TEAM LEADER

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Mercy Corps has been operating in Ethiopia since 2004. In partnership with civil society organizations, private sector, and the government, Mercy Corps Ethiopia has reached more than five million Ethiopians with interventions to save lives and build secure livelihoods. Our programs emphasize market-driven solutions, reinforce social bonds, and help communities build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Currently in six regional states – Afar, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Amhara and South Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR) – Mercy Corps Ethiopia is driven by the mission to contribute the emergence of a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous Ethiopia which is inclusive of youth and women. Our strategic directions focus in promoting inclusive and dynamic markets; promoting peace and social cohesion through strengthening formal/informal governance structures and citizen engagement; improved natural resource governance; and integrated humanitarian response.

Position Title:  TEAM LEADER

 Duty Station: Jijiga, Somali Region

 Open Position:  1

 Program Summary

Mercy Corps is implementing the €10 million, 44-month ‘Strengthened Socio-Economic Development and Better Employment Opportunities for Refugees and Host Communities in the Jigjiga Area’ program, since May 2019 with funding from the European Union Trust Fund (EUTF). The program is being implemented in partnership with Danish Refugee Council (DRC).

Globally, and in Ethiopia, Mercy Corps is a leading practitioner of market systems development (MSD) approaches to poverty reduction, with particular expertise in implementing MSD programs in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. This program will apply our market systems expertise to refugee and host community contexts in the Jigjiga area, with the objective of finding durable solutions to the protracted refugee situation. This program is part of a broader portfolio of markets and refugee programming for Mercy Corps in Ethiopia and have three outcomes/objectives

a.       Increase the ability of the local/regional economy to create jobs for various skills as per existing and/or potential economic value chains.

b.       Increase demand-driven skills of the labour force in the area of intervention.

c.        Refugee and host communities experience improved social integration and access legal rights

General Position Summary

Under the direct supervision of STEDE Program Director, the team leader will oversee the coordination and management of EUTF-funded STEDE program at field level. He/she will be responsible to manage all STEDE team members and guide them to develop and implement appropriate strategies to optimize impact in line with donor priorities and program objectives. S/he will lead on ensuring that the program generates learnings on how the program model can most effectively transform job creation and livelihoods for refugee and host community in the area.

The team leader is expected to play a leading role in maintaining close working relationship with government stakeholders at the Regional, zonal and woreda level and represent Mercy Corps’ and STEDE program at any event related to durable solutions in the region.

Mercy Corps is seeking an experienced leader with experience of managing diverse team and market systems development programs.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy and vision

●      Support the STEDE Program Director to develop a vision and strategy for applying market systems development approaches to refugee and host community contexts

●      Strategically selects areas of work, partnerships, and methodologies that contribute to effective delivery of the EUTF funded program in Jigjiga area.

●      Coordinate efforts on the development of partnership strategy, ensure coherent and consistent approach to partnership and decision making.

Program management

●      Lead the implementation and continual improvement of Mercy Corps’ EUTF-funded program at field level.

●      Establish and maintain systems for work planning, implementation of activities, monitoring progresses, reporting and capacity building of team members

●      Develop and maintain detail work plan for the project and corresponding budget on an annual and quarterly basis.

●      Lead and coordinate STEDE human and financial resources in Jigjiga field office

●      Improve relations and coordination with DRC STEDE team in Jigjiga for collaborative and effective implementation.

●      Ensure project implementation is on time, target and with budget allocated

●      Ensure the benefit of women and youth in all sectors of the program

●      Ensure strict compliance with Mercy Corps and EU regulations, policies, and procedures

●      Coordinate, manage and motivate the program team, ensuring they have clear objectives / individual work plans as part of performance management, and receive meaningful feedback on their performance.

●      Ensure that the program is managed adaptively, through periodic reflection exercises and use of MEL data.

●      Monitor work and targets closely to ensure that the program can provide maximum benefit to our beneficiaries within its timeframe.

●      Work closely with the program team and partners ensuring we adhere to humanitarian principles, Mercy Corps’ gender policies, Do No Harm principles and beneficiary accountability standards.

