Organizational Context and Scope
Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Mission (CoM) and direct supervision of the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCoM) and in close coordination with relevant actors in the Regional Office (RO) for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Headquarters (HQ), the Head of Programmes (Humanitarian Response and Recovery) will be responsible and accountable for providing support to the DCoM in their responsibility to support coherence between the Programmes and Policy development of IOM Sudan Country Office (CO), including Programme Development for the CO. The Head of Programmes (Humanitarian Response and Recovery) will ensure that implementation of International Organization for Migration (IOM) programmes is done in an effective and efficient manner consistent with CO’s Strategy and in line with the expectations of the IOM’s donors and beneficiaries, while collaborating with the national and regional authorities.
Responsibilities
1. Ensure the cohesion of programming across the humanitarian, development, and peace nexus, and ensuring that IOM’s programming under this umbrella is delivered smoothly, efficiently, and in line with humanitarian principles and UN/IOM frameworks.
2. In coordination with the CoM, ensure IOM Return Programmes are implemented according to approved Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) and in close coordination with national stakeholders, other IOM missions involved, and respective units in RO and HQ.
3. Contribute to the formulation of Country Strategies, policies, and approaches across IOM’s operational portfolio, and identify and develop new programmes to address emerging needs while ensuring systematic implementation capacity, in close coordination with the Programme Support Unit (PSU).
4. Contribute to ensuring the highest efficiency in CO’s Risk Management and Compliance functions, to ensure strengthening internal controls and compliance with contractual rules and regulations through effective management and the provision of accurate, researched, and documented risk and compliance information, effective delivery of services, transparent utilization, and management of programme resources.
5. Work closely with the CoM, Heads of Sub-Offices, and Heads of Units to enhance inter-unit collaboration and coordination, to maximize efficiencies and efficacy within the CO programming to ensure that all CO’s Units work towards common goals and a consistent and coherent strategy.
6. Make strategic recommendations and provide advice to the CoM, DCoM and Senior Management to improve overall performance of the CO and support the CoM’s Office with development of strategy/policies/guidance notes, set-up meetings with external partners, lead the communication unit to prepare speeches/talking points, and support/facilitate consultation process with defector authorities/UN/international community on CO’s strategies.
7. In close coordination with the Resources Management Unit (RMU), Programme Support Unit, and respective Programmes Managers, ensure compliance of all projects with IOM and donor regulations, policies, and obligations as indicated in the funding agreements, project documents, work plans, and budgets.
8. Oversee field operations to ensure implementation of the humanitarian, development, and peace-building nexus to ensure timely, effective, and efficient programming delivery, ensuring through sound leadership, supervision, and monitoring that all blockages, disruptions, and delays are avoided in order to achieve program results and that these results are measurable.
9. Oversee the development of strong donor contacts and relations, monitoring, updating programme funding priorities across the migration management spectrum and solutions pathways, and provide expert support to the CoM in fundraising activities.
10. Participate in all strategic inter-sector coordination and performance management mechanisms.
11. Ensure IOM participation in appropriate policy and operational UN Country Team (UNCT) inter-agency mechanisms; engage with UN agencies in the development and implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), and coordinate with UNCT and partners on the implementation and review processes UN Country Team of the migration-relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Global Compact for Migration and the UN Network on Migration related activities as these processes move forward.
12. Support the DCoM in the coordination of programme-related activities, and in the absence of the CoM, support designated management functions as required.
13. Under delegation by the CoM, represent the CO and attend relevant UNCT, Humanitarian Country Team, and any inter-agency meetings.
14. Perform such other duties as may be assigned.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications and Experience
Education
- Master’s degree in Political or Social Sciences, Law, International Relations, Business Administration, or a related field from an accredited academic institution with seven years of relevant professional experience; or,
- University degree in the above fields with nine years of relevant professional experience.
Accredited Universities are those listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database.
Experience
- Demonstrated understanding and proven experience in inter-agency coordination and strategic engagement, UN structures and systems, and experience in both crisis contexts and development settings;
- Previous professional experience in developing and managing programmes, operations in conflict, post-conflict complex and hardship environments, including scale-up operations;
- Previous professional experience in managing a large number of operations in both scale-up and non-scale-up environments in Hardship Duty Stations;
- Proven leadership and succession planning experience, previous professional managerial experience of managing professional categories in hardship, non-hardship, scale-up, conflict, and post-conflict environments;
- Experience in external relations or strategic engagement, as well as liaising with governmental and diplomatic authorities and institutions;
- Extensive experience formulating and delivering internal displacement and solutions policy, strategy, and programming;
- Experience at an international level in managing programmes, covering emergency, stabilization, and development areas;
- Previous experience as a Head of Office, Chief of Mission, and/or Senior Programme Manager with a Government or UN agency, or a regional or international organization;
- Experience in managing IOM Offices and liaising with governmental authorities, other national/international institutions;
- Experience in training and capacity building; and,
- Work experience in the region is an advantage.
Skills
- Demonstrated knowledge of programme development, management, and capacity-building methodologies;
- In-depth knowledge of the broad range of migration-related subject areas dealt with by the Organization;
- Comprehensive knowledge of financial and administrative management;
- Knowledge of UN and bilateral donor programming, and knowledge of programme management in an emergency context;
- Proven capacities to establish and maintain good working relationships with governmental and diplomatic authorities, national, regional, and international institutions, as well as civil society actors, including the media and private sector;
- Familiarity with IOM financial and business administration as well as procurement processes;
- Knowledge of the IOM project management cycle; and,
- Capacity to effectively interface with government officials of appropriate level on matters related to substantive migration issues and the work of IOM.
Languages
All IOM staff members in all categories are required to be fluent in one of the IOM’s official languages (English, French, Spanish).
For this position, fluency in English is required (oral and written).
Working knowledge of Arabic is an advantage.
Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.
How to apply
To apply, interested applicants are invited to submit their applications HERE via the IOM e-Recruitment system by 28 January 2026.
IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM e-Recruitment system. The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
For further information please refer to:Â Search Jobs – IOM Careers