Description

Location Zalingei, Sudan

Position Status Full-time, Regular

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong.Wewelcomediversebackgrounds,perspectives,andskillssothatwecanbestronger and have long termimpact.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps has been operational in Sudan since 2004 and currently leads humanitarian assistance and longer-term development efforts in conflict-affected South Darfur, Central Darfur, South Kordofan, North Kordofan, Kassala, Gedaref, and Khartoum States,supporting hostcommunities,IDPs,returneesandrefugees.MercyCorps’currentareasofprogramming include food security and livelihoods, WASH, health, nutrition, peace building and protection, resilience, and Market SystemsDevelopment.

General Position Summary

MercyCorpsisleadingaconsortiumwithVSFGermanyandthreeNationalPartnersinafour- year, €12M Euro, EC-Funded food security program in the Darfur Region of Sudan. The program is designed to contribute to sustainable and resilient livelihoods and food security in rural communities most affected by food insecurity, climate change and conflicts in South & Central Darfur states. To align with the current humanitarian situation, the program shall also undertake multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA) targeting the newly displaced, most vulnerablehouseholds.
The specific objectives (SOs) of this program are as follows:
●SO1: To sustainably increase productivity and profitability of smallholder agriculture and livestock value chains using agroecologicalpractices.
●SO2: To create sustainable and decent jobs for youth and women, including fromIDP and refugee populations, with a specific focus on women in rural and food-insecure areas.
●SO3: To facilitate equal and sustainable access to natural resources in order to contribute to food security and mitigate conflicts and allow the voluntary return of conflict-displacedpeople.

Thisprogram’scomplexdesign,innovativeapproach,andriskyoperationalenvironmentmake it ahigh-stakesprogramforMercyCorps.Thiscallsforprogramleadershipwiththerightskill set to manage the program. Mercy Corps Sudan is therefore seeking to recruit a program director for the SMARTprogram.

Essential Job Responsibilities
STRATEGY & VISION
Review existing program strategies and approaches based on changing contexts. Work with the Director of Programs (DOP) to ensure linkages with other programs/projects and even sector strategies (Food Security, Livelihoods, WASH and Protection,etc).
Design viable strategies that are both respectful with the local culture and sensitive towards thepopulation.
IMPLEMENTATION AND PROGRAM COORDINATION
●Ensure synergy with program plans, technical approaches, and commitments, and particularly those related to ensuring a strong foundation across all program areas (implementation, governance, MEAL,etc).
●Developadetailedworkplanandidentifycriticalpathandkeymilestonesthatmustbe adhered to during the program implementationperiod.
●Undertake review and make necessary adjustments of the program start-up roadmap/strategy in consultation with country and regional teams and cross- operations HQteams.
●Communicate the agreed vision and direction to the team and ensure a coordinated and coherent approach.
●Ensure tools and tracking mechanisms are in place to accurately assess and communicate progress against the program work plan, resources (budget and personnel), and issues during programimplementation.
●Engage in proactive communication and collaboration with the country and regional directors, program implementation team, headquarters teams, andpartners.
●Facilitateclearandregularcommunicationbetweenallintheprogramteam,including partners and the donor.
●Review the necessary framework documents and file structure in accordance with PM@MC, while ensuring continuous review as the programevolves.
●Use lessons learned from existing programming, both that of Mercy Corps and of partners, to improveimplementation.
●Revise work plan accordingly to ensure we stick to strict timelines while ensuring the program is on time, scope, andbudget.
TEAM MANAGEMENT
●Provideteammemberswithinformation,tools,andresourcestoimproveperformance & reachobjectives.
●Promote    accountability, communicate   expectations, andprovideconstructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performancereviews.
●Createandsustainaworkenvironmentofmutualrespectwhereteammembersstrive to achieveexcellence.
●Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.
●Provide coordination and supervision as needed to the program team accountable to theprocess.
STANDARDS AND COMPLIANCE
  • Ensurethatallworkrelatedtotheprogramisundertakenfromaninclusiveperspective, prioritizing process over product and power sharing among consortium partners and the planned programparticipants.
  • Take leadership in implementation of procurement plan in collaboration with operation manager and other support staff.
  • Inculcate Program Management minimum standards and best practices including PM@MC, Complex Program, Goods Distribution minimum standards; and all other relevant standards within the new team includingpartners.
  • Foster a culture of compliance and accountability among the team regarding Mercy Corps, donor, and government laws, policies, rules, andregulations.  Take
  • Work with TSU/HQ and the PAQ and MEL teams in the country to establish a viable MEALsystem
  • Take leadership in implementation of the procurement plan, in collaboration with the Operations Manager and other supportstaff.
  • Support in essential communication with partners and sub-grantees to verify their systemsandthattheyunderstandandfollowallappropriateproceduresandarchiving.
  • Ensure that all program planning and implementation is in line with donor requirements

