Vacancy Announcement: Mercy Corps
is a leading global relief and development agency saving and improving lives in
the world’s toughest places.
In more than 40 countries, we partner with
local people to put bold ideas into action, help them overcome adversity and
build stronger communities.
Working with communities, we leverage local
logic to help people transform their lives to grow more food, earn higher
incomes and ultimately advocate for their needs.
We see global challenges as an invitation
to pioneer innovative, sustainable solutions.
Mercy Corps is looking for committed and
dynamic individual to take up the following position:
Position: Program
Officer
Location: Kapenguria – West Pokot County
Program / Department Summary: Mercy Corps implements high-quality, analytical development work in very difficult places.
Program / Department Summary: Mercy Corps implements high-quality, analytical development work in very difficult places.
We have been operating in Kenya since 2008
and currently implement development programs across the Central, Rift Valley
and Northern regions of Kenya.
Over the past 2 years, Mercy Corps has been
implementing the Girls Improving Resilience with Livestock (GIRL) Program in
West Pokot and Turkana (Kenya) and Karamoja (Uganda) regions. GIRL aims to
empower pastoralist girls in the West Pokot region to improve their livelihoods
and personal agency, as well as increase the food security and adaptive
capacity of their households and the resilience of their communities.
Mercy Corps is looking for a qualified
Kenyan to fill the position of Program Officer for the GIRL program.
General Position Summary: Reporting to the Program Manager in the Kapenguria Field Office, this position is focused on community and adolescent girl engagement, including the identification, recruitment and retention of girl training participants; the establishment of partnerships with key community members (elders, religious leaders, government officials) and the execution of livelihood development activities.
General Position Summary: Reporting to the Program Manager in the Kapenguria Field Office, this position is focused on community and adolescent girl engagement, including the identification, recruitment and retention of girl training participants; the establishment of partnerships with key community members (elders, religious leaders, government officials) and the execution of livelihood development activities.
He/she will be locally hired and based in
the Kapenguria area.
He/she will be responsible for day-to-day
field work in implementation of activities, mobilization, formation and
monitoring of girls’ livelihoods/education cohorts.
Essential Job Functions:
Essential Job Functions:
1.
Work
closely with all the program staff in implementation of the program;
2.
Engage
community members (community representatives, teachers, religious leaders,
government officials and gatekeepers) to form an Advisory Committee to support
and inform program activities;
3.
Organize
community events to sensitize communities on the GIRL program;
4.
Assist
in the creation of technical curricula, basic education (numeracy &
literacy) and financial literacy;
5.
Recruit
and train mentors to deliver technical curricula to girls;
6.
Identify
and recruit girls in the community to participate in livestock/producer groups;
7.
Identify
and engage local animal health workers to provide training and technical
assistance to livestock/producer groups;
8.
Monitor
and track the success and failures of livestock/producer groups;
9.
Collect
program data accurately and forward to the office in a timely manner;
10.
Support
community mapping activities, market assessments and base-line/end-line
evaluation activities;
11.
Prepare
accurate and timely monitoring and field reports and other project
documentation as required;
12.
Maintain
proper program files;
13.
Represent
the organization in meetings at the grass root level;
14.
Conduct
himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring
credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission;
15.
Perform
any other duties as assigned by his/her supervisor or representatives.
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: Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward 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.
Accountability to Beneficiaries: Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward 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: None
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Program
Manager
Works Directly With: All Program staff
in Kapenguria – West Pokot County
Knowledge and Experience:
·
Minimum
of 3 years’ experience working with NGOs/CBO’s in civic engagement, livelihoods
and education;
·
Degree
in Community Development, Economic Development or related field or diploma with
over 3 years’ experience;
·
Commitment
to working with adolescent girls vulnerable groups in need, regardless of race,
tribe, religion or gender;
·
Understanding
of working with local partners;
·
Good
problem solving, written and oral communication skills;
·
Strong
written and spoken English;
·
Pokot
language skills strongly recommended;
·
Ability
to work without constant supervision and as part of a mixed team;
·
Good
knowledge of MS Office software such as Excel, Word, and Access;
Success Factors: The ideal candidate
will have the ability and curiosity to work comfortably and effectively in the
cultural, relatively poor infrastructure of West Pokot County.
