Humanitarian Access and Safety Manager Sudan

The Humanitarian Access and Safety Manager is responsible for implementing the NRC Global HAS Management System at the country level, fostering a safe and principled humanitarian response, managing staff, conducting security risk assessments, and coordinating with external actors to ensure humanitarian access and safety in Sudan. The role involves strategic support to field operations, capacity building, and crisis management to enable effective humanitarian assistance.

Responsibilities

• Implement the NRC Global HAS Management System at country level, prepare reports as required, and execute the country HAS Operational Plan in line with global HAS initiatives
• Foster a culture of enabling a safe and principled humanitarian response, adhering to the Humanitarian Principles, in alignment with Programme Criticality
• Line management responsibility for direct reporting staff including performance management, workforce planning, recruitment, staff induction and development, and support for Duty of Care
• Maintain an up-to-date comprehensive understanding of the country’s humanitarian context, including analysis and forecasting, to regularly brief country management and the Regional Head of HAS on key security developments, NRC exposure, access challenges, and emerging threats
• Develop and maintain country HAS documents, procedures, guidance, and tools, including strategy and budgets, ensuring consistency across the country programme and in line with organisational standards
• Oversee and/or conduct Security Risk Assessments (SRAs) and access assessments, collaborating with management to implement relevant mitigation measures
• Ensure compliance with NRC’s HAS Management System, encompassing the HAS Policy and risk management procedures, Minimum Operating Standards (MOS), the Humanitarian Access framework, and crisis management procedure
• Train and develop NRC staff and partners’ capacity in access, safety, and security
• Communicate and coordinate with relevant external actors and coordination structures and build relationships with various stakeholders to inform operations and security management as well as increase humanitarian access and protect humanitarian space
• Play an active role in supporting existing access coordination mechanisms at Country Level (Access Working Group, CMCoord), leveraging and closely cooperating with NRC's global access community of practice
• Ensure the timely implementation of the NMFA access project in cooperation with the Global Access and Policy Team
• Lead and support in negotiating and ensuring access from relevant authorities at all levels and other key stakeholders
• Develop annual access plans, including stakeholder analysis, access strategies and frameworks of engagement supporting the country strategic planning exercise and establish and maintain networks in areas where NRC is or is planning to implement programme activities
• Work closely with Advocacy colleagues on Humanitarian Diplomacy initiatives
• Provide Area Managers and Area Teams with strategic support to enter new operational areas, cross lines or control and re-enter areas of operation such as Al Fasher
• Ensure support during the annual program planning cycle in line with the access severity assessment and the HAS MOS
• Support NRC Teams on frontline and strategic access negotiations, engagements and civil-military coordination
• Support area management team on crisis management, incident management
• Support the Area Office Management Group in making informed strategic decisions related to humanitarian access and the practical application of humanitarian principles
• Coordinate the implementation of access strategies for all operational areas
• Provide capacity building and support to field staff on access related topics (humanitarian principles, negotiations, context analysis)
• Lead contingency preparedness in conjunction with the Head of Operations, Area Managers & Area HAS teams, in order to meet duty of care obligations and operational continuity requirements, including by developing, implementing and testing adequate plans & procedures

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in international relations, international humanitarian law or relevant technical field
• 5 years of experience in a similar function with NGOs, UN or private sector
• Previous experience from working in complex and volatile contexts
• Documented results related to the position's responsibilities
• Technical expertise in principled humanitarian action and humanitarian access
• Knowledge of humanitarian principles and their implementation in conflict settings
• Basic understanding of legal framework underpinning humanitarian action
• Technical knowledge of and experience managing and/or advising on humanitarian access
• Knowledge about own leadership skills/profile
• Previous experience in remote management
• Fluency in English both written and verbal
• Strong computer and data analysis skills
• Analytical-minded and able to read political /reference maps
• Good understanding of humanitarian work
• Experience in liaising with communities, authorities and parties to the conflict as well as NGOs, UN and donor community
• Experience operating in insecure environments
• Experience of assessing political, social and security situations in the country
• Fluency in Arabic is desired
• Familiar with local culture, politics and geographical areas
• Strong interpersonal skills, including capacities to negotiate with non-government stakeholders
• International experience in contexts similar to Sudan is preferred
• Previous work experience in Sudan is strongly preferred

Skills

• Humanitarian Access
• Principled Humanitarian Action
• Humanitarian Law
• Security Risk Assessment
• Remote Management
• Data Analysis
• Political Situation Assessment
• Conflict Sensitivity
• Negotiation with Non-Government Stakeholders
• Humanitarian Principles Implementation
• Crisis Management
• Staff Management
• Liaison with Communities and Authorities
• Humanitarian Operations Liaison
• Capacity Building
• Use of Political and Reference Maps
• Experience in Insecure Environments
• Knowledge of Local Culture and Politics
• Fluency in English
• Fluency in Arabic

Languages

English, Arabic