Position Title: Chief of Party – Market
Development, Livelihoods, Value Chain, Nutrition - Kenya
Primary Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Position Status: Full time
Please note that this position is contingent on receipt of new
program funding.
Program / Department Summary:
Program / Department Summary:
The Chief of Party (COP) will lead the implementation of a
proposed five-year $49 million program to support increased resiliency and
economic growth in Kenya’s Northern and Arid Lands.
Mercy Corps has been operational in Kenya since 2008, initially in response to the Post Election Violence in Rift Valley, and then expanding to a national program under USAID’s Yes Youth Can! initiative.
Mercy Corps has been operational in Kenya since 2008, initially in response to the Post Election Violence in Rift Valley, and then expanding to a national program under USAID’s Yes Youth Can! initiative.
In July 2011, Mercy Corps began operations in Northeastern
Province through integrated humanitarian response in Wajir County.
The program in Wajir currently focuses on supporting increased
resilience through strengthening the livestock value chain, supporting
diversified livelihood options, and improving access to pasture and water
resources.
The REGAL-IR program will support USAID’s Feed the Future Initiative through improving resilience to drought and other shocks.
The REGAL-IR program will support USAID’s Feed the Future Initiative through improving resilience to drought and other shocks.
The objectives of the program include: strengthened and
diversified livelihood options, increased inclusiveness of value chains,
improved nutrition, improved capacity to peacefully manage conflicts,
community-based natural resource management, and disaster risk reduction.
General Position Summary:
General Position Summary:
The Chief of Party (COP) will manage all aspects of program
including meeting the objectives of the project while providing overall
technical, administrative, operational, and logistical management of the project,
with a focus on achieving the results defined in the co-operative
agreement.
The COP is responsible for developing a strong, coherent vision
within REGAL-IR and initiating innovative strategies across the program. The
position requires significant long-term experience in pastoral and livestock
issues in the region, and strong leadership and coordination skills.
The COP will act as the key liaison between USAID/Kenya and all other counterparts, and Government of Kenya officials.
The COP will act as the key liaison between USAID/Kenya and all other counterparts, and Government of Kenya officials.
The COP is expected to lead and/or participate in
strategic and high level policy forums and meetings with various actors and
advocate for broader pastoralist issues.
The COP is expected to contribute to improving
pastoralist’s policy environment using REGAL-AG evidence base and learning
generated through the project.
Essential Job Functions:
Strategy and Vision
Essential Job Functions:
Strategy and Vision
- Provide
strategic vision, leadership and overall responsibility for all aspects of
the program’s development, implementation, and management.
- Outline
and maintain a strategic plan for the implementation of program
activities, including finalizing target areas/activities, methods of
operation, and means of evaluation.
Program Management
- Provide
leadership and strategic vision in all aspects of program implementation,
development and management. Ensure that program implementation is
responsive to communities and partners, and aligned with Mercy Corps
principles, values and strategic plan.
- Monitor
adherence to grant agreement, Mercy Corps policies and procedures and
relevant external rules and regulations. Oversee performance of consortium
partners and sub-grantees.
- Conduct
frequent field visits to all project sites.
- Coordinate
with program and finance and administration staff to ensure operational systems
are in place to support field activities including logistics (transport,
warehousing and asset management), procurement, security, administration
and human resources.
- Propose
design of new local policies as needed and in accordance with donor and Mercy
Corps regulations.
Coordination and Representation
- Represent
Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events in the
field, 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.
Team Management
- Create
a work atmosphere conducive to professional growth and development of
excellent personnel at all levels.
- Implement,
and ensure all staff are effectively using the performance planning and
management system, establishing performance expectations and regularly
providing constructive feedback.
- Promote
accountability by conducting staff annual performance reviews with direct
supervisees, and ensuring that supervisory staff do the same.
- Contribute
to country team-building efforts, and ensure the integration of all team
members into relevant decision-making processes.
Security
- Work
closely with the country team’s security focal point to develop and
maintain systems that ensure the safety and security of the team in all
aspects of its work.
- Ensure
that programs are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and
understanding of security management priorities.
Organizational Learning
As part of Mercy Corps’ agency-wide Organizational Learning
Initiative, all team members are responsible for spending 5% of their work time
in formal and/or non-formal professional learning activities.
Accountability to Beneficiaries
Accountability to Beneficiaries
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts
towards 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:
Supervisory Responsibility:
Direct supervision of: Deputy Chief of Party, Finance and Grants
Manager, and other positions TBD.
Accountability:
Accountability:
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts
towards 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.
Reports Directly To: Kenya Country Director
Works Directly With: Other Program Managers in-country, HQ Program Operations Team members, Technical Support Unit team members
Knowledge and Experience:
Reports Directly To: Kenya Country Director
Works Directly With: Other Program Managers in-country, HQ Program Operations Team members, Technical Support Unit team members
Knowledge and Experience:
- MA/S
or equivalent in social science, management, international development or
other relevant field.
- 10-15
years of overseas experience including 5 years in a senior management
position.
- Strong
understanding of U.S. government compliance issues
- Prior
experience as a Chief of Party or Deputy Chief of Party
- Strong
written and oral communication skills in English, including report
development, writing and editing.
- Strong
management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural
issues.
- Proven
experience in systems-based approaches to enhancing resilience
- Sectoral
experience in pastoralist livelihoods, livestock development, conflict
mitigation or natural resource management.
- Previous
experience in Kenya or the Horn of Africa is preferable.
Success Factors:
The successful COP will combine exceptional management skills
and experience in maintaining donor and partner relationships and will have an
outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative programs within
the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region.
S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural team
and capacity building, individual staff development, and strong mentoring
skills.
The CoP will have demonstrated skills in managing programs in
challenging insecure environments and will be an expert at multi-tasking,
prioritizing, problem solving and have simultaneous attention to detail and
strategic vision.
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:
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions:
This position will be based in Nairobi, which is an accompanied
post.
Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting.
Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of 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, customs and MC's policies,
procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
Please apply immediately.
Please apply immediately.
For detail and application, go to www.mercycorps.org/jobs