HUMANITARIAN PROGRAM MANAGER
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.
Mercy Corps Mali
Mercy Corps has been working in Mali since 2013 supporting Malian women and men - including young women and men - to cope with food insecurity and conflict-induced shocks and stresses, restore peace and stability, and address humanitarian and development structural challenges. Throughout our work, Mercy Corps seeks to support strong, inclusive, and resilient communities by i.) providing conflict-sensitive humanitarian assistance, ii.) addressing the root causes of conflict through improved and holistic conflict prevention and management mechanisms and iii.) promoting sustainable economic development through market systems strengthening and employment opportunities for women and young women and men. Mercy Corps’ work addresses issues related to natural resource management and climate change adaptation within Mali and across the borders with neighboring Central Sahel countries, Niger and Burkina Faso. With a current portfolio of approximately 30 M USD funded by FCDO, USAID/BHA, Sweden, the European Union, and private foundations, over the past 18 months Mercy Corps reached over 100,000 persons in Mopti, Segou, Koulikouro, Kayes, Sikasso, Koutiala.
General Position Summary
The Humanitarian Program Manager (HPM) will have a technical background in either Food Security & Livelihoods, or WaSH programming and shall have experience in using Cash as a modality for providing humanitarian assistance. The HPM will be the overall humanitarian response lead for Mercy Corps Mali’s humanitarian portfolio making sure that the overall humanitarian work is implemented in a timely and quality manner in line with Mercy Corps humanitarian standards and procedures.
The HPM will be responsible for identifying needs and resources and elaborating programmatic, operational and leadership recommendations for the humanitarian response. The HPM will play a leading role in the effective scale up and management of Mercy Corps’ humanitarian programs to increase impact and enable positive change for target communities & will ensure the implementation of MC Mali’s emergency preparedness plans, sectoral and multi-sectoral assessments.
The HPM will supervise a team of over 30 program staff. S/he is a natural and innovative leader, able to build capacity and serve as a mentor to the field team and ensure the integration of the Mercy Corps humanitarian portfolio with recovery and development-based actions to ensure the transition to self-sufficiency of the populations served.
As a member of the enlarged Mercy Corps Mali Senior Management Team, the HPM plays a key role in coordinating, supporting, and collaborating with all levels of the organization to build strong project, program and portfolio management while fostering the effective adoption of the organization’s vision, principles, values and culture.
Essential Responsibilities
STRATEGY AND PLANNING
- Lead, develop and oversee the country program’s humanitarian strategy and frameworks in line with the country's overall strategy
- Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative perspectives are feeding into strengthening the humanitarian portfolio
- Identify and actively engage new strategic partnerships through collaboration platforms and clusters, and ensure a clear due diligence process and handover of identified partners and projects to program teams for implementation
- Support the program to implement Mercy Corps’ global Gender Equality, Diversity, and Social Inclusion Strategy.
- Play an active role in identifying and developing new initiatives that foster and/or improve strategic objectives of the portfolio and the Mercy Corps Mali mission
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
- Lead the planning and implementation of the program portfolio to achieve key outcomes, outputs, and targets, overseeing all aspects (programmatic, financial, administrative, personnel management) to ensure that these are on time, on scope, and on budget. Work closely with local authorities and communities to ensure integrated planning and implementation that is complementary and collaborative.
- Ensure that all program interventions are of a high quality and lead to measurable impact. This includes, but is not limited to, overseeing the program implementation plan and annual work plan preparation, identifying external technical support needs, ensuring that appropriate management practices are being used in program implementation and the monitoring and evaluation systems are being used to provide timely management information.
- Ensure that program resources are used efficiently, effectively, and transparently towards meeting desired results.
- Regularly review program workplans, analyzing outcomes and desired impact against the ever-changing country context, making crucial recommendations for quick adaptations as needed, based on real gender-disaggregated data and analysis.
- Manage the program budget and complete financial forecasting to inform cost-efficient, on-budget programming. Develop and oversee systems to monitor monthly spending.
- Coordinate donor reporting and ensure submission of comprehensive and high-quality program reports, and the timely submission and approval of financial and narrative reports.
- Lead risk management and mitigation measures, regularly updating tools and facilitating risk awareness within the team.
- Conduct and support participatory assessments of the needs/vulnerabilities and capacities of affected communities, ensuring the active participation of communities, to assess current needs and gaps where MC can make valuable contribution to participants
PROGRAM QUALITY, MONITORING & EVALUATION
- Ensure adherence to Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards, Donor guidelines as well as relevant internationally accepted technical standards, guide the team to ensure high quality implementation approaches that are consistent with national and global strategies and acknowledged good practices.
- Lead and provide high-quality technical guidance in the implementation of Mercy Corps’ Mali Humanitarian portfolio with expertise in Food Security & Livelihoods and/or WaSH, both in the development of proposals and the completion of project activities
- Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.
- Collaborate with MEL teams and oversee the design and implementation of monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) procedures across the Humanitarian Program Portfolio.
- Oversee the development and updating of the program monitoring and evaluation plan to ensure that the program meets its expected results, as well as its implementation to collect baseline and routine monitoring quantitative and qualitative data to track program performance and support decision making.
- Plan and conduct quarterly and annual program and review meetings to assess progress, adjust plans, and draw/disseminate lessons learned.
