Humanitarian Access Advisor (Sudan INGO Forum) At Danish Refugee Council

About Sudan INGO Forum:

The Sudan INGO Forum (the Forum) is a voluntary and independent networking body of 70 International NGOs (58 members, 12 Observers) that supports its members to effectively respond to humanitarian, development and peacebuilding needs in Sudan. The purpose of the Forum is to facilitate communication, information-sharing and collective action among INGOs as well as to foster communication and coordination with national NGOs, UN agencies, Donors, and appropriate representatives of the Sudanese authorities to allow for more effective and efficient delivery of humanitarian assistance, recovery, development and peacebuilding programming towards a peaceful and inclusive Sudan in which humanitarian and sustainable development needs are met, through effective partnership in a supportive operating environment.

The Sudan INGO Forum is hosted by Catholic Relief Services, the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

DRC will be the hosting agency of Humanitarian Access Advisor, who will then be seconded to the Sudan INGO Forum for a period of 12 months to support the collective efforts of the INGO Community to improve access within Sudan.

Job Summary:

The Humanitarian Access Advisor, as a member of the Sudan INGO Forum Secretariat, will coordinate efforts of INGOs operating across Sudan to improve humanitarian access to communities in need. They will contribute to increased awareness among humanitarian leadership on access issues impacting INGOs, lead capacity building efforts with INGO Forum members to enhance negotiation capacity, conduct analysis on key access impediments and promote solutions to address access constraints identified by the INGO Forum and Access Working Group. They will also co-lead the Access Working Group alongside OCHA. The position reports to the Executive Coordinator of the Sudan INGO Forum. Technical reporting line will be established with DRC Global Access/H2R unit.

Responsibilities:
Coordination:

• Co-chair the Access Working Group (AWG) with OCHA according to the AWG’s TOR
• Support the Sudan INGO Forum Executive Coordinator and Steering Committee to increase awareness and provide recommendations to the HCT on key access constraints affecting INGO’s operating in Sudan.
• Map existing INGO access initiatives and ensure that linkages between different access initiatives are established and maintained.
• Facilitate structured and effective information exchange both between INGO Forum Members and external partners on access issues.
• Support State-Level NGO Coordination Platforms to define access strategies including identification of key access constraints impacting NGO operations at a state-level, supporting stakeholder analysis, developing scenarios and bottom lines to support collective negotiations.
• Ensure that INGOs are consulted, and their best interests are represented in AWG and CMCOORD meetings in collaboration with the Sudan INGO Forum Executive Coordinator and INGO representatives at the AWG and CMCOORD Cell.
• Support INGO Forum and AWG efforts to implement the Joint Operating Principles by leading sensitization efforts with INGO Forum Members, organizing and facilitating workshops and other capacity building sessions as necessary and providing individual support to members to address challenges to the JOPs.
• Support Sudan INGO Forum Secretariat systematize engagement with INGO Government Liaison Focal points by convening and chairing Sudan INGO Forum’s Government Liaison Working Group andensuring that key issues related to Bureaucratic and Administrative Impediments raised by member liaison focal points are brought to the attention of the Sudan INGO Forum Executive Coordinator, Steering Committee and Plenary of Members.
• Work with Sudan INGO Forum Executive Coordinator to ensure that INGO Security Focal Points are engaged in critical access conversations by regularly updating the Security Focal Point Working Group on key access discussions and ensuring that key security challenges faced by INGOs are brought into analysis on access constraints.

Monitoring and Analysis:

• Support and promote INGO reporting of access issues through the Access Monitoring and Reporting Framework.
• Design and roll-out tools that facilitate mapping, monitoring and reporting of access constraints and incidents to complement AMRF analysis and support advocacy.
• Support prioritization and analysis of access-related information from relevant stakeholders including patterns and trends.
• Identify opportunities for strengthening access measures, including opportunities for promoting community acceptance and accountability to the affected populations as well as alternative response modalities e.g. cross-border response, response through local communities.
• Regularly monitor changes in the political, humanitarian and security and stay abreast and informed of key developments in policy and regulatory environment in Sudan and provide structured updates to the INGO Forum as it relates to access including relevant advice on opportunities, strategies and entry points for engagement.

Advocacy

• Draft INGO Forum and AWG access related updates, policy briefs and other similar material.
• Design and lead research by the INGO Forum on specific access constraints impeding INGOs e.g. Entry Restrictions impacting INGOs, impact of Technical Agreements on INGO Programming.
• Promote solutions to address access constraints identified by the INGO Forum and AWG to support relevant advocacy efforts.
• Promote the application of IHL and the adherence to the Joint Operating Principles among the INGO Forum members.
• Promote the rights of affected communities and ensure attention to protection issues and conflict sensitivity considerations are integrated within access-related discussions.

Experience and technical competencies

• University Degree in Law, or political science, international relations, or related field required.
• 3-5 years relevant work experience with progressive responsibilities with INGOs or UN agencies, with at least 2 years of experience working on access issues in complex emergencies. Preference to experience working in response in contexts with assertive states and mixed territorial control.
• Knowledge of the IASC Humanitarian architecture and the mandates of actors involved as well as basic understanding of international humanitarian law.
• Direct experience leading negotiations with duty bearers (either negotiations with State Actors or Non-State Actors)
• Basic data analytical and interpretation skills.
• Strong personal commitment to promoting international humanitarian standards and principles.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced and often demanding environment.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to engage and build relationships with a wide and diverse set of stakeholders.

Languages:

• Full professional proficiency in English
• Arabic is an advantage

About you
In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

Conditions
Contract: Twelve months’ contract with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance. Salary and conditions in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for International staff. This position is graded at NM. F

Start Date: December 2023

Duty Station: Gedaref, Sudan (position will initially be based in Nairobi until visa is issued)

Reports to: Sudan INGO Forum Executive Coordinator with Technical reporting line to DRC Global Access Specialist