Cash Assistance Director at Mercy Corps

*This position is for 10 months

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

Mercy Corps has been present in Nigeria since 2012, focusing its interventions on humanitarian assistance, economic development, and conflict mitigation. With the ongoing insurgency in Northeast Nigeria causing the displacement of millions of individuals, Mercy Corps started its humanitarian response in 2014 to address the rising humanitarian needs. As the crisis persists, Mercy Corps’ strategy has also expanded to address the root causes of the conflict and seek to build the long term resilience of communities with integrated programs focusing on governance, the recovery of markets and livelihoods, social cohesion and social protection, youth empowerment, and local conflict management. All Mercy Corps interventions in Nigeria are implemented in a conflict and gender sensitive manner.

Drawing upon Mercy Corps’ global expertise and existing capacity under the Feed the Future Nigeria’s Rural Resilience Activity, Mercy Corps will rapidly expand support services to mitigate the economic, agricultural, and food security impacts of COVID-19. These urgent efforts to direct money towards smallholder farmers, microenterprises, and agro-processors aim to counteract the most severe COVID-19 impacts and enable these actors to survive the upcoming harvest season.

General Position Summary

The Cash Assistance Director will facilitate the implementation of component five under Mercy Corps Nigeria’s USAID funded Feed the Future (FtF) Rural Resilience Activity. S/he will oversee the day-to-day implementation of Cash Transfer Programming (CTP) across five states in Nigeria, as well as lead in coordination, program design, and program development. S/he will work closely with finance, logistics and operations departments within Mercy Corps Nigeria to ensure smooth implementation of cash based interventions. S/he will also work in close coordination with other partnering agencies and local officials to provide management oversight towards the fulfillment of program targets.

The Cash Assistance Director will ensure the timely and compliant delivery of component five, ensuring coordination and seamless integration with both the existing FtF Rural Resilience team and MCN cash focal points including the Country Cash and FS Advisor. Priority should be placed on adhering to standardized cash SoPs and quality standards across the portfolio. S/he should also lead trainings and workshops to develop and mentor field team members on topics including BvAs, budgets, cash implementation SOPs, as well as Finance and Operations topics. In addition to technical capacity building, mentoring and guidance for program focal points, responsibilities include developing and supporting cash programming to include the set-up of labelled cash transfers and capital support grants. The position will coordinate closely with the Country Cash Advisor to monitor the context and implementation environment across RRA component five implementation sights as well as the program quality around market viability, financial sector viability, security and community acceptance.

A key aspect of the role will entail engaging closely with local actors to develop and carry out selection of key program participants – namely smallholder farmers, microenterprises, and agro-processors.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

STRATEGY & VISION

  • Works closely with members of Rural Resilience team including the Chief of Party to deliver high-impact and timely cash assistance.
  • Leads component five report writing, strategy development, and other processes that demonstrate and promote program impact.
  • Sets program direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources, in collaboration with FtF partners, o achieve objectives and contribute to country and regional-wide strategy development.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

  • Oversees all cash transfer program program start-up, implementation and ongoing program management and administration of the teams across the various field locations
  • Supports program teams in starting-up various cash-based activities to include: develop and review progress against work plans, share/review SOPs, and provide trainings to the program teams.
  • Help to develop program implementation strategies, including partnership frameworks when needed, beneficiary targeting, distribution processes with a special focus on Cash Transfer Programs.
  • Ensures that program implementation is conducted with the respect to the security protocols, responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
  • Ensures monitoring systems are in place, including gathering data for case studies. This will include both direct and remote monitoring where access is limited or restricted.
  • Establishes and maintains effective program reporting, monitoring and evaluation systems for both internal and external use.
  • Ensures program filing system is in place, adheres to internal (PM@MC) and donor’s regulation and filing is regularly maintained
  • Adheres to all MC procurement, logistics and administrative regulations related to programming;

TEAM MANAGEMENT

  • Works to develop the capacity of the team to deepen their understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
  • Assists team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
  • Promotes accountability, communicates expectations and provides constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
  • Creates and sustains a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
  • Supervises, hires and orients new team members as necessary.
  • Identifies any gaps or capacity needs within the team and ensures training and capacity building is incorporated into program planning.

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

  • Manages financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
  • Oversees the program budgets, project cash flow and expenditures; Ensures BVA meetings with finance are conducted on a monthly basis with reviews of projections based on accurate commitments tracking, procurement plans/costed work or activity plans.

REPRESENTATION & COORDINATION

  • Represents Mercy Corps across program locations and any other coordination forums for cash-based programming.
  • Identifies, builds and manages collaborative partnerships with donors, local authorities, cash working group and other stakeholders.
  • Liaises with selected financial service provider(s) on operational planning to ensure that program participants receive assistance as smoothly as possible.

SECURITY

  • Ensures compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
  • Proactively ensures 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: Deputy Cash Programs Manager; Senior E-Voucher Management Officer.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Chief of Party – Rural Resilience Activity

Works Directly With: Deputy Chief of Party, Technical Advisors, Country Cash Advisor, MEL Manager

Knowledge and Experience

  • BA/BS or equivalent in international studies, economics or other relevant field; MA/S preferred.
  • 5 years of international relief and development experience.
  • Previous demonstrated experience in cash or voucher programming, market analysis and coordinating implementation with service providers.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage and communicate effectively with ethnically diverse team members of varied work styles.
  • Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving.
  • Proven ability to learn quickly, lead a program to achieve stated results and objectives.
  • Experience with the development, implementation & compliance of USAID funded programs.
  • Ability to effectively represent Mercy Corps and its interests to key stakeholders.
  • Experience working with local authorities, national and international NGOs.
  • Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.
  • Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work.
  • Knowledge of Market Systems Development, financial inclusion and Agricultural standards strongly desired.

Success Factors

A successful candidate will have a demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively with team members of varied work styles and cultures, follow procedures, and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving. S/he 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 position is based in Abuja, Nigeria and it requires up to 40% travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in individual housing and staff will have access to good medical services and the living situation is of a high standard.

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 elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

How to apply

https://jobs.jobvite.com/mercycorps/job/o95sffwF

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