General Information:
Project: Sudan Recovery Fund - Southern Sudan (SRF-SS)
Title: Reporting and Communications Specialist
Duty Station: Juba, Southern Sudan
Level: P-3 equivalent
Contract Type: Special Service Agreement (SSA).
Duration: Appointment initially for six months with possibility of extension of up to twelve (12) additional months.
Apply To: UNDP Southern Sudan Procurement Unit (Attention: Ms. Josephine Baruch Tucker), UNDP Office Compound, Juba, Southern Sudan. Applications should be sent via e-mail to bids.juba @ undp.org.
Closing Date: Applications should be submitted on or before 15 September 2009.
Information: Additional information about the position can be obtained via e-mail from Mr. Paul Koulen (paul.koulen @ undp.org)UN-OCHA Compound, Juba, Southern Sudan.
Southern Sudan has made impressive strides since decades of civil war and the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005.
These include the establishment of governance systems throughout the region of Southern Sudan and achievements of early reconstruction results.
However, Southern Sudan remains a region marked by deep poverty, dramatic human development indicators, decades of neglect, considerable isolation, continuing violence and conflict, as well as a hugely inadequate transportation network.
International assistance in Southern Sudan continues to be largely humanitarian in nature with interventions funded through short-term humanitarian mechanisms still accounting for the majority of externally funded programmes in South Sudan.
The reliance on short term instruments does not address service delivery improvements to combat the vulnerability that affects the lives of millions in Southern Sudan.
Because of the bias towards humanitarian funds, as compared to recovery funds, the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) and the donor community acknowledged a gap in medium-term recovery assistance. (1)
This realisation precipitated the establishment of the Sudan Recovery Fund for Southern Sudan (SRF-SS). The SRF-SS aims to facilitate transition from humanitarian to recovery assistance through wide ranging support that enables the GoSS to secure peace dividends in the form of restoring basic service delivery to communities across Southern Sudan.
The Fund began operations in July 2008.
By February 2009, six months after the Fund's inauguration, US$ 19.6 million had been allocated to initiatives promoting agriculture and income generation activities in rural areas. Under Round II, a Small-Grants mechanism has been put in place and funds have been released the capacity development of the Southern Sudan Recovery and Development Commission.
Round III envisages further expenditure of US$120 million on programmes aimed at strengthening security arrangements in some of the most affected States, recovery programmes in all ten States, as well as the improvement of delivery mechanisms for service delivery in four critical sectors: Health, Education, Infrastructure (Water and Sanitation) and Natural Resources and Rural Development (Agriculture).
Description of Responsibilities:
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Head, Technical Secretariat, Sudan Recovery Fund, the Communications Specialist will design and implement the overall communications strategy for the SRF, including the design and content-management arrangements for the SRF Website and will also be the primary focal point for all reporting requirements of the Sudan Recovery Fund.
The objective of the communication strategy will be to ensure a better understanding of the goals and programmes financed under the Sudan Recovery Fund, support the regular dialogue with all partners and donors through regular high-quality reporting, as well as enhanced resource mobilization.
The Reporting and Communications Specialist will also assume responsibility for the SRF Newsletter and regular contributions to other Newsletters and media, including UNDP and MDTF (Multilateral Donor Trust Fund) Newsletters.
The Reporting and Communications Specialist will also design and implement an outreach strategy to ensure that all partners and specifically local authorities are consistently briefed on programmes and progress of the Sudan Recovery Fund.
In particular, the Reporting and Communications Specialist will aid efforts to ensure more effective outreach to two critical majorities in Southern Sudan, women and youth.
The Reporting and Communications Specialist will work closely together with the Reporting and Communications Specialists of other UN Agencies and partners in Southern Sudan, to ensure consistent emphasis on synergies, collaborative arrangements and reporting on impact and results.
Key functions of the assignment will comprise:
Project: Sudan Recovery Fund - Southern Sudan (SRF-SS)
Title: Reporting and Communications Specialist
Duty Station: Juba, Southern Sudan
Level: P-3 equivalent
Contract Type: Special Service Agreement (SSA).
Duration: Appointment initially for six months with possibility of extension of up to twelve (12) additional months.
Apply To: UNDP Southern Sudan Procurement Unit (Attention: Ms. Josephine Baruch Tucker), UNDP Office Compound, Juba, Southern Sudan. Applications should be sent via e-mail to bids.juba @ undp.org.
Closing Date: Applications should be submitted on or before 15 September 2009.
Information: Additional information about the position can be obtained via e-mail from Mr. Paul Koulen (paul.koulen @ undp.org)UN-OCHA Compound, Juba, Southern Sudan.
Southern Sudan has made impressive strides since decades of civil war and the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005.
These include the establishment of governance systems throughout the region of Southern Sudan and achievements of early reconstruction results.
However, Southern Sudan remains a region marked by deep poverty, dramatic human development indicators, decades of neglect, considerable isolation, continuing violence and conflict, as well as a hugely inadequate transportation network.
