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 a long-term impact.
Resilience building is an agency priority and involves using a systems-based approach that builds on proven solutions, accesses new ideas and information, and integrates multiple sectors and partnerships to strengthen food and water security, economic opportunities, and climate change adaptation. Southern Africa continues to experience recurrent environmental and economic shocks that affect the well-being of its communities and undermine development investments. Mercy Corps will continue to contribute to the well-being of communities by building household capacities and strengthening systems and institutions.
The Program / Department / Team
As part of its strategy in Zambia, the Embassy of Sweden is exploring Programme ideas that can contribute to achieving the strategy result: “Increased productivity and competitiveness of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in the agricultural sector,”. This initiative aims to boost enterprise development and employment creation for the rural poor including, women, and youth.
The anticipated five-year Market System Development (MSD) programme includes a 12-month inception phase. The inception phase shall include a comprehensive sub-sector selection analysis, in-depth Market System Analysis (MSA), thorough environmental analysis and gender analysis.
The Position
Reporting to the Country Director, the Team Leader will oversee all aspects of the anticipated Sida-funded Market Systems Development (MSD) program in Zambia, including planning, organizing, staffing, leading and managing all programme activities. The Team Leader will ensure accountability to our partners, programme participants, our donor, and key stakeholders, including government authorities. The Team Leader is responsible for ensuring that programming is on-time, on-scope and on-budget. The position holder will provide MSD technical leadership on the strategic development and management from inception to implementation and close out.
Essential Responsibilities
PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT
● Provide effective leadership in the management of Mercy Corps’ anticipated MSD programme in Zambia
● Ensure programme meets targets, is on time, on scope and on budget. This responsibility includes collaborative work planning that keeps all team members and partners accountable, ensuring accurate budget forecasting and analysis of monthly budget vs. actual reports, and proper procurement planning in collaboration with operations team members
● Lead day-to-day donor communications on status of programme activities.
● Prepare high-quality monthly, quarterly, annual and final project reports in collaboration with the programme teams and the Knowledge Management and MEL team.
● Ensure oversight and backstopping for all team members, including in particular market research, intelligence, assessments and feasibility studies; building private sector partnerships and engagement plans; liaising with labor market actors to find strategic leverage points for co-investment; and designing systemic interventions in response to root causes of market ineffectiveness and exclusion of women and young people.
TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP
● Ensure assessment, design and implementation meets the standards of an MSD approach;
● Ensure operational systems enable a diversely-skilled team to implement an MSD programme – including standard operating procedures on engaging and contracting with the private sector, enabling intervention or concept design; guidance for adaptive management; and compliance with Mercy Corps and donor requirements.
● Follow analysis of the Zambia socio-political and economic context, ensuring that this analysis is recognized and incorporated in programming.
● Contribute to the development of the country strategy, particularly on MSD components.
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 discussions and strong performance management protocols.
● Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.
● Train and mentor staff in MSD approaches to ensure successful program implementation.
● Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
BUDGET MANAGEMENT
● Support in the development of financial management tools and the monitoring of budgets.
● Cross-check detailed transactions and review budget versus actual (BVA) spending reports to determine status of programme burn rates.
● Work with the Country Finance Manager to ensure spend-down plans and cash projections are developed and monitored.
● Lead programme input on any budget revisions or programmatic input for financial reports.
PROGRAM MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING
● Work with the Knowledge Management and MEL team to ensure the finalization of the program-specific framework and plan and any relevant procedures with clear designation of roles and responsibilities between the Programme