Program Officer

Mercy Corps is a global humanitarian aid agency engaged in transitional environments that have experienced some sort of shock: natural disaster, economic collapse, or conflict.
Programme / Department
Mercy Corps began working in Kenya in 2008 and has built a robust and diverse portfolio working to enable Kenyans affected by poverty, climate change, resource scarcity and conflict to be healthy, productive and to drive peace and development of their communities. To do this, we deliver integrated programming to strengthen market and governance systems, innovate urban youth employment opportunities, respond to climate-related shocks, address the root causes of conflict, and build the resilience of vulnerable populations - in particular youth, women, adolescents and marginalized communities.

Mercy Corps is seeking a Project Manager for Incentivizing Collective Action for Rangeland Regeneration (ICARR) program.  ICARR seeks to address climate change challenges in pastoralist communities by identifying and testing incentives for collective action to promote and improve natural resource management, livestock productivity, and livelihoods. ICARR has significant research and learning component, for which the Project Manager is ultimately responsible for, in conjunction with technical leads and M&E team members. The Project Manager will oversee the implementation of ICARR program activities in the target counties of Wajir and Garissa.
General Position Summary
The ICARR Project Manager, working under the supervisor of the Director of Programs and in conjunction with other relevant stakeholders, is responsible overall implementation of the ICARR program, including ensuring quality and impact of the interventions. S/he will ensure that the program is implemented on scope, time and budget. The Project Manager will liaise with a diversity of internal and external stakeholders throughout program implementation in order to ensure that the team is driving transformational change in the target counties. The position will require a strong technical understanding of resilience-building, natural resource management and livestock markets, especially within the ASAL counties of Kenya.
Essential Job Responsibilities
STRATEGY AND VISION

Guide overall strategic and technical vision and drive the ICARR project’s innovative, evidence-based, adaptation approach.
Ensure ICARR program vision, implementation modalities, and operational mechanisms are consistently communicated and internalized by all program team members, partners and stakeholders; facilitate program buy-in across partners and stakeholders.
Contribute to and oversee ICARR’s robust research, learning and adaptation agenda, working with relevant team members to integrate and advance learning, adaptation and advocacy within both the program and Mercy Corps more broadly.
Ensure ICARR utilizes participatory approaches to intervention design and places communities as the lead in the management of their own resources.
Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
Actively engage in regional learning agenda discussions both sharing ICARR’s experiences and reflecting on learning across the agency to apply to ICARR.
In collaboration with relevant Mercy Corps team members, represent the program in key forums and donor meetings.
Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with relevant international and local agencies active in relevant technical fields, including donors, other organizations, local authorities and local partners. Attend relevant coordination forums to identify synergies.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

Provide strategic leadership and oversight for ICARR program activities, in partnership with key program stakeholders, including local and international partner organizations, local civil society organizations, local and national government officials, research institutions and universities, other international agencies on the ground, and key donors.
Lead team to adaptively manage interventions and approaches and not just implement a workplan as-is.
Ensure programme implementation is on time, target, and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts, and develop mechanisms for targeted research to inform programme design and implementation.
Manage and oversee program activities in the selected counties working in close collaboration with key project stakeholders, including local government officials, community-based organizations, researchers and other implementing agencies on the ground.
Manage, Inform and actively participate in pause and reflect sessions, sense-making workshops and ongoing program adaptations; ensure program data is used for learning and decision making.
Ensure procurement needs are identified and processes started early to prevent implementation delays.
Ensure the synthesis and professional presentation of program progress and learnings to government and donor stakeholders.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

Lead in the structuring of team roles and responsibilities for the delivery of cohesive program interventions, oversee their activities and provide continuous technical support, capacity building, and quality assurance.
Oversee performance of any partners, sub-grantees, and contractors. Provide team members and implementing partners with information, tools and other resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
Regularly coordinate with program staff and support departments to ensure smooth planning, preparation, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of program activities.
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.
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.

OPERATIONS MANGAGEMENT

Oversee the smooth flow of routine program support functions (e.g., finance, administration, logistics) in relation to ICARR and ensure compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.
Ensure that any procurement is completed, documented, and delivered to end-user in a timely manner, ensuring that items procured meet the specifications of the end-user while adhering to donor and Mercy Corps procurement guidelines.
Oversee database and paper file management for program files in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.

SECURITY MANAGEMENT

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.

MONITORING & EVALUATION (M&E) AND REPORTING

Work closely with the program MEL team members to ensure that effective M&E systems and processes are embedded within the program implementation unit and that data is collected, analyzed, and used to inform ongoing adaptation of program strategies and delivery approaches.
Assess and analyze impact and adaptively manage the program to meet results.
Oversee the scheduling and production of formal and informal reports and work plans on all aspects of programme delivery in a timely and efficient manner.
Ensure learning is blended back into program implementation, creating a cycle of adaptation and program improvement.

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 AND PARTNERS

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and partners 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.
Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibility

Direct supervision of all team members and consultants within the ICARR program.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director of Programs

Works Directly with: Country Director, Operations Director, Finance Director, Director of Evidence and Learning, Regional Livestock Programme Director and relevant Program Managers, PAQ team, local implementing partners
Requirements
Knowledge and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in relevant field, such as sociology, community development, agricultural economics, natural resources/rangelands management etc. Master’s degree in similar field is preferred.
Demonstrated experience leading interventions in these fields above, including governance approaches. Knowledge of market system development approaches beneficial.
A minimum of 6 years of relevant management experience required, including 4 years in a senior management position.
Experience within the Arid and Semi-Arid lands required. Experience in NE Kenya beneficial.
Sound understanding of financial, procurement, administration, and logistics management systems, including remote management.
Experience coordinating multiple activities, developing synergies and creating opportunities for collaboration.
Demonstrated experience in team building and team coordination for achieving program goals.
Demonstrated experience in participatory approaches and adaptive management. Strong commitment to local capacity building and the ability to engage local stakeholders in project design and implementation.
Experience working with host governments at the national and sub-national level, INGOs and national NGOs and familiarity with international humanitarian operations, coordination structures, and the mandates of UN agencies, and other NGOs.
Excellent organizational and project management skills; detail-oriented; and possessing an ability to anticipate program and operational needs.
Proven ability to work cooperatively with others in a team environment and to a diverse group of national and international staff.
Demonstrated proficiency with the MS Office software (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint) required.
Persuasive written and oral communication in English and Swahili required, competency in another relevant local language beneficial.