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.
Program / Department Summary
Mercy Corps has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since August 2007, with a staff of approximately 400 people working in Eastern DRC. Mercy Corps’ national office is in Goma with sub-field offices in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces. Mercy Corps’ key programming areas include a combination of longer-term development and immediate humanitarian response programs in order to: 1) Improve water service delivery and ensuring equitable access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene services, in urban and rural areas; 2) Improve food security and nutrition; 3) Promote diversified livelihoods, economic recovery and development. Mercy Corps DRC’s humanitarian programs aim specifically to assist populations affected by the conflict and crisis in Eastern Congo with multi-purpose cash assistance and emergency WASH support to displaced and host populations. Mercy Corps is currently responding the unfolding Ebola epidemic in North Kivu and Ituri Provinces, targeting hotspots and high risk areas through a combination of IPC/WASH and Community Engagement activities. The current programming includes resources from DFID, USAID, ECHO, UN-donors, Government of Netherlands, OFDA, FFP, SDC and others. The Ebola Response Program has funding from UNICEF, OFDA, and ECHO.
Mercy Corps DRC’s Ebola programs focus on IPC (Infection Prevention and Control), WASH and Community Engagement. Twelve months after the start of the epidemic, Mercy Corps’ Ebola portfolio is now at a turning point.
General Position Summary
The Program Manager (PM) will work closely with the Program Director, other Program Managers and key team members to support the implementation of UNICEF Funded – Ebola response project focused on community engagement and WASH infrastructure. The PM is responsible for direct execution of all activities under the projects that they supervise and will serve as a strong team leader for Mercy Corps Ebola programs conducting the roundup of activities. The PM represents the interests of the agency and partners, and ensures all parties are working effectively and efficiently. The PM is responsible for managing relationships with local partners, beneficiaries and donor representatives, contributing to the achievement of Mercy Corps DRC’s country goals through innovation and high impact programming.
Essential Job Responsibilities
STRATEGY & VISION
- Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
- In coordination with management, set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to country-wide strategy development.
- Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
- Oversee project close-up and ongoing project operations management and administration of teams working for IMPACT project,
- Create a framework for expansion adapting to the epidemic, allowing Mercy Corps to start responding to new hotspots and re-allocate resources from lower priority areas.
- Oversee the development of detailed implementation plans, maintaining rapid response capacity.
- Integrate community engagement and participation, Do No Harm, protection, gender sensitivity and capacity building approaches into all activities as appropriate.
- Document processes and achievements to ensure best practices are captured and disseminated. This will include the continual re-evaluation of program activities and information, with resulting activity adjustments in keeping with new insights.
- Oversee the production of written reports on program activities, capturing the impacts of activities.
- Oversee efforts to design effective M&E systems for the program, and linkages with internal M&E systems.
REPRESENTATION AND COORDINATION
- Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships, sub-grantees, donors, local authorities and other stakeholders.
- Communicate effectively to ensure overall targets and donor obligations are met.
- Identify, build and manage partnerships on state and local levels with different stakeholders such as state and local government, Ebola national and local coordination bodies, civil society, UN agencies, peer INGOs, businesses and program participants.
- Host and ensure logistic support for stakeholder field visits including donors, partners, and technical support visits.
- Participate actively to coordination meetings with emergency stakeholders (OCHA, Prevention Sub-commission and other relevant Clusters, CCM, humanitarian actors, government of DRC). This includes representing Mercy Corps in coordination meetings.
- Demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure.
TEAM MANAGEMENT
- Develop the capacity of project teams, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
- Develop work and monitoring plans and monitor the progress of community engagement / WASH field team activities according to the needs of the projects.
- Assist team members with training, information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
- Ensure effective communication and coordination with other Ebola emergency project managers and technical advisors to implementing interventions that are coordinated and based on the most severe needs. Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
- Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
- Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.
FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT
- In collaboration with the country program’s operations and finance departments, ensure proper financial management, procurement, administration, human resources and logistics (including transport, warehousing and asset management) needs of the program are conducted within Mercy Corps’ policy and with the maximum benefit to the program.
- Monitor adherence to grant agreement, Mercy Corps’ policies and procedures and relevant external rules and regulations, including those of the government of DRC.
SECURITY
- Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership. Monitor and foster a high level of compliance with Ebola occupational safety standards and procedures.
- Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING
- As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.
ACCOUNTABILITY TO PARTICIPANTS
- Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our participants and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging participant communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Supervisory Responsibility
Program officers and assistants, program technical teams, M&E officers (both national and international staff).
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Ebola Deputy Program Director
Works Directly With: other project managers, technical advisors, M&E Manager, Finance Director/ Manager, Operations Staff, HQ Regional Program Team, Technical Support Unit and Managers/representatives from partner organizations.
Knowledge and Experience
- BA/S or equivalent experience in international development, management, humanitarian response or other relevant field; MA/S preferred.
- At least 5 years of international relief and development program management experience in emergency and recovery program management, with progressively greater responsibility.
- Prior Ebola experience is an asset but not required.
- At least 3 years in a senior management role with experience in managing humanitarian assistance projects in developing countries; experience managing multi-sectoral projects including cash, health, WASH, non-food items (NFI), Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), community engagement or protection, preferably in insecure settings.
- Previous experience in managing consortiums or international sub-grantees preferred.
- Combination of direct and remote management experience essential.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with host governments, donors, other donor- funded projects and stakeholders, local organizations, and partners.
- Experience managing programmatic and financial reporting requirements.
- Experience with UNICEF funding is strongly preferred.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and French required; other relevant languages such as Swahili a plus.
- Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving.
- Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.
- Strong computer literacy with a full knowledge of office applications.
- Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.
Success Factors
The successful PM will combine technical knowledge in the health and behavior change communication sectors with exceptional management skills and experience in maintaining donor and partner relationships. The PM will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region. They are an effective communicator, able to work with internal and external stakeholders to achieve common objectives and to develop and mentor team members. The PM will also have proven experience with cross-cultural team and capacity building, individual staff development and strong mentoring skills. Prioritizing, problem solving, seizing opportunities, attention to detail and strategic vision are essential. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
This position is an unaccompanied position. The position is based in Butembo. Travel may be required up to 50% of the time to program areas within North Kivu. Outside Goma, travel can be dangerous and unpredictable due to armed forces and rebel activity.
North Kivu continue to be an arena of violence and insecurity. Mercy Corps’ sub-offices experience variable levels of insecurity, with the situation closely monitored by UN peacekeepers. Mobile phones and cellular service are widely available. Internet is available in all Mercy Corps offices. There are a number of health services available with evacuation options for serious illnesses. Butembo is a city with 700,000 inhabitants, water and electricity can be unstable. There is reasonable access to main consumer goods, although they can be expensive. Security is highly volatile and a curfew is in place.
Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/STA to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.
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More Information
- Job City Butembo
