SayPro Chief of Party/ Technical Management -Incentivize Learning Activity Monrovia, Liberia

• This role is subject to funding and donor approval of the final candidate.
  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
  Since 2002, Mercy Corps has worked alongside Liberians to build pathways out of poverty, poor governance, and economic hardship. Mercy Corps’ interventions have evolved based on the context and needs of the Liberian people. Today, we are focused on the following areas: good governance, youth employment and market systems development, renewable energy, financial inclusion, and health and nutrition. We work closely with the Government of Liberia, the private sector, civil society, international and local NGOs to implement our programs in 10 of the 15 counties of Liberia. Mercy Corps is one of the foremost development actors in Liberia implementing strategic and systems driven programming.

Mercy Corps is seeking a Deputy Chief of Party to support the implementation of the anticipated Incentivize Learning Activity. The proposed program aims to address food security needs and incentivize school enrollment and ensure access to education for vulnerable and underserved school age children. The program will provide school meals, targeted financial incentives, engage communities and parents and conduct social and behavior change communication.
General Position Summary
The DCOP/ Technical Director will be experienced in a broad spectrum of technical focus and will be responsible for overseeing program implementation and technical excellence for school feeding, specifically home-grown schoolfeeding, cash transfer, community engagement, and social and behavior change. The DCOP will work closely with different departments and support functions to ensure effective program coordination and implementation, monitoring and evaluation; collaboration, adaptation, and learning; quality assurance and accountability. The DCOP / Technical Director will also work directly with partner agencies both national and international to achieve objectives of the program. S/he will also make sure technical interventions are well coordinated across the implementation area. DCOP/ / Technical Director will work with Chief of Party to ensure that the program meets its targets and deliverables on-time, on scope and within budget.
Essential Job Responsibilities
STRATEGY & VISION

Provide leadership and strategic vision in all technical aspects (food security, school feeding, resilience, community engagement, cash transfers, and social and behavior change communication) of program implementation, development, and management. Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners, and aligned with Mercy Corps principles, values, and strategic plan.
Leverage Mercy Corps’ existing programs on market system development, nutrition, school feeding and governance to ensure systematic approach to food security, nutrition, and resilience activities.
Active participation in Mercy Corps’ strategic discussions in country and at global level.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

Support the Chief of Party in program startup and administration, establishment of a program structure that favors smooth, effective, and efficient implementation.
Ensure cohesive implementation planning in all technical areas.
Ensure that cross-cutting themes such as adaptive management, resilience and sustainability are fully included within the program strategy, and all sectorial activities are sequenced appropriately.
Monitor adherence to the award agreement, ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and Liberia policies/priorities, and is consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, value, and quality standards.
In coordination with the country PAQ department, monitor the implementation of activities through regular field visits and assessments to ensure program quality and impact.
Introduce the program to Government and other stakeholders, ensuring necessary approvals and collaboration as required.
Work with Finance/sub award team to provide managerial and programmatic oversight to partners and sub-grantees.
Manage sectorial technical teams and ensuring relevant technical support unit/ TSU is consulted/ involved (Gender, food security, nutrition, resilience, agriculture, cash, and young people and protection).
Coordinate with procurement, logistics, finance, security, administration, and human resources teams to ensure operational systems support field activities, liaising with Regional Program Team
Confirm communities/ participants are effectively targeted according to transparent criteria.
Document processes and achievements to ensure best practices are captured and disseminated.
Produce written reports on program activities, capturing the impacts of activities.
Create and follow effective stakeholder management plans, ensuring sound and proactive communications with Mercy Corps Liberia, partner organizations, Mercy Corps headquarters, USAID, Government of Liberia authorities, and peer agencies.
Conduct frequent field visits to all project sites – spend up to 50% of time in the field.
Fulfill Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate. Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, safeguarding, Do No Harm principles, and participant accountability standards

