Are you aiming to work for an organization where it is worthwhile investing your personality, your skills and your time? Are you looking for a job that is exciting and has clear goals? Welcome to Welthungerhilfe – one of the largest and most respected private organisations for development cooperation and humanitarian aid in Germany. Our vision is clear: “Zero Hunger by 2030” – If you want to become part of our global mission to end hunger around the world, we look forward to receiving your application as:

Head of Project (DANIDA)

Based in Torit County, Eastern Equatoria, South Sudan

Announcement date: 13/1/2025

Closing date: 30/1/2025

Contract duration: 10 months with possibility for extension depending on funding and performance.

Welthungerhilfe (WHH) has been working in today’s South Sudan since the late 1990’s. Since the country’s independence in 2011, Welthungerhilfe has implemented 87 projects ranging from rapid disaster relief to reconstruction and long-term development cooperation projects with local partners, with an overall volume of over EUR 420 million. Through 19 projects in five states (Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity State, Western, Central and Eastern Equatoria), we supported 610,000 people in 2020 alone. Welthungerhilfe receives institutional grants from German federal funds (GFFO, BMZ, GIZ), UN (WFP, FAO, SSHF) and the European Trust Fund (EUTF). WHH SSD primary areas of work in South Sudan are food security, agriculture, food systems, nutrition, WASH and infrastructure rehabilitation, under the overarching umbrella of climate resilience and adaptation. Established in Germany in 1962 under FAO-led campaign against hunger, currently operates in 36 countries globally.

Job purpose:

The Head of Project (HoP) is responsible for overall leadership and implementation of activities under the donor funded projects. The HoP ensures that the project activities are implemented as per the requirements of WHH and the donor, and as outlined in the grant contract and project proposal. The HoP is responsible for ensuring that the project mainstreams gender and disability inclusion, do no harm principles and the core humanitarian standards. He/She will manage the project staff and project budget. He/She ensures that the timeframe of the of the project is observed. The position is also responsible for developing and maintaining mutually beneficial relations with various stakeholders including local authorities, UN agencies and other NGOs.

The Head of Project reports to the Area Manager and also has a link with the Head of Program Implementation as his/her Technical Manager.

Key responsibilities:

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership

• Facilitate a collaborative team approach towards Project implementation to achieve success.
• Apply system thinking approach throughout the Project implementation and guidance to the team; seek for same approach for the Project to contribute to area-based programming in the Project location.
• Provide an inclusive and team-spirit based leadership style across the Project, ensuring that the team members are aware of the Project in a holistic manner and feel part of the WHH SSD.
• Take lead in facilitating Project support from support service departments and sector experts through training workshops, documents (manuals/SOPs) field visits and timely actioning of request for services.
• Conduct performance reviews, capacity strengthening and identification of development opportunities for staff.
• Demonstrate exemplary professional conduct.

Project implementation

• Coordinate closely with the Head of Program Implementation on the Project implementation-related issues.
• Manage all Project aspects along the theory of project cycle management including ensuring project startup and close out processes are conducted, development of detailed implementation plans and Log-frame, recruitment of staff, development of procurement plans and initiating procurement processes for materials, goods and external services.
• Ensure implementation of WHH policies adaptation to local conditions and contribution to the development of appropriate Standard Operating Procedures relating to the Project activities.

Project quality and learning; MEAL management

• Coordinate with Grants and Reporting Manager for Project kick-offs, monthly reviews and Project closeout processes.
• Coordinate with MEAL Manager on baseline surveys, post-distribution monitoring and end of Project evaluations.
• Ensure the Project adopts gender and protection mainstreaming approach in all its activities.
• Ensure that the WHH Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is in place and all staff and stakeholders are aware of it.
• Ensure continuous weekly market information gathering and appropriate dissemination is maintained, as per templates provided by WHH SSD.
• Compile relevant 5Ws information and timely submit to relevant sector expert.

Grant management and reporting

• Collaborate with the Grant and reporting manager in maintaining up-to-date Project documentation on ProMIS.
• Ensure high quality reports are timely compiled, reviewed internally and submitted to donor and other stakeholders in collaboration with the Grants and Reporting Manager.
• Coordinate with the Grants and reporting manager in the preparation of Project grant modification requests.

New business development, donor engagement

• Contribute to the development of follow-on new projects.
• Proactively identify potential new interventions opportunities and potential partnerships in the area of Project implementation and initiate and contribute to the development of new concepts and proposals for the target area.
• Participate in meetings called for by the donors on State- and/ or national level.
• Ensure assigned EPReP Minimum Preparedness Actions tasks are carried out within the agreed timeframe.

HR, team management, capacity strengthening.

