and follows up through expressing positive expectations and holding each other accountable.
• Ensures that Field Security Rules and Regulations of Norwegian Red Cross for Sudan are understood and updated, and oversees their compliance
• Promotes good collaboration between country office and regional office to ensure use of available technical expertise and standards.
• Acquires fluency in the understanding and of Norwegian Red Cross work processes and digital tools.
• Establishes relationships with internal stakeholders – RCRC Movement partners and manages regular meetings with donors to obtain support for unfunded humanitarian projects.
• Acts as spokesperson for country developments relating to Sudan upon delegation from the Regional Representative and supports Norwegian Red Cross’ humanitarian diplomacy objectives, including by identifying opportunities in line with global priorities.
• Contributes to the operationalization of global strategic agreements with the ICRC and the IFRC in the country.
• Supports in-country RCRC coordination mechanisms conducive to better efficiency, effectiveness and greater humanitarian impact.

Collaboration:

• Engages with the Regional Finance Manager and the Results Management Coordinator at Regional Office, to ensure consistent accountability towards NoRC’s rules and regulations, guidelines and deadlines.
• Engages with the regional technical delegates; including the Finance Development (FD) delegate, CBS and Regional Innovation delegates to ensure continued and sustained high quality programme support to SRCS.
• Through established channels and structures, ensures regular communication with colleagues in the Africa Regional Team, and as per need, with Programme Support Team, Finance and Grants Unit and International Human Resources Unit (NO).
• Facilitates and plans for country visits for colleagues from regional and national offices.
• Liaises with National Office (HQ) Security advisor in accordance with rules and regulations.

Mission Specific Responsibilities:

• Continue scale up of NoRC operations in Sudan to meet the emergency health needs of populations residing in conflict affected areas with a focus on establishing/continuing mobile and/or static primary health care services.
• Start up of SRCS epidemic preparedness and response activities (including CBS) in close collaboration with Ministry of Health; technically led by Health Programme Coordinator.
• Ensure timely and quality development of SRCS health strategy; technically led byHealth Programme Coordinator.
• Ensure digitalization of NoRC supported health activities for improved and evidence-based decision making (DHIS-2); technically led by Health Programme Coordinator.
• Operationalize adequate and functioning pipelines for logistics and medical supplies to and within the country to ensure provision of predictable health services.
• Implement MPC in response to new climate/conflict emergencies with technical support from roving Cash Regional Operations Manager.
• Provide needed support to expedite FD implementation in Sudan; technically led by FD delegate.
• Establish a relevant operational structure and human resource planning for continued NoRC support in country.
• Strengthen NorCross participation in in country Movement and external coordination as required.
• Maintain open and trusted relationship with SRCS leadership and relevant departments.
• Strengthen operations security set up with guidance from ICRC as per signed security agreement.
• Contribute to the diversification of funding sources for Sudan portfolio i nclose collaboration with the Regional Partmenrship and Resouce Mobilisation Advisor.

Formal Competence:

• Relevant university degree in Public Health is desirable.
• Other backgrounds including Operations Management, International Relations or others would be considered based on relevant experience.

Skills and Knowledge:

Solid professional experience in managing health programmes in complex environments / conflict settings.

• Significant track record of managing multi-cultural humanitarian teams in an international setting.
• Significant track record of managing multi-thematic programmes in a complex humanitarian setting internationally.
• Significant experience in emergency preparedness and response.
• Excellent inter-personal skills with internal as well as external stakeholders.
• Prior experience working with remote teams and keeping them engaged.
• Track-record of successful donor applications, planning, monitoring and reporting on humanitarian projects with measurable results.
• Programmatic experience from the African region is an advantage.
• International driving license (manual gear) is required.
• Fluency in Arabic and English is mandatory.

Personal Qualifications:

• Ability to make an impact; convince and persuade others; promotes plans and ideas successfully.
• Ability to collaborate well with others and support others in the pursuit of team goals.
• Ability to create a stable and re-assuring work atmosphere and is firm and reliable.
• Ability to provide the team with a clear sense of direction. Inspires
  and co-ordinates others and keeps them focused on objectives.
• Able to build a useful network of contacts and relationships and utilize these to achieve objectives.
• Ability to develop an ambitious but realistic vision and translate it into a workable strategy.

Reporting to:

• Regional Representative – Africa

Position is based in:

• Port Sudan – Sudan

Contract length:

• 24 Months

Why should you apply?

• Meaningful: You`ll be a part of the world’s largest humanitarian organization, reaching the most vulnerable people in their local community.
• Impact: You will help National Societies in the region to become strong, self-sustained and accountable humanitarian actors.
• Career: You will be connected to an international organization with staff based all over the world
• A great place to work: You will work in a multicultural environment with hard-working, dedicated and fun colleagues with a strong culture of collaboration, continual improvement, and celebration of wins.

Norwegian Red Cross striving to build a working culture based on respect, honesty and generosity. We do a thorough background check on relevant candidate.