Job Description

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Area Director - Darfur

Dimensions: Sudan is one of the most challenging and exciting working environments that Save the Children currently works in. Save the Children is one of the key actors in Sudan. As such the agency not only follows through its own plans but helps shape the strategies and plans of others – advocating with Donors, formulating policies with the government, drawing attention to neglected needs and leading strategy development in core domains such as Child Protection, Education and Livelihoods.

Staff directly reporting to this post: This position will line manage field teams that exclusively implement projects in the field office, Budget Holders, Finance, Supply chain and Human resource.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: 1. Programme & Grant Management

• Oversee implementation of all programmes in field offices, ensuring compliance with donor agreements, humanitarian standards, and Save the Children policies.
• Ensure projects are properly planned, resourced, and monitored through work plans, procurement plans, phased budgets, and monthly performance tracking.
• Ensure timely kick-off and close-out meetings for all awards.
• Strengthen monitoring, evaluation, learning, and feedback systems, while actively supporting programme monitoring.
• Ensure timely, high-quality donor and internal reporting to support strategic decision-making.
• Support project design, proposal development, and sector assessments aligned with area strategies and operational feasibility.
• Work closely with Programme Managers/Budget Holders to ensure delivery against plans, targets, and emergency preparedness requirements.
• Lead field teams to ensure smooth implementation and effective coordination with support functions.

2. Interdepartmental Coordination

• Strengthen coordination and communication between programme and support departments for efficient delivery.
• Ensure timely departmental reporting and analysis of programme progress, constraints, and mitigation measures.
• Coordinate with support teams in Port Sudan and escalate key issues through the DDPO when required.
• Chair weekly and monthly interdepartmental review meetings.

3. Risk Management & Internal Controls

• Ensure compliance with operational systems and procedures across procurement, finance, HR, fleet, warehousing, and administration.
• Oversee management and proper use of offices, guesthouses, vehicles, and organizational assets.
• Promote compliance with safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, and equal opportunity policies.
• Ensure staff understand Save the Children’s mission, vision, values, and organizational goals.
• Maintain risk mitigation plans for identified operational risks.
• Serve as the senior representative and Safeguarding Focal Point for North Darfur and ensure effective use of the DATIX reporting system.

4. Financial Management

• Maintain the master budget for North Darfur operations.
• Ensure compliance with financial policies, procedures, and budget controls.
• Participate in cash count sessions and approve field financial transactions according to delegation authority.
• Ensure timely financial requests and fund disbursement coordination with the country office.
• Work closely with finance teams to strengthen financial management and spending oversight.

5. Staff Management & Capacity Building

• Ensure appropriate staffing, timely recruitment, leave management, and organizational structure adjustments.
• Implement performance management systems with continuous feedback and objective-based reviews.
• Identify learning needs and support capacity-building initiatives for staff, partners, authorities, and communities.
• Foster teamwork, collaboration, and positive contribution toward shared goals.

6. Security & Safety Management

• Monitor political, legal, and security contexts and ensure operational security risk management measures are in place.
• Ensure facilities meet safety standards, including emergency equipment, access controls, and protective measures.
• Enforce policies prohibiting weapons or armed personnel on SCI premises and vehicles.
• Update security plans, SOPs, evacuation plans, communication trees, and risk assessments.
• Lead relocation or evacuation processes during major security incidents in coordination with senior management.
• Ensure security incidents are reported through DATIX within 24 hours.
• Liaise with UN agencies, NGOs, and external actors for security coordination.
• Manage security focal points and field security teams.

7. Representation & Coordination

• Actively participate in ABC coordination mechanisms, assessments, and information sharing.
• Co-lead the North Darfur INGO Forum and support coordination with humanitarian actors.
• Ensure technical participation in cluster coordination meetings.
• Represent Save the Children with local authorities, labour offices, and humanitarian stakeholders in line with humanitarian principles.

8. KPI & Performance Oversight

• Monitor and track KPIs regularly.
• Hold Programme Managers accountable for KPI performance and corrective actions.

9. Other Responsibilities

• Perform additional duties assigned by the line manager.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Hold a relevant degree in Business Administration, Project Cycle Management, Development management, Humanitarian studies, or any relevant Social Sciences and at least 5 years/substantial experience working in Field/ program management with a humanitarian/ development organisation.
• Skills and experience in project/programme implementation in CAT5, CAT4 regions, monitoring, review, and evaluation including budget holding and budget control responsibilities.
• Substantial people and programme management experience with good interpersonal skills and ability to communicate at all levels
• Substantial experience in office management with a good understanding of logistics, HR and finance procedures
• Solid experience in grant management, including budget holding and donor reporting
• Substantial understanding and proven experience of security management issues, particularly in Sudan and North Africa context
• Representational, political awareness and advocacy skills
• Experience of working with partners and a participatory approach
• Able to work to tight deadlines, conflicting priorities, and prioritizationminimal supervision
• Fluency in written and spoken English and computer literate
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles.previsous working experience in Sudan, particularly in Darfur and Arabic knowledge is an added value

Save the children India employ approximately 300 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.