Chief Of Party at Mercy Corps

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps is seeking a Chief of Party to manage and lead the three-year Sauti Yako, Amani Yako (Sauti) program, which seeks to strengthen the institutional capacity, skills and networks of relevant stakeholders to detect and address the drivers of recruitment by violent extremist organizations. The program also seeks to integrate appropriate approaches into government services and promote improved access to information in order to build the resilience of individuals, communities and systems to the risks of radicalization and recruitment.

General Position Summary

The CoP will provide overall leadership, management and strategic vision to the implementation of Sauti to ensure that the program meets its targets and deliverables on-time and within budget.  The CoP will supervise program staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations. S/he will be the primary program representative to donors, relevant government entities, partners, other implementers and stakeholders. 

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Provide overall technical and administrative leadership and expertise. Responsible for administering and managing the implementation of Sauti and has the overall responsibility for assuring that all assistance provided is technically sound and appropriate to meet activity objectives.
• Lead the development of a vision and strategy for Sauti by prioritizing and organizing actions and resources to achieve objectives.
• Play an active role in identifying and developing new initiatives that foster and/or improve strategic objectives of the program and the country office.
• Recognize opportunities for innovative action, create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed and foster a safe, diverse and inclusive workplace.
• Serves as the technical focal point for the program with Mercy Corps’ Technical Support Unit (TSU), Research, and PaQ teams – as well as technical advisors from consortium partners.
• Identifies internal and external trends that will inform and address implementation challenges and any need to pivot programming.
• Works with the MEL manager to lead quarterly/annual reflections, work plan and implementation reviews, reporting, development/adaptation of integrated strategic work-plans for the program.

Program Management

• Lead the development of detailed implementation plans, flowing from strategic annual work plans and ensure delivery of the interventions.
• Oversee program start-up, management and administration. Manages the consolidated consortium workplan and is responsible for execution and tracking of work plans, ensuring the program is on time, on scope, and on budget, and that program plans are well coordinated with operational support functions (procurement, people and culture, etc.) using effective M&E systems to reach desired impact. Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
• Ensure project participants are effectively targeted according to transparent criteria.
• Develop partnership frameworks, partner agreements/memorandum of understandings, and oversee partner capacity building.
• Integrate community approaches, social inclusion, localization, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate. Certify all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.
• Ensure program strategies and activities represent global good practice in a diversity of technical fields.
• Develop effective stakeholder management plans, ensuring sound and proactive communications with Mercy Corps Kenya, partner organizations, Mercy Corps Headquarters, USAID, Government of Kenya and other relevant stakeholders.
• Supervise and/or review the work of program consultants.
• Supervise procurement, logistics, security, administration, and human resources teams within the program to ensure operational systems support field activities.
• Fulfill Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.

Team Management

• Manage the program's consortium, providing framework and guidance for partners to fulfil their roles, contribute to program vision and direction and manage challenges or issues should they arise.
• Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION

• Provides oversight and coordination of all learning, M&E, and research efforts to facilitate information flow and the utilization of evidence in programmatic decisions and adaptive management.
• Work closely with the MEL Manager, and consortium partners, to ensure that effective M&E systems and processes are embedded within the programme implementation unit and that data is collected, analyzed, and used to inform ongoing adaptation of programme strategies and delivery approaches.
• Provides oversight and coordination of all learning, M&E, and research efforts to facilitate information flow and the utilization of evidence in programmatic decisions and adaptive management.

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 all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Safeguarding and Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.

Influence & Representation

• Lead the socialization of the program with Government stakeholders, USAID, National Advisory Committee and others, ensuring necessary approvals and collaboration as required.
• Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events, in close coordination with the Country Director. 
• Coordinate activities with consortium partners, subgrantees, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs
• Actively contribute and collaborate with regional and global counterparts to promote best practices within the program.

Security

• Work closely with the country team’s security focal point to develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members. 
• Ensure that programs are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security.

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

The entire Sauti program team will ultimately be led by the COP; direct reports include the Senior Program Manager, MEL Manager and the Senior Finance and Grants Manager

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Mercy Corps Kenya Director of Programs

Works Directly With: Senior Advisors, Country Director, Finance and Operations Teams, HQ Technical Support, Program Managers

Knowledge and Experience

• MA/S or equivalent in social science, management, international development or other relevant field preferred 
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience, including 7 years in a senior management position; prior experience as a COP highly beneficial
• At least 7 years’ experience working on countering violent extremism programming, conflict mitigation and resolution, and/or violence reduction and prevention programs required
• Prior management experience within USAID funded programs is critical
• Experience leading large, complex programs required, with complex consortium arrangements.
• Strong skills and a track record in strategic visioning, leadership, and inspiring teams
• Effective personnel management, coordination, and decision-making skills, with proven ability to be accountable for all components of the program.
• Competent in building networks, strong problem-solving skills, and ability to influence with effective listening, persuasion, negotiation and other techniques.
• Strong understanding of USAID compliance issues.
• Fluency in English (written, spoken) is required; competence in additional relevant languages (ie Swahili, Somali, others) highly beneficial
• Persuasive written and oral communication in English, including report writing.
• Experience in the coastal or ASAL counties of Kenya highly preferable.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.