Director of Programs At Mercy Corps

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Program / Department / Team (Program / Department Summary)

Mercy Corps has been present in South Sudan since 1995 and acts on behalf of people who have become displaced and disenfranchised by the ongoing conflict. With funding from a multitude of donors including the United Nations (UN), USAID-Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), UK Department for International Development (DFID – FCDO), Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), and Private Foundations, Mercy Corps has been able to empower people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. In 2020-21, Mercy Corps’ interventions reached over 300,000 program me participants in South Sudan through our work focusing on the delivery of timely humanitarian interventions, improving food security and livelihood options, increasing equitable access to safe water and sanitation services, and providing access to safe and protective learning spaces. With emphasis on conflict-affected youth, women, as well as IDPs and host communities, we champion and lead state-of-the art relief and recovery approaches through gender mainstreaming, identification of root causes, adaptive management and resilience approaches. Currently, Mercy Corps is working in 7 counties in five states, implementing programmes both directly and in partnership with national and international NGOs.

The Position

The Director of Programs (DoP) is a senior management position for the Mercy Corps team, with supervisory and managerial responsibility over all aspects of program design, development and implementation. The DoP leads the coordination, financial and administrative compliance and monitoring and evaluation of the country program, engendering a collaborative team spirit focused on achievement of program goals and objective. The DoP ensures that the Mercy Corps Program is planned and executed with quality, accountability, and measurable impact. The position will support strategic positioning of MC South Sudan and develop proposals and budgets for donors. The DoP will guide future strategy for the organization and technical direction of the programs, including its technical assistance, capacity building and basic service delivery components to ensure that it continues to meet donor, state government and community requirements and standards.

Essential Responsibilities

Strategy and planning

As a member of the SMT and as the head of Programmes, the DoP will provide strong leadership in the development of programme strategies in line with the Country Strategic Plan.
Work closely with the Country Director and other SMT members in reviewing the country strategy from time to time to ensure they are aligned to regional and global strategies of Mercy Corps and also reflect the country context.
Mobilize support services and risk management resources to enable country and regional leadership teams to execute their respective strategic priorities.
Manage and administer all programme grants in close coordination with the CD and relevant Programme

Programme Management:

Oversee grant management and donor reporting requirements to ensure program implementation meets donor expectations and regulations.
Establish and maintain effective program reporting, monitoring and evaluation systems for both internal and external use.
Support program goal and objectives through the development and management of work plans by personal application and delegation of responsibility.
Provide managerial and programmatic oversight including day-to-day direction to/supervision of the program managers; provide mentoring, coaching and capacity-building/training to staff, as needed.
Ensure partner budgets and grant holders, spending projections and request for funds are timely and donor complaint.
Provide direction and leadership in program implementation focusing on a coordinated approach that fosters complimentary delivery of services to the communities by the different project sectors and partner agencies.
Support program goal and objectives through the development and management of work plans by personal application and delegation of responsibility.
Provide managerial and programmatic oversight including day-to-day direction to/supervision of the program managers; provide mentoring, coaching and capacity-building/training to staff, as needed.
Fulfill Mercy Corps Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Establish and maintain effective program reporting, monitoring and evaluation systems for both internal and external use for timely and smooth monitoring of program progress and impact and make program adjustments accordingly.
Support all efforts towards accountability – to beneficiaries and to international standards guiding relief and development work. This includes understanding and following established international guidelines and actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the

Design Monitoring and Evaluation Project

Lead research initiative for the organization and identify opportunities for Mercy Corps to professionally document and promote best practices and coordinate publicity and appropriate learning forums.
Provide overall leadership to the M&E team in establishing minimum organizational standards in M&E

Human Resources, Safeguarding and Diversity

Support Mercy Corps global and regional initiatives for human resources, including safeguarding and diversity, and talent development.
Collaborate with the people team to promote staff access to high quality learning opportunities with a special emphasis on national team member development.
Assist with the on-boarding of senior team members, ensuring they are set up for success and familiar with agency systems, procedures, and protocols.

