Vacancies at Mercy Corps

Position Summary

MC-E4i runs programs that seek to reduce poverty by accelerating access to clean energy, helping businesses and communities make better use of that expanded access and working with the private sector to support the sustainability of these efforts. E4i supports the development and growth of privately owned SME’s and micro businesses, which deliver renewable energy products and services to the poor in rural and urban settings. We advise energy access SMEs on commercial, financial and engineering matters and help them secure the resources they need to grow. We run pilots to test new products and business models to expand into markets.

The Program Director is the ultimate accountability point for E4i, owning the vision, application, and development of their technical team. This position will oversee the portfolio of E4i programs direction, liaise with relevant donors while leading the technical components of the portfolio of programs. This will include supporting the team with program strategy, partner management, technical implementation, and inputs and accountability to the overall portfolio budget management. The Director supervises a team of technical experts, providing feedback and guiding growth, and coordinating team movement and activities.

Finally, the Program Director will work with the Sr. Director of Climate & Water Security, the E4i team and other relevant teams to establish an updated vision and expansion plan. This will include an operational strategy, updated service offerings and pathways towards greater coordination with Mercy Corps country, regional and global teams.

Essential Responsibilities

STRATEGIC VISION AND LEADERSHIP

• Set, communicate, and apply a clear strategic vision and expansion plan (operational strategy, updated service offerings) with E4i’s new operating structure; Ensure it is updated to reflect ongoing learning, and emerging capacities.
• Identify strategic partners and develop relationships in collaboration with relevant program area teams. 
• Lead efforts to build and develop relationships with energy access donors and funders to support new funding opportunities.  
• Manage the balance of strategy development, program design and implementation, knowledge management and technical influence. 

 PROGRAM PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to implementing partners’ and donor needs, and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
• Serve as point person for all matters related to subaward execution and amendments. If relevant. 
• Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts.
• Provide leadership and accountability for team to 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.
• 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.
• Will be main point of accountability for all donor reports. Ensure that program reporting is clear, accurate and up to date, that program budgets are well managed and that key program risks are identified and mitigated. 

PROGRAM QUALITY

• Responsible for technical leadership and quality of the team – ensuring that E4i teams are performing and providing the services required to ensure E4i grants and contracts are effectively delivered.  
  • Provide direct technical support on high-stakes investments, particularly in the design and start-up phase.
• Ensure learnings are integrated to improve E4is operations including in ongoing energy programs in the design of new large-scale programs and technical services.
• Conduct data driven analysis to support and make recommendations on strategy and organizational performance. 

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Embrace Mercy Corps’ culture and values and actively work to achieve its Diversity and Inclusion goals; Foster a spirit of inclusion and respect amongst team members.
• Ensure timely communications with team staff.
  • Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
  • Supervise, hire, and orient new team members as necessary.
  • Use best practices for Human Resources, including up-to-date Job Descriptions, IOPs, and detailed review processes at pre-determined intervals.
  • Provide team members with information, tools, and other resources to improve performance and reach their objectives; Empower team members to be leaders in their fields and encourage/support professional growth.
• Ensure team members' accountability for delivering on individual workplans and maintaining and using key databases, tracking, and knowledge management tools.

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES  

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work  
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members  
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options

PERSONAL LEADERSHIP

• Demonstrate exceptional leadership by consistently delivering expectations and maintaining composure, even in challenging situations.
• Embrace a growth mindset, actively seek diverse perspectives, and welcome feedback to drive continuous improvement.
• Maintain the highest ethical standards, treating all individuals with respect and dignity.
• Demonstrate professionalism in all aspects of life, ensuring that your conduct reflects positively on Mercy Corps and does not compromise its mission or work. 

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities  

• Proven program and team management skills
• Strong leadership in strategy creation and implementation, external partnership management, and team development; fosters an environment of inclusion and collaboration.
• Self-starter comfortable taking initiative.
• High proficiency for working in varied cultural, political, and religious environments; able to travel and work in austere environments and maintain poise in stressful situations. 
• Creative, adaptive, and flexible; consistently acts with integrity and demonstrates accountability in their decision making.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to multitask, prioritize, and work under tight deadlines within complex team environments.
• Exceptional writing skills; effective and clear communication overall.
• Excellent external relationship and partnership management, prioritizing elevating Mercy Corps’ and technical team’s reputations. 

