Chief of Party at Mercy Corps – Nigeria

danroyalngo jobs, non governmental jobs

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.

Program / Department Summary

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, and its influence spreads across the continent. Yet, inequality and insecurity have consistently undermined Nigeria’s development. Mercy Corps Nigeria was established in 2012 to respond to these challenges. The Nigeria team is headquartered in Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with offices throughout Nigeria. With a strong and growing team of over 200 staff, Mercy Corps is currently serving over 600,000 beneficiaries across the country with programming in Lagos in the South; Kaduna, Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau in the Middle Belt; Kano, Yobe and Borno in the North. Programs include girls’ education and financial inclusion, community peacebuilding, market-based livelihoods and a multi-sector humanitarian response that has a strong emphasis on WASH, Shelter, Cash and Protection. With the vision of a Nigeria in which all people are empowered, engaged, resilient and secure, Mercy Corps Nigeria focuses on the root causes of conflict, governance, humanitarian response, and market systems development.

Working with a diverse funding base that includes the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UK Department for International Development (DFID), United Nations (UN), European Commission (EC), European Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO), Global Affairs Canada (FKA DFATD), and several foundations, Mercy Corps empowers people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. In 2019, Mercy Corps intends to pursue its peri-urban water and sanitation programming with an anticipated USAID funded project. The program involves designing, rehabilitating, extending and constructing small town water and sanitation infrastructure as well as working to reform management structures to ensure that the systems are managed profitably and sustainably. We stand with Nigeria to find and access opportunities, and to be part of lasting and meaningful transformation in the country.

General Position Summary

The Deputy Chief of Party (DCoP)/Senior Water Sanitation and Hygiene Advisor is a senior leadership position for this multi-million dollar USAID-funded program and will play an essential role in its successful implementation. The Deputy Chief of Party oversees the operation and programmatic aspects of the Small Town Water activities. Charged with direct oversight and management of the engineering-related aspects of the program, s/he will be responsible for ensuring the delivery of high quality WASH interventions (including infrastructure); developing and evolving the government’s strategy and future direction in WASH; engaging actively with the WASH counterparts; managing a team of staff across dispersed locations; and managing program budgets. The DCoP will collaborate closely with the Chief of Party, program partners and key stakeholders. With the COP, the DCoP will be responsible for creating a culture of learning and for providing leadership and strategic direction to team members and partners and ensuring accountability to Mercy Corps’ policies and donor rules and regulations.

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY AND VISION

  • Recognize and act on opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
  • Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions and resources to achieve objectives.

PROGRAM & TEAM MANAGEMENT

  • Provide technical oversight to the field teams and mentor senior staff in the design of WASH activities.
  • Oversee and manage the works, including partner and consultant contracts;
  • Ensure works, partner and consultants contracts are implemented as contracted;
  • Maintain and review program workplans for the entire implementation of the project duration;
  • Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with development partners and Mercy Corps policies and procedures;
  • Ensure quality control and Health-Safety-Security and Environment standards.
  • Integrate gender sensitivity into all activities as appropriate.
  • Conduct frequent field visits to all project sites – spend up to 30% of timein the field.
  • Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
  • Set a team culture valuing learning and adaptive management in support of an ongoing resilience approach in programming
  • Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
  • Supervise and orient new team members as necessary
  • Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
  • Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

FINANCE AND COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

  • In collaboration with the country program’s operations and finance departments, ensure compliance with USAID and Mercy Corps regulations
  • Oversee and ensure contractual procedure for interim payment certificates with supporting documentation for works, partners and consultant contracts
  • Review scope of work and manage technical consultants and partners works contracts, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget

INFLUENCE AND REPRESENTATION

  • Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.
  • Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met
  • Coordinate closely with and share information with consortium partners, sub-grantees, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs.

SECURITY

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.

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 andevaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility

National team members working on the program, as well as partnerships with international program partners. The number of direct and indirect reports is to be determined.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Chief of Party

Works Directly With: Technical Leads, Finance Manager, Operations Staff andPartner Organizations

Knowledge and Experience

  • Possess excellent management skills and good knowledge of USG procedures and policies, agreement compliance, financial planning and management, procurement, sub award management, and other management support areas/functions, including the ability to manage multidisciplinary teams.
  • Master’s degree in Water Resources Management, Water Engineering, international development, Environment, or related field of study.
  • 7+ years demonstrated professional experience in developing countries, some of which should be in Africa, in WASH implementation and in managing or implementing development programs.Familiarity with the political, economic, social, and cultural context of Nigeria is required.
  • Must have strong understanding of WASH governance structures.
  • Experience with West Africa or Nigeria WASH sub-sector is an asset.
  • Must have solid foundation in a broad range of WASH subjects preferred, including areas such as innovative sanitation, Sanitation marketing, water for the poor, tariff and cost recovery, hygiene promotion, operation and maintenance, institutional strengthening and sector reform.
  • Must have experience in designing or managing small town water systems.
  • Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.
  • Must have excellent communication and writing skills and be fluent in English language with a working knowledge of Hausa language preferred.
  • Experience working on USAID-funded assistance projects of a similar size and scope and familiarity with USAID rules, regulations and requirements is preferred.
  • Ability to effectively represent Mercy Corps and its interests to key stakeholders.

Success Factors

The successful DCoP will combine strong interpersonal, engineering and project management skills with a highly collaborative and program focused approach and be experienced in maintaining stakeholder relationships. She/he will have an outstanding ability to recognize potential challenges then develop, promote consensus and manage solutions within the implementation of the program. She/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams and strong mentoring skills. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem-solving, ability to seize opportunities, attention to detail whilst maintaining budget and schedule and a strategic vision are essential. S/he will be passionate about learning and adaptive management techniques as fundamental strategies to improve program impact.

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. She/he will have a strong commitment to quality control and Health-Safety-Security and Environment standards. The successful DCoP must be comfortable operating and traveling in a sometimes volatile security environment and therefore, changing plans and program tactics accordingly.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside of 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 Mercy Corps’ 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.

Apply Here

Closing date: 12 May 2019