Since 1979, we have helped people grappling with the toughest hardships survive โ and then thrive. Thatโs the heart of our approach: We help communities turn crisis into opportunity. Throughout our history, Mercy Corps has demonstrated innovation, timeliness, and the ability to adapt quickly to changing realities.
Mercy Corps has worked in Tanzania since 2006, focusing primarily on three thematic areas: (1) food security, (2) governance and peace, and (3) economic opportunity and livelihoods. Youth and women are at the center of all programming in Tanzania. Through these programmes Mercy Corps supports and builds the capacity of government at the national and local levels, and of communities - making sure that they can address the challenges facing them. The Agrifin programme for example connects smallholder farmers with technology and financial services to boost productivity. Mercy Corps Tanzania is part of the FCDO-funded Collective Resilience Against Extremism (CREATE), a multi-country program that aims to mitigate the drivers, enablers, and narratives of violent extremism in East Africa (targeting Mtwara, Kigoma, Mwanza, and Tanga in Tanzania specifically). Through localized strategies, CREATE focuses on strengthening and supporting societal bonds to prevent the recruitment of vulnerable individuals to violent extremist organizations.
The Program / Department / Team
Funded by the UKโs Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the anticipated WAJIBIKA programme will promote a more open, inclusive society in Tanzania where government demonstrates greater accountability to the needs of its citizens. Wajibika will deliver this impact via three strategic outcomes to support 1) effective civic space and inclusive political processes 2) media freedom and access to information, and 3) Government of Tanzania (GoT) knowledge, will, and capacity for public service reforms. Wajibika is divided into three components aligned with the three outcomes. The first two components require indicative activities and delivery partners to be outlined at the bidding stage. The third component, called Governance Innovation Fund (GIF), is a flexible, demand-led facility to tactically support GoT, FCDO, and SDC with research and technical assistance to drive governance innovation. Support offered under the GIF will consist of short-term (up to approximately twelve months) projects with tightly defined outputs, which can rapidly respond to demand from FCDO, SDC either as lead recipients or on the behalf of GoT. Projects are not known at the outset but are likely to include rapid research, analysis, advice on policy formation or implementation, provision of embedded advisers to government, workshops and events.
The Position
Mercy Corps is seeking candidates for a Senior Public Sector and GIF Lead who will be responsible for leading and managing the Governance Innovation Fund (GIF), ensuring its adherence to FCDOโs compliance, programme management, financial management, value for money and communications.
Essential Responsibilities
PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT
- Contribute to the design and mobilisation of a clear strategy and delivery arrangement of the GIF during the inception phase.
- Ensure that GIF responds to GoT demand, working with FCDO staff in Tanzania as the interlocutors, and that activities are designed in alignment with the priorities of the FCDO and Embassy of Switzerland in Tanzania.
- Manage the process of project iteration with FCDO, SDC and GoT recipients and the preparation of Statements of Work (SOW).
- Manage the sub-granting to downstream suppliers.
- Develop and implement a proactive engagement and communication strategy to disseminate analytical products to a range of audiences, including FCDO, Tanzanian and UK government.
- Deliver accurately at pace in coordination with the programme management team.
- Manage project inputs and realisation of outputs.
- Proactively foresee FCDO comments and provide key information to enable decisions including on project adaptions in coordination with the Senior Programme Manager and the Programme Director.
- Maintain a broad yet working level knowledge of a wide variety of technical areas.
- Provide collation and final quality assurance of project reports based on expert staff inputs, in coordination with the Senior Programme Manager.
HUMAN RESOURCES
- Lead on the recruitment of appropriate expertise.
- Source, negotiate and manage independent consultancy contracts.
Supervisory Responsibility
Technical Experts pool.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Team Lead (Programme Director)
Works Directly With: Team Lead (Programme Director), Technical Experts pool, Deputy Programme Director, Senior Programme Director
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
- Masterโs degree in a relevant field such as social sciences, law, development studies, etc. However, a bachelorโs degree and five (5) additional years of relevant international development experience can be substituted for the Masterโs degree.
- At least ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in the successful implementation of international development activities, with a specific focus on civil society, media, and public sector governance.
- Experience working in the government sector in East Africa is essential; Tanzania experience is preferred.
- Experience working on FCDO programs preferred.
- Demonstrated concise and clear written and oral communication and expert use of graphical and tabular data presentation.
- Demonstrated capacity in rapid project design including developing robust theories of change and results frameworks.
- Demonstrated internationally competitive senior experience in leadership and delivery of international governance and/or civil society programmes.
- Previous experience living and working in challenging or insecure environment.
- Fluency in spoken and written English.
- Knowledge of Kiswahili and local dialects is preferred.
Success Factors
The successful candidate will demonstrate outstanding attention to detail, professional communication and donor management skills, critical thinking and a results mindset and capability at an internationally competitive level.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
This position is based in Dar-es-Salaam. The location is accompanied and secure. Housing is individual accommodation with nearly unlimited freedom of movement beyond the house/office. There are many schools (local and international) within Dar-es-Salaam and staff have good access to basic services. This position will also include frequent travel to the field where the programme will be implemented.
Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a short-term assignment. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs, and Mercy Corps policies, procedures, and values always and in all in-country venues.
Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corpsโ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.
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.
- Experience working on FCDO programs preferred.
- Experience working in the government sector in East Africa is essential; Tanzania experience is preferred.