- Plan and conduct program mid-term and final evaluations.
- Support the development of knowledge management products to increase understanding of successful implementation strategies; distill learnings and evidence generated into program guidance and thought leadership for internal and external consumption.
- Prepare cost estimates and organize the necessary technical documentation for projects such as specifications, quantity estimates, program standard operating procedures, letters of invitation and instruction, training manuals, and other compliance guidance.
FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT
- Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps’ regulations on all programs.
- 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.
- Lead monthly Budget vs Actual (BvA) reviews with in-country leadership, Compliance and Finance Manager, and consortium partners to ensure proper rates of expenditure.
- Develop and periodically revise cost projections per activity and outcome with country leadership, finance, and operations to ensure proper expenditure rates
TEAM MANAGEMENT
- Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where accountability is promoted, alternative viewpoints welcomed, gender equality is prioritized, where the team strives to achieve excellence, and is conducive to professional growth. Foster a strong team spirit.
- Promote and instill a focus on capacity development, deepen understanding and ownership of individual’s roles and strengthen performance management systems through the implementation of a comprehensive staff training plan.
- Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
- Structure, recruit and provide inductions for team members, striving to ensure that the team structure and staffing reflects the project’s vision for gender equality and ensuring that staff are set up for success and familiar with agency systems, procedures, and protocols.
- Provide ongoing supervision, leadership, support, guidance, and mentorship directly to program staff.
- Support national staff development in line with the program objectives so that national staff are increasingly taking decisions and in management roles.
- Ensure that capacity building plans and performance management systems are in place to develop the requisite competencies in staff to ensure ongoing sustainability and quality of response.
- Complete all required performance management activities including performance planning, monitoring, and annual performance appraisals in coordination with Mercy Corps’ processes and systems.
- Ensure high standards of prevention and response measures for sexual exploitation and abuse are in place consistent with the Mercy Corps’ Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct.
SECURITY
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Oversee program security to ensure the safety and security of all team members and participants.
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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, partner team members, and program participants
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Ensure that programs are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security
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Work with the Head of Operations to periodically update the risk analysis matrix, ensuring it is always fit for purpose.
REPRESENTATION & COORDINATION
- Represent MC in cluster meetings, government meetings and other coordination mechanisms and coordinate with other actors how to cooperate effectively and efficiently in program areas where projects are underway
- Represent the different projects within his/her to their respective donors, relevant government entities, partners and other implementers and stakeholders and lead the development and implementation of a strategy for strong coordination around the nexus principles in our areas of implementation.
- S/he will be responsible for coordinating activities with the local government, potential local partners, key stakeholders, and other international NGOs.
Supervisory Responsibility
Directly supervises 3-5 team members; leads an overall team of over 30 staff.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Director of Programs
Works Directly With: Program Team, Finance & Compliance Manager, HR & Admin Manager, Operations Manager & Security Focal Point, Mopti Head of Office, Technical Advisors, MEL Manager, PAQ Team, and Senior Management.
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
- Solid background in one of the following technical areas: FSL and Market Systems, WaSH
- Master’s degree in international development, social sciences, agriculture, and other related fields
- Demonstrated experience in managing medium sized programs (5- 10 MUSD) in fragile context
- At least 5 years of continuous experience with technical design and implementation of livelihoods, cash transfer and market systems development programming, 2 years must be in a humanitarian response in with international NGOs
- Demonstrated experience building the livelihoods, cash transfers and market systems development capacity of teams across multiple sectors
- Demonstrated experience contributing to livelihoods, cash transfer and market systems development proposals with major donors including USG (USAID BHA/OFDA/FFP), FCDO/DFID, EU, ECHO or UN OCHA.
- Experience with use of relevant sector design and assessments tools for service providers, market, needs, distribution and post-distribution processes
- Excellent verbal and written communication, network building and stakeholder management skills, and the capacity to work at a strategic level with both internal and external stakeholders; ability to influence with effective listening, persuasion, negotiation, and other techniques.
- Excellent problem solving and analytical skills with ability to identify problems and opportunities within a rapidly changing context, and propose and implement sound, forward looking solutions in a flexible and creative style; experience using adaptive management strategies.
- Proven ability to work effectively with a multicultural and diverse team of women and men in a sensitive environment.
- Adept at leading procurement, administrative and finance systems.
- Fluency in French and basic mastery of spoken and written English are required. Knowledge of a local language (Bambara, Tamasheq, Fulani, Songhai, Hausa, etc) is an advantage.
- Knowledge and understanding of and/or prior work experience in Mali, or the Sahel a significant advantage.
Success Factors
The successful candidate will have the ability to work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly fluid work and security environment with a capacity to combine exceptional management and leadership skills, an innovative and energetic personality, and strong experience in maintaining donor and partner relationships. S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps. S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams and capacity building, individual staff development, and strong mentoring skills. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential. The most successful Mercy Corps staff 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
This is an unaccompanied position based in Mopti Region and entitled to quarterly R&R to Bamako or outside of the country. Accommodation will be in a group housing. Security conditions in the country are variable, requiring close monitoring and vigilance. Road and Air travel is available and often used - the road network is good. The position requires up to 50% travel to additional field locations inside Mali. Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours and as such staff are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside 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, c
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.