Area Coordinator - West Nile

**HEKS/EPER** (Swiss Church Aid) is a faith-based international development and humanitarian organization committed to justice, human dignity, and sustainable development. In Uganda and South Sudan, our work focuses on supporting marginalized communities and building resilience through a triple nexus approach that integrates humanitarian response, sustainable development, and peacebuilding. We promote a rights-based, participatory, and conflict-sensitive approach that upholds dignity, inclusion, and accountability to affected populations.

This is a National position based in Yumbe.

**Description of main tasks**
The Area Coordinator will provide strategic oversight and operational leadership for HEKS/EPER’s programs in West Nile, ensuring effective program design, management, quality implementation, and monitoring, evaluation and accountability of multi-sectoral interventions in livelihoods, conflict transformation, protection, and climate adaptation. In consultation with the Head of Programs (HoP) He/She will be responsible for program alignment with HEKS/EPER’s mission, country, regional and global strategies, and donor requirements while fostering innovation and impact. He/She will ensure linkages of the HEKS/EPER thematic areas of Climate Justice, Right to Land and Food, Flight and Migration, and Inclusion. The role oversees program quality, team management, and donor compliance, while coordinating closely with grants, finance, logistics, and MEAL teams to ensure efficiency, safeguarding, accountability and learning. The Area Coordinator is also responsible for strategic representation of HEKS/EPER in field-based coordination platforms, building and maintaining partnerships with key sectoral stakeholders, and leading and supporting field-based staff to deliver impactful, community-driven results in refugee and host communities.

**KEY RESPONSIBILITES**

**Program Strategy and Implementation**

- Actively participate in the design, planning, and ensure quality implementation of humanitarian and development programs across thematic areas including livelihoods, conflict transformation, climate adaptation, and protection.
- Ensure that the projects adopt the humanitarian-development Nexus approach.
- Ensure projects are aligned with HEKS/EPER’s strategic objectives in the Country Strategic Plan (2027–2030), donor priorities and commitments, and national frameworks (e.g., OPM, District Local Governments, Inter-agency and sectoral priorities) to maximize program impact.
- Provide technical guidance and oversight to ensure project coherence, quality and timeliness of project delivery in West Nile (currently in Zombo, Yumbe, Obongi, and Koboko).
- Participate in the development and review of HEKS/EPER’s Strategic Plan.

**Project Cycle Management (PCM)**

- Oversee all phases of the project life cycle including kick-off, planning, execution, monitoring, reviews, and closeout.
- Ensure project logical frameworks (LGF) and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) frameworks are applied.
- Guide teams in collecting, analyzing, and reporting trusted performance data.
- Facilitate joint planning, learning, and adaptation through reflection meetings, quarterly reviews, and lessons learned sessions.
- Ensure age, gender and other cross-cutting issues (disability, Gender Equality, Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding, Environmental Sustainability/Climate Change, and Human Rights) are mainstreamed and integrated across all the humanitarian and development projects in the project cycle.
- Guide proper management of evaluations and assessments and the preparation of analytical reports.
- Plan, organize and facilitate monthly program review meetings.

**Reporting and Donor Compliance**

- Ensure compliance with donor contracts, HEKS/EPER’s Field Financial and Administrative Guidelines (FFAG), and national regulations as per each Thematic area.
- Lead the preparation of high-quality narrative reports in liaison with the finance team, Grants Coordinator, and MEAL Officer.
- Liaise with the MEAL Officer and lead the preparation of program briefs, success stories, and case studies in compliance with HEKS/EPER and donor guidelines and requirements.
- In consultation with the MEAL Officer and Grant and Acquisition Coordinator, ensure communications, visibility and advocacy efforts are aligned with program goals.

**Acquisition and Fundraising**

- Identify and communicate to the HoP and Grants Coordinator potential areas for concept/proposal development based on the identified need in the area.
- In consultation with the Head of Program and Grant and Acquisition Coordinator, actively participate in the proposal design and development of competitive concept notes and proposals.

**Representation, Networking and Partnerships**

- Represent HEKS/EPER, with OPM, in sector working groups, inter-agency forums (e.g., CRRF), and district-level planning platforms.
- Build and maintain strategic collaborations, partnerships and synergy with district local governments, implementing partners, UN agencies, community leaders, and CSOs including Refugee Led Organizations (RLO).
- Coordinate the above with the CD, whenever required.

**Budget Oversight and Financial Accountability**

- Consolidate and monitor program budgets across Area of Responsibility (AoR), development of workplans, procurement plans, timely budget follow-ups (BFUs) and compliance with procurement and financial procedures.
- Review and approve procurement requests and expenditure plans within delegated thresholds.
- Ensure programs are implemented within the approved budgets and contribute to monthly forecasts and variance analysis.

**Team Management and Capacity Building**

- Provide line management to program and field staff, including conducting performance appraisals, coaching, capacity development and development of continuous performance and learning strategies for the team.
- Support HR processes such as recruitment, onboarding, and mentorship of program staff.
- Promote team cohesion, cross-learning, and ensure staff apply Do No Harm, Protection, and HRBA principles.
- Ensure staff, partners and communities we work with adhere to the HEKS/EPER Gender and Adversity, PSEAH, and child safeguarding policies.

**Operational Coordination**

- Work closely with the Procurement and Logistics, Finance, Grants, and MEAL Officer to ensure smooth support functions.
- Participate in internal coordination meetings and contribute to country-level strategic discussions.
- Ensure that safety and security protocols are adhered to and updated in collaboration with the Security Focal Point.

**Minimum Requirements**:

- Bachelor's degree in social sciences, Development Studies, or a related field with good knowledge of Project Management, International Refugee, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. (Master’s Degree is an added advantage)
- Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in managing multi-sectoral programs in humanitarian and/or development settings.
- Strong knowledge of project cycle management, budget control, donor reporting and community engagement.
- Experience in climate resilient and triple nexus programming, particularly in refugee-hosting contexts.
- Good knowledge and understanding of DO NO HARM principles and Human Rights Based Approach in development.
- Proficiency in MS Office and data tools (Excel, Power BI, Kobo Toolbox, etc.).
- Works with trustworthiness and integrity and shares HEKS/EPER’s core values & humanitarian principles.