●      Support enforcement of guidelines for safety and security of staff and assets. Ensure a proper phase-out and plan for transition to full operations.

proposal development

●      Assess program area contexts and suggest new business ideas to STEDE program director

●      Support writing/review of concept notes and proposals

●      Support the design of new proposals working on market-based approaches in refugee and host-community contexts, including participating in design workshops.

●      Work closely with field teams to influence their engagement and support of program pre-positioning, development, and implementation.

Team Building and Management

●      Jointly with the STEDE program director the position holder will actively participate in staff recruitment for the program.

●      Build the capacity of the program team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.

●      Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback to team members under his/her supervision

●      Team leadership and motivation, ensuring a cohesive and harmonious team

●      Establish a culture of excellence in which the team strives for constant learning and improvement, where success is celebrated, communication is open, and everyone’s contribution is valued

●      Conduct annual performance evaluations and organize capacity building events for team members under his/her supervision.

●      Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence

Finance and Operations Management

●      Ensure program field expenditures are in accordance with approved budgets

●      Closely work with field Finance team for smooth budget utilization

●      Lead teams in annual work-planning and budgeting

●      Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps’ regulations related to programming and operations

●      Ensure proper logistics, administration, human resources and transport needs of the program at field office level.

●      Strictly follow Mercy Corps’ Fraud and Prevention guidelines.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

●      Ensure preparation and timely submission of high-quality quarterly and annual program progress reports using donor template and share with STEDE Program Director.

●      Ensure the development of clear M&E plan and timely collection, analyses, and reporting of program data in coordination with MEL advisor, including success stories, case studies and outcome reports

●      Ensure that the program team is continually develop monthly work and budget plans and submit activity reports timely.

●      Ensure field teams are holding frequent activity review sessions to continually re-examine the relevance and impact of their programming.

●      Working with the MEL team, develop a Learning Agenda for the program, and support successful execution of learning and impact studies.

●      Ensure program teams have community complaint and feedback mechanisms in place and that complaints and feedback being received are responded to within a timely manner.

policy, advocacy, Representation

●      Identify and nurture strategic partnerships with other organizations and institutions working on durable solutions for refugees.

●      Represent Mercy Corps’ and STEDE program in all events, meetings, and gatherings in the program area.

GEDSI (GENDER, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION)

Be a thought partner in the recruitment of diverse team and promoting inclusive and safe work environment including supporting early career team members to fulfil their professional goals)

Lead by example to promote gender equal and inclusive workplace culture in a day-to-day interaction with team members, partners and program participants

Security

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

●      Contribute to creating a secure environment for team members.

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.

·       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.

Safeguarding & Ethics

·       Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Knowledge and Experience

●      BSc or MA, MSc or equivalent in a field related to economics, development studies, international development, business management or other related fields

●      8 years for BSc and 6 years’ experience for MSc holders and among these 4 years in senior-level leadership and team management experience

●      Experience of working in international development organizations

●      Experience of leading and working on market systems development programs

●      Practical field experience working in refugee contexts or fragile contexts is preferred.

●      Knowledge on Ethiopian Compressive Refugee Response Framework /CRRF/

●      Excellent team building, managing and leading experience.

●      Strong report writing and communication skills,

●      Excellent coordination and representation experience is needed,

●      Strong analytical skills

●      Experience in managing divers program team

●      Excellent MEL data analytics and quantitative skills are strongly preferred.

●      Strong financial management experience required.

●      Willingness and ability to frequent field travel to STEDE woredas and refugee camps.

●      Fluency in English and Somali is required.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will possess excellent 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 ideal candidate will have a strong curiosity for understanding and working effectively within the complex cultural, political, security and social environment of Ethiopia. He/She will be an excellent communicator, multi-tasker, and able to work in ambiguous situations. He/She will be a tolerant and flexible individual able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures. The successful candidate will be focused on team building and capacity-building of team-members; be a strategic thinker, have strong skills in design monitoring and evaluation of development programs and maintain a sense of humor.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position holder will be based at Jigjiga, Somali Region, Ethiopia, and will require frequent travel to Kebrebeyah and Awubare woredas and three refugee camps in these woreda.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. 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.

Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision.  Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.