TEAM MANAGEMENT

Recruit program teams, prepare PDs, lead recruitment process, onboarding of team,
Oversee program implementation team, ensuring that all staff are following workplans, activities are on schedule, and project deliverables are completed as planned.
Develop and oversee implementation of capacity building strategy for team members that promotes a culture of learning through systematic analysis and reflection of program data and lessons learned.
Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
In close partnership with the COP, create a work atmosphere conducive to professional growth and development of excellent personnel at all levels.
Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
Liaise with other programs to ensure systematic approach in line with Mercy Corps strategic vision

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COORDINATION

Represent Mercy Corps in forums with the broader technical coordination meetings,
Active contributor and collaborator with regional and global counterparts to promote best practices.
Maintain close working relationships with counterparts in other organizations in Liberia.

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps’ regulations.
Create and maintain systems to ensure effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with program, donor, and Mercy Corps’ needs.
Ensure sound financial management, including programmatic budgeting, spending projections, and monitoring of payments in compliance with USAID standards.

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO, and other relevant events, in close coordination with the Chief of Party.
Coordinate activities with partners, subgrantees, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs.
Create an enabling environment for local market actors to participate in the project to ensure systematic sustainability of the project beyond the life of the project.

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 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

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
Number of direct reports is to be determined
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Chief of Party

Works Directly With: Sector leads/program managers/ Team Leaders, field teams, the PAQ team, CARM team, Ethics, Finance, HR, Operations, security focal point, HQ, TSU (technical support unit), Desk (Program officers and International/ Regional Finance officers), partner organizations and other implementers
Knowledge and Experience

BA/S IN AGRICULTURE, DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, ECONOMICS, FOOD SECURITY, NUTRITION, PUBLIC HEALTH, SOCIAL SCIENCES, OR ANOTHER RELEVANT FIELD REQUIRED, MASTER’S PREFERRED.

AT LEAST FIVE YEARS OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE (AGRICULTURE, FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION, SCHOOL FEEDING) IN POSITIONS OF PROGRESSIVELY GREATER RESPONSIBILITY IN PROGRAMMING IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY CONTEXT.

MINIMUM THREE (3) YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE AS DEPUTY CHIEF OF PARTY, TEAM LEADER, PROJECT DIRECTOR OR EQUIVALENT POSITION FOR USAID OR A SIMILAR DONOR AGENCY-FUNDED PROJECT

DEMONSTRATED EXPERIENCE DEVELOPING AND ENSURING PROGRAM PERFORMANCE FOR TECHNICALLY RIGOROUS FOOD SECURITY PROGRAMS, WITH STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF GENDER,

STRONG FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND DONOR COMPLIANCE SKILLS.

EXPERIENCE PROVIDING LEADERSHIP, SUPERVISING STAFF, MANAGING MULTIPLE COMPLEX PROGRAM COMPONENTS, AND CONVENING PEOPLE ACROSS TECHNICAL TEAMS TO BUILD CONSENSUS AND ACHIEVE AN OUTCOME.

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.

PREFERENCE FOR EXPERIENCE WITH USAID-FUNDED PROGRAMS.

Experience in Liberia or West African countries strongly preferred.
Excellent computer skills (especially Microsoft office applications) and ability to use information technology as a tool and resource.

Success Factors
A successful candidate will have a demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively with team members and other stakeholders of varied work styles and cultures, follow procedures and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving. This position requires an ability to think creatively about improving food and nutrition security and Market system development. They will have a proven ability to learn quickly, multi-task, prioritize, take initiative, and be accountable for results, understand the larger picture while remaining focused on the details, problem solving, work within a complex and sensitive setting and to follow laws and security protocols. The most successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The DCOP is based in Monrovia, Liberia, the location is accompanied and secure. Housing is individual accommodation with unlimited freedom of movement beyond the house/office. Staff have good access to services, medical, electricity, and water, etc. International schools are available. This position requires up to 50% of travel to field offices in secure environments. This position is not eligible for hardship and/or R&R benefits. 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 always and in all in-country venues.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

How to apply