New Job Vacancies at Mercy Corps

Reference Number: KA/DEVPRGM/0001
Location: Kano
Position Status: Full-time
Salary Level: Level 4

Program / Department Summary
The Educating Nigerian Girls in New Enterprises (ENGINE) is an initiative to improve learning outcomes and the economic status of marginalized adolescent girls aged 16-19 in the Northern Nigerian states of Kano and Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the metropolis of Lagos, Nigeria.ENGINE through funding from the UK Department for International Development’s Girls Education Challenge, the Coca-Cola Company and other stakeholders supported over 18,000 marginalized girls to reduce education and financial barriers in its first implementation phase. In its second phase, ENGINE II will facilitate transition of these girls into functional literacy, numeracy and scale up their business opportunities and linkages. ENGINE II will further increase girls’ and young women’s access to (1) financial education and life skills; (2) peer to peer networks and mentoring; and (3) direct assets (materials and savings).Beneficiaries will be integrated into value chains as well as conduct other market-driven employment opportunities. ENGINE II will also work with girls in formal and informal education to increase their learning opportunities and outcomes to prepare them for future economic activities and work in the policy environment to provide an enabling environment for girls to flourish in their chosen pathways. Mercy Corps Nigeria is leading the implementation of ENGINE II programme with new and innovative solutions to scale up existing interventions to deliver quality education and skills to the hardest to reach girls. Mercy Corps will collaborate with other stakeholders at the state and federal level for the implementation of the ENGINE II programme, including the Nigerian Ministry of Education, Central Bank, National Youth Service Corps and as well as private sector actors.

General Position Summary

• The Senior Project Officer will support field implementation of the ENGINE program including coordinating sub-grantee partner, schools/community stakeholders and resources to ensure that the program meets performance-based targets on time and within budget, per DfID requirements.
• S/he will monitor sub-grantee partner in the state and ensure program funds are spent efficiently and maximize Value for Money per DfID requirements. S/he will supervise and build the capacity of partner staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations. S/he will be responsible for data collection, collation and analysis, support research efforts, documenting project impacts, and coordinating with Mercy Corps partner and M&E staff. The candidate will support the transitioning of marginalized girls.
• Throughout the life of the program, s/he will be responsible for:
  • Cross-cutting programmatic information management within the framework of the program;
  • Monitoring and evaluation;
  • Ensuring that information is shared and used for continuous improvement of ongoing programs, and
  • Is incorporated into reports.
• S/he will have responsibility for supporting the documentation of project impacts and results.

• Support the implementation of program activities listed in the Kano state ENGINE II programme work plan to ensure activities are implemented within time, target and budget.
• Supervise ENGINE II Community/School volunteers/Facilitators to ensure quality delivery of qualitative sessions to beneficiaries.
• Support the development of programmatic reports and provide feedbacks to ENGINE II implementing partner, schools and communities.
• Harmonise programmatic reports of implementing partner, schools and communities.
• Implement relevant need assessments, data and information collection for on-going monitoring. Collate attendance, reports, sales data, savings sheet and other relevant programme data from the field.
• Support the implementation of state and community level activities targeted at stakeholders to show case progress and learnings to acquire more support from the gatekeepers.
• Achieve consistent advocacy to gatekeepers and stakeholders to ensure that marginalised girls enrolled complete their education cycle.
• Monitor ENGINE II girls’ activities across all Learning Spaces.

• Provide field support to ENGINE functional literacy, numeracy and school to work programming for both in school and out-of-school marginalized girls.
• Coordinate sub-grantee activities including programmatic implementation, budget & liquidation process and timely reporting.
• Provide linkages to opportunities for additional networks within schools, link girls with Islamic and/or community-based education, increasing economic assets through savings clubs and links to financial institutions.
• Ensure implementation of activities is on time, target and budget, using effective systems to reach desired impacts in order to assess the ENGINE effectiveness and impact and propose recommendations for improvements.
• Maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely reporting especially for sub-grantee partners.
• Implement and model Mercy Corps’ philosophy of social entrepreneurship and leverage Mercy Corps’ best practices.
• In collaboration with the Monitoring Evaluation and Learning team, implement relevant surveys, need assessments, data and information collection for on-going monitoring in the state assigned.

• Sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• With the Deputy Program Manager and Capacity Building & Programme Coordinator, supervise, hire and orient new field team members as necessary.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Implement performance planning and management systems, establish performance expectations with team members, and regularly provide constructive feedback on team members’ performance.

• Ensure compliance of sub-grantee partners with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to field programming.
• Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.

• Actively participate in meetings and processes to promote effective program management.
• Strengthen staff capacity in interpretation and use of both routine data collection and periodic evaluation/assessment tools through comprehensive training and coaching.
• Improve data quality through supportive supervisory visits to implementing partner staffs and beneficiaries
• Problem-solve with others to address shortfalls in monitoring, evaluation and information management that affect program implementation.
• Utilize internal Mercy Corps global online information-sharing resources to enhance organizational learning.
• Support development of abstracts and success stories through provision of information and data.

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with sub-grantee, local governments and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
• Participate in education coordination and other donor coordination meetings or workshops and/or as requested by the Project Advisor.

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that field team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies

• 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.

• 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.

• Direct supervision of Project Assistants and Partner staff.

• Reports Directly To: Capacity Building & Programme Coordinator.

