Mercy Corps Job Vacancies 2020
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 helps communities develop their own ideas to solve Haiti’s most daunting problems by using innovative approaches to bring Haitians new social and economic opportunities and to make their country more secure, productive, and just. Established in January 2010, Mercy Corps Haiti has offices in Port-au-Prince, Canaan, Arcahaie, and Mirgoane, and more than 80 staff implementing programs in economic development, agriculture, natural resource management, and humanitarian response. Mercy Corps’ economic development work is guided by the principles of pro-poor development and demand-driven strategies. Mercy Corps takes a progressive approach to development that leads communities and entrepreneurs from relief to sustainable livelihoods to resilience
General Position Summary
Mercy Corps is recruiting a Gender and Livelihoods Manager for the GIRL-H (Girls Improving Resilience through Livelihoods – Haiti). This three-year project will improve wellbeing and increase access to educational, economic, and civic engagement opportunities, contributing to individual and household resilience.
The Gender and Livelihoods Manager is responsible for leading the overall implementation of the Haiti program of the GIRL-H program, including ensuring that project activities result in positive outcomes for male and female participants of different age groups. S/he will have overall responsibility for program start-up and implementing while building team members’ and partners’ capacity to integrate a gender and youth perspective into project activities.
The Gender and Livelihoods Manager will manage deputy program managers to ensure the effective and timely execution of all activities within this program, including social capital and life skills, linkages to formal, informal, and technical education, promotion of the enabling environment for young girls.
Safe Spaces
The Gender and Livelihoods Manager will also be responsible for ensuring the integration of Safe Spaces into relevant programs: Mercy Corps’ Haiti office is implementing Safe Space activities for adolescent girls and boys. Youth participate in weekly activities where they can express their opinions and increase their confidence and ability to consider their future. The Gender and Livelihoods Manager is responsible for overseeing the design and implementation of the training modules and the overall management of this component within relevant programs, including the GIRL-H program.
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 and ensure that the vision and mission are aligned with contextual realities;
- 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.
- Guide the technical implementation of women’s and girls’ leadership country strategies based on Mercy Corps’ Country Strategy for Haiti. Promote gender strategies across the country portfolio and adapt and improve them as needed.
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;
- Serve as a focal point with the local partners. This includes responsibility over partnership and any sub-grantees;
- Collaborate with program, finance, and administrative staff 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 Mercy Corps and partner organization staff capacity by designing and delivering technical training and coaching plans on topics related to building resilience and achieving gender-equitable program outcomes;
- Provide leadership and oversight in all aspects of program implementation, management, and evaluation.
- Conduct frequent field visits to all project sites for monitoring, quality control, and program staff mentoring and coaching.
Team Management
- Manage a specialized team dedicated to the specific project deliverables;
- 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;
- Oversee program staff and partner performance and quality of program implementation and if security context allows, conduct frequent field visits to all program sites.
Finance & Compliance Management
- Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to gender, resilience, and safes spaces 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;
- Monitor adherence to the donor grant agreement as well as Mercy Corps’ and donor’s policies and procedures for procurement and compliance.
Influence & Representation
- This position will be the primary interface with the donor;
- Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with sub-grantees, donors, local governments, and other stakeholders;
- Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
PROGRAM QUALITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
- Ensure the program is sensitive and adaptive to the changing context while in line with best practice;
- Coordinate with the Country Office and HQ to build systems that promote beneficiary accountability by ensuring that communities participate in initial assessments and program design;
- Support staff and partners to ensure that communities are informed about our programs and what we do, are aware of their entitlements, are comfortable to give feedback and that feedback is used to improve the quality of our programs;
- Ensure integration of M&E and accountability systems that are compliant with relevant standards;
- Support and inculcate a culture of learning between programs through consistent sharing of M&E processes and systems;
- Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission/.
PROGRAM DESIGN AND REPORTING
- Assess gaps and coordinate with field program staff, local partners, and other relevant stakeholders on project design in pursuit of high impact and cost-effective program strategies and activities;
- Co-develop program reporting templates that facilitate the acquisition and aggregation of information in programs;
- Contribute to regular donor and internal reporting as per schedule and supports the pursuit of new opportunities.
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
GIRL-H Deputy Program Managers, GIRL-H team
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Director of Programs
Works Directly With: All program staff, both national and expatriate in Haiti; HQ-based program, operations, recruiting, human resources, finance, and technical support teams
Knowledge and Experience
- MA/S or equivalent experience in international development, political science, women’s studies, economics, sociology, or another relevant field.
- 5-7 years’ experience in gender and youth development work including experience developing and conducting gender training, gender/youth mainstreaming, and engaging in gender advocacy.
- Demonstrated ability to implement a program, manage a team and develop their capacities.
- Demonstrated capacity to lead the collection, analysis, and utilization of information from a broad range of sources to ensure effective integration of gender and youth concerns throughout the project’s duration. In-depth understanding of gender, age, and other socio-cultural factors in the context of food security programming.
- Ability to foster commitment and build capacity among project staff and in-country actors around gender and youth integration.
- Experience in Haiti or other Caribbean countries strongly preferred
- Strong public speaking and facilitation skills required.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
- Fluency in written and oral French and English is required.
Success Factors
The successful candidate will have an excellent team and interpersonal relationship skills, with a demonstrated ability to work effectively in complex environments. S/he will combine strong communication skills, creativity, initiative, participatory leadership, and tactful decisiveness to assist in program implementation. Multi tasking, prioritizing, problem-solving, and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential. S/he must have the confidence and humility to work effectively with a diverse group of people – as well as be sensitive to political and cultural nuance. S/he must be able to consistently apply excellent judgment to a variety of demanding and fast-changing situations while working as part of a team and coordinate with program personnel.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
Haiti is a country of 10 million people and is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The country has been wracked by a series of major natural disasters since 2010 including earthquakes, hurricanes, and drought. A new government is in place for the next five years which is anticipated to reduce instability, however occasional violent demonstrations and flare-ups in crime can occur. Haiti suffers from chronic high unemployment, severe environmental degradation, food insecurity, and health issues like cholera exacerbated by low levels of access to water and poor infrastructure. Nonetheless, Haiti also has great beauty including beaches and mountainous national parks. Its international airport provides daily flights to multiple destinations in the US, as well as access to DR, Canada, Paris, Cuba, Panama, Curacao, and other locations in the Caribbean.
The position is based in Port au Prince, which is estimated at around 2.5 million people. Although infrastructure is also poor in the capital, comfortable housing with water and electricity is readily available. There are many places to eat in all price ranges, as well as shops, and supermarkets which are comparable to a US supermarket. Self-drive is permitted, however, driving can be challenging and traffic is often very heavy.
Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs, and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
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