Back Reset project Start-up Team Lead

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Programme / Department Summary Mercy Corps has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since August 2007, with a staff of around 500 people and programmes focused in Eastern Congo in North and South Kivu, with the overall country goal to support vulnerable communities through crises, while fostering programmes that build resilience and promote long-term change. Mercy Corps’ key programming areas include a combination of longer-term development and immediate humanitarian response programmes 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. All Mercy Corps interventions in DRC are implemented in a conflict and gender sensitive manner.The Responsive Stabilisation Through Transition (RESET) project under the FCDO-funded Programme d’Appui pour la Consolidation de la Stabilité en RDC (PACS) in Eastern DRC is a £10 million project. The programme will deliver area-based stabilisation and reintegration support to conflict-affected communities that is aligned to the PDDRCS provincial operational plans and coordinated with other major stabilisation actors, such as the World Bank, EU, the UN Stabilisation and Coherence Fund, UNDP’s Stabilisation Pillar, USAID and other bilateral donors. RESET will seek to generate mutually reinforcing improvements in target communities’ social cohesion and their social contract with the state as key foundations of improved peace and stability. To accomplish this, RESET builds state and non-state actors’ and institutions’ ability to understand and anticipate outbreaks of conflict and implement conflict management responses towards two strategic outcomes, 1) increase community resilience to conflict and 2) strengthen trust and accountability between state and society.

General Position Summary The Programme Start-up Lead for RESET coordinates all the Programme Start-up activities during the initial 4 month inception phase. This includes the development of an integrated and comprehensive work plan, coordination of inception deliverables, set-up of the RESET project in line with Mercy Corps’ programme management minimum standards (PM@MC), coordination of financial and personnel resources, and induction of the programme team. The Lead bridges the gap between the programme’s start-up needs and the existing and available country and regional team’s capacity and resources. In terms of external coordination, the Start-up lead is setting up the relationship with the partners, lead on the Subaward agreement process and support the Team Lead in setting up the donor relationship.

Essential Responsibilities

Analysis & Strategy

• Lead analysis of existing and necessary capacities to facilitate a smooth and timely project start-up.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration to devise a project start-up strategy and plan for the inception phase of the project (first 4 months).
• Ensure synergy with programme plans, technical approaches, and commitments. Further the analysis as necessary.
• Identify critical paths and key milestones that must be completed in the inception phase of the project.
• Engage HQ and Technical Support Unit members and coordinate their involvement in the RESET project during the inception phase, handing over the relationship to the Team Lead and Deputy Team Lead at the end of the inception.
• Create a start-up roadmap in consultation with country and regional teams and cross-operations HQ teams.
• Provide oversight of the required assessments being conducted during the inception phase (GESI/Conflict Sensitivity; PEA, etc.).

  Team Assembling and Management

  • Ensure that all Governance structures are set and ToR are drafted and ready to be approved by consortium members.
  • Communicate the vision and direction to the team and ensure a coordinated and coherent approach.
  • Ensure tools and tracking mechanisms are in place to accurately assess and communicate progress against the start-up work plan, resources (budget & personnel), and issues during start-up.
  • Distribute and clarify roles and responsibilities throughout the start-up process.
  • Provide coordination and supervision as needed to hold the start-up team accountable to the process.
  • Engage in proactive communication and collaboration with the country, regional, HQ and technical teams.

    Hiring and Onboarding

    • Collaborate with the HR team to establish a recruitment and onboarding plan.
    • Ensure the plans and activities of the people start-up function are fully integrated with the other start-up functions.
    • Participate in the hiring of positions, as needed, and assist with onboarding of culture and process.

      Standards and Compliance

      • Socialise Programme Management Minimum Standards and best practices including PM@MC, and all other relevant standards.
      • Foster a culture of compliance and accountability among the team with regards to Mercy Corps, donor and government laws, policies, rules and regulations.
        
        

        Organisational Learning

        • Capture lessons learned to improve future project start-ups
        • Prepare a post-startup work plan to guide transition to regular programme implementation.
          
          

          Supervisory Responsibility RESET Programme Team

          Accountability Reports Directly To: The Director of Programs and the RESET Team Leader Works Directly With: Country Director, Other DRC Directors and Deputy Directors, DRC finance and operations teams, HQ Regional Programme Team, HQ Technical Support Unit, RESET’s partners and FCDO.

          Accountability to Participants and StakeholdersMercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our programme 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 Qualification & Transferable Skills

          • BA/BS degree in a relevant field, with relevant development experience, including work on peace, conflict and stabilisation programs
          • A minimum of 3 to 5 years managing programmes in the field, at least 2 of which at Mercy Corps
          • Excellent knowledge of Mercy Corps structure, resources and processes
          • Demonstrated understanding of programme management, Mercy Corps policies and minimum standards including PM@MC.
          • Strong organisational and work-planning skills.
          • Experience managing a consortium or operating within a consortium, ideally FCDO-funded.
          • Demonstrated attention to detail, meeting deadlines and working and problem-solving independently and cooperatively.
          • Excellent leadership, negotiation and representation skills.
          • Experience with FCDO rules, regulations and requirements is strongly preferred.
          • Experience working in Africa required.
          • Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. French fluency is required.
          • Ability to work across departments to achieve results in a short period of time.

            Success Factors The successful Start-up Lead is an effective leader that can build and motivate a team of people from a variety of departments under pressure and with limited time. They are very well organised, communicate clearly and uses strong interpersonal skills to navigate challenging organisational politics situations.

            Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions The position will be based in Goma, Bukavu or Bunia DRC and it requires up to 40% travel to various locations within South Kivu and Ituri. While conditions in the country are improving, there are still pockets of violence and insecurity and petty crime is present. Mercy Corps' offices experience variable levels of insecurity. Years of conflict and corruption have badly damaged the country's infrastructure. Air travel is necessary to get from one end of the country to the other. Mobile phones and cellular service are widely available. The Internet is limited, but 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 several evacuation options for serious illnesses. There is reasonable access to most consumer goods.The position has the option of being accompanied if based in Goma or Bukavu, with family members living in Rwanda. Housing is in individual accommodation with unlimited freedom of movement beyond the house in Rwanda.

            Ongoing LearningIn support of our belief that learning organisations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

            Diversity, Equity & InclusionAchieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organisation with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

            Equal Employment OpportunityMercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, colour, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

            Safeguarding & EthicsMercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, programme 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 andvalues at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.