Area-Based Coordination (ABC) Coordinator – Sudan Full Time NEW

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.

In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions

into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

Now, and for the future.

Background

The Cash Consortium of Sudan (CCS) is a collaborative platform of over 20 international and national NGOs working to strengthen multi-sectoral humanitarian programming, improve coordination, and increase collective impact across Sudan, hosted by Mercy Corps. In the current crisis context, formal coordination mechanisms are inconsistent or absent across many parts of Darfur. To address these critical gaps—particularly at the state level—the CCS is supporting the operationalization of Area-Based Coordination (ABC) mechanisms in priority states. These platforms are designed to strengthen field-level programmatic alignment, ensuring a space for INGOs, NNGOs, UN, private sector and local responders to jointly assess, plan, and coordinate across sectors and cross border operations.

The ABC approach is field-driven, neutral, independent and inclusive. It is hosted operationally through CCS partner agencies at the state level and is designed to complement—rather than replace—existing structures such as the cluster system at sub-national level, the INGO Forum, and the Emergency Response Mechanism (ERM) and any other relevant groups. The model also aligns with sub-national coordination systems such as the A-ICCG, ensuring coherence and a strong feedback loop from the field to national decision-making. By strengthening multi-sectoral service mapping, facilitating referral systems, and enabling joint planning among diverse actors, the ABC model fills a critical coordination gap in Sudan’s humanitarian landscape—particularly in hard-to-reach and conflict-affected areas with very high needs. The ABC Coordinator role is designed to be an enabler and fully complementary to existing humanitarian coordination structures. Technical leadership and strategic guidance remain under the purview of the cluster system and relevant national frameworks, with ABCs serving as a field-level coordination interface to strengthen coherence.

Purpose / Project Description

The ABC Coordinator will serve as a neutral convener of multi-sectoral humanitarian coordination at the state level. This role is central to supporting collective planning, identifying and addressing service gaps, improving referral pathways, and strengthening the interoperability between emergency response and longer-term programming.

Each ABC Coordinator will act as the anchor of the area-based coordination structure in their designated state and will engage with OCHA sub office for the state This includes managing a regular forum for all active humanitarian actors on the ground, coordinating closely with the SI-led ERM, and 48 Hr. ERRM team, and any other relevant groups, facilitating links with the A-ICCG relevant cluster FPs and the INGO Forum’s access and advocacy functions. The coordinator, in collaboration with OCHA, will ensure that the rapid needs assessments inform broader planning, that clusters are engaged to support cluster-specific coordination and technical harmonization, and that all humanitarian actors—regardless of consortium membership—can participate in and benefit from joint planning and alignment processes.

ABC Coordinators will ensure that existing national and cluster-level tools, SOPs, and coordination protocols apply. Any local contextualization or adaptation will be done in consultation with OCHA and elevated to the ICCG where needed, in line with IASC guidance. The supporting role of the position requires strong facilitation, diplomacy, coordination, and contextual knowledge of the humanitarian landscape in Sudan.

This is not an implementation or oversight role—it is a facilitative coordination role of field-based staff, embedded in an operational agency, acting on behalf of the wider collective response.

Objectives of the Position

• To coordinate field based multi-sectoral humanitarian actors at the state level around a shared area strategy, aligned with local needs, contextual dynamics, and clusters overall strategies and plans.
• To ensure that emergency assessments (e.g., ERM) feed into inclusive, programmatic planning for sustained and complementary response.
• To promote interoperability between coordination structures (ABC, ERM, clusters, INGO Forum and OCHA), tools, and planning processes.
• To strengthen real-time service mapping, identify gaps and overlaps, and ensure joint problem-solving around constraints.
• To ensure an inclusive coordination model that reflects the needs and capacities of INGOs, NNGOs, local responders, UN and stakeholders.
• To ensure that field-level coordination efforts are formally linked with national and sub-national clusters through established reporting and planning channels.

