Community Services Officer - Ajuong Thok Refugee Camp, Unity State, South Sudan

Community Services Officer - Ajuong Thok Refugee Camp, Unity State, South Sudan

Our new Community Services Officer will be responsible for the implementation of the Community Services Strategy for Ajuong Thok, which includes community mobilization, development and strengthening of community self-management mechanisms and support to persons with specific needs within the refugee camp.

The position

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has been present in South Sudan since 2005. DRC and DDG merged in 2012 and currently has operations in 7 States (Western and Eastern Equatorias, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Warrap, Unity and Upper Nile). Following the development of return patterns for refugees and IDPs in South Sudan, DRC developed its interventions in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State and neighbouring Warrap state.

DRC is a rights-based organisation and a member of the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) and is therefore committed to documenting our accountability to the beneficiary population and the impact of our activities. DRC adopts a community-based approach, where beneficiaries and local authorities are included in the prioritising, planning and implementation of activities as an important measure of rehabilitation and capacity building.

Key tasks and responsibilities

The Community Services Officer undertakes activities to promote peaceful coexistence and dialogue between refugee populations and host communities. More specifically the key tasks and responsibilities of the Community Service Officer will be:

1. In consultation with UNHCR and government authorities, support the establishment and capacity building of community structures with inclusive representation. Ensure community awareness regarding the specific roles and responsibilities of these groups and their members. In Ajuong Thok, this includes:

a. Block Leaders and Refugee Committee;

b. Community Peace Team;

c. Women’s Group;

d. Youth Group;

e. Community Outreach Workers.

1. (Other groups may be established as needed).
2. Coordinate with UNHCR and relevant Protection partners to ensure the specific needs of all vulnerable individuals are met;
3. Supervise and manage Field Assistants as well as guide and oversee the work of the Community Outreach Workers, ensuring that work and activities progress as agreed and in line with applicable standards;
4. Continually sensitize staff, partners, refugee leadership to the importance of respectful dialogue with the refugee community;
5. Organize and conduct trainings and workshops to ensure all staff are informed and demonstrate understanding of the Code of Conduct and values required, with particular attention to accountability, respectful dialogue with the refugees, and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse;
6. In close cooperation with refugee community/committees, develop appropriate social, recreational and cultural activities in the camp;
7. Sensitize staff to the importance of continuous and respectful dialogue with the refugee community;
8. Responsible for ensuring that DRC has up-to-date records of refugee camp populations, based on UNHCR registration, plot allocation, and leadership structures.
9. Regular review of registration data, critical analysis of data compared to actual population, and identification of vulnerable groups and individuals for further interventions. Also identification of any gaps between registration and actual population;
10. Weekly and monthly reporting to Camp Manager and UNHCR;

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree in social work, gender studies, human rights, social sciences or related field

• 3 years professional project management experience, including supervision of national staff, budgetary oversight and program development

• Technical expertise and understanding of participatory approaches, community mobilizations, inclusion of individuals with specific needs

• Proven record of operationalizing protection principles in a humanitarian aid setting,

preferably in refugee camps or other displacement situations

• Excellent analytical and communication skills

• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to establish effective working relations with local staff, beneficiaries, duty bearers and other stakeholders

• Proven ability to work and live in very basic living conditions in deep field locations

• Ability to work under pressure, with minimal supervision, and in a culturally diverse team We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, irrespective of nationality, race, gender or age.

Conditions

Availability: By 31st October, 2013

Duty station: Ajuong Thok Refugee Camp, Unity State South Sudan.

Contract: until mid-2014 (with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance).

Salary and conditions in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to www.drc.dk under Vacancies. This position is offered at salary level A13.

Further information

You are welcome to contact the DRC Head of Programmes, James Curtis at head.programme@drc-ssudna.org or Head of Sudan & South Sudan Unit, Scott Tind Simmons at scott.tind.simmons@drc.dk. For general information about the Danish Refugee Council and Danish Demining Group, please consult www.drc.dk andwww.danishdemininggroup.dk

Danish Refugee Council / Danish Demining Group (DRC DDG) is a humanitarian non-governmental organisation founded in 1956 currently working in more than 30 countries worldwide. DRC DDG has worked in South Sudan since 2005 providing humanitarian assistance to refugees and displaced people, to communities threatened by land mines and unexploded ordnances and Armed Violence Reduction (AVR) through conflict sensitivity and safe weapons storage.

How to apply:

Application and CV

Only motivated applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications sent together with a CV will be considered. Please provide references, but do not attach any written recommendations until requested to do so.

Please submit your application and CV in English and marked “Community Services Officer – South Sudan” no later 14th October 2013. CV-only applications will not be considered. Please note that applications are not to be sent to Mr. Curtis or Mr. Tind Simmons. We only accept applications sent via our online recruitment system onwww.drc.dk under About DRC/Vacancies/Current vacancies/Community Services Officer – South Sudan.

Applications sent directly to Mr. Curtis or Mr. Tind Simmons will not be considered.

Problems with on-line application?

Please inform us via job@drc.dk, if you have questions to the application process or experience problems with your on-line application.