Status: Single Posting 

Location: Juba (with regular travel to field offices)

Duration of contract: 3 years contract (with possibility of extension)

Start date: March 2026

Please note that applicants are required to obtain an endorsement from a Christian church to which they belong.

Lutheran World Federation (LWF) World Service

LWF World Service is the humanitarian and development arm of the Lutheran World Federation. We are a widely recognized, international, faith-based organization working in more than 20 countries. We seek to bring people of all backgrounds together in the common quest for justice, peace, and reconciliation in an increasingly complex and fragmented world.

A commitment to the human rights of every individual, regardless of their status, guides our work, actions, and operations. We are particularly known for our timely, compassionate, and professional humanitarian work, and for our field presence in hard-to-reach areas. Our work is people-centered and community-based. Above all, we work with the most vulnerable, and in order to claim and uphold their rights, we engage proactively with local government and community structures.

Our partners in South Sudan include UNHCR, our member churches and their related agencies, local NGOs and communities, and other donors.

For additional information, please see https://worldservice.lutheranworld.org/ 

Purpose

The primary purpose of this position is to provide effective leadership, representation and management of the LWF South Sudan Country Program to achieve the intended results, outcomes and impacts for the targeted population. This includes overseeing the implementation of the 2025-2031 Country Strategy, with programmes on protection and social cohesion, climate and sustainable livelihoods and quality services, in particular in education, in an accountable and participatory manner, aligning with LWF World Service policies, manuals and guidelines. The Representative will actively monitor and analyse contextual developments in South Sudan and the region, to identify potential risks and opportunities. In the current context, the Representative will have a particular responsibility for securing and managing funding by leading on resource mobilization and donor relations, while ensuring robust financial management, compliance, and risk mitigation to maintain a sustainable and compliant program portfolio.

Required qualifications

University degree in a relevant field with strong expertise on issues related to human rights, sustainable development, and/or humanitarian response.

Knowledge and Experience

Minimum 5 years of work experience at management level in humanitarian assistance or development-oriented programs within an international environment, preferably with church-related or non-governmental organizations.

Further training and expertise in relevant areas (e.g. strategic leadership, management, organizational change and people management, advocacy, climate justice, finance, monitoring and evaluation). 

Proven ability to lead teams, to coach, nurture and motivate colleagues, creating a conducive working environment; including a track record in enabling teams to deliver rigorous planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of programmatic work. 

Proven capacity to model organizational values and champion innovation, resilience, and adaptability in the face of change. 

Demonstrated success in expanding organizational funding through effective donor engagement, consistent resource mobilization strategies, and the implementation of robust financial management and compliance practices. 

Proven capacity to navigate strategic processes of collaboration between international agencies and actors.

Conversant in Microsoft office suite.

Language Skills

English: advanced verbal and written skills.

Arabic: would be an asset

LWF Core Skills

Leadership – resource level*

Working effectively with others – resource level

Accountability – advanced level

Analytical thinking – advanced level

Initiative – advanced level

Achieving results – resource level

LWF Functional Skills

People Management – resource level

Facilitation / Negotiation – advanced level

Project Management - advanced level

Networking - resource level

Communication - resource level

*LWF 3 skills levels are: basis - advanced – resource

Main duties

People and Change Management

Proven ability to manage as a team, enabling, coaching and motivating team members to fulfil their mission, ensuring a condusive working environment. 

Oversee and manage the review of the current organisational structure and operational model, implementing organisational changes, operational shifts, and organisation's cultural initiatives, ensuring smooth transitions and minimising disruption.

Leadership and Strategic Contribution

Provide overall leadership to the LWF World Service program and its management team. Act as the LWF World Service representative in South Sudan, engaging with government authorities, ministries, donors, UN agencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders.

Finance, resource mobilization, donor engagement and grant management

Identify and secure funding opportunities, lead proposal development, and negotiate contracts with donors. 

Build and maintain strong relationships with institutional donors, government agencies, and implementing partners.

Develop strategies and operational plans and actively engage in negotiations with key stakeholders to uphold and develop a viable portfolio of projects and programs.

Engage closely and successfully with finance mechanisms, enabling colleagues to deliver and strengthen the financial management and compliance of the program in line with donor, reltaed agency and LWF World Service expectations and internal control systems.

Mitigate financial risks and ensure all activities adhere to internal and external compliance standards.

Programmatic work

Ensure that programmatic work is aligned with the LWF South Sudan Strategy 2025 - 2031 and other LWF policies and guidelines.

Ensure a consistent "local to global" approach in programming, linking local rights-based programming to national, regional and international advocacy and action for change.

Oversee the planning, implementation, and evaluation of projects and programs, ensuring objectives are met on time and in compliance with donor and organizational standards.

Supervise staff, ensuring effective delivery and reporting in line with donor requirements and internal policies.

Enable the team to deliver rigorous planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting (PMER) of programmatic work to the satisfaction of donors, related agencies and LWF global coordination structure. 

Ensure good management of resources, operations and partnerships with special emphasis on capacity building and continued improvement.

Operational representation, Advocacy, Networking

Represent the organization in official forums, promote program visibility, and advocate for organizational priorities.

Maintain close communication and cooperation with LWF's Related Agencies and their local and regional offices; the LWF Member Church, other LWF World Service Programs in the region, and appropriate ecumenical and/or faith-based partners through frequent informal coordination and collaboration.

Foster and maintain close coordination and collaboration with international and bilateral cooperating and co-financing partners, particularly the UN, government and their agencies, diplomatic representations and other international and national NGOs.

Team Leadership and People Management

Oversee key operational functions, including humam resources, facilities, health and safety, security, and local legal compliance management.

Lead, manage, and develop the team, fostering capacity building and high performance in the region.

Lead the team throuhg coaching, nurturing and motivating colleagues, creating a conducive working environment.

Ensure that mangement values, systems and roles are strenghtened to enable the smooth implementation of LWF programmatic work.

Ensure effective mechanisms for individual and team capacity building, continuous learning and employee life cycle mangement.

Ensure that recruitment is gender-sensitive and inclusive.

Accountability

Ensure all interventions are understaken in accordance with the LWF/WS policies and guidelines, specifically concerning the LWF Staff Code of Conduct, the Sphere Project and the Core Humanitarian Standard, as well as rights-based, gender responsive and climate sensitive programming.

Security Management

Be responsible for security related to the LWF South Sudan program, ensuring that security matters are monitored and addressed.

Ensure that a security plan is developed and employed for all levels of field staff and visitors to the program.

Position Environment and Dimensions

The Representative is responsible for the overall management and proper functioning of the LWF South Sudan programme and shall be based in Juba. The position reports to the Geneva-based Regional Program Coordinator for South Sudan, Kenya/Somalia and Uganda.

Internally, Representative mainly interacts with members of the Country Management team (Program Coordinator, Finance Manager, Human Resource Manager...) other LWF senior staff at country office level and in the field locations (currently in Longlei, Maban, Ajuong Thok and Magwi, Eastern Equatoria), LWF World Service International Program team and other World Service global coordination colleagues, as well as colleagues in the Action for Justice team and other department in LWF in general.

Major challenges

Difficult fundraising environment - acquiring new resources is the number one challenge.

Communicating clearly and consistently - clear and timely communication is needed at all levels.

Engaging all LWF levels - from the global LWF World Service Director to front line staff.

Remotely Based - engaging effectively with all stakeholders and core team.