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.
ABOUT MERCY CORPS IN THE DRC
Mercy Corps has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since August 2007, with a staff of over 300 people working in Eastern DRC. The overall country goal is to support vulnerable communities through crises, while fostering programs that build resilience and promote long-term change. Mercy Corps' key programming areas include a combination of longer-term development and immediate humanitarian response programs in order to: 1) Improve water service delivery and ensuring equitable access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene services, in urban and rural areas; 2) Improve food security and nutrition; 3) Promote diversified livelihoods, economic recovery and development. Mercy Corps DRC's humanitarian programs aim specifically to assist populations affected by the conflict and crisis in Eastern Congo. All Mercy Corps interventions in DRC are implemented in a conflict and gender sensitive manner.
PROGRAM SUMMARY
In 2008, Mercy Corps and USAID launched a project to rehabilitate and extend the municipal water system of Goma, which was degraded by decades of mismanagement and partially destroyed by lava flows from a 2002 volcanic eruption. The project was extended through financing from the EC Water Facility, the DFID Global Poverty Alleviation Fund, and private donors. In 2013, Mercy Corps signed a new $60M (USD) grant agreement with DFID to scale-up the Goma water project and extend it to the city of Bukavu. The programme, named IMAGINE, integrates infrastructure investments with governance, behaviour change, gender and water service delivery components with the aim to reduce diarrhea rates in children under 5-years.
The general approach of the IMAGINE programme is to link infrastructure investment with service delivery improvement. The programme involves designing, rehabilitating, extending and constructing city water and sanitation infrastructure as well as working to reform management structures to ensure that operations are managed profitably and sustainably. Building on the success of an earlier public-private pilot for the management of a water network extension north of the city of Goma, extensive studies were carried out to determine how to scale up the pilot, professionalise the service and ensure robust contracting. The outcome of these studies led Mercy Corps to facilitate the establishment of a dedicated DRC water utility company (Congo Maji Sarl) and a UK charity named Enterprise for Impact (E4i). The latter owns the former and, in doing so, the service delivery model is effectively a mission driven not-for-profit social business. The division of roles and responsibilities between Congo Maji and E4i are defined. Congo Maji is a water utility operator in the DRC, while E4i ensures the corporate governance of Congo Maji and provides Congo Maji with technical and management assistance. E4i is also chiefly responsible for determining strategy and providing future development opportunities for Congo Maji and any future ventures.
Technical Assistance TO E4I / CM
The Water Utility Finance and Operations Director WUFOD) will be providing technical support to Congo Maji Sàrl through a common agreement with E4i. The reason for Mercy Corps supporting this position is due to the following factors: Firstly, the financing of the position is initially linked to the IMAGINE programme, which is managed by Mercy Corps. Secondly, E4i is a new entity and it will take some time for the organization to establish and put in place the systems that would enable it to operate independently to the highest standards.
Congo Maji is seeking an experienced utilities based manager to bring utility level experience to this role; to assist in the development and maturity of Congo Maji's operations; and to prepare the organization for the next stage in the development of CM as a utility service provider.
GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:
The WUFOD is responsible for the implementation of Congo Maji's strategy and will generally lead on all financial and operational aspects of the service provision, to ensure an effective and efficient delivery of potable water.
ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
Business Management including:
Operations Management, including:
Financial Management, including:
Team Management
Capacity Building
Business Outcomes
Organizational Learning:
Accountability to Beneficiaries:
ACCOUNTABILITY:
Reports Directly to: Managing Director Congo Maji Sàrl
Report Functionally to: Business & Operations Director, E4i
Supervisory Responsibility: HR, Procurement, Finance and Technical teams.
Mercy Corps report: WSD CEO
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
SUCCESS FACTORS:
The WUFSD will provide effective leadership and entrepreneurial flair tempered to the local context. S/he will have the necessary utility technical knowledge, emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills, and proven experience with capacity building. S/he will be committed to long-term programme sustainability & the delivery of high-impact activities to meet the business targets. S/he will demonstrate strong business acumen with the ability to implement and assess the risks of the chosen business model. S/he will demonstrate a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority. S/he will demonstrate adaptability, flexibility in approach and a strong sense of equity. In DRC, patience, diplomacy, tenacity, compassion, determination and a sense of humor are all success factors.
LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:
This position is an unaccompanied post based in Goma (DRC). While conditions in the country are improving, and security is quite stable in Goma, there are still pockets of violence and insecurity. Mercy Corps' sub-offices experience variable levels of insecurity, with the situation closely monitored by UN peacekeepers. Air travel is necessary to get from one end of the country to the other. Mobile phones and cellular service are widely available. Internet is available in all Mercy Corps offices. Travel to field sites will be required where living conditions are clean and secure, but basic. There are a number of health services available with evacuation options for serious illnesses. There's reasonable access to most consumer goods, although they can be expensive
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 MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
PI117424171
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This vacancy is archived.