Director For Community Strengthening- Jordan

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 is an international relief and development organization, working in over 40 countries to build secure, productive, and just communities. Mercy Corps has worked in Jordan since 2003 to implement a variety of programs funded by global public institutions, as well as private donors. Mercy Corps current portfolio in Jordan focuses on economic, community, and individual relief and development.

Within these broad objectives, Mercy Corps implements a range of projects and activities directed at community strengthening, including programming that builds social cohesion, mitigates violence, promotes good governance and builds the capacity of local stakeholders, with a particular focus on youth. Mercy Corps always pursues the highest standards of program quality and integrity, and remains dedicated to the expansion of its programming wherever there are communities or individuals in need

General Position Summary

The Director for Community Strengthening will be responsible for the overall leadership, strategic direction and technical and operational management of governance, social cohesion and youth programming in Jordan. The Director will also be responsible for identifying and engaging with donors and key partners and driving new business development for the portfolio. S/he will lead proposal efforts and will oversee the development of external communication, technical and research products. S/he will provide technical leadership and direction to ensure a high quality of programming, as well as strong integration and coordination with ongoing Mercy Corps work within Jordan and globally. S/he will ensure the quality of rigorous program planning and implementation, data collection and analysis to ensure program quality, learning and adaptation. S/he will directly supervise Senior Program Managers and Project Managers leading interventions under this portfolio. The Director will also play a key role in establishing and maintaining strong relationships with relevant donors, government actors, and other relevant stakeholders.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Team Management

• Develop the technical capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
• Provide regular and timely performance feedback and performance objectives; conduct annual performance reviews.
• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to manage projects effectively, including through support for: workplan development, budget forecasting and monitoring, accurate and timely reporting, monitoring and evaluation, quality control and efficient use of resources.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Hire and orient team members as necessary.

Strategic Direction and Growth

• Provide overall strategic direction and vision, leadership, technical and operational management of the community strengthening portfolio.
• Lead sector design processes to bridge and integrate technical approaches across the portfolio and seek opportunities for collaboration/integration with other programs in the Jordan country office.
• Develop and drive a growth strategy and lead the production of concepts and proposals that attract new funding.
• Maintain expert awareness of facts and trends affecting Jordan's community strengthening portfolio.
• Regularly evaluate program impacts and adapt programming to the prevailing context.

Technical Leadership

• Strengthen existing management and information systems to document achievement of measurable milestones for community strengthening programming and ensure timely compliance with donor requirements.
• Oversee and support efforts to collect data, conduct assessments and conduct research for use in strategic program development and advocacy.
• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to community strengthening programming.
• Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.
• Review and oversee ongoing program implementation to ensure technical quality and impact of work.

INFLUENCE, Representation and Coordination

• Represent Mercy Corps at relevant external working groups and participate in other Jordan and regional coordination mechanisms as needed.
• Cultivate strategic partnerships and maintain effective working relationships with key government, civil-society and private sector stakeholders to coordinate responses, identify areas for collaboration and influence positive change, in order to advance programmatic goals, including through efforts to promote advocacy/policy change as relevant.
• Liaise with regional and global technical support units to identify strategies for strengthening programs and to promote Mercy Corps' thought leadership on community strengthening programming in Jordan and across the region.
• Represent Mercy Corps in strategic meetings on community strengthening programming.

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

Senior Program Director – CSSF and Dutch, Senior Program Director - Nubader

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director of Programs

Works Directly With: Program teams, including the Director – Humanitarian Response/Protection, Director – Economic Opportunities and Market Development; Director – Program Performance and Quality; Operations; Finance; Human Resources; Regional Technical Support Unit and HQ support teams.

Knowledge and Experience

• BA/S or equivalent in political science, international development, international relations, management, sociology, social work, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in international development programming and proven record of achievements in designing and implementing high quality programs related to community strengthening work.
• Experience in community-based programming required; specialized background in youth programming, governance, conflict mitigation/prevention, violence reduction, capacity development, and/or social cohesion programming desired.
• Prior experience designing and leading new business development with a wide range of donors.
• Strong strategic thinker with demonstrated capacity to translate concepts into action.
• Demonstrated experience leading diverse teams toward a common vision and a proven track record in staff mentoring and capacity building and stakeholder engagement.
• Demonstrated ability to implement programs with rigorous deliverables with a wide range of donors.
• Demonstrated ability to respond to multiple priorities in a timely manner, producing high-quality outcomes.
• Prior work experience in Jordan or the Middle East region highly desired.
• Proficiency in English essential and Arabic highly desired.

Success Factors

The Director for Community Strengthening will have extensive experience in leading teams, in both administrative and technical capacities, with a proven track record of strategic planning, programmatic achievement, management skill, diplomacy and team-building. S/he will be a decisive leader, exercise sound judgment, possess excellent communication, interpersonal and analytical skills and have a high level of integrity and flexibility to adapt to conditions of ongoing change. S/he is able to prioritize among competing tasks while also filling in gaps as needed to ensure the success of the overall programming portfolio. The Director for Community Strengthening is a strategic and solutions-driven thinker with the ability to articulate and translate innovative ideas into solid programming and to build positive relationships with his or her team, and with key stakeholders at various levels.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Amman, Jordan and it requires travel to field sites within Jordan with occasional international travel up to 10%. The location is accompanied and is not eligible for hardship or R&R. Individual housing is provided. Staff will have access to good medical services and the living situation is of a high standard. Water and electricity are present with occasional cuts.

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.

PI100876503

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