Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY & VISION

• Provide overall technical and administrative leadership and expertise. Responsible for administering and managing the implementation of the activity and has the overall responsibility for assuring that all assistance provided is technically sound and appropriate to meet activity objectives.
• Lead the development of a vision and strategy for the program by prioritizing and organizing actions and resources to achieve objectives.
• Play an active role in identifying and developing new initiatives that foster and/or improve strategic objectives of the program and the country office.
• Recognize opportunities for innovative action, create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed and foster a safe, diverse and inclusive workplace.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

• Oversee program start-up, management and administration. Ensure program implementation is on time, scope and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impact.
• Lead the development of detailed implementation plans, flowing from strategic annual work plans and ensure delivery of the interventions.
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
• Ensure project participants are effectively targeted according to transparent criteria.
• Develop partnership frameworks, partner agreements/memorandum of understandings, and oversee partner capacity building.
• Integrate community approaches, social inclusion, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate.  Certify all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.
• Ensure program strategies and activities represent global good practice in a diversity of technical fields.
• Document processes and achievements to ensure best practices are captured and disseminated.
• Develop effective stakeholder management plans, ensuring sound and proactive communications with Mercy Corps Kenya, partner organizations, Mercy Corps Headquarters, USAID, Government of Kenya and other relevant stakeholders.
• Supervise and/or review the work of program consultants.
• Supervise procurement, logistics, security, administration, and human resources teams within the program to ensure operational systems support field activities.
• Fulfill Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Develop the capacity of the program team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally through regular exchanges 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.

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

• Ensure proper financial management, procurement, administration, human resources and logistics are conducted in alignment with USAID and Mercy Corps regulations and to the maximum benefit of the program.
• 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.

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

• Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events, 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.
• Establish and maintain relationships with communities and local government stakeholders.

SECURITY

• 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.

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.

Supervisory Responsibility

• Scaling Inclusive Food Systems Program Team.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Country Director

Works Directly With: Director of Programs, Program Managers, Finance Director, Operations Director, HQ Regional Program Team, HQ Technical Support Unit.