Humanitarian Coordination Support Assistant (Port Sudan) – UNV

Job Description

Organization	United Nations Volunteers
Description of the assignment title	Humanitarian Coordination Support Assistant
Host entity	UNOCHA
Assignment country	Sudan
Duty stations	Port Sudan
Type	National
Number of assignments	1
Advertisement end date	12/04/2026

Details

Mission and objectives

OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort. OCHA’s mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions. This position-specific job opening is being advertised for IUNV Humanitarian Affairs Officer in Port Sudan, OCHA Sudan. This position-specific job opening is being advertised for the position of IUNV Humanitarian Affairs Officer in Port Sudan, OCHA Sudan. Under the overall supervision of the Head of Office, OCHA Sudan, the incumbent reports to the Head of Coordination, Strategic Coordination and Support Unit.

Context

The United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is the UN Secretariat department responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to complex emergencies and natural disasters. OCHA also ensures that there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort.

OCHA Sudan addresses and facilitates issues relating to coordination, policy, advocacy, information management, and humanitarian financing, and serves the entire humanitarian community. In doing this, OCHA works with Government counterparts and the Sudanese Government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC). OCHA provides support to the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) and the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) in Sudan.

Working with the entire humanitarian community, OCHA looks to foster a conducive operating environment that facilitates the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance (both material assistance and protection assistance). Crucially, OCHA promotes compliance with humanitarian principles in the humanitarian response. This is an essential element of effective humanitarian coordination and is central to establishing and maintaining access to affected populations, particularly in conflict-affected areas of Sudan.

This UN Volunteer assignment offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the volunteer’s wellbeing and enable effective service delivery. The selected UN Volunteer will receive a monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) sufficient to cover basic living expenses at the duty station, in line with UN Volunteers Conditions of Service. In addition, the assignment includes full medical insurance coverage, with eligibility for dependent insurance, as well as danger and hardship differentials applicable to the duty station. Other entitlements include entry and exit lump-sum allowances, learning and development support, and coverage of assignment-related travel and relocation costs. These benefits ensure adequate financial security and professional support throughout the assignment, making this opportunity both impactful and attractive for qualified candidates.

Task description

Within delegated authority, the Humanitarian Coordination Support Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

• Support the preparation, organization and follow-up for key coordination meetings and activities, including drafting presentations, organizing preparatory and debrief meetings, note-taking and action point tracking.
• Provide logistical support for relevant missions, workshops and consultations.
• Attend relevant meetings, including cluster and thematic working group meetings, ensuring accurate notetaking and follow-up.
• Monitor and ensure follow-up on relevant developments, gaps and support needs related to the Strategic Coordination Unit, including liaison with clusters and sub-offices.
• Support the Humanitarian Programme Cycle and drafting of the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, including conducting research and information-gathering, drafting and proofreading documents and organizing meetings with stakeholders.
• Serve as a back-up on key thematic issues, including gender, PSEA, AAP, inclusion and localization.
• Help promote volunteerism by supporting community engagement activities and sharing information about UNV’s work
• Perform other duties as required, including updating and maintaining contact lists, supporting the electronic filing system for the unit and other tasks.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day).
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.
• Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers.
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Eligibility criteria

Age

18 – 80

Required experience

3 years

Nationality

Candidate must be a national, legal resident or hold refugee status in the country of assignment.

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience

3 years

Languages

Arabic, Level: Fluent, Required English, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level

Bachelor’s degree in Political science, international relations, development, humanitarian affairs

Competencies and values

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to OCHA; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to OCHA procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented;

• Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and OCHA in daily activities and behaviors while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviors; does not abuse power or authority.

• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues;

• 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.

• Communication: 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; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;

• Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary. Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards OCHA mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values

Skills and experience

• A minimum of three years of experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness or related area is required.

• Experience in a humanitarian context within the UN common system and/or other comparable international organization is an advantage.

• Experience with national and local organizations engaged in humanitarian assistance is an advantage.

• Fluency in oral and written English and Arabic is required.

• Excellent communication skills, including draft and reporting.

• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel.

• Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of internal and external partners .

• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines.

• Sound security awareness.

Area(s) of expertise

Administration, Communication, Crisis and emergency response

Driving license

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Other information

Volunteerism is understood as a wide range of activities undertaken of free will, for the general public good, for which monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.

Living conditions and remarks

This position is based in Port Sudan.

Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements

Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity policy

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