Required Education and Experience

• 7+ years’ experience required in international development and the relevant technical sector that includes:    
  • 3 - 5 years of energy program experience required, direct management experience implementing field-based projects.
  • Advisory, management or strategic consulting
  • Early-stage business building as an entrepreneur, investor or incubator 
  • Grant writing, research, and proposal development.  
  • Leading all aspects of large and complex proposals and managing integrated grant writing teams.   
  • Proven donor cultivation experience, including active donor networking.
  • Demonstrated success in building working relationships with diverse public, private, and civil sector actors.
  • Producing and publishing influential articles and blogs.
• M.A. or equivalent in a relevant technical field preferred.   
• Combining strong theoretical and applied knowledge of the field of expertise using integrated approaches and applying systems thinking.
• 2-3 years of management and supervisory experience required.
• Strong financial management skills, Proven ability to manage donor budgets and provide accurate and timely reporting to donors.
• Ability to work effectively on matrixed teams and in non-hierarchical settings.
• Exceptionally strong verbal and written communication and organizational skills are required.
• Strong understanding of the off-grid market, entrepreneurial space, financial inclusion and impact investing sectors, preferable in the African context. 
• Strong network in energy access space, including SME’s, investors and donors.  
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently to Mercy Corps project sites and program locations, including traveling to insecure environments, is required.
• Familiarity with major donors like USAID, FCDO, the EC, foundations, and corporations.  
• Fluency in English required; fluency in other languages strongly preferred.
• All other duties assigned.

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The Position 

The Senior Operations Officer is responsible for facilitating program operational support for Mercy Corps Kenya (MCK), Samburu Field Office. Working closely with Program teams and Country Office Operations team, the Senior Operations Officer is instrumental in supporting program activities through his/her services in matters procurement, logistics, and general field office administration.

Essential Responsibilities

PROCUREMENT

• Daily coordination of MC procurement activities
• Ensure full understanding and adherence to MC procurement policies and formats and assist as needed in training staff on these policies
• Guide staff as required on creating clear and understandable Purchase Requests (PRs) and other procurement related documentation
• Collect quotations and bids from the market for PRs as assigned by manager – as per Mercy Corps standards and formats
• Interact with Vendors during collection of quotations – explain Mercy Corps formats and ensure that vendors will use the provided forms
• Ensure fair competition and strictly adhere to MC procurement rules regarding vendor relations
• Maintain up to date Mercy Corps Procurement data management system
• Interact with contractors, in coordination with the Program & Operations Managers
• Ensures that the required documentation of supplies and transactions are completed to MC standards

LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT

• Ensure Samburu field offices’ fleet and transport management complies with Mercy Corps Fleet Management Policy Guidelines
• Ensure proper management and coordination of staff travel arrangements in close consultation with the Logistics Officer
• Supervise the transport management and provide oversight to the management of Mercy Corps vehicles including; ensure proper use of vehicles, ensure vehicle files are completed and up to date, ensure that accident reports are completed and filled, ensure major repairs are done in timely manner
• Oversee the vehicle usage and rental calendar with rental agencies (if applicable) and follow up monthly payments
• Ensure vehicles are managed properly in accordance with all security regulations and measures
• Ensure efficient and effective vehicle utilization and fuel management
• Provide monthly vehicle monthly reports that inform decision making

ADMINISTRATION

• Ensure adherence to Administrative and IT procedures in all Samburu field offices
• Manage and renew office lease agreement for the Program field offices
• Coordinate any other necessary administrative and office management in the field offices
• Responsible for field office premises general facility management including security and hygiene upkeep and maintenance
• Facilitate procurement of general office supplies for running the field office
• Monitor and ensure premises utilities (water, electricity, garbage collection) are functioning and paid up in time
• Compile monthly operations reports and share with the Operations Manager

 ASSET MANAGEMENT

• Oversee the allocation and tagging of assets in the field office and update them in the asset master database
• Ensure maintenance of proper inventory of all equipment and fittings belonging to Mercy Corps with special attention to program field offices
• Ensure proper filling of assets as per the MC asset management policy in the program field offices
• Maintain a list of obsolete commodities and share the status update in the monthly operations reports

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

Supervisory Responsibility

Operations Assistants - Samburu county field office

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Field Director and Operations manager - Nawiri

Works Directly With: Director of Implementation & Nutrition Resilience, Deputy Field Director, Program, Operations, and Finance teams

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

• A bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Procurement and Logistics or a related discipline 
• Professional qualification and certification in Procurement or Supply Chain Management from a reputable institution is an added advantage 
• Current membership of KISM, CIPS or other related professional bodies will be required
• At least Seven years’ relevant experience handling procurement for INGO with complex operations 
• Demonstrated hands on application of procurement processes and procedures 
• Proven ability to lead and coordinate procurement activities in a fast-paced and demanding environment.
• Familiarity with the ERPs/SAP procurement system is highly desirable
• Excellent negotiation and representation skills 
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to multi-task, follow procedures, meet tight deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with other team members 
• A clear understanding of procurement ethics and donor compliance is essential.