Mercy Corps Program Director - Economic Development - Wajir - Kenya

PROGRAM / DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps implements high-quality, analytical development activities in challenging environments. We have been operating in Kenya since 2006 and currently work in all but one province of Kenya with funding from USAID, DFID, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other private donors. Mercy Corps Kenya opened in Wajir County in response to the 2011 hunger crisis. The current portfolio in Wajir takes a market-based approach to building resilience and economic growth. Our programs are aimed at strengthening systems and mechanisms to enable sustainable development while maintaining the ability to meet immediate needs during crisis. Mercy Corps works closely with partners including community members, local government officials, and private sector stakeholders to ensure community-driven and market-led development interventions.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Program Director is the most senior management position in Wajir with supervisory responsibility for program staff and responsibility for program management, vision and leadership. The Program Director has a team of program specialists in Wajir as well as an advisory committee of technical specialists. In addition, the program makes extensive use of partners and consultants for specific technical tasks where appropriate.

This position has a special emphasis on program quality, innovation, and resilience in drought-prone arid lands. The Program Director will need to be highly sensitive to the dynamics of the region and continue to identify innovative solutions through a combination of integrated programming and strategic partnerships.

Reporting to the Deputy Country Director, the Program Director will lead the Mercy Corps team in Wajir, partners and beneficiary communities to build resilience and contribute to economic growth. The work is highly variable and involves continuous market research and intelligence and engagement with market actors in order to capitalize on emerging opportunities and design interventions accordingly. These interventions are designed to help remove market constraints in a systemic way so that small-scale livestock producers benefit from strengthened productivity, improved terms of trade and access to services and inputs.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Vision, Leadership and Strategy

• Assist the Deputy Country Director and the Country Director with strategic planning and technical direction of arid land programming to guarantee program impact and institutional growth. Maintain a central role in developing Mercy Corps’ program strategy. Participate in Mercy Corps Kenya’s strategic planning processes and ensure key humanitarian and longer term development issues are prioritized.
• Facilitate team members to conduct detailed market research, intelligence, assessments and feasibility studies; liaise with and engage market actors in the livestock sub-sector to find strategic leverage points for co-investment; design systemic interventions in response to root causes of market ineffectiveness and exclusion of the poor.
• Actively identify and develop original ideas to solve complex problems and looks for opportunities, to create change that supports and strengthens local markets. The poor and vulnerable benefit if they are able to access commercial products and services at reasonable prices.
• Develop relationships and sets up meetings with stakeholders to identify needs and empower clients to develop effective strategies to enhance their success. This includes the development of partnerships to leverage maximum impact and ensure maximum sustainability of initiatives.
• Oversee management of implementation and make regular visits to ensure that interventions remain on track through program documentation mechanisms.
• Ensure that monitoring outputs are well presented for internal and external learning.
• Organize and manage consultants (local and international).
• Organize study tours for clients and program staff as appropriate to build expertise and encourage learning.
• Look for opportunities for staff development and organize training and workshops.
• Manage the project budget and allocate resources according to the approved budget within Mercy Corps and donor regulations.
• Create an organizational culture of professionalism, accountability, responsibility and quality of service.

Commitment to Quality Program and Staff Development

• Establish leadership, direction and personal credibility of Wajir-based staff; implement and maintain a clearly understood chain of authority and accountability.
• Assist Human Resources to maintain adequate staffing consistent with Mercy Corps’ policies, including current position descriptions for all positions, personnel orientation and professional development plans, personnel evaluation systems, field personnel policy manual, and personnel grievance procedure system.
• Manage with an emphasis on excellence and achievement; encourage a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation.
• Recruit, manage and motivate an informed, skilled and efficient team; incorporate staff development strategies and performance management systems into team building process.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Ensure programs are based on sound design principles, including need assessments and baselines that impact oriented and evidence based. Ensure program teams are responsible and capable of conducting on-going program monitoring and strategic evaluation.
• Establish an M&E system to document evidence of project activities and impact, in accordance with existing Mercy Corps MEL guidelines. Reflect on actions and progress to inform future action. View all situations as an opportunity to develop knowledge and “lessons learned”.
• Oversee monitoring of project implementation, results and impact. Design monitoring plans and strategies which predict and monitor increased income of small-scale livestock producers which are plausibly attributable to program interventions.
• Establish and maintain effective and timely program/ grant reporting systems for all donors. Write reports for donors in line with progress against stated outcomes.

