Background:

Saferworld is an independent international organisation working to prevent violent conflict and build safer lives. We work with people affected by conflict to improve their safety and sense of security, and conduct wider research and analysis. We use this evidence and learning to improve local, national and international policies and practices that can help build lasting peace. Our priority is people – we believe in a world where everyone can lead peaceful, fulfilling lives, free from fear and insecurity. We are a not-for-profit organisation operational in 12 countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Saferworld is committed to providing a safe and trusted environment that safeguards our staff, partners and communities. Our organisational integrity is derived from the values and principles that underpin and guide our work.

Description of the Conflict Sensitivity Resource Facility (CSRF):

Saferworld has been working on and in Sudan and South Sudan since 2002, including on issues of community security, small arms control, and conflict-sensitive development.  Saferworld is currently establishing the CSRF aimed at supporting the integration of more conflict sensitive practices into the policies, practices and programmes of aid actors in Sudan. It draws upon Saferworld’s extensive experience of supporting similar processes in a range of contexts, coupled with our deep contextual knowledge and long-term, established relationships with Sudanese civil society from across the country.  Over the past four years for example, Saferworld has designed and built up the Conflict Sensitivity Resource Facility (CSRF) in South Sudan. The CSRF has supported aid actors to promote deeper and more nuanced understanding of how aid interacts with conflict and to help them to build coherent and effective responses to the challenges of operating in South Sudan.

The proposed project will support individuals and organisations to develop a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the context within which they are operating, with the aim of ensuring that interventions do not aggravate conflict and instead contribute to peace. It will support aid actors to do this by providing high-quality analysis, technicaladvice and capacity building, and by supporting lesson learningand the sharing of knowledge about complex conflict issues in Sudan. The approach will be informed by continuous consultation with a diverse range of local and international actors, and will adopt a flexible, iterative and adaptive approach

We have a strong thematic focus to our conflict prevention work prioritising: people’s security and access to justice services; gender norms that cause and perpetuate violent conflict; the impact of external conflict drivers including weapons flows; conflict-sensitive political, economic, development, and security engagement; and inclusive and accountable governance and peacebuilding processes.        

Job purpose:

The post holder will support the CSF’s existing efforts in capacity building for implementing partners and donors working in Sudan.  The post holder will be responsible for facilitating self-assessments, identifying training and capacity building needs, developing support plans to improve conflict sensitivity, and implementing these plans in collaboration with different actors working in Sudan.  Such actors may include donors, national NGOs, international NGOs, UN or others.  He or she will work with the conflict sensitivity team to develop and deliver trainings and provide mentorship to a range of audiences.  The work will comprise several components:

• Technical leadership and strategic input
• Capacity-building and training design and delivery
• Activity budget management
• Representation and beneficiary relations
• Safety, security and risk adherence

The Capacity Building Advisor will be based in Khartoum and will travel frequently to state and county locations to deliver trainings, provide mentorship, and support staff working in these areas.  In coordination with the CSF Team, the Capacity Building Adviser will:

Technical leadership and strategic input

• Provide high quality inputs into the technical design of CSF services and outputs.
• Collaborate with Saferworld’s Senior Advisers in London to draw on Saferworld (and partners’) existing methodologies and experience on conflict sensitivity.
• Support the Donors in developing joint guidance on conflict sensitivity for their work in Sudan.
• Identify policy lessons and develop strategies for disseminating these to donors in Sudan and internationally.

Capacity-building and training design, development, and delivery

• Lead on design, development, and delivery (with relevant Saferworld/CSF staff) of conflict sensitivity capacity-building processes for CSF donors and their implementing partners.
• Deliver high quality, participatory training, mentoring, and accompaniment activities on conflict-sensitive programming for targeted donors and implementing partners.
• Provide guidance and support to targeted beneficiaries through capacity-building activities.

Representation and beneficiary relations

• Represent the CSF at Management Committee or other external meetings in the absence of the CSF Director.
• Raise the CSF’s profile among the donor community and international partners in Sudan (and internationally as appropriate).
• Represent the CSF at international policy and/or lessons learning events.

Safety, security and risk management

• Ensure that project activities and collaboration with partners adhere to Saferworld’s global and Sudan country programme’s safety and security policies and procedures.
• Identify potential risks to the CSF, staff, or partners and work with the CSF Director to mitigate or otherwise address these.

Donor relations

• Together with the CSF team, ensure collaborative working relationships with the donors and their implementing partners and Saferworld’s existing Sudanese civil society partners.
• Coordinate the inputs of staff from other Saferworld teams, notably the Senior Policy Adviser/s, into capacity-building activities.
• Support the sharing of lessons, analysis and skills development opportunities between CSF staff and other Saferworld staff in Sudan

Key working relationships

• CSRF team – work collaboratively with the CSRF consortium to capacity building work with the project’s research, analysis, outreach, and learning agenda;
• Saferworld Conflict Advisory Unit – work collaboratively with the CAU to develop conflict sensitivity capacity building materials and courses that align with CSRF’s mandate;
• Donors, UN Agencies and INGOs – develop and maintain relationships with donors and other organisations working in South Sudan, on conflict sensitivity issues, or on the South Sudanese context more broadly.
• Aid workers– network with individual aid workers to support CSRF’s outreach with regards to capacity building, information sharing and learning around conflict sensitivity.
• NNGOs – Work closely with and maintain positive working relationships with South Sudanese National NGO leadership and staff.

Scope and accountability

Knowledge, qualifications and experience

• A post-graduate degree in related field, or equivalent professional experience.

• Knowledge in the areas of institutional development, institutional memory, organisational health, and knowledge management desired.
• Knowledge of humanitarian principles, systems, and approaches desired
• Knowledge of conflict sensitivity principles and approaches desired.
• Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation, particularly in relation to conflict sensitivity and/or gender, would be an advantage.
• Relevant work experience, which could include providing trainings, capacity-building and mentoring support, consulting, or systems development, in South Sudan or similar context.
• Experience in applying a range of conflict sensitivity capacity-building and analysis methodologies.
• Experience of working on conflict, humanitarian, economic, gender, and/or governance issues in the East Africa region.
• Experience of working with international donors, international organisations, the corporate sector and/or large multi-mandate development NGOs, in particular in conflict-affected and fragile contexts.
• Commitment to improving international engagement in conflict-affected contexts and experience-based ideas as to how this can be achieved.

Skills and abilities

• Exceptional facilitation, training, and capacity-building skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in Arabic
• Proven ability to work alongside, and to learn from, a wide range of people in a diverse team.
• Creativity, flexibility, self-motivation and the ability to prioritise workloads to meet deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Ability to manage funds and budgets in line with procedures and independently, if needed.
• Ability to lead/substantively engage in lessons learning processes.
• Ability to comfortably perform in remote field locations without usual amenities while on mission

Personal qualities

• Commitment to and compliance with Saferworld’s safeguarding principles
• Commitment to respect and value equality and diversity, and understanding of how this applies to own area of work
• Commitment to own continuing personal and professional development
• Commitment to the vision, mission and values of Saferworld

Other requirements

• Travel to sub-national and remote locations in South Sudan to areas recently affected by violent conflict may be required;
• Occasional travel in the East Africa region.

Application process

To apply:  Download and complete an application form at http://www.saferworld.org.uk/jobs/jobs and send to HR at jobs@saferworld.org.uk  (Ref: CBA)

Deadline for applications:  14 April 2021