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 – helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

Now, and for the future. We help communities survive and move beyond emergencies. When natural disasters strike, economies collapse or conflict flares, Mercy Corps is there. We see global challenges as an invitation to pioneer innovative, sustainable solutions.

Mercy Corps is looking for committed and dynamic individual to take up the following position:

POSITION: CVE PROGRAM MANAGER

LOCATION: MOMBASA COUNTY

This position is contingent upon receipt of funding and donor approval

PROGRAM / DEPARTMENT SUMMARY: Mercy Corps began working in Kenya in 2008 to address the societal wounds following the 2007 post-election violence. Since that time, Mercy Corps has built a robust and diverse portfolio in Kenya that is working to address structural causes of poverty and injustice and to strengthen systems that enable men, women and children to access opportunities, participate in and contribute to peaceful democratic processes, and thrive in the face of ecological and social change.

To do this, we deliver integrated programming to strengthen market and governance systems, address the root causes of conflict, and equip vulnerable populations- in particular youth, women, adolescents and marginalized social groups- with the skills, opportunities and resources they need to be healthy, productive and to drive the development of their communities.

We work closely with the private sector, civil society and governance structures at local and national levels to facilitate change and ensure that opportunities are inclusive of all Kenyans.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY: Mercy Corps seeks an exceptional leader in the area of conflict resolution, peacebuilding and community engagement to lead Mercy Corps’ implementation of an 18-month program funded by the US Department of State through the Bureau on Counter Terrorism.

The program will engage community members- in particular family members, peers and elders- to mitigate the drivers, enablers and narratives of violent extremism in order to prevent the recruitment of vulnerable individuals by Violent Extremist Organizations (VEOs).

The program will work primarily in Mombasa County to strengthen the community level response to recruitment by VEOs by developing messaging, outreach strategies and building early warning systems to enhance community resilience and counter recruitment efforts.

The program will have an embedded research and M&E function to enable piloting and adaptation of program messaging, targeting and other strategies over the period of implementation to promote maximum impact and efficiency through delivery of the program.

The Program Manager will have overall responsibility for program implementation and will be the primary point of contact for the DOS within Mercy Corps. Responsibilities will include developing, testing and refining tools to assess the vulnerability of communities to violent extremism, strengthening the capacity of local partners in the areas of research, peacebuilding and conflict management, training and curriculum development, reviewing the design and implementation of the project, facilitating clear communication between diverse groups, and ensuring rigorous measurement of program impact and timely reporting.

S/he will be an integral member of the senior country leadership team, working closely with the Country Director, other program technical advisors, directors and managers to promote synergies and knowledge sharing between the program and other ongoing Mercy Corps programs, and to shape Mercy Corps’ country strategy for peacebuilding and Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) programming.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Program Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for Mercy Corps’ CVE program in cooperation with key project stakeholders, including local and international partner organizations, local civil society organizations, local and national government officials, research institutions and universities, other international agencies on the ground, and key donors;
• Oversee relevant program, finance and administrative staff to ensure that systems are in compliance with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures;
• Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts, and develop mechanisms for targeted research to inform program design and implementation;
• Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures;
• Increase staff capacity by ensuring high quality technical training on CVE programming for Mercy Corps staff and local partners, and providing ongoing coaching and mentoring;
• Promote learning and knowledge management through documentation and knowledge sharing around best practices and lessons learned.

Strategy and Vision

• Set the overall vision and strategy for the program by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve program objectives and impact;
• Work with the Country Director to develop a comprehensive strategy for CVE and peacebuilding programs in Kenya, integrating agency best practices and building off the existing portfolio of programs in country;
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support;
• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.

Representation

• 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 the program to internal and external stakeholders;
• Develop and maintain working relationships and coordinate with relevant international and local agencies active in the CVE and peacebuilding sectors, including donors, other peace-building and research organizations, local authorities and local partners, including representing Mercy Corps at local and national coordination meetings.

Team Management

• 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 program staff ensuring synergy, sharing of best practices and resources.

Other:

• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission;
• Other duties as assigned.

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 Responsibility: Program Officers, M&E Officer, Finance Officer and other relevant staff

ACCOUNTABILITY

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Kenya Country Director

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Technical Support Unit (TSU), Operations and Finance Teams and Mercy Corps Desk team.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree in conflict mitigation, social sciences, international relations or other relevant field preferred;
• Minimum 5 years’ relevant professional experience implementing conflict management and peacebuilding programs, preferably with experience on working on CVE programming;
• Previous experience managing programs in insecure environments;
• Experience in at least one of the following program areas: conflict management, governance and/or youth;
• Demonstrated experience with consortium management, including innovative ways to ensure participatory and dynamic engagement of partner organizations;
• Demonstrated experience with adaptive management, integration of research into program design and strategy, and innovative approaches to program monitoring and evaluation;
• Knowledge of systems approaches and resilience principles a plus;
• Strong facilitation and consensus-building skills;
• Experience managing national and international staff;
• Familiarity and experience with USAID/DOS regulations preferred;
• Must be able to work independently while being a strong team player.

SUCCESS FACTORS:

The successful candidate will demonstrate the capacity to lead a multi-dimensional effort in a complex and fluid security environment.  She will employ excellent judgment, strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills, and be committed to the values and mission of Mercy Corps.  She will take initiative, calculate risks and benefits of various courses of action, lead others to achieve to the highest level possible, and demonstrate solid decision-making while working in concert with diverse partners.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Interested candidates who meet the above required qualifications and experience should submit a Cover Letter and detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) listing three professional references (including a recent supervisor) to ke-hrkenya@mercycorps.org  on or before 4th July, 2018.

The email subject line must clearly show the job title and location they are applying for.

Applications without an appropriate subject heading will be automatically disqualified.

Please do not attach any certificates.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

NB: We do not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process