National Professional Officers are employed for functions in UNMIS which by their very nature require national knowledge and experience and so could not be carried out as effectively by international professionals

Duties and Responsibilities:

The role of UNMIS is to facilitate and coordinate, within its capabilities and in its areas of deployment, the voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons. To this end and under the supervision of Head, Reintegration, Return and Recovery Section the incumbent will perform the following duties:

• Monitor, analyze and report on issues related to Return, Reintegration and Recovery (RRR), according to agreed formats.
• Assist to coordinate UN and NGO activities related to RRR in the designated area of responsibility;
• Participate in inter-agency processes for area based analysis and planning related to RRR, including: The causes of displacement, Current capacities of an area to receive IDPs; Design an area based reintegration strategy; Identify likely bottlenecks and impediments to returns; Carry out assessment of needs
• Supervise monitoring and tracking systems within the area;
• Work closely with the Protection Unit to ensure all RRR activities adhere to the protection framework;
• Monitor returnees and local communities to ensure sustainability of the return process and that basic needs are being met;
• Document lessons learned in all aspects of RRR for future planning processes;
• Establish and maintain close working relations with UNMIS, UN Agency, NGO, government and beneficiaries;
• Support the Director of the RRR Section in creating, and then monitoring the implementation of, national RRR policies;
• With assistance from HQ, define and implement a local advocacy framework;
• Assist with missions to the area of responsibility;
• Any other duties as may be requested by the Director, RRR Section and local supervisors.

Competencies:

• Professionalism: Advanced knowledge of the use of information management to improve the delivery of humanitarian assistance; ability to analyze and articulate the information management requirements of complex situations requiring a coordinated UN response; demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to use sound judgment to ensure the effective and timely completion of complex tasks; ability to work under extreme pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment (e.g. civil strife, natural disasters and human misery); very good knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining to humanitarian affairs and sound knowledge of the institutions of the UN system;
• Empowering Others: Delegates responsibility clarifies expectations and gives staff autonomy in important areas of their work; Encourages others to set challenging goals; Holds others accountable for achieving results related to their area of responsibility.
• Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be 'clients' and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients; environments to keep informed and anticipate problems; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to clients.
• Commitment to Continuous Learning: Willingness to keep abreast of new developments in the field.
• Communications: Excellent communication (spoken and written) skills, including the ability to convey complex concepts and recommendations to staff at senior levels, both orally and in writing, in a clear, concise style.
• Planning & Organizing: Ability to coordinate the work of others, work to tight deadlines and handle multiple concurrent projects/activities.
• Technology Awareness: Fully proficient computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications, e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, internal databases, Internet, etc.
• Teamwork: Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Qqualifications:

• Education: Advanced degree, social sciences, development studies or a related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience in a related area.
• Experience: A minimum of 5 to 10 years of increasingly responsible professional experience, in humanitarian affairs, disaster management or a related field, especially working for an operational UN Agency or NGO; Extensive knowledge of issues related to displacement; Demonstrated ability to successfully function under difficult living conditions; Ability to write clearly and concisely in English .
• Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic. Knowledge of other Sudanese languages an asset