Program Quality Manager - FARM - DRC

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 has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since August 2007, with a staff of approximately 300 people working in North and South Kivu Provinces. Mercy Corps' national office is in Goma with a provincial office in Bukavu and field offices in Kitchanga, Kiwanja, and Bunia. Current Mercy Corps activities focus on the provision of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in camps of internally displaced people and affected communities, but also large-scale WASH infrastructure and service delivery development in urban centres. Mercy Corps also has Food Security, Economic Recovery/ Development programs, with an increasing shift towards transitional and integrated development programming. The DRC team has a strong commitment to providing entrepreneurial and innovative solutions to development challenges, and is actively seeking and facilitating market-based solutions.

A Consortium composed of Mercy Corps (MC) and Search for Common Ground (SFCG), in cooperation with multiple local and international partners, are implementing the integrated Food Security and Inclusive Access to Resources for Conflict-Sensitive Market Development (FARM) program, which seeks to improve stability for men, women, boys and girls through improved land governance and access to land, as well as the development of a more efficient and inclusive market environment for over 250,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries, in the chiefdoms of Bashali (Masisi) and Bwisha (Rutshuru). FARM is a four years program funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kigali, Rwanda, aligned with the International Stabilization Support Strategy (I4S), which paves the way for the stabilization of Eastern DRC.

General Position Summary

The Program Quality Manager will be responsible for program coordination and management roles ensuring adequate systems are in place to allow the team to successfully implement activities on scope and on time and that required quality of activities is assured and monitored.

S/he will work closely with the Program Director to develop and oversee the implementation of the FARM strategy, supervise the FARM Subgrants & Partnerships Manager, FARM M&E Team Leader (and team), as well as the Gender & Inclusion Officer, and create, maintain and implement systems to ensure high quality program implementation in accordance with PM@MC standards. With her/his team, s/he will integrate quality monitoring protocols into program implementation, document lessons learned, challenges and develop plans for corrective actions.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Prioritize and organize actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to FARM strategy development and implementation.

Program Management

• Play a key leadership role for the implementation of quality and inclusion monitoring and assurance; develop TORs for field assessments or activities under her/his supervision, as required, lead on the preparation of FARM reports (desk review, assessment reports), ensure translation into English/French of key documents, day to day coordination of the process with HQ and the donor.
• Work closely and in coordination with Mercy Corps offices in Europe and USA, establishing a strong working relationship with HQ program officers to support program implementation.
• 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.
• Build capacity of other managers and program staff in program management and PM@MC tools and processes.
• Assist other managers in the development of program strategies, implementation methodologies and training manuals and modules.

Program Quality

• Work with program managers, FARM Subgrants & Partnerships Manager, M&E Team Leader, Gender & Inclusion officer, the Country M&E Manager, and Country Gender Manager to integrate quality, gender-sensitive monitoring processes based on protocols into program implementation, including internal and external reviews of program quality.
• Plan and conduct regular field monitoring visits with tools developed in coordination with country-level MEL Manager, document successes and challenges and develop action plans for corrective actions as necessary.
• Document lessons learned and proactively share with FARM staff, MC DRC program support department and MC Global.
• Research best practices and innovations from similar projects within and outside of Mercy Corps and make recommendations for inclusion into FARM.
• 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.
• Facilitate the elaboration of inclusive program selection criteria that takes into consideration the needs of different vulnerable groups, and monitors beneficiary selection processes to ensure that these criteria are followed, in coordination with country-level MEL Manager.
• Support development and implementation of program policies, protocols and systems.

Team Management

• Sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• 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.

Finance & Compliance Management

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations.
• Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.

Influence & Representation

• Act as day-to-day representative of Mercy Corps to organizations as requested by the COP, including attending key internal and external meetings.
• Ensure collaborative partnerships with consortium partners and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.

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

Subgrants & Partnerships Manager, M&E Team Leader (and the rest of the M&E team to a lesser extent), Gender & Inclusion officer.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Program Director

Works Directly With: other FARM Managers (Markets & Value Chains, Conflict & Governance, Partnerships and Coordination), Country Grants Officer, Country M&E Manager, Finance and Operations Directors/Managers

Knowledge and Experience

• Master's degree in one of the following: International relations, Political Sciences, Governance, International Development or other related field
• 5-7 years of experience with development programs, including gender, inclusion or M&E management
• 3-4 years of experience in an M&E role with an INGO or UN agency
• Field experience in conflict and development environments. Exposure to gender, protection, and conflict mitigation
• Experience designing and implementing programs related to governance, participation, and accountability particularly in Africa
• Ability to work in a challenging environment with moderate levels of insecurity and restrictions on personal movement
• Fluent English and advanced/fluent French are required
• Ability to deliver high quality reports and other documents within short deadlines
• Ability to multi-task and juggle several 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
• Proven ability to work effectively in multi-cultural teams and with technical and administrative staff and consultants

Success Factors

The 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. S/he will be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in an intense and fluid work and security environment with demonstrated sensitivity to the people and issues in the region. S/he will demonstrate exceptional interpersonal, relationship and cross-cultural communication skills especially in high stress environments. S/he 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 will be based in Goma (DRC). Accommodation will be provided in Goma within group housing. Goma is a provincial capital of over 700,000 inhabitants. Living in Goma is comfortable, although water and electricity can be unstable. There are different restaurants and leisure activities available.

While conditions in the country are improving, 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. 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 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.

PI113766910

Apply Here

Apply Here