S/he will be an excellent communicator,
have a strong sense of humor, multi-tasker, and able to work difficult and
often stressful environments.
Willingness to travel to and work with
adolescent girl and Women in sometimes insecure environments.
Position: Program Manager
Location: Lodwar – Turkana County
Program / Department Summary: Mercy Corps implements high-quality analytical development work in very difficult places.
Program / Department Summary: Mercy Corps implements high-quality analytical development work in very difficult places.
We
have been operating in Kenya since 2008 and are presently implementing
development programs across the Central, Rift Valley and Northern regions of
Kenya.
We
are currently implementing a 3-year Nike Foundation funded program, focused on
improving livelihoods in Turkana and West Pokot (Kenya) and Karamoja (Uganda)
regions.
The
project, called Girls Improving Resilience with Livestock (GIRL), aims to
empower pastoralist girls in the Turkana region to improve their livelihoods
and personal agency, as well as increase the food security and adaptive
capacity of their households and the resilience of their communities.
We
are also implementing a 2 year Women Empowerment poverty graduation model pilot
in partnership with BOMA project.
Mercy
Corps opened its Lodwar office in January, 2015, in support of its cross-border
conflict management programming.
General Position Summary: The Program Manager will be a highly skilled, creative problem solver with strong experience working in livelihoods with a focus on engaging marginalized populations to join our team in Turkana office.
General Position Summary: The Program Manager will be a highly skilled, creative problem solver with strong experience working in livelihoods with a focus on engaging marginalized populations to join our team in Turkana office.
S/he
will participate in strategy development and supervise the daily implementation
of long-term development programming under GIRL’s three objectives, focused on
livelihood development, girls’ empowerment and food security.
The
Program Manager will also lead the Rural Entrepreneur Access Project (REAP)
i.e. BOMA project women poverty graduation model.
Essential Job Functions:
Essential Job Functions:
Program
Management:
·
Lead the conceptualization,
implementation and continual improvement of dynamic, analysis-rooted
development interventions in Turkana County in collaboration with Lodwar-based
GIRL and REAP team;
·
Set an example as a thought leader in
the Lodwar office, continually encouraging staff to re-evaluate their
strategies, gather and incorporate tacit information, and adapt programming to
new learning and environmental conditions;
·
Recommend program priorities and
explore, evaluate and present new country opportunities that leverage impact
and/ or complement core activities;
·
Coordinate, manage and motivate the
GIRL and REAP Turkana program team, ensuring that they have clear
objectives/individual work plans as part of performance management) and receive
meaningful feedback on their performance;
·
Ensure an integrated approach to
program implementation in order to maximize resource utilization and synergy
between the staff and different MC programs.
Office
Management:
·
Ensure proper logistics,
administration, human resources and transport needs of the program are
conducted within Mercy Corps policy and with the maximum benefit to the
program;
·
Manage the training of program staff
to ensure staff are of the quality and capacity to successfully implement
activities. Monitor and advise on staffing needs throughout the program. In
conjunction with the HR department, ensure evaluations and disciplinary measures
are made, as necessary according to Mercy Corps policy;
·
Exercise sound judgment to ensure
project expenses are reasonable, allocable and prudent. Ensure all project
funds are spent in accordance with donor rules and regulations. Work with the
GIRL Program Director to forecast expenditure surpluses and deficits to enable
adjustments to be made to the program in a timely fashion;
·
Oversee the program filing system and
ensure that information is organized according to the reporting and auditing
needs of the program. Ensure required levels of confidentiality;
·
Provide direct and ongoing
supervision and managerial support to all staff on the program;
·
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.