Key Responsibilities

1. Programmatic Coordination & Strategic Alignment

• Lead and facilitate the ABC platform at the state level, ensuring regular coordination meetings are inclusive, neutral, and solutions oriented.
• Participate in the A-ICCG meetings to ensure alignment with sector strategies, especially in relation to technical standards, referral pathways, and cross-cutting concerns
• Ensure alignment with existing national and state-level coordination structures (e.g., clusters, INGO Forum, OCHA)
• Facilitate joint planning between humanitarian actors across all clusters.
• Collaborate closely with SI’s ERM and 48Hr ERRM and any other relevant field focal points and ensure coordination of first line and second line response strategies.
• Support coordination with private sector actors, Chambers of Commerce, and local networks to enhance market-based programming where relevant.
• Identify key response gaps and facilitate joint resource planning or referrals to address them in coordination with the A-ICCG and relevant clusters.

2. Information Management & Interoperability

• With support from the IM Manager, maintain a live, up-to-date to existing service mapping platform capturing who is doing what, where, and with what capacity. This complements existing cluster efforts and avoid duplication or contributing to reporting fatigue.
• Facilitate the rollout of shared tools, including multi-sectoral registration formats, referral trackers, and dashboards.
• Contribute to the development of localized response strategies and area plans based on needs analysis and data from ERM, CCS, and cluster partners.
• Track and document referrals between partners, and support accountability and feedback loops across actors.
• Ensure that service mapping, referral tracking, and other data outputs are integrated into OCHA and cluster IM systems, contributing to national dashboards and SitReps as appropriate.

3. Access

• In coordination with OCHA/HAWG, support the engagement with local authorities to discuss and advocate on access-related issues where deemed appropriate by OCHA/HAWG and INGO forum.

4. Learning, Peer Exchange, and Capacity Strengthening

• Support learning exchanges between actors on best practices in integrated, area-based programming.
• Identify local capacity gaps and collaborate with CCS and relevant clusters to organize training or mentoring not limited to technical gaps.
• Capture lessons learned, support after-action reviews, and contribute to adaptive management of the ABC model.
• Encourage equitable participation of local actors through co-chairing opportunities, rotating facilitation, and adapted meeting modalities that consider access and resourcing constraints.

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Actively learns safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in humanitarian affairs, development studies, or social sciences (Master’s preferred).
• Minimum 5 years of experience in humanitarian response, coordination, or multisectoral programming.
• Experience engaging with INGOs, NNGOs, UN agencies, and coordination mechanisms (clusters, A-ICCGs, ERM, forums).
• Proven facilitation, negotiation, and coordination skills, especially in conflict-affected or access-constrained contexts.
• Fluency in English required, Arabic highly preferred.
• Knowledge of the Darfur context and local actor landscape is a significant asset.

Deliverables

• Monthly coordination meeting reports.
• Updated service mapping and referral dashboard.
• Input to ICCG/A-ICCG planning cycles.
• Quarterly lessons learned, best practices and adjustment of ABC model if so required.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibility

Accountability

Reports Directly To: The ABC Coordinator will report to the Emergency Strategic Support Director, with technical oversight and coordination with the Cash Consortium and coordination with relevant clusters.

Works Directly With: Cash Consortium of Sudan (CCS) Secretariat; Area Managers and Program Leads; SI-led ERM focal points and 48-Hour ERRM teams; Cluster Coordination Focal Points (at state/sub-national level); OCHA sub-office staff and HAWG representatives; INGO Forum coordination team; NNGOs, INGOs, UN partners, and local responders operating in the area.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Success Factors

The successful candidate should have the ability to apply high quality standards of engagement with humanitarian players including UN, INGOs, Local Authorities, NNGO and other relevant stakeholders especially given the fluid environment that the role is placed. This requires, patience, good humor while holding stead-fast to international standards in all activities. S/he must be able to work closely with a diverse team to adapt materials and methodologies to best meet the circumstances in targeted communities.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Nyala, South Darfur or Zalingie, Central Darfur and may require travel to appreciate work being done by member organization, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in shared housing and staff will have access to limited medical services and the living situation is of remote standards.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Team Efficiency and Effectiveness

Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work.

We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out different backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]).

Tagged as: Mercy Corps, Sudan