Business Officer
Thika
Based
Program / Department Summary
Program / Department Summary
Mercy
Corps works amid disasters, conflicts, chronic poverty and instability to
unleash the potential of people who can win against impossible odds.
Supported
by headquarters offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, the agency's
unified global programs employ 3,500 staff worldwide and reach 9 million people
in more than 40 countries.
Over
the last five years, more than 90 percent of the agency's resources have been
allocated directly to programs that help people in need.
Mercy Corps is implementing a 3-year program under USAID’s Yes Youth Can initiative, covering six regions in Kenya; Western, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Central, Nairobi and Coast.
Mercy Corps is implementing a 3-year program under USAID’s Yes Youth Can initiative, covering six regions in Kenya; Western, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Central, Nairobi and Coast.
The
core of this program is a The Tahidi Youth Fund (TYF), which will be a
youth-owned, youth-led and youth-managed financial facility to support local
solutions for community economic development as it grows in value.
This
program aims to appropriately empower Kenyan youth (15-30yrs) to strengthen
their socio-economic and political stakes through youth-led and managed
initiatives and institutions.
The
TYF will in the first three years provide sustainable financial and skills
development assistance to approximately 200,000 youth through a variety of
youth-identified social and economic community development projects.
General
Position Summary
Working
under the direction of the Regional Coordinator, the Business Officer will ensure field-level and institutional
compliance with the TYF grant operations manual and any other additional
guiding policy under this program.
This
position will work with other Business Officers and other stakeholders in a
designated geographical area of operations, in order to engage directly with
County Youth Bunge Forums and Youth Bunges (which are mobilized by the Yes
Youth Can-Regional projects) to provide Community Development Grants,
micro-investments, and other programs.
The
Business Officer will execute a standardized grant application process and
procedure in a transparent, client friendly manner.
The
Business Officer is a key function in fraud prevention and grant management at
the field level.
Essential Job Functions
Essential Job Functions
- Engage directly
with qualifying Youth Bunges in an efficient, transparent, client-friendly
manner in order to provide Community Development Grants to Youth Bunges.
- Provide qualifying
Youth Bunges with all information regarding the processes, policies and
procedures of applying for a grant from the TYF Youth Grant Fund,
specifically highlighting the role and responsibility of the Youth Bunge.
- Work in a
respectful, transparent manner with the County Youth Bunge Forums by
creating an environment in which the County Bunges are provided an equal
space and opportunity to lead the grant application process in conjunction
with the TYF Regional Manager.
- Support the
Youth Bunges and County Bunges in becoming stronger, more sustainable
youth institutions.
- Drive a
client-friendly “front office” service delivery process to all Youth
Bunges that are engaged.
- Work with the
field Finance Officer to ensure smooth disbursement of funds to the Youth
Bunges.
- Provide minimal
technical assistance across a variety of areas such as: agriculture, light
manufacturing, horticulture, technology etc. etc.
- Work with the
TYF team to gradually and effectively utilize information from the
database for future strategic planning of the fund from the 3rd year of
operation.
- Ensure proper
filing of all hard copy documents and correspondences of clients.
- Maintain a
client file for all Youth Groups who apply for a TYF Grant.
- Oversee
effective communication and conduct outreach to all TYF potential clients
on procedures for accessing funds, including time frames.
- Present monthly
fund updates to TYF management team.
Knowledge
and Experience:
- Bachelor's
degree in economic development or development-related field.
- Three years of
work experience with increasing responsibilities in private, NGO or
government sector.
- Two or more
years of experience in grants’ making and management, especially under a
USAID grant.
- Experience
implementing, monitoring and managing Community Development or Youth
Leadership projects at the field-level.
- General working
knowledge of SACCOs’ operations.
- Demonstrate
skills in outreach, meeting facilitation, and public speaking.
- Experience in
identifying and managing fraud at work.
- Strong
organizational and planning skills.
- Good computer
user-skills in MS Excel, Word, Power-point, & Outlook.
- Excellent oral
and written English and Kiswahili.
- Thorough
understanding of project management cycle.
- Proven project
management experience.
- Professional
grant-making & management training.
Living
/Environmental Conditions:
The
positions will be based in Thika but with up to 40% field travel within Central
Region.
Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit 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 to a field posting.
Staff
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.
Application Process:
Application Process:
Interested
candidates who meet the above minimum requirements should submit a cover
letter, detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) listing three professional references
(including a recent supervisor) to hrkenya@ke.mercycorps.org on or before
Friday 2nd July 2013.
Please
do not attach any certificates!
Applicants
must clearly indicate on the email subject field; “Business
Officer”.
Applications
without this subject heading will not be processed.
ONLY
Qualified short-listed candidates will be contacted.
