WASH Cluster Co-coordinator South Sudan (open for Internal NRC staff only)

Background:

NRC works to protect the rights of displaced and vulnerable people during crisis and meet immediate humanitarian needs, prevent further displacement, and contribute to durable solutions. Through our mobile emergency response capacity, we provide lifesaving multisectoral assistance to crisis affected populations in hard-to-reach areas across South Sudan. In areas throughout the country where we have established operations, we ensure that displacement affected people are safe, can exercise their rights, access quality services and protection and secure durable solutions. To that end, we contribute to safe and stable environment needed to allow for return and reintegration or integration of displaced communities. We do this through advocacy, coordination, and collaboration, as well as integrated and multi-sectoral long-term interventions.

In South Sudan, NRC established in 2004 and provides humanitarian assistance and supports durable solutions with integrated and multi-sectoral long-term interventions in six core competencies: Information Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA), Protection from Violence, Education, WASH and Shelter. In line with NRC global direction, our WASH and Shelter programmes are transitioning from mainly humanitarian response to support communities with more sustainable water systems and sanitation facilities in response to securing lasting solutions. Also, NRC has the ambition to grow its urban programming to facilitate durable solutions for the swelling urban population in South Sudan.

What you will do:

The overall objective is to ensure the WASH Cluster is functionally achieving effective humanitarian coordination in the field of WASH response in South Sudan. The specific objective of the agreement is to ensure an active involvement of NGO WASH stakeholders in Cluster activities to ensure a coherent and effective response by WASH partners in a strategic manner to a humanitarian crisis.

The three expected results are as follows:

• NGOs’ concerns and priorities are adequately brought to the attention of the WASH co-lead
• WASH stakeholders are encouraged to participate in WASH Cluster events
• WASH Cluster coordination effectiveness is reinforced

The Co- coordinator will be reporting to NRC for all contractual arrangements and will be accountable to the NGOs (both international and national) partners of the cluster.

General Responsibilities:

• Compliance and adherence to NRC policies, CC tools, handbooks and guidelines.
• Provide technical direction and project implementation support.
• Provide systematic training and build capacity of technical staff where relevant.
• Liaison and collaborate with relevant local and national authorities and stakeholders and represent NRC in relevant forums/cluster/working groups.
• Promote the rights of IDPs/returnees in line with the advocacy strategy.
• Identify trends, relevant modalities, and donor priorities. Contribute to the development and revision of funding proposals, budgets, and donor reports.
• Ensure high technical quality and synergies in project implementation.

Specific responsibilities:

Core Function 1: Support Service Delivery

Objective: Ensure that humanitarian WASH interventions are coordinated, complementary, and responsive to affected populations' needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Represent the NGO community during regular WASH Cluster meetings.
• Coordinate WASH Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP&R) partners.
• Facilitate regular exchange of information among cluster partners.
• Encourage active participation in coordination meetings, technical working groups, trainings, workshops, and assessments.
• Ensure equitable access of all WASH partners to Humanitarian Common Services, including Logistics Cluster and Core Pipeline mechanisms.
• Strengthen collaboration between NGOs, UN agencies, and other humanitarian actors.

Strategic Contribution: Promotes effective service delivery by reducing duplication, identifying gaps, and maximizing collective humanitarian impact.

Core Function 2: Inform Strategic Decision-Making of the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) and Humanitarian Country Team (HCT)

Objective: Provide evidence-based analysis and recommendations to support humanitarian leadership and decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

• Participate in and contribute to HRP, CERF, SSHF, and Flash Appeal processes.
• Represent NGOs and cluster partners during project review and defence processes.
• Analyze operational trends, gaps, and emerging humanitarian needs.
• Contribute technical inputs to strategic planning discussions and humanitarian prioritization exercises.

Strategic Contribution: Ensures that humanitarian decisions are informed by operational realities, needs assessments, and partner perspectives.

Core Function 3: Planning and Strategy Development

Objective: Develop and maintain a coherent, inclusive, and evidence-based WASH Cluster strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, review, update, and implement WASH Cluster strategies.
• Ensure meaningful participation of all partners in strategic planning processes.
• Lead or contribute to development of policies, work plans, strategic frameworks, bulletins, and technical guidance.
• Support contingency planning and emergency preparedness initiatives.
• Align cluster priorities with national and humanitarian response strategies.

Strategic Contribution: Provides a clear strategic direction for the WASH response and ensures coordinated action toward common objectives.

Core Function 4: Monitoring and Reporting

Objective: Track response performance, monitor progress, and promote accountability.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and promote effective monitoring mechanisms.
• Monitor implementation and impact of WASH interventions.
• Ensure timely and quality reporting from partners.
• Facilitate information sharing among stakeholders.
• Support reporting requirements for humanitarian response plans and donor-funded projects.
• Promote accountability and transparency in cluster decision-making processes.

Strategic Contribution: Enables evidence-based programming, accountability to stakeholders, and continuous improvement of humanitarian response.

Core Function 5: Advocacy and Resource Mobilization

Objective: Promote humanitarian priorities and mobilize resources to address critical WASH needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify key advocacy concerns affecting WASH response.
• Develop and contribute advocacy messages and briefing materials.
• Support broader advocacy initiatives led by the Humanitarian Coordinator and partners.
• Highlight resource gaps and funding requirements.
• Represent NGO and partner concerns in humanitarian forums and coordination platforms.

Strategic Contribution: Enhances visibility of humanitarian needs, influences decision-makers, and supports mobilization of resources for affected populations.

