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 โ helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.
Program / Department Summary Mercy Corps has been operational in Pakistan since 1986, when we began responding to the Afghan refugee crisis in Pakistan. Over the next 15 years, we primarily supported Afghan refugees and the communities they were displaced to. Since the beginning of 2000, Mercy Corps has worked with Pakistani communities, and governmental and non-governmental partners to increase access to quality health care, livelihoods, and education, and has helped communities recover from natural disasters/emergencies.Mercy Corps has implemented over $140 million of humanitarian and development programs in Pakistan, with a focus primarily on public health including maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH), primary healthcare, malaria control, nutrition as well as emergency health interventions, with a wide geographical coverage. All programs have been designed and implemented jointly with the national Ministry of Health, provincial Departments of Health, and key vertical programs such as the National and Provincial Tuberculosis Program, Lady Health Workers (LHW) Program, MNCH Program, and the target communities. Mercy Corps has been a Principal Recipient of Global Fund to Fight against AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) for tuberculosis grants since 2007. Mercy Corps is seeking an experienced and dynamic Chief of Party to drive forward the anticipated USD50-100. million USAID-funded Flagship TB program in Pakistan. Offer contingent on securing donor funding and approval.
General Position Summary The Chief of Party will have overall responsibility for successful delivery of the Flagship TB program and will be Mercy Corpsโ primary point of contact with USAID. The CoP will provide overall leadership, management and strategic vision to the implementation of the Flagship TB program, to ensure that the program meets its targets and deliverables on-time and within budget. The CoP will supervise key 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. He/she will be managing the Consortium-related aspects of this program and will be key in ensuring the overall success. The CoP will:
- Develop and implement the overall program strategy and design;
- Supervise program staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations.
- Lead the identification, engagement, capacity-building and coordination of partner organizations into a cohesive programme implementation unit;
- Oversee the design and implementation of community climate resilience initiatives;
- Oversees effective engagement with government and non-government stakeholders involved in the implementation of the programme;
- Facilitate clear communication among programme partners, donors, government agencies/officials, and other Mercy Corps departments.
- Ensure gender equity, social inclusion and conflict sensitivity is mainstreamed throughout the programme while at the same time more deliberate womenโs and youth empowerment programming takes place where and when appropriate.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy & Vision
- Lead the development of an overall vision and strategy for the program by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve program objectives and impact, shared with program team and key stakeholders.
- Play an active role in identifying and developing new initiatives that foster and/or improve strategic objectives of the program and the country office.
- Contribute to strategy development by ensuring lessons learnt and impact of flagship TB program are integrated into organization-level strategies and plans.
Program Management
- Provide strategic leadership and oversight for Mercy Corpsโ Flagship TB Program activities in cooperation with key project stakeholders, including national and international partner organizations, local civil society organizations, local and national government officials, other international agencies on the ground, and USAID.
- Provide technical leadership, guidance, and share best practice approaches in fields of public health program management, implementation and policy development
- Provide leadership to the project team by managing the technical and operational aspects, ensuring clear plans, priorities, and fostering effective teamwork.
- Oversee program start-up, management and administration. Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts.
- Based on the program proposal, and working closely with the M&E team, ensure that appropriate monitoring systems and tools are in place to ensure a harmonized, effective and efficient monitoring system for the program.
- Oversee the development and implementation of program work plans and strategies that align with National and Provincial TB programs, as well as government agendas.
- Ensure that high technical standards guide the technical and programmatic aspects of work plans and activities
- Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corpsโ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
- Confirm beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to transparent criteria.
- Develop partnership frameworks, partner agreements/Memorandum of Understandings, and oversee partner capacity building.
- Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate. Certify all interventions adhere to Mercy Corpsโ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.
- Ensure program strategies and activities represent global good practice in public health.
- Supervise and/or review the work of program consultants.
- Coordinate with] procurement, logistics, security, administration, and human resources teams to ensure operational systems support field activities.
- Fulfill Mercy Corpsโ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
Representation, coordination and Partnerships
- Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.
- Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
- Maintain good working relationships with the donor, the host country government and local leaders, partner agencies, and other key stakeholders.
- Document and disseminate lessons learned and best practices from TB Program to internal and external stakeholders.
- Develop and maintain working relationships and coordinate with relevant international and local agencies active in the governance sector, including donors, other governance and research organisations, local authorities and local partners, including representing Mercy Corps at local and national coordination meetings.
Team Management
- Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.
- 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 performance reviews.
- Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
- Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
- Supervise and regularly coordinate with project staff and support departments to ensure smooth planning, preparation, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of program activities. Develop a framework for adaptive management and program iteration driven by research and learning.
- Provide overall leadership to a broad team of programme staff ensuring synergy, sharing of best practices and resources.
Finance & Compliance Management
- Responsible for the management of the overall program budget
- Regularly monitor expenditure to ensure each team and partner adheres to their respective approved budgets
- Support budget reviews and revision processes at team, partner and program level
- Ensure the value for money propositions outlined in the proposal are met through effective mainstreaming of the relevant approach.
- Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations
- 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 Corps needs
Security
- Work closely with the country teamโs security focal point to develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members.
- Ensure that programs are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security.
Organizational Learning
- 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 Beneficiaries
- Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Supervisory ResponsibilityProgram Team: Deputy Chief of Party, Technical Experts, MEL lead
Accountability Reports Directly To: Country Director Works Directly With: Other CoPs, Deputy CoP, Tech leads, Director of Programs, Director of TB Program, finance and operations teams, HQ Regional Program Team, HQ Technical Support Unit, consortium partners
Knowledge and Experience
- Masters in Public Health or equivalent in social science, management, international development, or other relevant field. MBBS or MD preferred.
- A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience implementing pubic health programs in Pakistan/overseas, including 5 years in a senior management position. Demonstrated experience in managing tuberculosis programs will be considered a plus.
- Previous experience as Chief of Party/Team Lead for a large donor-funded development program in Pakistan will be preferable. Strong skills and a track record in strategic visioning, leadership, and inspiring teams.
- Effective personnel management, coordination, and decision-making skills, with proven ability to be accountable for all components of the program.
- Competent in building networks, strong problem-solving skills, and ability to influence with effective listening, persuasion, negotiation and other techniques.
- Strong understanding of donor [USAID] compliance issues.
- Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work.
- Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.
- Persuasive written and oral communication in English, including report writing.
- Demonstrated technical expertise in public health.
- Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
- 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.