Description
CHIEF OF PARTY CROSS-SECTORAL YOUTH ACTIVITY
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, and in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action โ helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.
Program / Department Summary
Mercy Corps has been working in Mali since 2012 supporting Malian women and men - including adolescents and youth - to cope with food insecurity and conflict-induced shocks and stresses, restore peace and stability, and address humanitarian and development structural challenges. Throughout our work, Mercy Corps seeks to support strong, inclusive, and resilient communities by i.) providing conflict-sensitive humanitarian assistance, ii.) addressing the root causes of conflict through improved and holistic conflict prevention and management mechanisms and iii.) promoting sustainable economic development through market systems strengthening and employment opportunities for women, men, and young people. Mercy Corpsโ work addresses issues related to natural resource management and climate change adaptation within Mali and across the borders with neighboring Central Sahel countries, Niger and Burkina Faso. With a current portfolio of approximately 30M USD funded by FCDO, USAID/BHA, Sweden, the European Union, and private foundations, over the past 18 months, Mercy Corps reached over 100,000 persons in Mopti, Segou, Koulikouro, Kayes, Sikasso, Koutiala.
Mercy Corps is seeking a Chief of Party (CoP) to lead the implementation of the anticipated USAID-funded five-year Cross-Sectoral Youth Activity in Mali. This Activity will elevate and support vulnerable and marginalized 15 - 29-year-old Malian youth so that they have access to assets, agency, and support networks in order to be educated, healthy, and productive citizens while building their resilience to recurrent crises. The Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach will serve as the foundation of the program, ensuring that the program starts with young peopleโs needs, aspirations, and challenges to identify successful, contextually relevant models. Models will consider scalable soft skills, educational opportunities, workforce development opportunities, and safe pathways for sexual and reproductive health, as well as consider contributing shocks and stressors to support resilient futures. The Activity should enable youth to become educated and productive citizens while improving their employability, and integrating positive information and communication technology practices while instilling a sense of responsibility to their community. Based in Bamako, the COP will oversee all aspects of program implementation, providing a vision for the program and ensuring that objectives are met on time and within budget.
General Position Summary
The CoP will provide overall leadership, management, and strategic vision to the implementation of the anticipated USAID-funded, five-year Cross-Sectoral Youth Activity, to ensure that the project meets its targets and deliverables on-time and within budget while modeling and nurturing processes and systems that are equitable, promote transparent and equal partnerships, and shift power dynamics that perpetuate inequalities. The CoP will supervise program staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations. S/he will be the primary program representative to donors, relevant government entities, partners, other implementers, and stakeholders.
Essential Job Responsibilities
STRATEGY & VISION
โ Lead the development of a vision and strategy for the program with the program team and key stakeholders including youth participants
โ Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions and resources to achieve objectives. Work with the country program to guide coordination and integrated implementation.
โ Play an active role in identifying and developing new initiatives that foster and/or improve the strategic objectives of the program.
โ Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
โ Integrate and embrace all voices into shared strategies for shifting norms.
โ Champion the voice and experience of young people across the team and consortium to support positive outcomes and inclusion of youth.
INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION
โ Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO, and other relevant forums in close coordination with the Country Director.
โ Coordinate activities with consortium partners, subgrantees, local government, youth-led and youth-serving organizations, civil society and private sector partners, program beneficiaries, and other implementers as well as with other Mercy Corps programs.
โ Serve as an active contributor and collaborator with regional and global counterparts to promote best practices.
โ Maintain close working relationships with counterparts in other organizations in Mali.
โ Partner with youth, wherever possible, to advocate for the experience of youth participants at representational events, advocacy forums, or other opportunities.
TEAM MANAGEMENT
โ Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles, and ensure a focus on professional development and growth.
โ Assist team members with information, tools, and resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
โ Ensure team and program adhere to Mercy Corps Maliโs Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion (GDI) action plan and commitments.
โ Ensure that team members prioritize positive youth development approaches and gender, diversity, and social inclusion as part of their daily work.
โ Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
โ Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
โ Hire, orient, and lead team members as necessary.
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
โ Ensure that program implementation - from start-up to close-out - is responsive to communities and partners, particularly youth, and consistent with Mercy Corpsโ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards, and strategic plan, while applying politically-sensitive adaptive management principles.
โ Lead effective management, communication, and coordination among consortium members in a manner that is fully collaborative in sharing decision-making among all members, including developing partnership frameworks and the programโs collaborative approach to partnership.
โ Create and follow effective stakeholder management plans, ensuring sound and proactive communications with Mercy Corps Mali, partner organizations, Mercy Corps headquarters, USAID, Government of Mali authorities, and colleague agencies.
โ Introduce the program to the Government of Mali stakeholders, ensuring necessary approvals and collaboration as required.
โ Ensure program strategies and activities represent global good practice in creating transformational changes in gender relations at the family, community, and national levels by strengthening the enabling environment, and institutional capacity and addressing structural barriers for adolescent girls and women.
โ Document processes and achievements to ensure best practices are captured and disseminated. This will include the continual re-evaluation of program activities and information, with resulting activity adjustments in keeping with new insights.
โ Coordinate with procurement, logistics, security, administration, and human resources teams to ensure operational systems support field activities. Fulfill Mercy Corpsโ Program Management Minimum Standards.
FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT
โ In collaboration with the country programโs operations and finance departments, ensure proper financial management, procurement, administration, human resources, and logistics (including transport, warehousing, and asset management) needs of the program are conducted within Mercy Corpsโ policy and with the maximum benefit to the program.
โ Create and maintain systems to ensure effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with program, donor, and Mercy Corpsโ needs.
SECURITY
โ Work closely with the country teamโs security focal point to develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members.
โ Ensure that activities are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security.
ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING
โ 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 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS