Background
The Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) is a leading humanitarian organization and the National Society of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in Sudan.
SRCS operates in a complex and rapidly evolving humanitarian environment and is undertaking a process of organizational strengthening and transformation to enhance its institutional capacity, leadership effectiveness, operational performance, branch development, accountability, and ability to respond effectively to humanitarian needs.
To support this process, SRCS is seeking an experienced, highly qualified, and strategic Senior Strategic Advisor to SRCS Leadership. The position will provide high-level strategic advice and hands-on support to the leadership of SRCS in strengthening organizational systems, supporting institutional transformation, improving leadership coordination and decision-making, and ensuring that strategic priorities are translated into practical and measurable actions.
The Advisor will be embedded at SRCS Headquarters and will serve as a trusted source of professional advice and technical support to senior leadership.
Key purpose of the position
The consultant will advise and support SRCS leadership to exercise effective, principled, accountable, and coordinated leadership. The role will focus on strategic direction, governance–management collaboration, organizational performance, partnership engagement, implementation of agreed priorities, and longer-term institutional strengthening.
The consultant will act as a strategic adviser and facilitator. The position does not carry executive authority and does not include authority to approve expenditure, make decisions reserved for SRCS governance bodies or management, or represent SRCS externally without prior authorization.
Duties and responsibilities
- Provide strategic and executive advice
The consultant will provide concise, objective, and actionable advice on issues referred by SRCS leadership. Responsibilities will include preparing briefing notes, decision papers, talking points, options analyses, risk summaries, meeting briefs, and follow-up trackers. The consultant will help leadership identify strategic implications, assess options, and distinguish urgent operational issues from matters requiring governance or executive attention.
- Strengthen governance and leadership effectiveness
The consultant will support constructive and effective interaction among SRCS leaders, governing bodies, senior management and relevant organizational structures. This may include supporting agendas and meeting preparation, facilitating leadership retreats and planning meetings, clarifying roles and decision rights, strengthening committee effectiveness, and establishing practical mechanisms for recording and following up decisions.
- Support organizational planning and performance
The consultant will assist SRCS leadership to review strategic and operational priorities, identify implementation bottlenecks, develop or refine action plans, and monitor progress against agreed results. Where requested, the consultant may support organizational, departmental, branch, or leadership performance reviews and recommend practical corrective actions.
- Support external engagement and representation
At the request and under the authority of SRCS leadership, the consultant will support preparation for selected meetings and engagements with authorities, donors, Movement partners, United Nations entities, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders. This support may include stakeholder mapping, briefing packs, meeting preparation, key-message development, action tracking, and documentation of agreed follow-up.
- Provide leadership coaching and facilitation
The consultant will provide confidential coaching and mentoring to designated leaders or senior personnel, as agreed with SRCS. The consultant may also facilitate strategy sessions, workshops, problem-solving discussions, after-action reviews, and institutional learning events.
Minimum Qualifications and experience required
The successful candidate should have:
- Master degree or equivalent advanced professional qualification in management, organizational development, humanitarian affairs, public administration, leadership, social sciences, or a related field.
- At least 20 years of relevant professional experience, including experience advising senior leaders, governing bodies, executive teams, or comparable institutions.
- Demonstrated expertise in organizational strategy, governance, institutional strengthening, leadership development, change management, or senior-level facilitation.
- Experience working with a National Society, humanitarian organization, civil society organization, public institution, or other mission-driven organization, preferably in a complex or rapidly changing context.
- A strong ability to produce clear, concise, practical, and decision-oriented advice and to facilitate sensitive discussions among diverse stakeholders.
- Excellent written and spoken English.
- Strong interpersonal skills, sound judgment, discretion, independence, and commitment to humanitarian values, safeguarding, inclusion, and do-no-harm approaches.
The selection process will focus on demonstrated competence, relevant experience, professional integrity, and the ability to work effectively with SRCS leadership.
Contract, duty station, and availability
The position will be offered as a full-time, fixed-term senior advisory assignment for twelve (12) months. The detailed contractual terms, including remuneration, benefits where applicable, travel arrangements, and other conditions of service, will be determined in accordance with SRCS policies and the terms of the contract.
The primary duty station will be SRCS National Headquarters (SRCS NHQ). Travel to SRCS branches, meetings, workshops, or other locations may be required and will be subject to prior approval and applicable SRCS procedures.
Application process
Interested candidates should submit the following documents:
- A cover letter explaining their interest, relevant experience, availability, and suitability for the assignment.
- A technical proposal of no more than 5 pages describing their understanding of the assignment, proposed approach, methodology, and availability over the twelve-month.
- An updated curriculum vitae or professional profile, including contact details for at least three professional referees.