The EMPOWER program is a European Commission-funded initiative implemented by Mercy Corps in consortium with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and local partners. The program supports conflict-and displacement-affected young people aged 15–35 across nine target states in Sudan. Launched in January 2026 and running for 42 months, EMPOWER responds to Sudan’s protracted crisis by combining short-term income opportunities with pathways to longer-term economic recovery, while strengthening protection and social cohesion, particularly for young women, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and youth with disabilities.
Through an integrated approach, EMPOWER delivers Cash for Work (CfW), community-based public works, livelihoods support, and training opportunities, while ensuring protection mainstreaming, conflict sensitivity, and inclusion are embedded across all activities.

Position Summary
The Project Officer will support the implementation of EMPOWER activities in South Kordofan State, ensuring high-quality delivery of cash-for-work, public works, youth livelihoods, and community engagement interventions. The role will ensure activities are conflict-sensitive, inclusive, and aligned with program objectives.

Activity Implementation & Coordination
•
Support planning and implementation of all project activities under Outputs 1 and 2.
•
Coordinate field-level implementation with partners, community groups, and local authorities.
•
Ensure timely delivery of activities according to workplans.

Community Engagement & Assessments
•
Facilitate participatory needs assessments, stakeholder mapping, and community consultations.
•
Support labour market, gender, and inclusion assessments.
•
Ensure engagement of youth, women, IDPs, and persons with disabilities.

Cash for Work (CfW) & Public Works
•
Support identification and selection of beneficiaries in a transparent and inclusive way.
•
Oversee implementation of labour-intensive public works activities.
•
Ensure safety standards, PPE distribution, and quality of infrastructure works.
•
Monitor attendance, payments, and compliance with Cash Working Group standards.

Skills Development & Livelihoods
•
Support delivery of technical, vocational, and life skills training for youth.
•
Facilitate formation of training groups and on-the-job learning opportunities.
•
Support referrals to livelihood pathways (employment, entrepreneurship, TVET).

Entrepreneurship & Private Sector Engagement
•
Support youth access to business training, start-up kits, and mentorship.
•
Coordinate with MSMEs, private sector actors, and service providers.
•
Assist in organizing job matching events, B2B networking, and job fairs.

Community Structures & Sustainability
•
Support establishment and strengthening of community committees and maintenance groups.
•
Facilitate community ownership of infrastructure and project activities.
•
Promote collaboration between communities and local authorities.
Protection, Inclusion & Conflict Sensitivity
•
Ensure protection mainstreaming across all activities.
•
Promote inclusion of vulnerable groups, especially women and persons with disabilities.
•
Support delivery of awareness sessions (e.g. safety, peacebuilding, EORE where applicable).
•
Identify and report protection concerns and refer cases when needed.

Monitoring, Reporting & Accountability
•
Work closely with MEL team to collect data and track indicators.
•
Support regular field monitoring and reporting on activities progress.
•
Ensure accurate, complete, and timely submission of all required field and activity reports in accordance with agreed reporting schedules (daily, weekly, monthly, attendance, photos, success stories).
•
Coordinate with CARM team to ensure community feedback is collected and addressed
•
Support baseline, endline, and other project-related assessments in coordination with MEL teams.
•
Review partner reports to ensure accuracy, quality, and alignment with program and donor requirements.
Coordination & Representation
•
Represent the project at field level with local authorities and stakeholders.
•
Support coordination with partners and other actors in the area.
•
Participate in internal meetings and planning processes.
Safeguarding Responsibilities
•
Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
•
Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
•
Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

•
Bachelor's degree in social sciences, Development Studies, Economics or related field
•
1–3 years of experience in humanitarian or development programs

•
Experience in cash-for-work, livelihoods, or youth programming preferred.
•
Strong community engagement and facilitation skills.
•
Good understanding of conflict sensitivity and protection principles.
•
Ability to work in complex and insecure environments.
•
Computer literacy (MS Word, Excel); ability to use smartphones/tablets for data collection.
•
Resident in or ability to be based in Kadugli / South Kordofan State.

Core Competencies (Optional but recommended for JD strength)
•
Strong communication and coordination skills
•
Problem-solving and adaptability
•
Reporting and documentation skills
•
Ability to work with diverse communities
•
Team player with ability to work independently

Success Factors
•
Activities implemented on time and with quality
•
Strong community participation and satisfaction
•
Inclusive targeting of vulnerable groups
•
Accurate and timely reporting
•
Effective coordination with teams and partners

Supervisory Responsibility
None
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Project Manager.
Works Directly With: EMPOWER Program Team, MEL Team, CARM.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Kadugli and it requires up to 50% travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in individual housing and staff will have access to good medical services and the living situation is of a high standard.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Team Efficiency and Effectiveness

Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work. We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.

Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out different backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline (integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).