Program Coordinator/Head of Office | Abala

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 present in Ethiopia since 2004 working to drive bold and transformative ideas, working closely with government, the private sector and civil society actors to build a more resilient country, ensuring that programs are responsive to and influenced by participants and stakeholders. With the launch of Mercy Corps Global Strategy, Pathway to Possibility, the country office is poised to operationalize its three-year strategy with a vision to enhance the resilience of climate- and conflict-affected communities through market systems development for improved livelihoods, access to food, and safe and clean water to thrive in the face of crises. In Ethiopia, our strategy focuses in the four outcome areas: 1) Economically marginalized populations have improved and diversified livelihoods, income, and assets; 2) Pastoralists, farmers, and households have access to sustainably produced, safe, nutritious food; 3) Social cohesion and inclusive governance processes are built in crisis-affected communities; and 4) People have equitable, sustained access to clean water and sanitation for domestic and productive use. Currently, we operate in six regional states – Afar, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Amhara and South Ethiopia. Working with a diverse base of donors that includes United States Agency for International Development (USAID), European Union, GAC, Hilton Foundation, United Nations (UN), JOA, Sweden, EKN, and other foundations, Mercy Corps Ethiopia empowers people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. 

Position Title:  Program Coordinator/Head of Office

Duty Station: Aba’ala Field Office

Open Position:  1

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Program Coordinator/Head of Office will provide leadership on the overall program/project management [including operations, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation], and resource utilization for programs which are coordinated under MC’s Ab’ala filed office.  He/she will contribute for new program design and related resource mobilization. He/she will be responsible for promoting internal and external coordination, providing overall leadership to the operations team (procurement, security, logistics, administration, and human resources) functions. The Program Coordinator/Head of Office will provide regular communication and coordination with Addis based Humanitarian Programs Manager-Northern Cluster and other technical units at Country Office to ensure program activities are carried out according to the highest standards and remain responsive and appropriate to the local context.  He/she represents Mercy Corps in respective Regional/Zonal/Woreda level coordination and cluster meetings in the Afar region. The role is expected to ensure program quality of all programs/projects implemented under Ab’ala field office in the Afar region.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

 Program Design and Resource Mobilization

• Facilitate initiation of project concepts based on participatory need assessment and community priorities.
• Facilitate involvement of local stakeholders including sectoral offices and community in project identification and conceptualization.
• Liaison with Humanitarian team and relevant PDQ staff in the CO for fleshing up of the concept papers and provide inputs to mobilize resource.

Program Management and Coordination   

• Ensure better coordination, collaboration, and integration among all technical, program and support units within Ab’ala Program coordination office.
• Coordinate sectoral leads and ensure whether each team have clear work plan in place and following regularly.
• Develop and Implement tools to ensure effective and efficient project implementation and operations.
• Facilitate effective supervision of the implementation of project activities in the field office to ensure quality program implementation.
• Support and coordinate the team to ensure effective, efficient, and timely implementation of projects/programs and according to agreed contracts, budgets, and donor requirements.
• Ensure effective and timely monitoring, documenting, and reporting of the existing programs and support activities as per the policies and practices of Mercy Corps, donor, and the government.
• Support the implementation of MC’s M&E plan and ensure complaint handling mechanisms are in place in all projects and promote accountability during project management.
• Provide regular progress update for Line Manager and contribute inputs in identifying opportunities for new projects in coordination with country program teams.
• Ensure quality and timely periodic reports are prepared and disseminated to all relevant bodies, including the line manager in MC, local and regional government offices.   
• Adhere to Mercy Corps, donor and government policies and procedures.
• Represent Mercy Corps professionally in the designated area and within MC.

 Operation [Procurement & logistics]

• Provide direct line management to support staff under direct supervision.
• Work closely with support and program staff to ensure compliance with Mercy Corps, donors and local Government regulations.
• Ensure proper logistics, administration, human resources, and transport needs of the programs are conducted within Mercy Corps policy.
• Regularly supervise assets are managed incompliance with the MC Asset Management policy and initiate investigation to be conducted for any missing assets or items unaccounted.
• Authorize appropriate use of the organization resources.

Financial Management and Compliance

• Ensure financial reports are sent to appropriate Mercy Corps managers on time and in appropriate standard.
• Monitor budgets to ensure there is no overspending or underspending and flag any issues with line manager in a timely manner.
• Coordinate and manage field office budget within approved spending levels and establish monthly cash flow plan to ensure a steady and adequate supply of funds for program activities.
• Ensure that resources are wisely and prudently utilized for the planned purposes in compliance with internal MC’s financial policies and donor requirements.
• Monitor utilization of all types of resources including cash, commodity, stocks, vehicles, office equipment’s, and others available to the field office. 
• Ensure that all available resources under the custody of the field office, properly documented, updated every year and receive appropriate maintenance and proper handling.
• Ensure that any mishandling of resources be reported to all relevant bodies and appropriate measures taken on time.

