Program Manager Peace Building and Conflict Management - Mali

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

Once acclaimed as an example of stability in West Africa, Mali spiraled into an unprecedented political crisis after the government was overthrown in March 2012. The radical Islamist occupation in the north displaced nearly 400,000 people and compounded a severe food crisis that spanned across the Sahel region. Mercy Corps has operated in Mali since 2012, providing aid primarily in the country's northern regions. Our programs in Mali have focused on the following priority areas:

• Peacebuilding,
• Emergency response
• Food security and Agriculture,
• Financial Inclusion
• Business development and entrepreneurship.

General Position Summary

The Program Manager for the Engaging Youth to Build Peaceful Communities in Mali program, funded by the UN Peacebuilding fund, will have responsibility for the overall achievement of objectives, and the day-to-day administration and implementation of the program. The Program Manager (PM) will be responsible for ensuring that the program runs smoothly by providing overall leadership, management, supervision, and strategic vision for the implementation of the program, while managing staff and resources to ensure that the program meets its targets and deliverables on-time, within budget, and at a high level of quality. The PM will supervise key staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations, while working closely with the national partner organization to build capacity and ensure achievement of program results. The PM will play a key role in the development of relevant proposals, and she will provide input to the overall Mercy Corps country strategy in Mali.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Develop a clear vision for the program, as well as a clear and effective strategy for program implementation and evaluation.
• Ensure that the program strategy is clear and communicated to team members, local beneficiaries and partners.
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and aligned with Mercy Corps' principles and values.
• Collaborate with other related Mercy Corps programs to create synergies wherever possible.

Program Management

• Manage and oversee program implementation, in cooperation with key project stakeholders, including local non-governmental organizations, local government officials, community-based organizations, other international agencies on the ground, and key donors;
• Collaborate with program, finance and administrative staffs to ensure systems comply with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures, including adherence to Mercy Corps program management minimum standards.
• Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts;
• 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;
• Increase staff capacity by designing and leading technical training sessions on conflict management for Mercy Corps staff and local partners and providing ongoing coaching and mentoring;
• Promote learning and knowledge management through documentation and knowledge sharing around best practices and lessons learned.
• Provide leadership and oversight in all aspects of program implementation, management and evaluation.

• Provide technical leadership to the program in the areas of the following three outcomes:

• Support the social and economic (re)integration and inclusion of at-risk youth in their communities – including demobilized combatants – and address conflict drivers that contribute to youth engagement in violence.

• 600 male and female youth – including former fighters - receive holistic social and economic support for social and economic (re)integration into their communities.

• Youth in 60 communities play an active and meaningful role in community decision-making and promoting peace within their communities.

• Monitor adherence to the UN Peacebuilding Fund donor grant agreement, as well as Mercy Corps' and donor's policies and procedures for procurement and compliance.

• Oversee program staff performance and quality of program implementation and if security context allows, conduct frequent field visits to all program sites.

Team Management

• Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• 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

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.
• Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.
• Establish and oversee effective program monitoring, evaluation, and reporting systems for both internal and external use and ensure high quality input is obtained from team members.
• Use reporting results to monitor program success, measure impact, and calibrate program strategy accordingly.
• Ensure documentation of achievements and lessons learned to ensure best practices are captured and disseminated in quarterly and final program reports

Influence & Representation

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country
• 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

Program Team.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Deputy Country Director

Works Directly With: Mercy Corps Mali administration, finance and logistics departments. Also works directly with local national staff and relevant Mercy Corps headquarters units as necessary, including Mercy Corps' Conflict Management Group, Gender Advisor and program support and finance units.

Knowledge and Experience

· Masters' degree in peacebuilding, conflict mitigation, dispute resolution, international relations or equivalent relevant field experience preferred.

· 3-5 years' relevant professional experience in program management

· Minimum one-year experience implementing conflict management and reconciliation programs involving at risk youth, preferably in insecure or transitional environments.

· Strong facilitation and consensus-building skills.

· Excellent oral and written French skills required; proficiency in English is highly sought.

· Experience managing national staff, including remotely.

· Experience working with and building the capacity of national partner organizations.

· Must be able to work independently while being a strong team player.

Success Factors

The successful Program Manager will have the ability to multi-task, set priorities, and work under tight deadlines within a complex team. S/he will demonstrate strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills and be committed to the values and mission of Mercy Corps. S/he will take initiative and contribute to team efforts, as well as demonstrate an ability to communicate, assume leadership, and make solid decisions while working remotely from country leadership.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position an accompanied post for family and is based in Bamako, Mali with travel to project areas, security permitting.

Bamako is served by an international airport with daily flights to European and African destinations. Restaurants and shopping options are available but may be limited. Health care services exist but for more serious conditions, medevac to Dakar, Senegal or Europe may be required. There are international schools and Bamako.While the city has been mostly secure, recent attacks against foreigners underscore the fluidity of the situation and may require expatriate staff to adhere to security policies, such as restrictions on movement.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside 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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