Program Grants Manager, IMAGINE – DRC 109 views0 applications

PROGRAM/ DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since August 2007, with a staff of around 400 people working in North Kivu, South Kivu, Province Orientale, and Kinshasa. IMAGINE seeks to simultaneously improve availability of, access to, management of, and proper utilization of WaSH resources in selected urban centers in Eastern Congo to ensure sustained health impacts. In support of this Mercy Corps has recently completed a number of assessments as part of the IMAGINE Inception Phase to define key needs around WASH infrastructure, water governance, market development and hygiene practice and better understand the environmental, socio-economic and gender issues that affect WASH needs and delivery.

IMAGINE identifies critical and inter-related outputs to address these causal factors preventing sustained improvements:

• Improvements to Infrastructure to increase availability of basic WASH services from source to tap
• Improved market-based WASH Service Delivery to engage and incentivize market actors and create more viable, efficient and sustainable WASH markets
• Enhanced Governance and Accountability structures to ensure effective feedback loops among consumers, providers, and regulators of WASH services
• Behaviour Change interventions to improve knowledge and practice essential health practices
• Gender integration across all IMAGINE teams and activities; and Targeted gender interventions aimed at ensuring equitable access to, and control over, WASH resources.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Programme Grant Specialist will fill a number of program development, coordination and management roles to cover the IMAGINE program ensuring adequate systems are in place to allow the team to successfully implement activities on scope and on time.

They will ensure high quality and timely performance reports to Mercy Corps and DFID for the IMAGINE program including, but not limited to, bi-weekly program updates, monthly sector reviews, and quarterly, annual, and final program reports. The Grant Officer will be responsible for collating and updating the program tools that will align with Mercy Corps’ programme management minimum standards (including program file documentation, program documentation, program performance and financials). The Grant Officer will also assist with communications: They will assist in extending M&E and reporting activities including: responding to information requests, writing success stories, and monitoring and reporting on program impact. They will coordinate with donors, partners and other NGOs as required by the Director of IMAGINE and will attend key coordination and advocacy meetings and prepare internal reports on those meetings.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide technical and management support for the reporting requirements to the program.
• Review, coordinate, compile and finalize all official donor reports for Mercy Corps-DRC IMAGINE after initial drafting by program staff.
• Prepare schedule of all official donor reports and inform the relevant Imagine counterparts about deadlines.
• Draft program updates for donor and other key stakeholders.
• Work closely and in coordination with Mercy Corps offices in USA and UK, establishing a strong working relationship with HQ program officers.
• Ensure proposals and project reports comply with donor and Mercy Corps’ procedures and best practices.
• Act as day-to-day representative of Mercy Corps to organizations as requested by the Director of IMAGINE (in association with the Country Director) including attending key internal and external meetings, as needed.
• Support M&E Manager in M&E and reporting duties including, but not limited to, responding to information requests, supporting the fulfillment of donor M&E requirements, monitoring and reporting on IMAGINE program impact.
• Produce other reports as required by supervisor, such as end of programme transition report, or promising practices report.
• Contribute to the design and drafting of communications material (annual report, social media, speeches, editorials, press releases, website content, newsletters, drafting success stories, and any other).
• Build the capacity of DRC staff and local partners in the area of reporting to enable them to develop high quality reports and other documents.
• Other duties as assigned.

Program Quality Monitoring:

• Ensure that the IMAGINE program has sufficient systems in place to meet program management standards and comply with donor regulations and good practice, including QAC process.
• Coordinate with the team to ensure that the IMAGINE Program File is kept up to date and meets minimum program management standards.
• Support development and implementation of program policies, protocols and systems. Ensure quality control and quality assurance of those process.
• Maintain high level work plan based on inputs by program staff.
• Work with program staff to integrate quality monitoring processes based on protocols into program implementation, including internal and external reviews of program quality.
• Update Project Management Plan biannually, or more often if need arises
• Ensure that program information shared with stakeholders is presented in languages, formats and media that are appropriate for, accessible to, and can be understood by the target population. Participate in dissemination of programme learning and advocacy effort for future funding.
• In collaboration with the Gender Advisor and Manager, support the integration of gender considerations throughout the programme.

Team Management Support

• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Assist with the supervision, hiring and orientation of new team members as necessary.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

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 Beneficiaries:

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Imagine Administration and Finance Officer

ACCOUNTABILITY:

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: IMAGINE Program Director

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Deputy Program Directors, Program Delivery Managers (M&E, Gender, Service, Governance, Health and Behavior Change Manager), Heads of Offices, Operations Director (and associated Managers including HR/Administration Manager), Finance Director.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree in one of the following: Public Policy, Governance, International Development or other related field
• 2-3 years of experience with European or/and US institutional donors, including grant management, and proposal development.
• Field experience in conflict and development environments. Exposure to gender, protection, and conflict mitigation and management programs.
• Ability to work in a sometimes solitary environment with moderate to high levels of insecurity and significant restrictions on personal movement.
• Fluent English and fluent French are required
• Ability to deliver high quality reports within short deadlines.
• Demonstrable knowledge of DRC an added advantage
• Ability to multi-task and juggle several tasks and relationships at one time.
• Excellent communication skills, experience in representing an organization.
• Demonstrated proficiency with the MS Office software (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is required.
• Previous experience working with international organizations required and history with DFID-funded initiatives desirable
• Proven ability to work effectively in multi-cultural teams and with technical and administrative staff and consultants

SUCCESS FACTORS:

A successful candidate will have an ability to work independently, take initiative in tasks and self-learning, and be proactive in communications and development of professional relationships. They will be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment with demonstrated sensitivity to the people and issues in the region. They will demonstrate exceptional interpersonal, relationship and cross-cultural communication skills especially in high stress environments are essential for success. They will be committed to the values and mission of Mercy Corps; have the ability to creatively problem-solve, to juggle multiple priorities under tight deadlines and to calmly and diplomatically deal with unexpected and sudden events impacting program operations with patience, dynamism, tenacity and a good sense of humor.

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

This position is an unaccompanied position. Shared accommodation will be provided in Goma according to Mercy Corps DRC housing policy.

Goma is a provincial capital of over 700,000 inhabitants, with potential travel to Bukavu and Kinshasa. Living in Goma is comfortable, although water and electricity can be unstable. Outside Goma, travel can be dangerous and unpredictable due to armed forces and rebel activity.

While conditions in the country are improving, and security is quite stable in Goma, there are still pockets of violence and insecurity. Mercy Corps’ sub-offices experience variable levels of insecurity, with the situation closely monitored by UN peacekeepers. Air travel is necessary to get from one end of the country to the other. Mobile phones and cellular service are widely available. Internet is available in all Mercy Corps offices. Travel to field sites will be required where living conditions are clean and secure, but basic. There are a number of health services available with evacuation options for serious illnesses. There’s reasonable access to most consumer goods, although they can be expensive.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY 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.

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