The current conflict in Darfur has undermined livelihood coping strategies, leaving millions reliant on humanitarian assistance. For the past several years, the international community has focused on life-saving interventions; creating dependencies and disempowering communities. Many humanitarian and development actors have however now recognize the need and opportunities to incorporate a longer-term or more enabling perspective into their support package whilst meeting urgent humanitarian needs. To that end, in 2011, UNDP introduced a livelihoods and economic recovery interventions to its existing activities in Darfur, focusing on the promotion of sustainable and integrated livelihood and economic recovery, peace building and social cohesion, employment creation and capacity development collectively known as the Darfur Livelihoods Recovery Programme (DLRP).

The DLRP consists of four inter-connected and mutually reinforcing components, each addressing key shortcomings in Darfurian communities to sustain humanitarian gains and to ensure transition to recovery and development. In 2011-2013, the programme set a strong foundation for strengthening resilience and rebuilding livelihoods through the implementation of four components:

• Pro-Poor Value Chain Integration for Peace and Early Recovery;
• Youth Volunteers Rebuilding Darfur;
• Darfur Community Recovery for Coexistence; and
• Recovery and Livelihoods Post Return Package.

A decade after the onset of the Darfur conflict, the security situation has improved in some parts of Darfur and an increasing number of IDPs are seeking to return home and to restore dignity to their lives in their places of origin. Since the beginning of 2011, more than 280,000 displaced persons have returned to their places of origin voluntarily and permanently across Darfur. Among them, approximately 216,000 are IDPs and 64,000 are Sudanese refugees returning from the border areas of Chad. In reality however, many more IDPs return but face difficulties to reintegrate due to external constraints and are therefore obliged to go back to IDP camps and continue to depend on humanitarian assistance.

The Darfur Joint Assessment Mission (DJAM), as well as joint agency participatory assessments conducted in various locations across Darfur, indicated that, apart from insecurity, the main reasons behind unwillingness to return and unsustainable returns include the lack of safe and sustainable access to essential goods (food, NFIs, shelters), basic services (water, health, education facilities), and livelihood assets and opportunities.

Cognizant of the aforementioned priorities, in 2013 UNDP implemented a pilot project, “Recovery and Livelihoods Post Return Package in Darfur” in four villages of West Darfur  aimed at providing integrated livelihoods support for returnees and host community members in the selected localities  In 2014, this new project; ‘’Building Resilience in Communities of Return Project’’ follows the pilot project in order to replicate and sustain the gains of the pilot project and  expand the target areas. The project aims to maximize impact through joint programming between UNDP, UNHCR and WFP contributing to the implementation of Economic recovery pillar of the Foundational and Short Term Activities (FAST) under the Darfur Development Strategy (DDS-2013-2019).  

Organizational Context:

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. The UNDP operates in 166 countries, working with people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and its wide range of partners.

UNDP’s focus is helping countries build and share solutions to the challenges of:

• Democratic Governance
• Poverty Reduction
• Crisis Prevention and Recovery
• Environment and Energy
• HIV/AIDS

UNDP helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. In all its activities, it encourages the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women. UNDP focuses on key development issues, providing measurement tools, innovative analysis and often controversial policy proposals. In all its operations, UNDP well-coordinated and inclusive approach seeks to ensure the most effective use of UN and international resources.

Summary of Key Functions:

Under the overall supervision of the DRLP Program Manager and under the technical guidance of the  Return Reintegration Officer and,  National  Return Reintegration Officer will be undertaking the following tasks:

1. Supports implementation of  the projects focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Supports implementation of  the project in consultation with key actors, such as State Government authorities, DRA authorities, UN agencies, CSOs, local community representatives and the Private Sector;
• Embark on field missions; monitors and update work plans for the implementation of the project;
• Facilitates assessments, data collection and identify interventions;
• Monitor the work of  implementing partners/consultants/contractor/ and monitor and their performance and provide guidance;
• Provide leadership for community entry, community sensitization and maintaining cordial relations with local community leadership; providing the needed linkages and liaison between the project and local communities;
• Provide support in ensuring up-todate information and data on displacements and returnees;
• Participates in providing support to national and state government to identify and mitigate policy constraints for improved livelihoods, youth employment and economic recovery.

      2- Participates in coordination and strategic partnership focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Attend coordination forums and meetings related to displacements, return and reintegration at the request of or in the absence of the DLRP PM and the Return and Reintegration Officer;
• Provide support for organizing any relevant meetings;
• Works closely with partners, UNHCR and WFP to achieve a common vision and approach for the  implementation of the project; 
• Liaises with UNDP livelihoods staff in all Darfur states to ensure coherent and effective implementation of projects;
• Participate in consultative meetings and support coordination with UN agencies, government departments, the private sector, CSOs/CBOs to support the implementation of the projects;
• Any other tasks and functions as assigned by the supervisor.

Impact of Results:

• The “Building Resilience in Communities of  Return Project” is effectively implemented  in contributing to sustainable return processes in West Darfur;
• Effective support provided  to develop the capacity of relevant institutions and communities to help them prevent more conflicts, consolidate peace throughout the country;
• Capacity of relevant institutions and communities to  prevent more conflicts, consolidate peace throughout the region is increased attributable to the support of the project;
• Improved delivery of support to returnees through increased inter-agency coordination and collaboration and improved relations with communities and local authorities in West Darfur.

Competencies and Critical Success Factors:

Integrity and professionalism:

• Demonstrate expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment;
• High degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership;
• Willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality;
• Ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially;
• Responsive and client-oriented.

 Accountability:

• Mature and responsible;
• Ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations.

Commitment to continuous learning:

• Initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise;
• Ability to adapt to changes in work environment.

Planning and organizing:

• Effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner;
• Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work;
• Ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities.

Teamwork and respect for diversity:

• Ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender.

Communication:

• Proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports;
• Ability to coordinate with other UN organizations, I/NGOs and government counterparts;
• Proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports;
• Ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely;
• Ability to make and defend recommendations;
• Ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds;
• Ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards the staff, but objective, without showing personal interest;
• Capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups.

Education:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in community development, agriculture, gender and development, conflict resolution, public administration or other relevant social sciences.

Work Experience:

• Minimum 2 years of  relevant professional experience in the management, monitoring and evaluation, Livelihoods, Reintegration or community development programmes;
• Experience working with displaced populations; particularly the socio-economic reintegration of returnees or other groups;
• Familiarity with programmatic issues surrounding relief to recovery transition, including good understanding of early recovery principles;
• Strong communication skills; written and verbal; particularly proven ability to write concise analytical reports;
• Strong community mobilization skills and ability to sensitize communities and maintain good relations;
• Excellent teamwork ability and ability to collaborate with a wide range of actors from other UN agencies, government and the private sector;
• Strong monitoring and evaluation skills with excellent data collection, analysis and database management skills;
• Experience working in conflict and post conflict settings; Familiarity with the Darfur context or similar contexts would be an  advantage
• Familiarity with relevant UN post conflict policies on employment creation, income generation and reintegration would be  an asset;
• Experience in gender and conflict sensitive programming and implementation would be an advantage.

Languages:

Fluency in written and spoken English. Fluency in s Arabic is an advantage.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Women Candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
Notice
UNDP, as a matter of practice, does not charge any application, processing fee at any stage of the recruitment.