International assistance in Southern Sudan continues to be largely humanitarian in nature with interventions funded through short-term humanitarian mechanisms still accounting for the majority of externally funded programmes in South Sudan.
The reliance on short term instruments does not address service delivery improvements to combat the vulnerability that affects the lives of millions in Southern Sudan.
Because of the bias towards humanitarian funds, as compared to recovery funds, the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) and the donor community acknowledged a gap in medium-term recovery assistance. (1)
This realisation precipitated the establishment of the Sudan Recovery Fund for Southern Sudan (SRF-SS). The SRF-SS aims to facilitate transition from humanitarian to recovery assistance through wide ranging support that enables the GoSS to secure peace dividends in the form of restoring basic service delivery to communities across Southern Sudan.
The Fund began operations in July 2008.
By February 2009, six months after the Fund's inauguration, US$ 19.6 million had been allocated to initiatives promoting agriculture and income generation activities in rural areas. Under Round II, a Small-Grants mechanism has been put in place and funds have been released the capacity development of the Southern Sudan Recovery and Development Commission.
Round III envisages further expenditure of US$120 million on programmes aimed at strengthening security arrangements in some of the most affected States, recovery programmes in all ten States, as well as the improvement of delivery mechanisms for service delivery in four critical sectors: Health, Education, Infrastructure (Water and Sanitation) and Natural Resources and Rural Development (Agriculture).
Description of Responsibilities:
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Head, Technical Secretariat, Sudan Recovery Fund, the Communications Specialist will design and implement the overall communications strategy for the SRF, including the design and content-management arrangements for the SRF Website and will also be the primary focal point for all reporting requirements of the Sudan Recovery Fund.
The objective of the communication strategy will be to ensure a better understanding of the goals and programmes financed under the Sudan Recovery Fund, support the regular dialogue with all partners and donors through regular high-quality reporting, as well as enhanced resource mobilization.
The Reporting and Communications Specialist will also assume responsibility for the SRF Newsletter and regular contributions to other Newsletters and media, including UNDP and MDTF (Multilateral Donor Trust Fund) Newsletters.
The Reporting and Communications Specialist will also design and implement an outreach strategy to ensure that all partners and specifically local authorities are consistently briefed on programmes and progress of the Sudan Recovery Fund.
In particular, the Reporting and Communications Specialist will aid efforts to ensure more effective outreach to two critical majorities in Southern Sudan, women and youth.
The Reporting and Communications Specialist will work closely together with the Reporting and Communications Specialists of other UN Agencies and partners in Southern Sudan, to ensure consistent emphasis on synergies, collaborative arrangements and reporting on impact and results.
Key functions of the assignment will comprise:
- Planning and design of structured internal and external strategies and processes for communications and outreach, including brochures, technical reports, press releases, web page and correspondence with partners and local authorities;
- Elaboration and implementation of the SRF communications strategy and plan;
- Supervision of the design and maintenance of the SRF web-site as well as design and oversight of the most effective content management arrangements to ensure regular updating of the web site.
- Effective interfacing with other IT colleagues and partners involved in web site design and web site hosting;
- Provide contributions to the SRF Newsletter and other media;
- Oversees and implements factual and analytical reporting on recovery issues within the context of Southern Sudan;
- Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing;
- Assists partners with advice on civic education and community awareness initiatives required in support of the attainment of recovery and development efforts.
The Reporting and Communications Officer will have a Master's degree in media relations, journalism or development studies.
She/he will have excellent command of written and spoken English, as well as outstanding drafting and communication skills.
She/he will have at least five (5) years of relevant professional experience, such as spokesperson, public relations specialist or similar assignments as the one now advertised.
The Reporting and Communications Officer will also have a solid understanding of recovery, development and post-conflict issues, and should be able to communicate these issues to both generalist and specialist audiences.
A solid understanding of the international aid and donor architecture is desirable as well as previous association with successful resource mobilization efforts.
She/ he should be familiar with relevant IT tools and applications, including office business software (including PowerPoint presentations) and should have previous involvement in web design.
Previous involvement in Southern Sudan or in East Africa in similar positions or assignments will be a significant criterion in the evaluation of all applications.
Qualified female consultants are particularly encouraged to apply.
(Footnotes)
(1) See: UNDP Policy on Early Recovery, UNDP Bureau for Crisis. Prevention and Recovery, August 2008. "Early recovery is a multidimensional process of recovery that begins in a humanitarian setting. It is guided by development principles that seek to build on humanitarian programmes and catalyze sustainable development opportunities. It aims to generate self sustaining, nationally owned, resilient processes for post crisis recovery. It encompasses the restoration of basic services, livelihoods, shelter, governance, security and rule of law, environment and social dimensions, including the reintegration of displaced populations"
http://www.undp.org/cpr/we_do/early_recovery.shtml
