Desired start date: 16/05/2025
Duration of the mission: 12 months
Location: Renk – Upper Nile
SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL (SI) has been operating in South Sudan since 2006, conducting activities in emergency and post emergency context, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas, including refugees/returnees and IDP camp settings.
About the mission
Context:
Food insecurity is one of the highest in the world due to recurring shocks (consecutive years of widespread flooding, conflict-based displacement), and an ongoing protracted macro-economic crisis.
The country also faces cholera outbreaks on a yearly basis, has very limited sanitation coverage and safe water access remain a challenge for most of the population.
On top of these chronic situations, South Sudan has been highly impacted by the war that started in Sudan in April 2023. By end of 2024, more than 1,000,000 people had entered South Sudan, the vast majority entering through the Joda/ Wunthow border point in Renk County, Upper Nile State (northern part of South Sudan).
More recently, resurgence of internal tensions have led to heightened conflict and analysts are worried that the peace conditions offered by the Peace Agreement may not hold.
As a result, 9,3 million are in need of humanitarian assistance as of 2025.
SI sectors of intervention:
The portfolio includes both WASH & FSL activities. SI’s expertise in running emergency WaSH intervention is highly acknowledged by all WaSH actors and donors and has been one of the first responders of the cholera response.
Presence:
Upper Nile: in Malakal and in Renk. The field office in Renk has been set-up to support the ongoing response to the Sudan Crisis and to ensure constant monitoring and rapid access to affected communities. SI’s long term presence in Upper Nile enables the organization to ensure proper coordination with other key players on the ground in order to provide a high-quality response and avoid duplication of efforts. The response is focused on cholera since November 2024 while maintaining life saving WASH services for returnees and refugees in the two main transit centres of the country.
SI has recently closed its operations in Unity but is looking at starting interventions in Northern Bahr-El-Ghazal (Aweil).
Also, SI has a rapid emergency team based in Juba, who is being deployed following Rapid Needs Assessment in flood, epidemic or conflict induced displacement in the country.
Size of operations:
In 2025, the mission’s estimated budget is around USD 5+ million, and there are 70+ employees. This is the result of a scale-down following US funding cut in 2025 that are finally relaunched.
Upper Nile:
In addition to the response to the influx from Sudan, SI has responded to a cholera outbreak since October 2024. The outbreak is still continuing, with a low but steady flow of cases still arriving in Renk from Sudan. The political situation is tense, and there are indications of breakdown of the peace process, which may lead to renewed conflict and additional needs for emergency response.
Following the impacts of the BHA funding cut, SI in Upper Nile is restabilising the set up. In 2025-2026 SI expects to have primary funding from ECHO and CDCS (each 1 year), as well as additional funding, including for emergency response. SI is also pursuing longer term fundings with a sustainability and nexus approach.
The activities implemented are in the sectors of WASH, FSL, Shelter, RRM and Emergency Preparedness Response.
The Upper Nile Base is split between Renk and Malakal. Due to comparative size, it has been decided to shift the main base to Renk and make Malakal the sub -base.
About the job
Expected size in upcoming period: 3 expatriates, 7 delocalised national staff, 25 local nationals staffs and approximately 100 daily workers
General objective:
- The Field Coordinator has the role of delegated Country Director (CD) for a region of a country in which Solidarités International intervenes.
- He/she proposes a regional strategy according to the geopolitical and humanitarian context, and ensures its implementation once validated.
- He/she checks and ensures that projects are carried out in accordance with the Solidarités International charter, respecting all internal and contractual procedures.
- He/she mobilizes the material and financial resources necessary for programs to run smoothly, and supervises resource management.
- He/she coordinates the teams in place and is responsible for their security in his/her assigned zone.
- He/she is the Country Director’s direct contact and representative.
The main challenges:
- Managing the base and sub-base: UNHAS flight required to move between the bases (fixed schedule). Involves interaction with different sets of local authorities (although overall state authorities in Malakal), and humanitarian coordination systems (Renk separated from the state level coordination).
