Programme Manager (AAP), P4, Temporary Appointment (364 days), Port Sudan, Sudan #135754- (Open to non-Sudanese only)

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

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UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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For every child, Hope.

Background and Strategic Context

UNICEF provides humanitarian, peace, and development assistance to children, families, and communities in Sudan, focusing on health, nutrition, WASH, child protection, social protection, learning, and skills.

Children and young people affected by conflict, epidemics, and climate change are at the center of UNICEF’s work, including emergency response, preparedness, resilience-building, durable solutions for displaced populations, conflict prevention, social cohesion, and partnerships with civil society, NGOs, the private sector, frontline workers, and local institutions.

UNICEF Sudan is committed to integrating and scaling up Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) across all programmes, especially in the current Level 3 emergency. The AAP Programme Manager will lead the design, integration, and mainstreaming of AAP interventions, ensuring affected populations are central to UNICEF’s operations and partnerships.

Effective AAP implementation strengthens resilience, reduces vulnerability, and upholds the rights, dignity, and well-being of children and communities. It ensures programmes meet quality standards and are responsive to local needs, contributing to sustainable, locally owned results that improve child survival, development, and well-being.

UNICEF Sudan also leads the inter-agency AAP Working Group and the inter-agency complaints and feedback mechanism (CFM). While fully operational, systems are continuously enhanced, and data and feedback are regularly requested by the ICCG, UN agencies, INGOs, and donors.

All UNICEF programmes, systems, and procedures systematically include affected populations’ participation and accountability, ensuring feedback from girls, boys, women, and men informs decision-making and that staff and partners respect and act upon these inputs.

How can you make a difference?

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Social Behavior Change and matrixed reporting to the Chief of Planning and Monitoring, and in collaboration with Section Chiefs, Chiefs of Field Offices, country office and field office AAP Program Manager is responsible for providing technical and operational support in the management, coordination and implementation of AAP interventions, ensuring views, preferences and priorities of affected populations are incorporated into all stages of the Country Office programme cycle and effectively inform the humanitarian response plans.

Key functions/accountabilities:

1.Lead the strategic design and implementation of all AAP pillars and action plans to scale up Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) interventions and processes across all country office programme interventions. Ensure improved understanding of and adoption of AAP principles and approaches at both country and field offices. (60%)

• Implement the Country Office strategy and programme section’s action plans to scale up AAP with has clear deliverables, indicators and timeframes to enable timely marked improvement in AAP performance, with a focus on closing the loop (by taking action and providing feedback to the community about how their views and inputs were addressed), based on operational modalities, community preferences and global best practice
• Review and update programme section AAP plans as necessary
• Overall management and oversight of the AAP team, including planning CFM budget and other associated planning and finances.
• Coordinate integration of AAP in Country and Field Office annual work plans and processes, ensuring that each programme (and operation) section has specific AAP outputs, activity and budgets for effective implementation.
• Convene a regular internal cross-sector group of focal points to share AAP experiences, develop and use common tools and approaches, and agree internal referral pathways for feedback management and resolution
• Ensure feedback, concerns and priorities from affected populations are consistently and systematically well highlighted during internal meetings and planning processes, especially but not limited to OMPs, CMT/PMTs, MYR/EYR.
• Facilitate development and use of harmonized tools and standards for staff and third-party monitoring and reporting of AAP activities, in accordance with agreed work plans and ensure corrective actions are taken as required
• Monitor the use of resources as planned and verify compliance with organizational guidelines, rules and regulations and standards of ethics and transparency
• Identify additional resources (human, financial, technical, etc.) needed to implement Sudan’s AAP strategy and explore options to mobilize these.
• Regularly monitor changes and emerging trends, including public perceptions that could impact access and acceptance of UNICEF and the programmes it supports, and recommend appropriate response measures
• Provide advice and guidance to UNICEF and interagency partners on AAP issues and approaches

2. Collective/inter-agency AAP: Representing and coordinating collective AAP approaches and initiatives in the humanitarian response. Analyze and synthesize inter-agency CFM feedback to inform targeted advocacy, networking and capacity building with external actors and powerholders, ensuring community priorities and concerns are presented to those best positioned to influence change. (30%)

• Serve as the primary focal point within the Country Office on AAP and regularly update on current AAP practices within the Country programme cycle
• Represent UNICEF at inter-agency Working Groups, clusters and other relevant groups or networks, formulating and articulating AAP plans and outcomes and disseminating key results, good practices and lessons learnt
• Lead for Sudan interagency AAP, represent UNICEF and AAP at the ICCG, build and sustain relationships with clusters to sustain uptake of AAP
• Work closely with OCHA, UNDP and RC/HC office on the use of AAP to inform responses across a multiplicity of contexts: humanitarian, development and resilience
• Represent UNICEF at inter-agency Working Groups, clusters and other relevant groups or networks, formulating and articulating AAP plans and outcomes and disseminating key results, good practices and lessons learnt.

3. Strengthening AAP linkages across cross cutting work streams: localization, gender, SBC, disability, climate change and all areas of community engagement. Ensure any evidence generation, innovation and knowledge management on AAP at UNICEF Sudan maintains external visibility and learning across the response. (10%)

• Integrate AAP principles across cross-cutting areas—localization, gender, SBC, disability inclusion, climate change and community engagement, by providing coordinated technical guidance and support to programme teams and partners.
• Strengthening inclusive, accessible and culturally informed community engagement approaches, ensuring feedback and community priorities inform programme design and decision-making across all workstreams.
• Lead AAP-related evidence generation and knowledge management by synthesizing findings, documenting best practices and promoting innovative approaches and technologies for community engagement.
• Facilitate learning and capacity-building across teams and partners to harmonize AAP standards, share insights and enhance accountability to affected populations across humanitarian and development contexts.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• An advanced university degree in social and behavioural science, sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, communication, public relations or another related field is required.
• OR A first-level university degree in social and behavioural sciences, sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, communication, public relations, or another related field is required. In conjunction with seven (7) years of relevant work experience, this may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. (This flexibility applies only to internal UNICEF staff on Full-Time, Continuing, or Permanent appointments who are serving on abolished posts.)

Work Experience:

• 8 years’ experience in the humanitarian sector with significant field experience working on AAP/CCE interventions in technical and/or leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing evidence-based community engagement strategies in humanitarian contexts.
• Experience in designing and facilitating participatory sensitization and capacity building sessions at different levels with diverse, multicultural teams is an asset.
• Relevant experience in related areas in a UN agency or international organization is an asset.

Skills:

• Proven ability to work independently under difficult conditions; Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships, both within and outside the organization; Excellent facilitation, training, networking and advocacy skills; Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team in a challenging and highly fluid environment, flexibility and ability to handle constant change; Experience in working with UN agencies or NGOs; Experience in implementing emergency, humanitarian programmes and projects; Experience in coordination at interagency level; Experience in implementing humanitarian cash transfers programme; Experience coordinating and mainstreaming programmatic aspects across all sections and sectors internally and externally; Good analytical skills and knowledge of quantitative, qualitative and participatory research methodologies and analysis; Proven information management and data skills in the areas of mobile data collection, data visualization, including mapping and M&E; Demonstrated excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to clearly and accurately convey information.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required. Fluency in Arabic or distinct Knowledge of another official UN language (French, Spanish, or Russian) or the local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable Females are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reduction. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdf (accessible to internal staff only).

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member’s original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.