 Staff Management

• Ensure policies and processed followed in full cycle of HR operation starting from recruitment to separation of employees.   
• Ensure that all newly recruited staff receives appropriate induction and sufficient orientation on the values, safeguarding, and policies of the organization. 
• Ensure the overall safety and security of staff and the operations. 
• Facilitate formation and development of teamwork and mutual learning through discussion working together.
• Ensure that all staff have annual performance and development plans and receive regular feedback and coaching on their performance as per MC performance calendar. 

Representation and Communication

• Ensure timely and regular communication and information sharing is in place with Line manager and other relevant department in the CO.
• Represent MC in the respective Zonal and Woreda levels coordination and cluster meetings.
• Build smooth functional relationship with relevant Zonal and Woreda level offices in the Regional State. Promote the basic values and principles of the organization in the process of the relation building with the stakeholders.
• Facilitate agreements signing and support letters solicitation for programmatic purpose from relevant Zonal and Woreda level government sectoral offices.
• Facilitate efforts to enhance participation of stakeholders in the Planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and learning program activities.
• Provide constructive feedback to staff (subordinate, lateral and senior) both through informal and formal processes.

Safety and Security Management:

• Serve as a security focal person for Mercy corps and brief staffs including security guards and drivers, and guests on any immediate security threats and provide training as necessary and provide security briefing to all new staff.
• Coordinate and advise all Ab’ala Office staff to adhere to MC’s security systems and procedures.
• Facilitate Security Management Team (SMT) meetings and ensure information is disseminated to all staff, with the Country Director and the Safety and Security Manager being kept informed.
• Ensure that all necessary measures are taken to provide MC employees with a staff working environment as detailed in existing guidelines, including responsibility of fire regulations and building evacuation procedures.
• Provide regular incident and security situation reports to country Director and Safety and Security Manager as per determined communication schedule.
• Represent Mercy Corps, as advised by supervisor, to local governments and authorities and at routine security meetings/briefings.

 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.

 GEDSI (GENDER, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION)

• Understand and aware GDI related priorities of the country office and contribute for the realization of priorities (continually work to understand and be aware of the gender diversity and inclusion priorities of the country office and contribute in the execution).
• Promote gender equal and inclusive workplace culture in a day-to-day interaction with a team member, partners and program participants.

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 e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: WASH specialist, Health & Nutrition Specialist, Livelihood and Cash Advisor, Protection and GBV Specialist/advisor, and support officers.

 ACCOUNTABILITY

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Humanitarian Programs Manager-Northern Cluster  

Job Requirements

EDUCATION

• BSC or MA/MSC in Program Management, Business Administration, Agriculture, Water Engineering, and other related field of studies.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Minimum of eight year(s) relevant work experience for BSC and six years for MA/MSC/MBA in program management.

Having relevant experience on Emergency program management and coordination in international and national NGOs.

Knowledge in muti-sectoral humanitarian responses.

• Experience in managing and coordinating diverse donors (particularly BHA/USAID and UNOCHA/EHF, ECHO, WFP grants) funded humanitarian programs is preferred.
• Ability to manage and work in a team consisting of people with different technical backgrounds and varying levels of technical training.
• Ability to facilitate relationships and interact smoothly and effectively with partners including government sectoral offices, Cluster coordinators, and peer organizations at field level.
• Having strong organizational experience and managerial skills.
• Ability to undertake problem analyses and gather diverse information in a systematic way to improve design, implementation, and reporting of emergency interventions.
• Experience working in the relevant geographic areas and regions, with strong contextual knowledge of relevant cultures and clans.
• Excellent communicator in English with demonstrated report writing and speaking skills, knowledge of local languages is advantageous.
• Excellent computer skills, including all Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, Outlook & Power point).
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in team situations.
• Proven experience in Crisis/ Conflict Management.

All interested candidates are encouraged to apply for the position advertised. All applications must be submitted electronically including a CV, three references, and all relevant official documents.

Only candidates that are short-listed will be acknowledged and called for interviews.

“Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer promoting gender, equity and    diversity. Qualified female and young candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to empower women and youth.”

DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: 08 March 2024/ 4:00 PM