Area Based National Laision Officer

Consultant Programme & Policy

Overview

Support area-based coordination to enhance humanitarian and development action.

You have:

• Advanced University Degree (master's or higher) in development studies, international relations, public administration, or related field is required.
• A first-level university degree, combined with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree is required.
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in coordination, development, or humanitarian programming is required.
• Experience working with UN agencies, NGOs, or government institutions in South Sudan is required.
• Strong analytical, facilitation, and communication skills and the ability to work independently and manage complex tasks are required.
• Familiarity with area-based approaches, HDP Nexus, and durable solutions is desirable.
• Commitment to gender equality and conflict sensitivity is desirable.
• Fluency in written and oral English is required.

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

Expected Outcomes Monthly ABC results reports tracking progress against agreed-upon indicators. (e.g., food production, access to services, resilience metrics, early warning and emergency). Annual synthesis of ABC contributions to collective outcomes. Implementation of community-based, bottom-up approaches to priority-setting and programming. Strengthened coordination and increased impact across HDP actors. Development of operational priorities and roadmaps to address common challenge. Demonstrated improvements in accountability to affected populations. Government at Juba and state level supported on the implementation and operationalization of the durable solution steering committee and state level task force.

Work Location

South Sudan

Expected duration

11 Months

Duties and Responsibilities

The UN Secretary-General launched on 1 January 2019 a bold and new global reform which repositioned the UN Development System to deliver more effectively and efficiently with the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. As part of this reform, UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO), under the leadership of an empowered and independent UN Resident Coordinator - the highest-ranking official of the UN Development System and Representative of the UN Secretary-General at country level - support countries in the achievement of their development priorities and the attainment of the SDGs. South Sudan is experiencing a period of significant risk and opportunity, marked by escalating humanitarian needs, significant economic challenges, and political and security uncertainty, compounded by shrinking financial resources and the spillover from the crisis in Sudan. Amidst this complexity, the UN Country Team (UNCT) and Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) convened a Joint Retreat in June 2025 to make strategic decisions on where, how, and with whom to work to deliver more coherent and impactful results. The retreat underscored the need for a paradigm shift in leadership behavior, joint delivery models, accountability, and operational prioritization to drive coherent action across the peace, development, and humanitarian pillars in support of agreed priorities. This call for change comes at a time when the global UN system is under increasing pressure to rethink how it leads, operates, and delivers—amid shrinking resources, the IASC 'reset', and preparations for UN80. The development and humanitarian community, including the UN, is seeking renewal and relevance by becoming more effective and responsive to complex and rapidly evolving contexts. In South Sudan, this shift entails breaking down institutional silos in favor of bold, context-driven leadership, shared responsibility, and decisive, collective action. The ABC liaison officer will provide targeted support to the Senior Nexus Advisor in supporting Area-Based Coordination (ABC). The Liaison Officer will work under the direct supervision of the Senior HDP Nexus Coordinator (SNCO) and in close collaboration with the head of integrated office and also with the head of RCO and relevant UN agencies, NGOs, government counterparts (including state-level authorities), and community representatives in the ABC areas. The Officer will be responsible for facilitating ABC deliverables and assisting the SNCO in delivering the joint UNCT-HCT Outcome and sub-objectives: • Food Security: Scale up local food production and climate-resilient agriculture, leveraging the "Year of Agriculture" and supporting women- and youth-led cooperatives in targeted states. • Essential Services: Ensure sustained access to health, education, and nutrition through pooled supply pipelines and mobile outreach, particularly in high-burden counties. • Durable Solutions: Support safe, voluntary return and local integration of displaced populations, aligned with the Government's Durable Solutions Strategy. • Rapid Response and Protection: Strengthen early warning systems, pre-position life-saving supplies, and mobilize community-based protection and peacebuilding efforts. • Governance - Peace and justice

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced University Degree (master's or higher) in development studies, international relations, public administration, or related field is required. A first-level university degree, combined with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree is required. Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in coordination, development, or humanitarian programming is required. Experience working with UN agencies, NGOs, or government institutions in South Sudan is required. Strong analytical, facilitation, and communication skills and the ability to work independently and manage complex tasks are required. Familiarity with area-based approaches, HDP Nexus, and durable solutions is desirable. Commitment to gender equality and conflict sensitivity is desirable.

Languages

Fluency in written and oral English is required.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

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Potential interview questions

Added 4 months ago - Updated 3 months ago - Source: careers.un.org