- Plan to include Security + Liaison Supervisor and a plan in place for sub-base external liaison and security management. But requires close follow up from FC, often remotely.
Priorities for the 2/3 first months:
- Support the downsizing of the zone and change in the set-up.
- Support newly nationalised manager positions to adjust to the positions and learn the processes.
- Closely follow security developments and implement security packs.
- Support managers to Improve application of processes and general organization + planning in both base and sub-base.
- Emergency response in the flood season likely.
Security constraints:
Renk: curfew at 8 pm.
Malakal: curfew at 6 pm, but can move around with the humanitarian hub and UNMISS compound (except PoC) without curfew.
Fluid security situation can have significant impacts on access to the field and activities,
The situation in South Sudan is volatile at the moment, please document yourself before applying. Some organizations have reduced their expat presence in country accordingly. SI is adapting the set up in real time as context evolves
LIVING CONDITIONS:
Renk: SI has its own office-guesthouse, which is small and needs further improvement. City electricity is sporadic, there is a generator and solar system for when it goes off (but solar needs increased). Connection to city water network in progress, but currently using bucket shower. Drinking water from SI SWAT (like most NGOs in the area). Few social distractions outside, but many humanitarian organizations present (e.g. can socialise at other guesthouses). Limited food diversity (most non-local goods need to be brought from Juba).
Malakal: SI is in the humanitarian hub in the UNMISS compound. Offices and guesthouses in prefab containers. Improvements in the last year with addition of kitchen and second bathroom. Few social distractions, but there is a cafeteria in the humanitarian hub and a bar in the UNMISS compound. Most other humanitarian organizations also in the hub/UNMISS compound, can take a bit of work to meet people. Limited food d iversity (anything non-local needs brought from Juba), can get sometimes e.g. chips and pizza at the cafeteria / UNMISS bar, but fresh vegetables are limited!
Your profile
DIPLOMAS AND EXPERIENCE
Master Degree in humanitarian/development studies, social sciences, management or other related discipline.
Experience in the humanitarian sector : 5+ years
Experience on a similar position : 3-4 years
TECHNICAL SKILLS
- Strong knowledge in team management and mentoring.
- Capacity to deal with many different issues, to self- update and learn very quickly from a highly and constantly evolving environment.
- Good representational skills, Ability to liaise, INGOs, other agencies, authorities and donors.
- A good understanding of security management.
- A good understanding of humanitarian issues including IDPs, camp management protection, advocacy.
- Ability to write/edit quality reports in English.
- Proper mastering of the Office suite is key + management of security situations.
- Strong management skills required. Continuous remote management will be required with movement between the base and sub-base. There will be new managers (possibly in a first time as manager position).
TRANSVERSAL SKILLS
- Ability to work in multi-cultural environment; more generally, excellent interpersonal and communication skills and strong cultural sensitivity.
- Willingness to work in a volatile security context.
- Ability to take initiatives, decisions and work in autonomy is essential.
- Good problem-solving skills in day to day and crisis situations.
- Important flexibility and adaptability
- Experience working with SI (or a similar organization) is an asset
- Prior experience in South Sudan would be considered as an asset
- Good stress management.
- The security situation is currently worsening. A strong capacity for security management, gathering of security information, and decision making required. Distances and access challenges between implementation locations give additional complications to security management
LANGUAGES
- Fluency in English, written and spoken.
- Arabic is an asset.
A salaried position:
According to experience, starting from EUR 3080 gross per month (2800 base salary + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) and a monthly Per Diem of USD 700.
SI also covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate’s country of origin and the place of assignment.
Breaks: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of 7 working days every three months (with a USD 850 break allowance, allocated by Sl). To these breaks periods, SI grants one (1) additional rest day per month worked.
Insurance package: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which refunds all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.
More Information
- Job City Renk - Upper Nile