  • Work with finance compliance to mitigate fraud, conflict of interest and legal ramifications of Mercy Corps activities. This includes working with the Mercy Corp 

SECURITY

●Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
●Proactivelyensurethatteammembersoperateinasecureenvironmentandareaware of policies.

Safeguarding Responsibilities

  • Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area ofwork
  • Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-beingof participants and fellow teammembers
  • Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members tosubmitreportsiftheyhaveanyconcernsusingreportingmechanismse.g.,Integrity Hotline and other options.

Supervisory Responsibility

SMART Program Team

Accountability

Reports to: Director of Programs

Works Directly With: Market Systems Development Technical Lead, SMT, PMT, HR and TEQ (when necessary), PaQ Director.

Collaborates With: HQ teams, all MC logistics and operations team in the Sudan offices and at HQ

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

  • BA/S or equivalent in a relevant field; an advanced degree ispreferred
  • Direct experience in implementing market systems development programming and economic recovery in Western Sudan.
  • Experienceofandcommitmenttoworkingthroughsystemsofcommunityparticipation andaccountability.
  • Prior experience in developing partnership with both private and public actors as part of program implementation in achieving projects desiredgoals.
  • Historyofworkingeffectivelywithhostcountrygovernments,INGOandNGOpartners.
  • Experience facilitating workshops and multiple stakeholdermeetings.
  • Strong writing and report developmentskills
  • Demonstrated ability to work in complex programming and volatile environments and applying market-based approaches in fragilecontexts.
  • Demonstrated monitoring and evaluationskills.
  • Proven capacity to supervise, train and coachstaff.
  • Oral and written English skillsrequired
  • Proven understanding of complex development contexts, related security concerns and appropriate responses with experience in insecureenvironments.
  • Willingness and ability to travel frequently to Mercy Corps project sites and field locations in Sudan, including travelling to insecure environments, isrequired.
  • Ability to work across departments to achieve results in a short period of time.
    Success Factors
    The successful candidate is an experienced critical thinker and leader with a thorough understandingofwhatittakestodeliverimpactfulprogramsinchallengingenvironments.S/he is an excellent communicator who can inspire broad and diverse teams towards achieving a sharedgoalanddriveafast-pacedandadaptiveprogram.S/heisabletocreateastimulating working environment encouraging quality, innovation and accountability. S/he should have good listening and diplomatic skills. S/he should be able to navigate complex team dynamics and stressful situations to deliver results. S/he should have excellent analytical and creative problem-solving skills, good organisational skills and ability to work independently. S/he should take initiative to contribute to innovative programs that respond to the achievement of the mission of Mercy Corps inSudan.
    Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
    ThepositionisbasedinZalingei,anditrequiresupto40%traveltosupportcountryprograms, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areaswhereamenitiesarelimited.Housingforthisroleisinsharedhousingandstaffwillhave limited access to good medical services. This is a hardshippost, eligible for R&R.
    Ongoing Learning
    Insupportofourbeliefthatlearningorganizationsaremoreeffective,efficientandrelevantto the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth anddevelopment.
    Equal Employment Opportunity
    Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.
    Safeguarding & Ethics
    Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treatedwithrespectanddignity.Wearecommittedtothecoreprinciplesregardingprevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signedontotheInteragencyMisconductDisclosureScheme.Wewillnottoleratechildabuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conductthemselvesinaprofessionalmanner,respectlocallawsandcustoms,andtoalways adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values. Team members are requiredto complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annualbasis.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]).

At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.