Core Function 6: Accountability to Affected Populations and Strengthening Partnerships

Objective: Ensure inclusive, transparent, and accountable coordination mechanisms.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain constructive relationships with national and local authorities.
• Engage state institutions, local civil society organizations, and affected communities.
• Promote equitable participation and inclusion of all cluster partners.
• Ensure transparent decision-making and communication processes.
• Foster collaboration between NGOs, UN agencies, government counterparts, and donors.

Strategic Contribution: Strengthens trust, ownership, and collective accountability across humanitarian stakeholders.

+1 Core Function: Grant, Programme Cycle and Organizational Management

Objective: Ensure effective management of grants and organizational responsibilities supporting the NGO co-lead function.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage grants funding the co-coordination function.
• Lead proposal development for continuation, modification, or expansion of the co-lead role.
• Ensure compliance with NRC Project Cycle Management (PCM) procedures and tools.
• Coordinate grant opening, implementation reviews, and closure processes.
• Prepare donor reports and organizational reports as required.
• Ensure compliance with donor regulations and internal policies.
• Monitor grant utilization and achievement of contractual commitments.

What you will bring:

Generic professional competencies:

• University degree in WASH- related discipline
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in Humanitarian assistance with considerable/proven cluster coordination experience
• Considerable relevant field experience in WASH projects in humanitarian and development programs preferably with non-governmental organisations and in more than one country.
• Experience and/or understanding of WASH-related issues in humanitarian and development context.
• Experience in management and capacity building of teams in complex contexts.
• Proven record of training/skills development of individuals and teams, including partner organizations.
• Proven ability to analyse complex humanitarian and recovery contexts at local and national level, monitor changes and translate into appropriate strategic planning
• Good assessment, analytical, monitoring and evaluation, and planning and project management skills
• Ability to consolidate and triangulate information received from various sources
• Be committed to putting aside their NGO’s organisational interest and work on behalf of all cluster members equally.
• Be technically competent in the cluster systems, procedures and governance structures
• Ability to represent the cluster at any forum
• Ability to dedicate time to support cluster activities
• Ability to maintain good relationships with all relevant stakeholder counterparts.
• Ability to work with diverse stakeholders to develop consensus.
• Understand and have experience in setting, chairing and preparing minutes of meetings.
• Know how to present ideas effectively and clearly while listening and acknowledging others’ perspectives and views.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the international humanitarian response and coordination mechanisms, and humanitarian reform.

Context/ Specific skills, knowledge and experience:

• Knowledge of the context in South Sudan preferred.
• Good working experience in South Sudan especially in the field of WASH.
• Understand the links between emergency response, recovery, and the transition to development.
• Experience in advocacy work
• Experience working with UN agencies on WASH matters.
• Experience working in volatile politically sensitive context
• Experience with start-up or expansion of new programmes and programme development
• Ability to work effectively across cultures, in sensitive environments and with different stakeholders.

What we offer:

• Duty station: Juba, South Sudan
• Contract: 12 Months (renewable based on funding and performance)
• Salary/benefits: grade 9 on NRC’s national contract.
• NRC is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to diversity without distinction to age, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, and physical ability.
• We think outside the box, encourage ideas, and give responsibility to all employees at all levels. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take the initiative.

Find out more about the benefits of working for NRC

Important information about the application process

• For Internal candidates: To apply as an internal candidate, log in with your official email or click on Opportunity MarketPlace.
• When creating your profile, include your full name as given on your passport. Complete all the system-required fields for experience, employment history and education.
• Applicants who do not fill in the required information will not be considered for the role.
• Submit your application and CV in English, taking care to attach your latest CV.
• Applications that do not meet the minimum standards in terms of experience or qualifications will generally not be considered. Unsolicited applications not related to this specific job advertisement will not be considered.
• Mandatory to submit the below when applying:
  • Your most updated English CV and remove all previous outdated CVs.
  • Your updated Cover Letter.
  • Do not attach certificates or any other documents apart from the two mentioned above.
  • Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• This position is open for internal NRC staff only.
• This position is open for candidates who have the legal right to work form South Sudan. NRC will not sponsor work permits nor visa as the position is national.
• We receive many applications for each vacant position and so only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• If you have any questions about this role, please email esa.recruitment@nrc.no with the job title as the subject line.

Why NRC?

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee. Our 15,000 staff work in crises across 40 countries, providing life-saving and long-term assistance to millions of people every year.

Watch this short video to see NRC in action.

We are looking for people who are passionate about helping refugees and people forced to flee. Are you one of those people? If you are, NRC offers you the opportunity to:

• do demanding and professional work, often in challenging contexts.
• join a work culture that empowers every employee to share ideas and take responsibility.
• be part of a welcoming and supportive community committed to human dignity.

Organization context

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is a global humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee.

Join us in assisting millions of people in areas where others cannot, tackling some of the world's most dangerous and difficult crises. Bring your skills and dedication to an organisation recognised for providing high quality aid and for defending the rights of refugees and internally displaced people.

At NRC, we give responsibility to employees at all levels and foster professional growth and innovative teams. You can expect a supportive culture and an open dialogue with management. We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Together, we save lives and rebuild futures.

Safeguarding is central to NRC’s work. We expect all employees to:

• treat everyone with respect and dignity

• contribute to building a safe environment for all

• never engage in any form of exploitation, harassment and specifically sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment (SEAH)

• always report. NRC has a zero-tolerance approach to inaction against exploitation, abuse and SEAH