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 long term impact.
THE PROGRAM Mercy Corps seeks to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression around the world and has worked in the Middle East since the 1980s and currently has offices in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. In response to acute and increasing humanitarian needs in Yemen, Mercy Corps opened its office in 2010. Primary program interventions include water, sanitation and hygiene, cash transfers, food security, nutrition, and livelihood support. Strategies to enhance the resilience of communities to the harsh environmental and social conditions in the country cut across the portfolio. Currently Mercy Corps Yemen (MCY) has four offices and approximately 80 staff.
THE POSITION The Food Security Livelihoods and Cash Program Manager will ensure the efficient and effective implementation of the Food Security Livelihoods (FSL) and cash response programs in collaboration with other Mercy Corps Department and Cash Consortium for Yemen partners. They are responsible for coordinating and implementing the delivery of the response program including daily management of program activities and program staff; ensuring appropriate systems and support mechanisms are in place to track, analyze and report on results, coordinating with cash consortium partners, ensuring program implementation is in line with Mercy Corps Program management standards. They are a strong team leader, able to develop and mentor team members and are effective communicators, able to work with internal and external stakeholders to achieve common objectives. They are responsible for managing relationships with local partners, beneficiaries, donors, and authorities when required, contributing to the achievement of the response programโs objectives. They will also effectively contribute to the development of Mercy Corps Yemen strategy and actively support portfolio development efforts.
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategy & Vision
- Actively contribute to the development of the strategy of Mercy Corps Yemen.
- Provide leadership in the development of a coherent strategy for the implementation of innovative and quality food security, livelihoods and cash transfer programming informed by the Yemen context in line with the Country Office, national and sectoral strategies.
- Support Mercy Corps efforts to adopt market based approaches and support the establishment of Mercy Corps private sector engagement strategy.
- Develop strategic frameworks that demonstrate and promote the integration of FSL and cash transfer approaches with other sectors in both humanitarian and transitional programming.
- Develop a strategy that harmonizes structures and practices for FSL and cash transfers across Mercy Corps Yemen projects and programmes.
Program Management
- Oversee program startup and ongoing program management and administration of teams across various field locations.
- Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners, and consistent with Mercy Corpsโ minimum standards and other relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
- Quickly identify barriers and challenges and proactively develop solutions in collaboration with other departments and actors.
- Monitor and proactively contribute to the securing of work permits for program teams.
- Effectively coordinate with Mercy Corps support departments to quickly identify solutions and fast track implementation whenever required.
- Work closely with the MEL team in the design and implementation of FSL and cash transfers monitoring and evaluation plan and development and use of adapted tools and processes
- Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts.
- Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donors and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
- Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to established vulnerability criteria, and that feedback mechanisms are in place.
- Facilitate capacity building on relevant Cash/FSL-related training for project staff.
- Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corpsโ Code of Conduct; Gender, Diversity and Inclusion guiding documents; Core Humanitarian Principles and Do No Harm.
- Develop and lead in implementing an FSL and cash transfer capacity building plan for the Mercy Corps Yemen Country team and partners as required.
- Lead the development of elaborate FSL and cash implementation frameworks and Standard Operating Procedures including delivery options, service providers, data collection, targeting criteria, beneficiary selection, and monitoring and evaluation ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps Minimum Standards.
- Coordinate programme skills and resource sharing for quality and harmonized implementation of FSL and cash transfer activities.
- Lead in designing and refining the cash delivery approach most appropriate to the Yemen context.
- Coordinate with and support other technical advisors to ensure the adoption of an integrated approach within the portfolio and with the broader humanitarian response in Yemen.
Team Management
- In depth coaching of the Senior Cash Officer in collaboration with DOP, CD and the region to build their capacity to take over program management responsibilities by the end of assignment.
- Set up adequate team structure, lead the recruitment process for the required FSL and cash team members.
- Day to day management of the FSL and cash teams.
- Ensure team members improve performance & reach objectives.
- Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on one and performance reviews.
- Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence and cultivate resilience and well-being under challenging situations.
Resource mobilization and reporting
- Actively and closely work and coordinate with the Program Development and Reporting Manager in identifying new opportunities for funding.
- Contribute to the retention and growth of existing livelihoods and cash transfer programming for MCY.
- Actively design and draft FSL and cash-based assistance programme concepts, proposals and budgets.
- Coordinate the timely preparation of quality FSL and cash-based programming reports for both stand-alone and integrated cash activities.
- Work collaboratively with MEL in the preparation of requisite internal and external reports including our contributions to regular interagency reporting.
Influence and Representation- Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local government and other stakeholders.
- Actively monitor cash actions, market prices, FSL response in Yemen and with the different actors in all areas of operation for effective planning and coordination.
- Ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
- Ensure Mercy Corps representation in the cluster system and other cross-organizational structures.
- Represent Mercy Corps in high level meetings with partners, donors or authorities as required.
- Demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure.
- Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity. Exhibit an awareness of their own strengths and development needs.
Security
- Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies for all FSL and cash team members at all times.
- Contribute to creating a secure environment for team members.SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITYAll FSL and cash program teams.
ACCOUNTABILITY Reports Directly To: Director of ProgramsWorks Directly With: Country Director, Program Managers, Grants Manager, PAQ Coordinator, Senior Management Team including HR, Operation and Finance team members and Regional and HQ Program Teams and Technical Support Unit.
ACCOUNTABILITY TO PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERSMercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program 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
- MA/S or equivalent in relevant field;
- At least 5 years continuous experience with technical design and implementation of FSL, cash transfer and market systems development programming, 2 years must be in a humanitarian response in a complex context with international NGOs;
- Experience in the Middle East preferred;
- Experience on value chain development and private sector engagement is an advantage;
- Excellent oral and written English skills required; proficiency in Arabic is a plus;
- Proficiency with MS Office software required (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint);
- Strong management, mentorship and leadership skills with a proven ability to build the capacity of program teams;
- Strong technical skills in food security, livelihoods, market systems and cash approaches in complex emergency context;
- Strong communications skills with exceptional ability to articulate technical issues with colleagues at different capacity levels
- Understands donor regulations and compliance (USAID, ECHO, DFID, UN, etc.)
- Effectively manages teams/people and apply relevant Mercy Corpsโ procedures and approaches
- Ability to work under high pressure with multiple deadlines in a challenging environment;
- Excellent representation abilities with proven experience interacting with authorities, donors and other partners to advance strategic objectives;
- Strong program management skills, promoting innovation, collaborating effectively across sectors and departments and adopting a solution-oriented attitude at all times;
- Experience with use of relevant sector design and assessments tools for service providers, market, needs, distribution and post-distribution processes (e.g. RAM, EMMA, MIFIRA, MERS)