• Master’s Degree or its equivalent in education, management, social sciences, international development or other relevant field.
• A minimum of 4 years of progressive work experience including at least 1 year in a technical coordination role on education, gender- focused or skills building program.
• Experience working on a large-scale education or school to work and especially targeting marginalized girls or young women programs required. Prefer expertise in at least one of the following areas: accelerated learning programs, Islamic and/or community-based education targeting community acceptance of girl’s education, increasing economic assets through savings clubs and links to financial institutions.
• Experience using SMS for training or messaging preferred.
• Strong understanding of DfID compliance issues.
• Strong management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues in high security environment. Experience managing a multi-organizational team (international and national partners) is a plus.
• Experience working in Northern Nigeria strongly preferred.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English required, including report development, writing and editing. Hausa language skills preferred
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Demonstrated experience working with state-level ministries and government officials, Ministry of Education experience preferred.

• The successful candidate will combine management and technical skills with a focus on innovative interventions to engage adolescent girls in informal education and skills building linked with private sector entrepreneurship and employment opportunities in a culturally and religiously conservative environment.
• S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative and complex programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.
• The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. 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.

• Mercy Corps has been present in Nigeria since 2012, focusing its interventions on adolescent girls’ empowerment, economic development and conflict mitigation. With the insurgency spilling over from the Northeast of Nigeria and causing displacement of millions of individuals, Mercy Corps started its humanitarian response in 2014 to address the rising humanitarian needs. With funding from institutional donors, foundations and private corporations, Mercy Corps continues to provide assistance to meet the basic needs of vulnerable populations in the areas of food security, shelter, water and sanitation, protection, and livelihoods.
• With the recognition of the protracted crisis in Northeast Nigeria, Mercy Corps’ strategy and expansion plans aim to address the root causes of the crisis and seek to build long term resilience of communities with integrated programs focusing on the recovery of markets and livelihoods, social cohesion and social protection, and youth empowerment with emphasis on adolescent girls and boys. With multiple funding streams from large institutional donors and foundations, Mercy Corps’ programs in Northeast Nigeria continue to scale up and serve communities by transitioning them from humanitarian aid to early recovery programs.
• Mercy Corps’ humanitarian response continues to meet the needs of underserved populations within Borno state and aims at delivering multisector interventions in multiple locations with funding from donors including Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), Food for Peace (FFP) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

• The Program Manager- Humanitarian Response is responsible for coordinating and implementing the delivery of multisector interventions including food security, non-food items and logistics, multi-purpose cash, livelihoods, WaSH, and Shelter for conflict affected households.
• Position includes daily management of program activities and program staff, ensuring appropriate systems and support mechanisms are in place to track, analyze and report on results as well as engagement with senior management on the strategic direction of the overall humanitarian response.

• Identify new strategic opportunities and position Mercy Corps for high-impact humanitarian response
• Set program direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to country and regional-wide strategy development.
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.

• Oversee program start-up and ongoing program management and administration of the teams across the various field locations.
• Develop program implementation strategies, including partnership frameworks when needed, beneficiary targeting and distribution process.
• Provide monitoring systems, including gathering data for case studies. This will include both direct and remote monitoring where access is limited or restricted.
• Certify program filing system is in place, adheres to internal and donor’s regulation and filing is regularly maintained.
• Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget.
• Adhere to all MC procurement, logistics and administrative regulations related to programming.
• Fulfill Mercy Corps Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
• Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.

• 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.
• Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.

• Manage financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
• Oversee the program budgets, project cash flow and expenditures.

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with the community, government and other stakeholders
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.

• 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.

• 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.

• Specific program team members,

• Reports Directly To: Director of Northeast Programs
• Works Directly With: all other sector staff, PAQ team and support staff members

• BA/BS or equivalent in International Studies, Economics or other relevant field; MA/S preferred.
• 3-5 years of international relief and development program management experience, preferably in emergency program management.
• Previous experience in operating and managing teams in conflict and insecure environments required.
• Combination of direct and remote management experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and communicate effectively with an ethnically diverse team of varied work styles.
• Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving.
• Proven ability to learn quickly; lead a program to achieve stated results and objectives.
• Ability to effectively represent Mercy Corps and its interests to key stakeholders.
• Experience working with local authorities, national and international NGOs.
• Effective verbal and written English skills required, along with multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.
• Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work.
• Knowledge of SPHERE and other humanitarian programming standards.

• The successful candidate will combine exceptional management skills and experience in maintaining donor and partner relationships.
• S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region.
• S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural team and capacity building, individual staff development and strong mentoring skills.
• S/he will possess high level of adaptability and be able to adjust to the constantly changing working environment.
• S/he will have previous experience in implementing large scale emergency programs in insecure and conflict context.
• Prioritizing, problem solving, ability to seize opportunities, attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.
• The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

• The position will be based in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria and it requires frequent travel to other field locations in particular within Borno state. Considering the frequent travel from/to different field locations, this position will require flexibility in terms of accommodation and logistics. Housing in the field will be in hotels or guesthouses where available. Security in the field locations require additional vigilance and accessibility will be reassessed continuously. Access to good medical services in the field is limited. Phone communication, internet, electricity and water is available but might be erratic.
• Given the nature of the response, working hours require flexibility and working through weekends/evenings might be necessary.