Roving Area Coordination Lead

Job Posting Organization:
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization founded on the belief that a better world is possible. Established to respond to humanitarian crises, it operates in more than 40 countries worldwide, partnering with local communities to implement bold solutions that help people overcome adversity and build stronger communities. The organization has a significant presence in Sudan, particularly through the INGO Forum, which was established in 2009 to coordinate efforts among international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) in the country. The forum currently comprises over 80 members and plays a crucial role in humanitarian coordination, advocacy, and engagement with various stakeholders, including government authorities and donors.

Job Overview:
The Roving Area Coordination Lead position is designed to provide flexible coordination capacity across various response areas in Sudan, particularly focusing on emerging humanitarian hotspots and operational gaps that require immediate support. This role is critical in enhancing humanitarian coordination efforts in newly accessible or rapidly deteriorating environments, especially in the Kordofan region. The Roving Area Coordination Lead will be responsible for facilitating collective humanitarian engagement, strengthening information sharing, and ensuring operational coherence among members in complex contexts. The position may also involve filling gaps in existing area coordination structures and supporting Area Coordination Leads during periods of increased demand or staffing shortages. The role requires close collaboration with various stakeholders, including member organizations, local authorities, and operational partners, to ensure effective humanitarian response and improved access.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Coordination and Representation: Establish and strengthen area-based coordination mechanisms in emerging hotspots, particularly in Kordofan. Provide surge support to existing Area Coordination Leads during operational pressures or staffing gaps. Gather member positions for discussions at coordination platforms and represent the INGO Forum in key meetings with stakeholders. Build relationships with member NGOs, local civil society, and international organizations to support the Forum's work. Engage with sub-national authorities to communicate collective positions and operational priorities. Facilitate access engagement and analysis in coordination with relevant colleagues.
• Information Sharing: Ensure transparent coordination mechanisms and regular information sharing among the Forum, members, UN agencies, and other stakeholders. Compile and share lessons learned and best practices from operational contexts. Support context analysis and operational mapping in evolving response areas. Identify research gaps that could enhance collective humanitarian action. Contribute to monthly bulletins and publications.
• Localization: Maintain relationships with national NGO networks in assigned regions and support localization events.
• Administration: Complete internal trackers and reports on time, contribute to grant reporting, and support onboarding of coordination staff. Maintain readiness for rapid deployment in response to operational needs.
• security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security: Ensure compliance with security procedures and promote a secure working environment for team members.
• Safeguarding Responsibilities: Integrate safeguarding principles into work and encourage team members to report concerns.
• Accountability to Beneficiaries: Support efforts toward accountability to beneficiaries and engage communities in project design and evaluation.

Required Qualifications:
Essential requirements include a graduate degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience, at least 10 years of relevant experience with NGOs or the UN system, and a minimum of 4 years in leadership and management roles. Candidates should have experience in complex humanitarian contexts, a strong understanding of humanitarian principles and operations, and demonstrated experience in humanitarian coordination and emergency response management. Proven ability to manage field operations in insecure environments and represent organizations in coordination platforms is essential. Strong interpersonal, negotiation, and relationship-building skills are required, along with the ability to work independently and manage competing priorities in fluid contexts. Fluency in English is mandatory, while knowledge of Arabic is highly desirable.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a graduate degree in a relevant field or have equivalent experience that demonstrates their capability to fulfill the responsibilities of the position. This educational background should ideally be complemented by practical experience in humanitarian or development settings.

Experience:
The position requires at least 10 years of relevant experience in humanitarian or development contexts, with a minimum of 4 years in leadership and management roles. Candidates should have experience working in complex and fragile environments, demonstrating a strong understanding of humanitarian principles, international law" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">humanitarian law, and coordination mechanisms. Experience in managing humanitarian operations and responding to rapidly evolving crises is crucial, as is experience in representing organizations in inter-agency coordination platforms.

Languages:
Fluency in English, both written and spoken, is mandatory for this position. While not required, a working knowledge of Arabic is highly desirable and would be beneficial for effective communication in the operational context of Sudan.

Additional Notes:
The position involves frequent travel to insecure and operationally constrained locations, requiring a high degree of flexibility and responsiveness to emerging operational priorities. The role is expected to maintain a readiness for rapid deployment or temporary reassignment as needed. Mercy Corps is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and ensuring a safe and inclusive work environment, adhering to safeguarding principles and ethical standards.