Jobs 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

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The Position Summary

The Program Coordinator will be involved in coordinating the implementation of the project at the regional level, provide the linkage between Energy 4 impact Mercy Corps, the local stakeholders and making sure the field staff are supporting ICS producers, Distributors, Installers, and fabricators and monitoring the progress of the project in Taita Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa. He/She will be responsible for compiling program progress reports at regional level. He/She will co-ordinate with other project implementing agencies to ensure synergies with each partner activities to achieve the project objective and identifying opportunities for expansion.

Essential Position Responsibilities

• Facilitating networking and establishing links across the sector in coastal region., including:
  • Organising and conducting stakeholder consultations, workshops,
  • Coordination with actors in the clean cooking value chain,
  • Tracking clean cooking initiatives in the region,
  • Advocacy and lobbying County governments including keeping the respective county governments informed of program activities.
  • ensure participation and representation in various regular cross-institutional meetings and working groups.
  • regular participation in relevant sector meetings and engagement on an ad hoc basis with related initiatives,
• Assess market information gaps among ICS producers, ICS retailers and distributors, and key stakeholders in the target county.
• Establish coordination with other program implementing partners such as GIZ, Dedan Kimathi university, Strathmore University etc.
• Validating the recruited project beneficiaries in the target county.
• Coordinate the various capacity building initiatives to program assistants and beneficiaries.
• Develop strategies for technology, business, gender and financial linkages support to the selected ICS enterprises.
• Ensure entrepreneurs receive adequate and effective technical support for the growth and development of their ICS enterprises.
• Coordinate the collection of M&E relevant data for monitoring and evaluating project performance.
• Support Program officers in Conducting market development activities for the ICS enterprises.
• Coordinate the awareness raising and behavior change communication activities in the counties. Identify and engage awareness raising networks such as CBO, youth and women groups, local institutions etc.
• Participate in project review and planning meetings.
• Compile and submit project implementation workplans and reports.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

Academic and Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Project Management, Renewable Energy, Community Development, Environmental Science, Business, Economics, Finance, or related degree OR
• A Masters in a relevant field with 2 years program coordination will be an added advantage.

Relevant working experience

• At least 4 years’ experience implementing donor funded projects.
• Experience supporting Micro, Medium and Small Entrepreneurs, businesses and/or energy SMEs and/or an understanding of community business models is highly advantageous.
• Promotion of uptake of renewable energy and ICS for productive uses and activities.
• Experience in community-based approaches for mobilization.
• Experience in conducting surveys, managing data and statistics is desirable.
• Experience in working in the coastal region of Kenya is highly desirable.

Success Factors

The program coordinator- possesses the following attributes:

• Strong organizational skills and able to coordinate and manage a diverse array of activities and stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills in Swahili and English.
• Ability to Plan and work independently with minimal supervision.
• Excellent report writing skills and computer skills in word processing and spreadsheets.
• Ability to travel and work in rural areas for most of the times.

go to method of application »

The Position Summary

The Program Assistant will be involved in the implementation of the project at the County level, provide the linkage between Energy 4 Impact Mercy Corps, the local stakeholders and ICS producers, Distributors, Installers, and fabricators, monitor progress of the project activities and produce field implementation reports. She/He will co-ordinate with other project implementing agencies to ensure synergies with each partner activities to achieve the project objective.

Essential Position Responsibilities

• Assess market information gaps among ICS producers, ICS retailers and distributors, and key stakeholders in the target county.
• Establish coordination with other project implementing partners such as GIZ.
• Identify, engage and recruit project beneficiaries in the target county.
• Identify and engage relevant stakeholders, seek buy in for the project and enhance close collaboration for project success.
• Support project coordinator in conduction county level project launch meetings and induction trainings.
• Support signing of partnership agreement letters between E4I/MCK and ICS producers, ICS Installers, Fabricators and distributors.
• Conduct technology, business, gender and financial needs assessment of the selected ICS enterprises.
• Develop action plans for technology, business, gender and financial linkages support to the selected ICS enterprises.
• Ensure entrepreneurs receive adequate and effective technical support for the growth and development of their ICS enterprises.
• Support M&E in collection of relevant data for monitoring and evaluating project performance.
• Conduct market development activities for the ICS enterprises selected through creation of business linkages, commercial relationships, and development of business networks.
• Support awareness raising and behavior change communication activities in the target county. Identify and engage awareness raising networks such as CBO, youth and women groups, local institutions etc.
• Support gender mainstreaming initiatives among the selected ICS enterprises.
• Identify financial institutions in the target counties for potential financial linkages.
• Conduct meetings with the financial institutions to introduce the project and the financing needs of entrepreneurs.
• Support entrepreneurs to access capital for their ICS businesses.
• Facilitate the financing institutions to conduct loan management training to entrepreneurs in groups or individuals.
• Provide liaison between E4I and County Government, communities, and other local stakeholders.
• Participate in project review and planning meetings.
• Compile and submit project implementation workplans and reports.

Accountability

• 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.
• 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.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

Academic and Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in either Renewable Energy, Community Development, Environmental Science, Business, Economics, Finance, Project management OR;
• A Diploma in a relevant field with over Six (6) years project implementation experience.

Relevant working experience

• At least 3 years’ experience implementing donor funded projects.
• Experience working with Micro, Medium and Small Entrepreneurs, businesses and/or energy SMEs and/or an understanding of community business models is highly advantageous.
• Promotion of uptake of renewable energy and ICS for productive uses and activities.
• Experience in community-based approaches for mobilization.
• Experience in conducting surveys, managing data and statistics is desirable.
• Experience in working in the coastal region of Kenya is highly desirable.

 Success Factors

A successful Program Assistant will possess the following attributes:

• Excellent communication skills in Swahili and English.
• Strong negotiation and mediation skills.
• Ability to work independently.
• Excellent sales management skills.
• Excellent report writing skills and computer skills in word processing and spreadsheets.
• Ability to travel and work in rural areas for most of the times.