Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
The Program
Mercy Corps has been present in Central African Republic (CAR) since 2007, focusing its interventions on leading humanitarian response and recovery for crisis-affected populations through cash assistance, water and sanitation, and food security interventions. At the same time, we are working to build resilience and lay the foundations for a more prosperous future, by promoting peace and reconciliation between communities, supporting economic development and access to employment, building access to markets and financial services, and strengthening governance outcomes. The situation in the Central African Republic remains volatile and difficult to predict. However, Mercy Corps is committed to meeting the immediate needs of people affected by conflict, while addressing the causes of poverty and injustice by promoting peace, good governance and economic development. With funding from USAID, AFD, the United Nations and other private donors and foundations, Mercy Corps works together with communities in CAR to respond to these needs and support long term relief, recovery, and resilience outcomes.
The Position
The Mercy Corps CAR Country Director (CD) is an innovative and visionary leader responsible for resourcefully managing all programming in CAR. S/He has held senior roles within complex humanitarian and security contexts and has demonstrated experience leading country strategy development and developing sustainable, multi-sector programming along the relief to recovery spectrum, placing a high value on innovative solutions to development issues and creative partnerships in tough environments. The CD has supervisory responsibility for approximately 120 team members a budget of approximately $12 million per year. The CD also leads representation of Mercy Corps within the humanitarian community and ensures implementation of all security protocols in this highly volatile context. The CD places a high value on building a high-performing team, investing in staff development and cohesiveness, and accountability to beneficiaries and donors.
Essential Responsibilities
STRATEGY & VISION
● Formulate, plan and communicate a clear vision of present and future program goals and strategies to team members and stakeholders that translates into concrete programs and work plans.
● Lead the country strategy realization and planning process and provide strategic updates, aligning current and new funding opportunities to Mercy Corps’ global Pathway to Possibility.
● Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions and resources to achieve program and agency objectives.
● Engage the agency’s technical support teams collaboratively to ensure high impact programming that aligns with Mercy Corps’ key technical areas.
● Identify and secure new country and project funding opportunities that build on Mercy Corps’ existing expertise and integrate new technical areas to multiply impact; lead and support fund-raising activities targeted at both institutional and private donors.
● Work with other INGOs, national and global CSO partners and government when possible to develop new solutions to address immediate humanitarian crisis in country and lay the foundations for sustainable change.
TEAM MANAGEMENT
● Build a cohesive team where team members work together effectively across departments.
● 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.
PROGRAM OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
● Oversee program quality and impact by ensuring programs are based on sound design principles and utilize Mercy Corps and donor required M&E systems.
● Ensure effective, transparent use of resources in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies/procedures.
● Oversee budget management of sub-grantees/sub-contractors, if applicable.
● Build and maintain operational systems that ensure proper administrative support for programs, as well as segregation of duties between finance and operations.
● 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.
FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT
● Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to all programming, including emergency programming.
● Build and maintain operational structures that ensure proper segregation of duties between finance, administration and logistics and fully support field programs.
● Work closely with compliance team in country and at global HQ to ensure systems and monitoring are in place to safeguard Mercy Corps resources and ensure compliance with donor regulations.
INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION
● Build and maintain relationships with key actors in the humanitarian community and ensure that Mercy Corps’ humanitarian voice is able to influence key discussions and decisions.
● Maintain productive relationships with internal and external constituents such as donor partners, local government, foundations, the private sector, etc.
● Anticipate needs, understand donor priorities and contribute to shaping donors’ views on priority humanitarian and development needs.
● Represent Mercy Corps programs with national and international media and participate in community activities as appropriate.
● Explore, evaluate and present innovative funding opportunities that support the objectives for the country as a whole.
● Participate actively in regional and agency level discussions to ensure that CAR priorities are reflected in strategic decision-making.
● Demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure.
● Maintain high ethical standards and treat all people with respect and dignity.
● Exhibit awareness of his/her own strengths and development needs.
SECURITY
● Oversee security management in CAR and ensure that strong security management systems and protocols are in place and followed at all times.
● Ensure that regional and headquarters teams are kept up to date on crucial events, high-risk periods, incident reporting and security policy changes.
● Show strong leadership in potentially unstable, high risk environments to ensure full safety of staff and beneficiaries.
Supervisory Responsibility
Direct Reports: Department heads of Mercy Corps CAR including the Director of Programs, Operations Manager, Finance Manager, Compliance Manager, HR Manager, Heads of Office; Indirect Reports: All Mercy Corps CAR staff
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Deputy Regional Director - Africa
Works Directly With: CAR country team, Regional support teams, HQ-based program operations team, finance and technical support unit
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Minimum Qualifications & Transferable Skills
● BA/S or equivalent in relevant field required; MA/S preferred.
● 7-10 years of field experience in international relief and development programs, including demonstrable success in managing (large, complex, transitional) development programs.
● 5 years of senior-level leadership, capacity building and field management experience.
● 2-5 years’ experience in and capacity to respond to emergency and disaster response as appropriate. Demonstrated ability to work across humanitarian, development and peacebuilding sectors to promote sustainable outcomes.