Risk Management

Engage and support countries across the region to ensure that adequate risk management systems are in place.
Collaborate with country leadership to support preparedness and response to major disruptive events.
Engage with country teams on the internal audit process to track findings and ensure country team compliance with IA findings and recommendations. Engage with country level Ethics and Assurance managers as well as the global Ethics and Assurance department to track and analyze trends and needs across countries.

Representation & Coordination

Maintain effective external relations with partner and donor agencies, national and local government officials, cluster and coordination forums, media and general public.
Represent Mercy Corps and its partners at the National and State level to ensure government
Coordination and participation in programming and public relations and visibility for Mercy Corps donors and partners.
Maintain close links with partner agencies ensuring their full participation in the decision-making process and project implementation through regular and ad hoc meetings and briefing. In the absence of the Country Director, act on behalf of Mercy Corps as the senior representative for Mercy Corps South Sudan.
Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to the Mercy Corps and partner organizations.

Team Management

Develop and maintain an excellent human resource plan consistent with Mercy Corps policies, including current position descriptions for all positions, personnel orientation and professional development plans, personnel evaluation system, field personnel policy manual, and personnel grievance procedure system.
Institute a disciplined culture of performance management and regular feedback between supervisors and their direct reports.
Recruit, manage and motivate, and onboard an informed, skilled and efficient team with an emphasis on excellence and achievement; encourage a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation, incorporating staff development strategies and performance management systems into the team building process.
Establish leadership and personal credibility with the Mercy Corps team, and implement and create an organizational culture of accountability, responsibility and quality of services.

Supervisory Responsibility: The DoP supervises all Programme Managers and Heads of offices who are not reporting to any Programme Managers and M&E Manager

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Country Director
Works Directly With: All members of the SMT, and finance, HR and Operations at country level, RPT members from MCE and MCG, relevant regional and global TSU members, compliance

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

BA/S or equivalent in International Development or relevant field. MA preferred
5 – 7 years management experience with specific experience and skills in program development including community-based project design, assessment and evaluation and grants management.
Experience managing consortiums with international partners and multiple donor experience (USAID, OFDA, EC, ECHO, UN Agencies etc.).
Current or previous Mercy Corps experience preferred.
Five years overseas experience including working with diverse, multicultural teams Proven skills in listening to, learning from, training, and mentoring key staff regarding development and other relevant issues.
Proven success managing the administration and compliance of donor funding and the ability to develop proposals for new projects and programs from conception to submission is required.
Solid analysis and strategic planning skills as well as a proven practical and theoretical understanding of the project cycle, issues of community development and relief are necessary.
Proven ability to develop a program and to conceptualize and successfully lead and manage a team throughout the entire program cycle is vital.
Demonstrated experience and ability to professionally and appropriately represent
The organization and negotiate and defend Mercy Corps interests with a diverse range of government officials, local organizations and other groups.
Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational, and prioritization skills are demonstrated, attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members is required.
Experience with emergency response and development programs and staff training and mentoring is also required.
Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work.
Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.

Success Factors

The role is a hands-on position and success will be determined by the level of direct engagement in program development, oversight of projects, fundraising for new projects and representing the agency to stakeholders. The successful DOP should welcome multi-tasking and take an active role in program design and overarching strategy.
Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.
The DOP will be expected to stand in for the CD during their time away from South Sudan and hence requires a strong understanding of the overall country programme and close relationship with its stakeholders to ensure smooth continuity.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The Director of Programmes is based in Juba. Juba is the capital city of South Sudan with a significant international community presence. Most basic items and services are available in Juba. MC provides individual apartments, which are well equipped and comfortable. This position requires 30% of travel by air to field offices in insecure environments. The living conditions in most of the field sites are basic. The climate is very hot, humid and dusty. Medical facilities are basic, although there has been some significant improvement in the past few years. Tropical diseases including malaria are endemic.

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.

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. 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 e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.