Senior Program Officer (Coordinator) - SUDANESE NATIONALS ONLY

About CIVIC

Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) is an international non-governmental organization with offices around the world working to improve protection for civilians in conflict zones. CIVIC envisions a world in which no civilian is harmed in conflict. Our mission is to support communities affected by conflict in their quest for protection and work with armed actors to strengthen their capacity and resolve to prevent and respond to civilian harm. We are humanitarian protection advocates who believe that no civilian caught in conflict should be ignored, and we provide practical solutions to preventing, mitigating, and responding to civilian harm. Learn more at civiliansinconflict.org.

About the Position

The CIVIC Senior Program Officer (Coordinator) will provide technical and programmatic expertise on the protection concerns and dynamics affecting communities in the states where CIVIC Sudan operates. Working closely with the CIVIC Head of Programs, the Senior Program Officer will support the implementation of programme activities and play a key role in strengthening CIVIC’s engagement with conflict-affected communities.

The position also involves working closely with and providing guidance to local partner organizations, supporting them in implementing programme activities, strengthening their community engagement approaches, and ensuring alignment with CIVIC’s protection objectives and methodologies.

The Senior Program Officer will have regular representation and coordination responsibilities with a range of stakeholders, including community members and civilian leaders, government representatives, as well as local and international civil society organizations and humanitarian actors operating in Sudan.

In close collaboration with the Head of Programs, the Senior Program Officer will help develop, facilitate, and support CIVIC’s community engagement initiatives on civilian protection, including community self-protection workshops, locally-led initiatives, and training sessions with various stakeholders. Through these activities, the role will contribute to strengthening community protection mechanisms, improving dialogue between civilians and security actors, and advancing CIVIC’s broader protection objectives.

Type of contract: One-year fixed-term contract, renewable subject to performance and funding availability.

Duration: 1st April 2026 – 31st March 2027

Location: Port Sudan - with frequent travel to Khartoum and Kassala

Key Responsilibilites

Programme Coordination and Implementation

• Work closely with the CIVIC Head of Programs and program team to design, coordinate, manage, and implement community engagement activities in support of CIVIC’s Sudan programme.
• Collaborate with state-level Program Officers to design, coordinate, and implement activities related to engagement with communities.
• Lead the planning and implementation of civilian protection activities, including capacity buidling and follow-up engagement activities.
• Develop and manage detailed programme workplans, ensuring that activities are implemented according to agreed timelines, budgets and programme objectives.
• Coordinate closely with local partner organizations, providing guidance and technical support to ensure quality implementation of community engagement and protection activities.

Planning, Budgeting, and Programme Management

• Contribute to programme planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes, ensuring community engagement activities are adequately resourced and implemented efficiently.
• Support the development and management of activity budgets, monitor expenditure against plans, and ensure effective use of programme resources.
• Participate in programme strategy discussions, providing technical input on community engagement and protection programming.
• Support the preparation of concept notes, proposals, and programme design documents as requested by the Head of Programmes and Country Director.

Community Engagement and Stakeholder Coordination

In coordination with the CIVIC programme team:

• Identify target states and regions for programme implementation and develop criteria for their selection.
• Identify and engage local civil society organizations, community leaders, and community groups to participate in CIVIC’s community engagement initiatives.
• Develop criteria for identifying and supporting core community groups that will work with CIVIC to strengthen civilian protection and engage with relevant security actors.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with local officials, civil society organizations, community leaders, and like-minded NGOs/INGOs to support programme implementation.
• Ensure that women, men, girls, and boys are meaningfully included in community engagement activities and that their perspectives inform protection programming.

Training, Workshops, and Dialogue Facilitation

• Plan and organize trainings for community leaders and civil society actors on civilian protection, advocacy and community-based protection approaches.
• Organize and facilitate dialogue sessions, workshops, and hearings between community representatives and security officials to discuss civilian protection issues in targeted areas.
• Coordinate workshop logistics in collaboration with the Operations Department, ensuring timely preparation of documentation and administrative requirements.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEAL)

• Work closely with the MEAL team to collect, verify, and analyse output and outcome data related to community engagement activities.
• Ensure proper documentation and filing of all programme activity records and supporting documents.
• Support the documentation of lessons learned and best practices from community engagement activities.
• Contribute to the translation of field findings into CIVIC’s advocacy and policy work, including the drafting of reports, briefing papers, and other publications.

Reporting and Representation

• Prepare detailed activity and programme reports, ensuring timely submission and high-quality documentation of programme results.
• Support the development of timely and high-quality donor reports, in coordination with the Head of Programs and Country Director.
• Represent CIVIC, as requested by the line manager, in coordination meetings with NGOs, civil society networks, and relevant government stakeholders, promoting effective collaboration and partnerships.

Requirements/Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, international affairs, political science, or a related field required; a Master’s degree is preferred but not mandatory. Candidates with academic backgrounds in other disciplines will also be considered if they demonstrate relevant experience in the development, humanitarian, or civil society sectors.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant work experience, including consultancies and freelance work.
• Demonstrated experience managing programmes and providing leadership or coordination within programme teams.
• Knowledge of the local community and experience with local actors, communities and grassroots groups.
• Passion for CIVIC’s subject matter and willingness to take on the responsibilities and duties as a key member of our team; and
• Fluency in English and Arabic is mandatory.
  
  

Additional Details

Application Deadline:

CIVIC seeks to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool in the belief that employees from diverse backgrounds are critical to achieving our goals. We strongly encourage applications from persons with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

CIVIC is not able to sponsor employees at this point, therefore, please ensure that you can legally work in this location when applying.

Note to Recruiters and Placement Agencies: CIVIC does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. CIVIC does not pay placement fees for candidates submitted by any agency other than its approved partners.