PROGRAM SUMMARY
Mercy Corps has worked in the Middle East since the 1980s and currently has offices in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Libya. Mercy Corps opened its office in Yemen in 2010. Current humanitarian programming in Yemen includes food security, nutrition, water and sanitation, and child protection from the United Nations, US Government, European Union, and Swiss Government. Funding for a multi-sector school-based program is currently pending.
GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:
The Program Manager will lead the implementation and manage all aspects of an 18-month program funded by UNICEF that aims to assist 16 conflict-affected schools in Sana’a Governorate. This multi-sector program will focus on applying UNCIEF’s Child Friendly School methodology. It will involve close collaboration with the Ministry of Education to improve the school environment to increase student retention and performance, by enhancing the quality of child development and participation in learning. In addition, the program will include major child protection, water and sanitation, and nutrition activities. Mercy Corps will work closely with national and local government offices to implement the program. In addition, the Program Manager will be responsible for managing two local partners, as well as staff and resources to ensure that the program meets its targets and deliverables on time to the required level of quality, and within budget. The Program Manager will also support additional program development to identify interventions in a similar geographic area. The Program Manager will supervise and train program staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations. S/he will be responsible for close coordination with the multiple humanitarian clusters, as required.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Program Management
- Oversee program start-up and ongoing program management and administration;
- Ensure that program implementation is responsive to schools and the surrounding communities;
- Ensure that schools are effectively supported to meet program goals, outcomes, and indicators;
- Coordinate with Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health and Population to implement programming, including holding quarterly program review meetings;
- Collaborate and closely coordinate closely with UNICEF to implement and monitor programming;
- Lead partner relationship and management to ensure local organizations are implementing and reporting based on program standards;
- Identify strategies to increase local organizations’ capacity through mentoring and training;
- Establish quality standards for multi-sector programming across 16 schools and ensure activities meet these standards;
- Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity, Do No Harm, and capacity building into all activities as appropriate to be consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, and country plan;
- Develop communications plan to share information with schools, community members, government, and other key stakeholders;
- Conduct risk analysis and management to operate in this conflict-affected, insecure area;
- Establish and maintain effective program reporting, monitoring and evaluation systems for both internal and external use in coordination with the program staff; including end-user monitoring to ensure that schools are completing School Development Plans;
- Follow Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards to ensure all documentation is complete;
- Adhere to all Mercy Corps procurement, administration, human resources policies to implement programming;
Team Management
- Create and 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;
- Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary. Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance & 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;
Leadership and Strategy
- Participate in overall strategic planning for the Yemen response; ensure linkages into overall Yemen programming;
- Assist with proposal development to expand programming in coordination with the Country Office and HQ support teams;
Finance & Compliance Management
- Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming;
- Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget;
Security
- Track security issues and identify strategies to mitigate the challenges that may interfere with programming;
- 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;
Coordination
- Maintain internal and external relationships to ensure program success including contacts with government office and country program offices, international and local NGOs working in the emergency sector, related to emergency programming, beneficiaries and the general public;
- Identify, coordinate and partner with local and international partners;
- Coordinate closely with the Early Recovery Cluster and other Clusters as required;
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 towards 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.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Team members working under the UNICEF multi-sector funded
ACCOUNTABILITY:
REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Sana’a Program Manager, based in Sana’a
WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Works very closely with Finance, Administration, and Procurement team members, as well as Design Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, plus other program staff.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
- A BA in education, social science, international studies or related field. Advanced degree preferred;
- A minimum of 3-years’ experience in a relief setting with management responsibility;
- Experience supervising national staff, starting up programs and working in emergency and transitional programming;
- High level of proficiency in English is required;
- High level of proficiency in Arabic would be an asset;
- Experience managing complex and complicated activities with time sensitive deliverables in unstable environments;
- Experience with school-based programs with focus on education, child protection, nutrition, and/or water and sanitation preferably in disaster or conflict-affected contexts.
SUCCESS FACTORS:
The successful candidate will be able to manage a complex programs in an austere environment; be focused on team-building and capacity-building of national staff; have strong program support skills, good information management skills and maintain a sense of humor.
LIVING /ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
This unaccompanied position will be based in Sana’a, Yemen. This position will be required to reside in group housing in an insecure environment with energy, transportation and communication challenges. The team member must follow all security protocols at all times. This position is eligible for R&R breaks.
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's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
Mercy Corps is an AA/EOE.
How to apply:
