Country Director – Palestine At Mercy Corps

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 / Team

Since 1986, Mercy Corps has helped Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza access critical services and become more economically self-sufficient focusing its interventions on the resilience of communities in crisis, economic opportunities, development opportunities for youth, and cash programming. With multiple funding from USG, European donors and private funds, Mercy Corps has been able to work together with communities across Palestine, including West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza to respond to these needs. The war that erupted on October 7, 2023, has sharply exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the region. Mercy Corps is actively working to respond to the crisis in Gaza and preparing to significantly ramp up much needed lifesaving aid as soon as we are able to do so. At the same time, youth skills development and economic opportunity programs are expanding across the West Bank areas.

The Position

The Country Director leads and manages a team of field professionals to ensure Mercy Corps is implementing high quality, impactful programming with the necessary management and support structures to sustain response programs at scale. The role also includes ensuring appropriate systems and support mechanisms are in place to track, analyze and report on results as well as setting the strategic direction of the overall response.

Essential Responsibilities

STRATEGY AND VISION

Set a clear vision for the response, identify present and future program goals and strategies to team members and stakeholders, working closely with program leadership
Ensure programs fits within regional and global strategies
Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve program and agency objectives
Evaluate and present new response and project funding opportunities that leverage impact and integrate initiatives and activities, support and direct related fundraising activities with both institutional and private donors
Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where diverse viewpoints are welcomed.
Engage internal and external stakeholders to inform and calibrate the program response to changing needs and context.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

Support and enable the program teams in implementation of the response.
Support program implementation strategies, including partnership frameworks, beneficiary targeting and distribution process
Provide overall leadership support for new program startup and ongoing program management and administration of teams across various field locations.
Promote the use of community approaches in the design, implementation, and maintenance of projects.
Ensure program implementation is responsive to communities and partners, and consistent with
Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
Ensure beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to established vulnerability criteria, and that feedback mechanisms are in place.
Ensure implementation of Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
Oversee program implementation team, ensuring that all staff are following work plans, activities are on schedule, and project deliverables are completed as planned.
Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Code of Conduct; Core Humanitarian Principles, Safeguarding core standards and Do No Harm.
Cultivate and lead Mercy Corps’ Core Behaviors with country teams, promoting principles of Gender, Diversity and Inclusion.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence, and cultivate resilience and well-being under challenging situations.
Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
Guide and direct the Senior Management Team in a collaborative, fair, accountable and supportive leadership environment.
Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews Ensure senior team members develop professionally, improve performance & reach objectives.

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

Support the finance director to 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.
Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations, policies and standards.
Support the operations director to build and maintain operational systems that ensure proper administrative support for programs.
Support the implementation and adherence to all MC ethics policies and procedures.

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.
Represent Mercy Corps programs with national and international media and participate in community activities as appropriate.
Demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure.
Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity.
Collaborate with relevant HQ departments to build a cohesive culture and brand.

SECURITY

Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
Contribute to creating a secure environment for team members

Supervisory Responsibility

The Senior Management Team members

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Regional Director MENA/Europe

Works Directly With: Sr Director Emergency Response and Global Security Director, program support Europe and Global, plus relevant departments at HQ including International and Corporate Finance, General Counsel, Human Resources and Recruitment, Global Procurement and Logistics, Fundraising, Ethics, Communications and Advocacy, as well as the regional senior leadership team

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 Qualifications & Transferable Skills

10+ years of field management experience in international relief and development programs required, including demonstrable success in leading programs in active conflict zones, transitional environments and working in insecure emergency situations; prior experience as a Country Director preferred.
Mercy Corps experience preferred.
Experience with sub-granting procedures and monitoring under USAID or similar compliance requirements.
Ability to support multiple office locations simultaneously. A good sense of order and organization.
Effective communication skills: able to work in person and remotely with geographically dispersed and culturally distinct teams
Track record of external representation including to donors and other external partners
Experience designing practical and effective monitoring systems, including data and database management systems.
MA/S or equivalent in the relevant field
Excellent oral and written English skills required; proficiency in Russian or Ukrainian is desirable

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

Understands Sphere standards and ensures they are met
Can conduct rapid needs assessments, in line with Mercy Corps’ approach and industry’s best practice
Understands theoretical and applied knowledge about Cash Transfer Programs (CTP)/ Multipurpose cash
Can develop SOPs in line with Mercy Corps’ Minimum Standards (CTP and Goods Distribution Minimum Standards)
Can identify and initiate setup of payment mechanisms

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES

Understands program strategy development
Possesses fundraising and proposal development skills
Understands donor regulations and compliance (USAID, ECHO, FCDO, UN, etc.)
Possesses project management skills and applies program management minimum standards for all phases of the project cycle
Can develop and manage budgets
Excellent communication skills required especially for communication with donors and convey information on program’s impact, and other external partners
Can identify and mobilize HQ technical and functional support
Ability to oversee and implement participatory processes in all response phases
Effectively manages teams/people and applies relevant Mercy Corps’ procedures and approaches
Supports team members through capacity building
Can ensure team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies
Is comfortable using social media platforms and speaking publicly
Has experience with humanitarian negotiation in conflict settings
Experience managing large and diverse teams
Effective ability to delegate responsibilities and authorities while ensuring accountability and results.

Success Factors

The successful Country Director will skillfully represent programmatic priorities of the agency to donors and regional partners while providing effective leadership to the Mercy Corps program team during active conflict and through the transitional response environment. They will be capable of multitasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive, and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity building. They will be committed to long- term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level. Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, support inclusion, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority. Ability to adapt leadership style and decision-making to fit the needs of the situation, and work effectively with multiple stakeholders at senior and executive levels

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Jerusalem with individual housing provided via the agency with good living conditions and good level of health services available. The position requires frequent travel to project sites in the West Bank, in Gaza and elsewhere in the Middle East. While in Gaza, the individual will stay in a Mercy Corps Guest House and movement is restricted. Strict adherence to Mercy Corps security policies and procedures will be required as will respect for local cultural norms and traditions

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.