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 / Department
Mercy Corps West Africa region is composed of 9 countries including Senegal, Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Liberia, Nigeria and CAR. This is a thriving and growing region with programming that covers all of Mercy Corpsโ strategic pillars including food security, economic opportunities, water security, and peace and good governance. Mercy Corpsโ programs in West Africa are undergoing both momentous humanitarian crises and significant development challenges that offer the opportunity to empower people to survive through crises, build better lives and transform their communities for good. Moreover, West Africa is also characterized by a high rate of urbanization and a massive youth population. Against this backdrop Mercy Corpsโ focus in Africa has been on responding to ongoing humanitarian needs, while promoting good governance and conflict resolution, enhancing resilience, strengthening market systems, enhancing access to energy, finance and economic opportunities, and promoting youth employment and empowerment. Mercy Corps continues to position itself as a key partner with many donors, government authorities and civil society actors, enhancing our ability to contribute to the process of positive change across the continent. Mercy Corps requires an astute navigator able to steer our team and efforts toward ever-improving results for what represents one of the agencyโs largest and most complex portfolios. Powered by the belief that a better world is possible, Mercy Corps seeks an inspiring, creative and focused leader to further the impact, influence, and innovation of Mercy Corpsโ humanitarian and development efforts in the region.
The Position
The Interim Deputy Regional Director (DRD) for West Africa is a senior leader providing significant strategic direction and support to Mercy Corps country programs and initiatives in West Africa under their supervision. The DRD works closely with the Regional Director (RD) to ensure transformational changes occurs through the combination of programmatic impact, the ability to influence change makers at local/global levels, and a restlessness to innovate in search of better solutions. The DRD will collaborate with the RD to build and sustain a cohesive regional management team in the West Africa region, ensuring the Africa portfolio is geared towards excellence with heightened accountability measures. The DRD ensures all countries in the West Africa region implement our ten-year strategy Pathway to Possibility. While at the start the DRD will be responsible for managing Country Leaders directly, with the arrival of a new Regional Director that supervisory responsibility will be gradually transferred to the incoming RD and the DRD will then focus on overseeing our regional technical, business development and regional programming.
Essential Responsibilities
STRATEGY AND PLANNING
- Lead in articulating the regional strategy for the West Africa region that aligns with the agencyโs global strategy Pathway to Possibility
- Contribute to the development of compelling country-level strategies that integrate with the regional strategy and aligned with the Pathway to Possibility
- Act as key partner for the RD to achieve an effective regional management team that delivers programmatic excellence and significant impact and influence in the region.
- In partnership with the RD, manage and administer regional core budgets in coordination with regional and global leadership.
SUPERVISING OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT (initial 3 months focus while directly managing Country Leaders)
- Provide support to country teams across the West Africa region on matters pertaining to strategy, planning, budgeting, programming and management.
- Assist in the administration of country strategies work plans and budgets throughout the fiscal year.
- Ensure effective human, material, financial and operational field support for all country programs, in cooperation with senior staff, prioritizing resource allocation as necessary.
- Review and support country team adherence to Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures;
- Provide dedicated support to country teams in the event of an emergency or start-up of a complex program that requires additional resources.
TEAM MANAGEMENT
- Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development, and empower the team towards excellence.
- Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
- Create a work environment of respect where team members strive to achieve excellence and team culture is positive, transparent and focused on staff well being.
- Support Mercy Corps global and regional initiatives for human resources, including safeguarding and diversity, and talent development;
- Collaborate with the people team to promote staff access to high quality learning opportunities, with a special emphasis on national team member development;
- Assist with the on-boarding of senior team members, ensuring they are set up for success and familiar with agency systems, procedures, and protocols.
- Ensure sound performance management and staff access to high quality learning opportunities.
- Fill in as needed for Regional Director and for field leadership during transition.
DEVELOPING PROGRAM AND PORTFOLIO GROWTH
- Provide direct support to new programming initiatives that build on country/regional strategies and position Mercy Corps for complex programs and/or multi-country funding opportunities.
- Supervise the senior business development advisor for West Africa to coordinate or lead the development of proposals and business development efforts.
- In the event of a major disaster or emergency in the region, work directly with the global team to coordinate an appropriate and timely response.
EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL REPRESENTATION
- Ensure program coordination and information sharing within and between countries.
- Support regional technical and knowledge networks to enhance strategies, learning agendas, collective action and common programmatic approaches.
- Act as key liaison between HQ, regional management and country teams on strategic initiatives and global initiatives.
- Help ensure timely and targeted communication and information flow across all levels of the organization.
- Connect teams to ideas, technical partners, research institutions and resources to drive creative solutions for greater impact.
- Build strong constituencies among international and national peer agencies, civil society actors, government officials, embassies, media and the general public.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with global and regional donors and partners that contribute to regional portfolio development, influence and impact.
- Represent Mercy Corps at external events to build voice, brand and influence.
SECURITY
- Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by regional and country leadership.
- Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
Supervisory Responsibility
Country Directors (initial 2-4 months), Business Develop Advisor, Regional Programs Team, Technical Advisors
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Regional Director
Works Directly With: Country Directors and country leadership teams, HQ and regional support teams
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy 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
- BA or equivalent in international development, political science, public administration, business management or other related field required; MA preferred.
- At least 8-10 years field experience in senior management related to program functions, country leadership, program development and implementation in Africa.
- Demonstrated ability to think strategically and to solve complex problems at an organizational level.
- Detailed understanding of the support mechanisms required for country operations.
- Direct experience supervising and managing large teams, as well as mentoring and development.
- Confident communication skills applicable to donor relations, media outreach, and inter-agency coordination.
- Ability to handle multiple issues at one time, especially in emergency situations and to organize and prioritize accordingly.
- Demonstrated proficiency with US, UK, EU, UN and other public/private donors
- Demonstrated understanding of humanitarian and development challenges in West Africa, significant experience with the challenges operating in the region.
- Internationally recognize qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain one in first months of work
- Fluent in English and French are required.
Success Factors
The successful candidate will apply a strong combination of strategy development, leadership, management, coordination and relationship-building skills. With a high capacity to deliver results under tight deadlines with multiple priorities, the DRD will have the ability to think ahead and decide on a course of action, ensuring that the required resources to implement are available to achieve a high quality outcome. Commitment, flexibility and openeness to new practices, concepts, ideas and change will serve the position and team well. Public relaitons skills are integral to success. Excellent negotiation and communication skills required, as well as a deep understanding of the region including trends and political environment. Being a team player, a positive sense of attitude and a sense of humor are a plus. Strong interpersonal skills and cross-cultural communication skills required.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Dakar, Senegal or other MC registered location and it requires up to 30% travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in individual housing and staff will have access to good medical services and the living situation is of a high standard.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations 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 & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization 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 worldโs 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 Opportunity
Mercy 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, color, 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 & Ethics