Background

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Darfur Livelihoods and Recovery Programme Manager, and in cooperation with other Project Team members, the Return and Reintegration Officer is responsible for ensuring implementation of the project, strengthen strategic partnerships and facilitate knowledge building and management. He/she will ensure that the project responds effectively to the emerging challenges and opportunities in areas of return and reintegration.

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.

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). The project falls under the overall integrated livelihood and economic recovery umbrella and the Darfur Livelihoods and Recovery Programme.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

• Implementation of Programme Strategies;
• Programme Management;
• Coordination and Strategic Partnerships;
• Knowledge Management.

 Implementation of Programme Strategies 

• Through analysis and research of the return and reintegration processes, prepare substantive inputs to the programme identification and development;
• Identification of areas of support and interventions within the return and reintegration thematic area;
• Liaise with relevant stakeholders and government counterparts and support strategic discussions relevant to returns, reintegration and recovery.

 Programme Management 

• Ensure, in coordination with the Programme Manager, the implementation of ongoing projects in a well-coordinated and coherent manner, including support to preparation of annual work plans, drafting terms of reference, arranging for training activities workshops, preparing necessary correspondence, drafting project cooperation agreements, memoranda of understanding and other documents;
• Support the planning, budgeting, implementing and monitoring and evaluation of the project and assess the impact and effective of the assistance through regular consultation with relevant stakeholders including Government counterparts, beneficiaries, ensure appropriate baselines, conduct regular field visits and preparation of progress and other required reports;
• Track use of resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations, effectively applying Results Based Management tools to ensure achievement of results;
• Provide technical assistance, guidance and support to implementing partners and Government counterpart;
• Under the guidance of the Programme Manager, provide support to national and state government  and DRA to identify and mitigate policy constraints for improved livelihoods and economic recovery to identify and mitigate policy constraints for improved livelihoods and economic recovery;
• Present technical and policy advice on return and reintegration to the Programme Manager.

 Coordination and Strategic Partnerships

• Establish and maintain partnerships with UN Agencies,  government institutions,  implementing partners and civil society organizations and other stakeholders;
• Become conversant with the various Sudanese public institutions and civil societies, legal bodies, and legislation as relevant to UNDP programming for returns;
• Assist in coordinating programme initiatives on returns with other stakeholders, and develop inter-agency synergies and complementarities, supporting a common vision and implementation approach;
• Assist in resource mobilization efforts, including the identification of project opportunities and inputs to the development of project proposals.

 Knowledge Management

• Contribute to the development of knowledge management products on return and displacement issues;
• Ensure effective documentation or project results, taking note of best practices and lessons learned;
• Support dissemination and application of knowledge, best practices and programme; results for advocacy, resource mobilization, learning and practice development;
• Organize training for project staff/implementing partners/government institutions on programme issues.

 Perform any additional tasks as requested by the supervisor at comparable level of responsibilities.

Impact of Results

The key results have impacts on the overall success of UNDP’s Darfur Livelihoods and Recovery Programme and reaching UNDAF/CPAP goals. The expected results will have impact on the programming activities, strategic partnerships and reaching resource mobilization targets. It will contribute to the effective implementation of sustainable return processes in Darfur. In specific terms it has impacts on the following results areas:

• Enhance understanding of the returns and reintegration processes on the ground in Darfur;
• Positive impact on the ground for target beneficiaries through effective implementation of project;
• Strengthened strategic partnerships and coordination on returns, recovery and reintegration in Darfur;
• Improved capturing, developing, sharing and effective using knowledge on returns and reintegration amongst all relevant stakeholders in Darfur, including UN agencies and Government institutions.

Competencies

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;
• Ability to adjust to new work environment; respect for local culture and religion.

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.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in International Development, Humanitarian Affairs, conflict resolution, International Relations or other relevant social science disciplines.

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years of relevant international experience in the management, monitoring and evaluation of  Livelihoods, Peacebuilding, Return, Recovery and Reintegration  or community development;
• 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;
• Experience working in conflict and post conflict settings. Familiarity with the Darfur context or similar contexts would be an  advantage;
• Proven capacity of and experience in team building;
• 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.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English;
• Arabic language ability would be an advantage.