Current Vacancies at Mercy Corps, 22nd March, 2017

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.  Mercy Corps has worked in Nigeria since 2012, focusing its programming on adolescent girls’ empowerment, economic development, conflict mitigation, and humanitarian response.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

 
Job Title: Nutrition Coordinator
Location: Maiduguri - Borno State
Program/Department Summary 

• With the insurgency affecting North East Nigeria and displacing millions of people, Mercy Corps is expanding its humanitarian programming to support the conflict-affected population in Borno.
• In response to the ongoing crisis, Mercy Corps is scaling-up food security, non-food items, nutrition, protection, livelihoods, and water sanitation hygiene (WASH) activities in Dikwa, Ngala, and Jere Local Government Areas in Borno State to address emergency needs.

General Position Summary 

• Mercy Corps is looking for a strong Nutrition Coordinator working to improve the quality of nutrition implementation on food security and nutrition programming.
• This position will require for one to provide an inclusive forum for sharing, adapting, refining, and disseminating information, methodologies, tools, and promising practices on nutrition for increasing the impact of food security programming.

Essential Job Functions 

• Provide input into the design of nutrition program strategies and lead the implementation of nutrition activities.
• Provides technical advice for all nutrition-related projects and activities.
• Responsible for ensuring quality through staff capacity-strengthening, supportive supervision and monitoring.
• Provide hiring managers, program managers, and program staff with explanations of the basic skills and knowledge about nutrition that staff need to carry out their work effectively.
• Integrate nutrition within other program components, notably WASH and food security. Coordinate with other health teams to ensure complementary approaches,
• Supervise ongoing implementation of maternal and child health and nutrition promotion activities, ensuring quality control.
• Provide technical advice and support to facilitate learning related to nutrition social and behavior change communication programming.
• Facilitate Mercy Corps coordination with other nutrition sector agencies, including the sharing of nutrition materials and best practices through participating regularly in Nutrition Working Group / Cluster meetings.
• Participate in developing recommendations for new areas of nutrition research and programming, and promoting innovation in behavioral interventions and communication.
• Lead the preparation of technical communication pieces related to nutrition and present findings to relevant audiences.
• Monitor implementation of project activities and document best practice and success stories
• Participate on design teams for new projects and provide technical advice in the implementation and evaluation of nutrition activities.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not to jeopardize its humanitarian mission
• Any 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.

Knowledge and Experience 

• Masters’ degree or equivalent experience in Nutrition, Public Health, or other relevant Behavioral/Social Science field.
• Minimum four years’ experience in nutrition and/or public health programming, policy or research, with at least two years’ experience in an international resource-challenged setting.
• Substantial experience in social and behavior change programming.
• Hands-on experience on designing, planning, implementing and evaluating nutritional behavioral interventions and/or communication campaigns.
• Experience with nutrition needs assessments and program evaluations.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team, including cross-cultural teams.
• Excellent written and spoken English and Hausa, Kanuri an advantage.
• Experience developing various web/print/social media or organizing events desired.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of nutrition and food security issues.
• Formal understanding of theories and frameworks relating to individual and group behavior change desirable.

Success Factors 

• The successful candidate will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity building.
• S/he will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level.
• Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.
• In particular, the successful candidate will be willing to travel to locations such as Dikwa and Ngala according to the needs of the Mercy Corps program. This will mean sometimes staying and working in stressful environments with very basic living conditions, strictly following security protocols at all times and sometimes working long and irregular hours.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Job Title: Manager, Policy and Governance
Location: Abuja
Program/Department Summary 

• The Educating Nigerian Girls in New Enterprises (ENGINE) Programme is an initiative to improve learning outcomes and the economic status of marginalized adolescent girls aged 16-19 in the Northern Nigerian states of Kano and Kaduna, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the metropolis of Lagos, Nigeria.
• ENGINE through funding from the UK Department for International Development’s Girls Education Challenge, the Coca-Cola Company and other stakeholders supported over 18,000 marginalized girls to reduce education and financial barriers in its first implementation phase.
• In its second phase, ENGINE 2 will facilitate transition of these girls into functional literacy, numeracy and scale up their business opportunities and linkages.
• ENGINE 2 will further increase girls’ and young women’s access to (1) financial education and life skills; (2) peer to peer networks and mentoring; and (3) direct assets (materials and savings). Beneficiaries will be integrated into value chains as well as conduct other market-driven employment opportunities.
• ENGINE 2 will also work with girls in formal and informal education to increase their learning opportunities and outcomes to prepare them for future economic activities and work in the policy environment to provide an enabling environment for girls to flourish in their chosen pathways.

General Position Summary: 

• The Manager, Policy and Governancewill be responsible for managing ENGINE 2’s overall policy and governance component of the project. S/he will be responsible for working with government to ensure policies are implemented to allow girls thrive by becoming educated and empowered.
• S/he will provide technical leadership on policy and governance issues.
• This position will ensure ENGINE 2 implementation is responsive to marginalized Nigerian girls, their communities and the country at large. This position will coordinate and plan with other donor-funded programs to facilitate favourable policies for girls to thrive.