Monitoring
and Evaluation:
·
Support the development and continual
revision of a dynamic, programme-wide monitoring and evaluation system linked
to program strategies, indicators, and information management tools, which
supports programme management, accountability and learning. Coordinate data
gathering and management with all Lodwar-based program staff and take overall
responsibility for GIRL and REAP monitoring and evaluation in the Turkana
office;
·
Ensure that team leaders are paying
sufficient attention to the continual gathering and digestion of operating
environment data and activity reports, and that teams are holding frequent
activity review sessions to continually re-examine the relevance and impact of
their programming;
·
Coordinate and share information with
the GIRL Program Director to ensure overall project targets and donor
obligations are being achieved. Advise both on suggested improvements and
necessities, as required;
·
Produce written reports on the
program activities capturing impacts related to all activities;
·
Conceptualize and implement new
mini-research efforts as opportunities arise;
·
Ensure close coordination and sharing
of information with other stakeholders such as other donors, other NGOs, and
local authorities.
External
Representation and Coordination:
·
Ensure establishment and maintenance
of relationships with communities, village councils and local government in
Turkana target areas;
·
Coordinate and share information and
findings with the GIRL Program Manager in Kapenguria and in Karamoja;
·
Support and coordinate visits from
regional and HQ based staff and external visitors, such as donors and media, in
collaboration with Program Coordinator;
·
Establish and maintain contact with
all key actors as relevant for program implementation – government ministries,
UN, NGOs, partners – and establish mechanisms for contacting local community
organizations and partners and other local NGOs/CBOs in line with key GIRL
areas of work.
Other:
·
Conduct himself/herself both
professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring positive recognition
to Mercy Corps and to not endanger mercy Corps’ humanitarian mission;
·
Other duties as assigned by your
supervisor.
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: Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward 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.
Accountability to Beneficiaries: Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward 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: 3 Program Officers and a
Monitoring and Evaluation Officer.
Accountability
Reports
Directly To: GIRL Program Director
Works
Directly With: Finance, HR and Operations
departments in Lodwar and Nairobi
Knowledge and Experience:
Knowledge and Experience:
·
Master’s Degree in business, economic
development or other relevant field is preferred;
·
At least 5 years of relevant
experience with positions of progressively greater responsibilities;
·
Management and demonstrated success
building, managing and leading a team of professionals;
·
Strong writing, communication,
organization, prioritization and negotiating skills;
·
Excellent (English) verbal and
written communication skills with proven financial management skills;
·
Local language skills a plus;
·
Excellent quantitative skills
required. Financial accounting experience preferred;
·
Experience in building and maintaining
strong/productive relations with implementing and strategic partner agencies is
preferred. This includes coordinating with government authorities and
counterparts;
·
Experience working in conflict
environments is preferred;
·
Security management experience in
remote and insecure environments;
·
Strong computer literacy with a full
knowledge of office applications.
Success
Factors: The successful candidate will possess
strong leadership skills, with the ability to maintain a broad
perspective.
He/she
will undertake innovative approaches, be agile in the conceptualization of new
program ideas, and will be well versed in strategic thinking and
planning.
The
ability and desire to grow individually and professionally in a difficult
environment is important. The successful candidate will have the ability to
live and work successfully in remote, insecure, and challenging setting with
limited resources.
An
even temperament and good sense of humor is a must. Furthermore,
appreciations of a consultative, team approach to decision making and the
ability to lead a team; including an ability to work with limited
supervision.
This
position requires significant travel in remote and possibly insecure
environment.
The
successful candidate will be energized by solving problems and working with
adolescent girls.
How to Apply
How to Apply
Interested
candidates who meet the above required qualifications and experience should
submit a Cover Letter and detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) listing three
professional references (including a recent supervisor)
to ke-hrkenya@mercycorps.org on or before 9th October, 2017.
The email subject line must clearly show the job title and location they are applying for.
Applications without an appropriate subject heading will be automatically disqualified.
The email subject line must clearly show the job title and location they are applying for.
Applications without an appropriate subject heading will be automatically disqualified.
Please
do not attach any certificates.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
NB:
We do not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment processOnly shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
