Girl H Deputy Project Manager at Mercy Corps

General Position Summary

The Deputy Project Manager will manage the successful implementation of the GIRL project in Kenya, ensuring positive impact for all participants and driving innovation and learning to refine replicable and evidence-based programming. As a result, the Deputy Project Manager is responsible for leading intervention of GIRL, including program start up, implementation, adaptation and close out. In conjunction with GIRL Program Manager and Country Leadership, the Deputy Project Manager will develop a clear vision and strategy for the program in Kenya to ensure that the program activities are impactful and remain on budget and schedule.

Essential Responsibilities

• Collaborate with program leadership in the development of a clear vision and strategy for the program in Kenya and ensure it is shared with all relevant program team members and key stakeholders.
• Collaborate with other related Mercy Corps programs to create synergies wherever possible
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and aligned with Mercy Corps’ principles and values.
• Engage support services and risk management resources to enable the program team to execute their respective strategic priorities
• Collaborate with relevant team members regarding the measurement and analysis of key program performance and quality indicators and metrics to inform strategic decision making

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Develop the capacity of the 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 via regular one on ones and performance reviews
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence
• Oversee program staff and partner performance and quality of program implementation and if security context allows, conduct frequent field visits to all program sites

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

• Monitor adherence to the donor grant agreement as well as Mercy Corps’ and donor’s policies and procedures for procurement and compliance
• 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
• Work closely with financial and operational management to optimize resources through sound budgets, consistent financial tracking, and timely submission of reports to the donor

HUMAN RESOURCES, SAFEGUARDING AND DIVERSITY

• Support Mercy Corps global and regional initiatives for human resources, including safeguarding and diversity, and talent development
• Collaborate with the people team to promote staff access to high quality learning opportunities, with a special emphasis on national team member development
• Assist with the on-boarding of senior team members, ensuring they are set up for success and familiar with agency systems, procedures, and protocols

COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY 

• Ensure Mercy Corps’ Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM) is operationalized, in line with the relevant CARM policy, within the programs. 
• Identify a CARM focal point for each program s/he manages. 
• Develop a CARM sensitization plan and ensure activities are incorporated into the program activity plan. 
• Proactively inform all program stakeholders about the CARM feedback channels. 

RISK MANAGEMENT

• Engage and support program areas across the country to ensure that adequate risk management systems are in place
• Collaborate with country and program leadership to support preparedness and response to major disruptive events
• Participate in the internal audit (IA) process to track findings and ensure program compliance with IA findings and recommendations
• Work closely with the country team 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

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

• Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events, in close coordination with other program leads and teams
• Assist Program Director in maintaining active and cooperative relationships with all key stakeholders, including government officials, project partners, other implementing agencies, and related institutions
• Coordinate activities with consortium partners, subgrantees, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs

 SECURITY

• In collaboration with the Operations Director and Regional Security Advisor monitor security developments and report to Mercy Corps Senior Management as per the Mercy Corps Kenya security procedures and protocols;
• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Supervisory Responsibility

• GIRL-H Officers (Turkana, Wajir, Garissa, Marsabit, Isiolo) and SRH Officer in Marsabit.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• Degree and equivalent experience in international development, political science, women’s studies, economics, sociology or other relevant field.
• 3-5 years’ experience in gender and youth development work including experience developing and conducting gender training, gender/youth mainstreaming and engaging in gender advocacy. 
• Demonstrated ability to implement a program, manage a team and develop their capacities.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead the collection, analysis and utilization of information from a broad range of sources to ensure effective integration of gender and youth concerns throughout the project’s duration. In-depth understanding of gender, age and other socio-cultural factors in the context of livelihoods programming. 
• Ability to foster commitment and build capacity among project staff and in-country actors around gender and youth integration.
• Strong public speaking and facilitation skills required. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office. 
• Fluency in written and spoken English required
• Fluency in written and spoken Kiswahili required