Representation & Diplomacy

• Oversee the activities of and relationships with partners. Review and alter contracts as necessary in relation to performance and objectives.
• Develop and nurture culturally sensitive internal and external relationships and networks to ensure optimum communication and program success.
• Build strong constituencies to include Mercy Corps headquarters and regional teams, international and local NGOs, government officials, donor community officials, diplomatic corps and embassies, vendors, media and the general public.
• Participate regularly in a variety of external forums/workshops/conference/sector coordination meetings to proactively engage and share best practices and findings of the project with the greater government and development community initiatives.

Fiscal, Compliance Management and Accountability

• Ensure effective, transparent use of resources in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies/procedures.
• Coordinate budget; manage budget within approved spending levels and assist in the development of cash flow projections and spending plans. Oversee budget management of sub-grantees/sub-contractors.
• Exercise sound judgment to ensure program expenses are reasonable, allowable and prudent. Ensure all program funds are spent in accordance with donor rules and regulations including private funds.
• Build and maintain operational systems that ensure proper administrative support for programs, as well as segregation of duties between finance and operations.
• Ensure all Mercy Corps administration, logistical, human resources and financial procedures are followed in relation to implementation of grants.

Security

• Liaise with the Mercy Corps Kenya Security Focal Point and Deputy Director on crucial events, high-risk periods, incident reporting and security policy changes.
• Assist with security monitoring to ensure MC staff, assets and partners are able to work securely and visit regularly.

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 towards 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: Wajir-based program staff, on-site oversight of Operations and Finance Department Heads.

ACCOUNTABILITY:

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Deputy Country Director

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Wajir-based staff, Program Quality Manager, Country Counterparts in the Horn Strategy, Country Director, Finance Director, Operations Director

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• MA/S or equivalent in Business Administration, Economics, Management or a related field;
• Minimum of seven years’ experience working in business related field.
• Demonstrated success in programs related to market development, value chain development programming, and increasing access to rural financial services, particularly in lean markets.
• Proven managerial skills required
• Demonstrated ability to function as a social entrepreneur and proven success with building, managing and leading a team of professionals and the ability to function as a team player among peers.
• Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational, prioritization skills are necessary.
• Previous experience in writing proposals.
• History of working effectively and respectfully with host country government, private sector, INGO and NGO partners in complex environments.
• Prior work experience in Africa strongly preferred; an ability to work comfortably, effectively and creatively within the cultural environment of the Somali region of Kenya and areas of poor security required.

SUCCESS FACTORS:

The successful Program Director will be highly strategic in their approach to gathering and disseminating information while effectively linking networks of people together to obtain the maximum impact for change. Be a self-starter, multi-tasker, and able to work in a complex environment. S/he will be able to facilitate change through influencing key stakeholders to change their behavior or approach. S/he will be a tolerant and flexible individual able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures. S/he will be a team-player with positive attitude to problem solving and conflict resolution, inspiring others through engaging in an enthusiastic and compelling way. S/he will also have the skill to engage, motivate and encourage staff to bring creative solutions to development issues, identify opportunities for increased impact, and pursue project objectives.

LIVING /ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

The position will be based in Wajir with frequent travel to field sites as well as regular domestic travel. An arid area prone to drought, Wajir is located in the Northeastern Province of Kenya and is the capital of Wajir District. The security situation in Wajir is stable, but incidences of terrorist related attacks have been reported in the past, due to the Kenya Defence forces incursion into Somalis. Staff in Wajir live in group housing which is served by basic amenities. The area is served by an airport that has regular flights to Nairobi and Mogadishu. There are health providers in Waji, but complicated cases are referred to Nairobi. The Program Director is expected to follow all security protocols including limited movement when necessary.

Due to the insecurity of the location, this position is unaccompanied and eligible for the Mercy Corps hardship allowance.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of 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.

How to apply:

APPLY VIA URL:
http://mercycorps.silkroad.com/epostings/submit.cfm?fuseaction=app.dspjo...