• Coordinate closely with the CO-based HR Coordinator on any issues related to HR management.
• Ensure relevant and efficient Project staff structure is in place; assign the Project staff to various activities and locations of the Project implementation.
• Initiate recruitment processes on timely manner, following WHH SSD HR Recruitment SOP
• Ensure new staff are effectively onboarded with the organization in line with their job description, as per WHH SSD onboarding system.
• Undertake annual Employee Dialogue exercise with Project staff to set up performance goals and review achievements.
• Identify talents; facilitate staff development and capacity strengthening in collaboration with CO-based sector Experts.
• Conduct regular staff meetings.
• Maintain good spirit and high team morale through regular engagements and casual team building activities.

Financial management

• Undertake project budget management responsibilities including cash forecast, budget reviews and oversight on WHHs FundsPro.
• Ensure appropriate, timely and compliant utilization of Project funds to achieve Project goals and objectives.
• Take lead in regular updating of the Project information on ProMIS as well as ensuring data generation, management, and protection in collaboration with the MEAL team.

Procurement and logistics

• Ensure development of procurement plans and implement them through initiating procurement procedures and follow ups on procurement tracker.
• With support from Logistics Expert, ensure detailed provision of specifications of SPRs before approval.
• Ensure that Logistics Officers and accurately update and submit monthly reports as expected including asset and inventory.
• Ensure that the Logistics Officers update the procurement tracker at their area of operation.
• Oversee warehousing operations, ensuring that they are in compliance with prescribed protocols for security, stock recording and safety.

Compliance

• Ensure that every team member is aware and trained on WHH policies: Code of Conduct, Conflict of Interest, Anti-harassment Policy; and ensure there is adherence to the policies.
• Ensure compliance with local authority policies in terms of local recruitments, procurements and acceptable local norms.

Positioning, networking and representation

• Represent WHH towards external parties (donors, cluster meetings, other coordination for a in specific programming sector) to ensure good linkages with these agencies are strengthened.
• Establish and/ or maintain working relationship with Alliance 2015 partners in the area; provide regular inputs to the Country Management on those engagements.
• Establish effective stakeholder networks and regularly provide relevant feedback and feed forward to Country Management and Project team.
• Effectively host and facilitate donor, HQ personnel and journalists visits to Project sites.
• Articulate WHH SSDs program strategy in appropriate forums.

Communication and visibility

• Ensure WHH and Project have a visibility plan rolled out through support of the Communications and Advocacy Expert.
• Together with the team, ensure the availability of the success stories, personal stories, for the purpose of internal and external reports and other WHH publications.
• Ensure the communities WHH works with are aware of the Project’s objectives, WHH as an organization and the donor of the Project.

Access, safety and security

• In coordination with Country Director (CD), Area Manager and Security Advisor (SA), ensure that the WHH Security Risk Management (SRM) process is completed in their Area of Responsibility (AOR).
• Manage and direct all security activities at the Project office; ensure that activities of are conducted in a way that manages the risks to personnel, premises and assets.
• Keep the SA/CD informed of all developments in their area which have a bearing on the safety and security of WHH.
• Collaborate on safety and security matters with local partners and other NGOs working as operational partners.
• Ensure full and complete compliance by the personnel with all security-related instructions.
• Seek the authorization of CD/SA for the assumption of additional risk.
• Report to the CD/SA all security-related incidents.

        Your profile:

• Relevant University degree in either Agriculture, Project Management, Development/Humanitarian Studies, Disaster Risk Reduction, International Relations or Environmental Studies.
• Minimum 5 years progressive experience and proven record in designing and managing various humanitarian projects in fragile contexts.
• Excellent record of working with various donors including WFP, USAID, FCDO, GIZ or BMZ.
• Understanding of technical approaches to Nutrition, Food Security, Climate adaptation, gender sensitivity and mainstreaming, conflict sensitive programming experience in local governance and policy development is an important asset.
• Proven management experience in leading a functionally diverse team.
• Willingness to travel to remote and volatile locations.
• Excellent command of spoken and written English.
• Ability to work under pressure with minimum or no supervision.
• Ability to create positive relationships with colleagues, local authorities and communities.

Application procedure:

This position is open to qualified South Sudanese nationals.

Interested applicants can submit their application (max. four pages) in English, including copies of certificates/ diplomas, national ID, providing names of three referees and a telephone contact.

The applications are to be submitted to:  Imatong Employment Solutions

for online applications please click here.

Hard copies may be dropped to the Imatong Employment Solutions office in Thong Ping. Please contact +211 921 277 383 for directions.

Applications should not reach later than 30.01.2025 at 5pm.

To view the approved advert from the South Sudan Ministry of Labour, please click here.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Qualified females are strongly encouraged to a