Livelihoods Manager - Uganda

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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

The Livelihood Manager will play a key leadership role in the implementation of a five-year $41 million USAID Food for Peace Activity to support agriculturalists, agro-pastoralists, and pastoralist households living across the districts of Amudat, Kotido, Kaabong and Moroto in Karamoja. The Activity is multi-sectoral with programming in livelihoods, nutrition, WASH, and governance with cross-cutting attention to gender and youth.

General Position Summary

The Livelihoods Manager will work closely with the Deputy Chief of Party to ensure the quality, efficiency, integrity and learning associated with the economic development activities. The Livelihood Manager will be responsible for implementing a market facilitation approach, together with private sector and government actors, to hasten economic development in the Karamoja region, with key focus areas including livestock and crop agriculture value chains, financial inclusion, economic empowerment of youth and women, and growth of the business enabling environment. The position will also have operational oversight of the project office in Kaboong district.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy & Vision

• Support the DCoP in developing a vision and strategy for the economic development activities shared with program team and key stakeholders.
• Play an active role in identifying and developing new initiatives that foster or improve strategic objectives of the economic development activities

Program Management

• Oversee program startup, building from gains made under the previous Food for Peace program, and ensure ongoing program management and administration of economic development teams across various field locations.
• Use a market facilitation approach to strengthen links between local, regional and national private sector actors to hasten the growth of the private sector in Karamoja as it relates to key food security domains.
• Ensure program adherence to USAID and internal compliance regulations, building the capacity of economic development team members to ensure consistency in policy application, human resource, administrative and operations procedures
• Adopt and promote resilience learning, ensuring that economic development activities result in improved capacity of beneficiaries to overcome shocks and stresses
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps' relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
• Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to established vulnerability criteria.
• Develop MoUs and contracts for key private sector and government partners
• Integrate gender and youth sensitive programming to all implementation, ensuring that economic development activities are meeting the unique needs and priorities of women, girls, boys and men.
• Ensure economic development implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts.
• Together with the DCOP, create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
• Ensure Economic Development Team adherence to Mercy Corps' Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.

Team Management

• 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 of economic development staff
• Supervise, hire and orient 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.
• Together with the DCOP, support broader KFSN Activity team by leading coordination meetings and identifying integration opportunities as relevant.

Finance, Compliance and Operations Management

• Oversee the smooth flow of routine program support functions (e.g., finance, administration, logistics) in the field office and compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.
• With the support of the Operations Director and Sn Operation Manager ensure adequate operational systems are in place to provide for program.
• Manage program budget(s) as secondary budget holder.
• Strictly follow Mercy Corps Fraud and Corruption Prevention guidelines.

Influence & Representation

• Together with the DCOP, identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with local government and private sector partners
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
• Manage relationships with regional and national stakeholders, including private sector companies that participate in the economic development activities

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• 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 Beneficiaries**

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward 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

Livelihoods Team. The Livelihoods Manager will be responsible for managing the livelihoods team including managers of the Livelihoods Development Team, Market Systems Development Team, Livestock Team and Agriculture Team. (4 direct reports and 26 indirect reports). In addition the Livelihood Manager will also supervise operational staff in one field office.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Deputy Chief of Party

Works Directly With: Other Sector Team Leaders (MCHN Manager, Governance Manager, Resource Transfer Manager and Gender and Youth Advisor), Quality & Partnerships Manager, Chief of Party, consortium partners Save the Children and Whave. Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor, Other Livelihoods program managers in-country and where relevant, HQ Technical Support Unit.

Knowledge and Experience

• Master's Degree in business, economic development or other relevant field is preferred.
• At least 5 years of relevant international experience with positions of progressively greater responsibilities, with prior experience implementing market facilitation approaches in thin markets preferred
• Management and demonstrated success building, managing and leading a team of professionals.
• Strong organization, prioritization and negotiating skills, including excellent (English) verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent quantitative skills required, including financial management.
• Experience in building and maintaining strong/productive relations with implementing and strategic partner agencies is preferred. This includes coordinating with government authorities and private sector counterparts.
• Strong computer literacy with a full knowledge of office applications.**Success Factors**

The successful Livelihoods Manager will combine strong management skills and experience in maintaining staff and partner relationships for economic growth. S/he will have an ability to develop, implement and manage innovative market facilitation activities and ability to prioritize nutrition-sensitive interventions. S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams and capacity building, individual staff development, and strong mentoring skills. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail 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

The position is based in Kaboong district and the incumbent will spend part of the week there, while the main residence will be in Kotido district (1.5 hrs drive). The position requires up to (60%) travel within the Karamoja region. The town is small but there is an INGO presence. Running water and electricity are typically available and there is freedom of movement. Staff have access to basic health services. Mercy Corps has a large, well equipped field office in Kotido, and the expatriate communal residence is located in a well-built house on the office compound. The Livelihoods Manager will share the residence with one other expatriate staff assigned to the same Activity. This position is not eligible for hardship and/or R&R benefits. The position is unaccompanied.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/short term assignment 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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