UNEP Sudan plans to implement jointly with UNDP and UN Women, the project entitled “Supporting Sustainable Peace in Blue Nile State through Gender-Responsive Natural Resource Governance, Inclusive Conflict Resolution Mechanisms and Climate-Resilient Livelihoods” with support from the Peace Building Fund (PBF).

The project aims to support and engender the peace process in Blue Nile State by enhancing climate resilient livelihoods options for women, youth and other marginalized groups, improving the local governance of natural resources by ensuring the full and equal representation of women, and strengthening the local conflict resolution mechanisms that underpin the development prospects of all groups. Building on the lessons learned from a pilot conducted by the Joint UN Programme for Women, Natural Resources, Climate and Peace in North Kordofan, the project will promote the empowerment of women change agents, capitalizing on their important roles as natural resource managers and the increased economic and care burdens women face in the post-conflict context.

With the overarching goal of contributing to sustainable and inclusive peace in the Blue Nile State, the proposed intervention will have two main outcomes each linked to two related outputs:

Outcome 1: The socio-economic stability of conflict-affected communities is strengthened through the development of climate-resilient livelihood options for women and other marginalized groups.

• Output 1.1: Climate-resilient and sustainable livelihoods options and access to critical socio-economic infrastructure/services provided in selected communities.

• Output 1.2:  Proactive measures to protect women from natural resource-related violence and enhance access to justice adopted in selected communities.

Outcome 2: Local-level governance and conflict resolution mechanisms are strengthened through inclusive and participatory processes in selected conflict-affected communities.

• Output 2.1: Inclusive local governance mechanisms are established within selected communities, which enable the participation of women and other marginalized groups in the planning and management of natural resources, as well as the prevention and peaceful resolution of disputes.

• Output 2.2: New channels are established to link local-level peacebuilding processes to the peace process in Blue Nile State.

As convening Agency, UNEP Sudan seeks to engage a Chief Technical Advisor responsible for interagency coordination, project management, technical oversight of UNEP-led activities, and liaison with stakeholders and partners.

Ultimate Resulsts of Services:

PBF project well-coordinated and delivered in a timely manner with high quality results and to the satisfaction of clients and beneficiaries.

Objectives:

• The three components of the project are well coordinated;
• Project start-up completed and implementation underway with joint planning and monitoring tools;
• Stakeholders are regularly consulted and kept informed.

The deliverables of this consultancy include:

• Project coordination structures created and functioning;
• Integrated budgeted workplans for 2021 and 2022 developed jointly with the project partners and separately for the UNEP component;
• Mainstreaming of climate change and peacebuilding efforts throughout the project activities of all implementing partners ensured, measured and documented;
• Timely progress reporting produced of high quality;
• Quality assured of the Community Environmental Action Planning processes;
• Oversight provided to the development and implementation of a project M&E framework;
• Regular contact maintained with project partners and stakeholders;
• Communication on project events and results ensured.

Specific tasks and responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of this position are as follows:

• Coordinate the implementation of and ensure synergy between the project components amongst the three partner Agencies trough regular meetings and information exchanges;
• Oversee and quality control project implementation and impact monitoring;
• Prepare yearly joint and UNEP workplans and budgets and guide the delivery of the expected results;
• Develop indicators to measure mainstreaming of climate resilience and peacebuilding aspects throughout the project activities of all implementing partners, including in the UNEP-led Community Action Planning Processes;
• Prepare joint narrative donor reports in the required format;
• For UNEP prepare quarterly progress reports, as well as any other corporate reporting;
• Provide guidance to the UNEP NRM Expert and the Community Environmental Action Planning processes;
• Provide oversight to the project M&E component, ensure project partners contribute to the implementation of the M&E framework and monitoring results are integrated in the project reporting;  
• Through the Project’s governance mechanism, facilitate the full participation of stakeholders, including the State Government, in the implementation of activities and achievement of expected results; take adaptive measures where needed;
• Through close liaison with State and Federal authorities and with the UNEP Regional Office for Africa and Sudan representative, ensure that formalities and protocols needed for the smooth implementation of the project are in place;
• Ensure regular liaison and communications with the PBF Secretariat in Khartoum and PBSO;
• Contribute to communicating about the project activities and lessons learned to a wider audience;
• Prepare any other documentation or reports as required.

• Advanced university degree in Natural Resource Management, Forestry, Agriculture, Development Studies or a related subject;
• At least 7 years of relevant experience in natural resource management and livelihoods’ improvement in post-conflict situations;
• Sound understanding of natural resources management and policy development in Sudan;
• Great affinity with and working experience in gender equality and women’s empowerment;
• Experience with participatory environmental assessments and planning;
• Good understanding of the economic, political and social context in Sudan is essential and in Blue Nile State is desirable;
• Results driven, ability to work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines;
• Experience working with a variety of partners, with the objective of providing technical input/support;
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills required in both English and Arabic.

Critical success factors include:

• Building/strengthening relationships with project partners and stakeholders;
• Developing clear concise documents to enable a smooth implementation of the project;
• Clear coordination and consultation for the inputs of others and review by stakeholders of the documents.