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.
The Program/Department Summary
Mercy Corps has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since August 2007, with a staff of around 400 people working in Eastern DRC, with the overall country goal being to support vulnerable communities through crises, while fostering programs that build resilience and promote long-term change. Mercy Corps’ national office is in Goma with sub-field offices in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri. Mercy Corps DRC’s key programming areas include a combination of longer-term development and immediate humanitarian response programs. Mercy Corps DRC’s humanitarian programs aim specifically to assist populations affected by the conflict and crisis in Eastern Congo.
In October 2020, Mercy Corps started the five-year USAID’s Sustainable Water and Sanitation Systems Activity, with a budget of $32 million to be implemented in 6 locations across North and South Kivu. Building on the successes of Mercy Corps’ IMAGINE programme, and those of other WASH actors in Eastern DRC, USAID’s Sustainable Water and Sanitation Systems Activity will bring together a consortium of 4 international partners to focus on water and sanitation. In partnership with USAID and in line with Development Objective 2 of USAID’s DRC Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), LIFT aims to show that it is possible to achieve genuinely sustainable increases in access to clean water by implementing contextually relevant, performance-based contractual models for water service delivery in collaboration with state and local entities including ETDs and Provincial Administrations.
The Position (General Position Summary)
The Grants Manager will work primarily on the USAID’s Sustainable Water and Sanitation Systems Activity, whilst also playing a critical role on the final 6 months of the 5 year FCDO funded IMAGINE programme, and in overseeing the coordination of the WASH infrastructure volcano response. The volcano response encompasses 5 different donors and a value of around $2m.
The Grants Manager will work closely with the Chief of Party and component leads focusing mainly on reporting, grants management, donor relations and other coordination support as required. This position will also be the focal point for the Consortium partners, accountable for documentation and managing the subawards. The Grants Manager will have oversight of the Mercy Corps Program Management Minimum Standards (PM@MC) function by working closely with the Chief of Party, Component Managers and Consortium Leads. S/he will advise component teams and support partners to comply with donor rules and regulations to ensure all programs are compliant with internal and donor regulations and that the Activity is delivering high quality impact.
The nature of the Program requires that s/he is capable of working independently for periods of time and demonstrate initiative, critical thinking and self actualisation.
Key Deliverables
· Completion of USAID Level 3 Water Systems, Site Selection reports for 2 locations
· Volcano response reporting and communication deliverables for corporate donors
· Organisation and hosting of FCDO in Goma and Bukavu for their biannual review
Essential Responsibilities
STRATEGY AND VISION
● Work closely with the Chief of Party and Deputy Chief of Party to ensure programs are running in alignment with Mercy Corps’ principles, values and the program’s strategic plan, particularly in regards to maintaining a focus on equity across the program.
● Troubleshoot problems that arise and contribute to adaptation of strategy to be reflective of current context. Be prepared to act independently where the situation necessitates a quick response.
● Maintain regular communication with country level and HQ focal point to identify opportunities for innovative collaboration with other internal departments and advise senior leadership on ways to drive forward quality programming and leverage cross programme learning.
GRANTS MANAGEMENT
● Review, coordinate, compile and finalise all official donor reports after initial drafting by components and Consortium partners.
● Oversee the communications team in drafting of program updates for donor and other key stakeholders.
● Oversee a strong Program documentation system, ensuring records are archived according to minimum standards and donor requirements.
● Ensure project reports comply with donor and Mercy Corps’ procedures and best practices.
● 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.
● Ensure the grants management is transparent and compliant with donor and Mercy Corps regulations and procedures.
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
● Support the Chief of Party in ensuring the Program is running on time and on scope through regular component reviews and optimal integration of components for maximum impact.
● Organise and conduct visits to the project sites and host visitors and donors, as needed.
● Coordinate with Program, finance and administration staff to ensure operational systems are in place to support field activities (including logistics, procurement, security, administration and human resources).
● Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
● Oversee the implementation of team coordination mechanisms such as shared calendars and meeting schedules, ensure effective communication between all bases (South Kivu and North Kivu).
Supervisory Responsibility
N/A
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Chief of Party
Works Directly With: Deputy Chief of Party, Program Delivery Managers (M&E, Gender, Service Delivery, Governance,), Heads of Offices, Operations Director (and associated Managers including HR/Administration Manager), Finance Director.
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
● Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management
● 3 years of experience with European or/and US institutional donors, including strengths in grant management, coordination and donor reporting, experience with USAID a plus
● Demonstrable ability to produce high quality deliverables at speed and with minimal direction
● Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, and the capacity to work at a strategic level with senior leaders (both internal and external) is essential
● Ability to multi-task and juggle several tasks and relationships at one time, with little to no direction
● Proven ability to work effectively in multi-cultural teams and with technical and administrative staff and consultants
● Ability to deliver high quality reports within short deadlines
● Fluent English required and fluent French desirable
● Prior work experience in the DRC and demonstrable understanding of the context a significant advantage
● Ability to work in a sometimes solitary environment with moderate to high levels of insecurity and significant restrictions on personal movement
Success Factors
A successful candidate will be able to work independently, take initiative with 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 a highly intense and fluid work and security environment with demonstrated sensitivity to the people and issues in the region. The ability to demonstrate exceptional interpersonal, relationship and cross-cultural communication skills especially in high stress environments is essential for success. 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 is an unaccompanied position. Shared accommodation will be provided in Goma according to Mercy Corps DRC housing policy.
Goma is a provincial capital of over 700,000 inhabitants, with potential travel to Bukavu and Kinshasa. Living in Goma is comfortable, although water and electricity can be unstable. Outside Goma, travel can be dangerous and unpredictable due to armed forces and rebel activity.
While conditions in the country are improving, and security is quite stable in Goma, 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. Travel to field sites will be required where living conditions are clean and secure, but basic. 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 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.
Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
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 and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. 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.