Essential Job Responsibilities 
Strategy & Vision: 

• Lead the development of the overall vision and strategic plan for the policy and governance unit.
• Recognize and adapt policies that are favourable and sustainable

Program Management: 

• Provide technical leadership for the design, formalization, and management of innovative policy and governance initiatives
• Ensuring quality and integrity of implementation, including adherence to technical guidelines, administrative systems, and established deadlines
• Evaluating the relevance and appropriateness of current and future programming in relation to policies affecting or hindering girl child education and empowerment
• Undertaking staff capacity building

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 regular performance reviews.
• Implement performance planning and management systems, establish performance expectations with team members, and regularly provide constructive feedback on team members’ performance.
• 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.
• Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.

Finance & Compliance Management: 

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.
• Draft and /or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.

Influence & Representation: 

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with governments and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
• Proactively form relationships community members to complement DfID funding.
• Represent ENGINE 2 on governance issues at technical and strategic planning meetings, or as requested by the Director of Gender Programs.

Security: 

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies
• Work closely with Mercy Corps Nigeria country team’s security focal point to develop and maintain systems that ensure the safety and security of the team in all aspects of its implementation process.

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.

Knowledge and Experience 

• Master's Degree or its equivalent in International Relations, Development Studies, Management, Social Sciences, International Development or other relevant field.
• A minimum of 7 years of progressive work experience including at least 2 years in a senior management or technical advisory role on large, education, gender- focused, skills building program.
• Strong understanding of DfID compliance issues.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English required, including report development, writing and editing.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Strong management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues in high security environment. Experience managing a multi-organizational team (international and national partners) is a plus.
• Experience working in Northern Nigeria strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience working with country-level ministries and government officials, Ministry of Education experience preferred.

Success Factors: 

• The successful candidate will combine exceptional leadership, management and technical skills with a focus on innovative interventions to engage adolescent girls in informal education and skills building linked with private sector entrepreneurship and employment opportunities in a culturally and religiously conservative environment.
• S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative and complex programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.

Job Title: Senior Project Officer - Policy & Governance 
Location: Lagos 
Program / Department Summary 

• The Educating Nigerian Girls in New Enterprises (ENGINE) Programme is an initiative to improve learning outcomes and the economic status of marginalized adolescent girls aged 16-19 in the Northern Nigerian states of Kano and Kaduna, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the metropolis of Lagos, Nigeria.
• ENGINE through funding from the UK Department for International Development’s Girls Education Challenge, the Coca-Cola Company and other stakeholders supported over 18,000 marginalized girls to reduce education and financial barriers in its first implementation phase. In its second phase, ENGINE 2 will facilitate transition of these girls into functional literacy, numeracy and scale up their business opportunities and linkages.
• ENGINE 2 will further increase girls’ and young women’s access to (1) financial education and life skills; (2) peer to peer networks and mentoring; and (3) direct assets (materials and savings). Beneficiaries will be integrated into value chains as well as conduct other market-driven employment opportunities.
• ENGINE 2 will also work with girls in formal and informal education to increase their learning opportunities and outcomes to prepare them for future economic activities and work in the policy environment to provide an enabling environment for girls to flourish in their chosen pathways.

General Position Summary 

• The Senior Project Officers will support ENGINE 2’s policy and governance component of the project.
• S/he will be responsible for working with government to ensure policies are implemented to allow girls thrive by becoming educated and empowered.
• They will also support field implementation of the ENGINE program including coordinating sub-grantee partner, schools/community stakeholders and resources to ensure that the program meets performance-based targets on time and within budget, per DfID requirements.
• S/he will monitor sub-grantee partner in the state and ensure program funds are spent efficiently and maximize Value for Money per DfID requirements.
• S/he will supervise and build the capacity of partner staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations.

Essential Job Responsibilities 
Program Support: 

• Support in providing technical leadership for the design, formalization, and management of innovative policy and governance initiatives
• Ensure quality and integrity of implementation, including adherence to technical guidelines, administrative systems, and established deadlines
• Support in evaluating the relevance and appropriateness of current and future programming in relation to policies affecting or hindering girl child education and empowerment
• Coordinate sub-grantee activities including programmatic implementation, budget & liquidation process and timely reporting.
• Ensure implementation of activities is on time, target and budget, using effective systems to reach desired impacts in order to assess the ENGINE effectiveness and impact and propose recommendations for improvements.
• Maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely reporting especially for sub-grantee partners.
• Implement and model Mercy Corps’ philosophy of social entrepreneurship and leverage Mercy Corps’ best practices.
• Provide linkages to opportunities for additional networks within schools, link girls with Islamic and/or community-based education, increasing economic assets through savings clubs and links to financial institutions.
• In collaboration with the Monitoring Evaluation and Learning team, implement relevant surveys, need assessments, data and information collection for on-going monitoring in the state assigned.

Team Management: 

• Sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Implement performance planning and management systems, establish performance expectations with team members, and regularly provide constructive feedback on team members’ performance.
• Finance & Compliance Management:
• Ensure compliance of sub-grantee partners with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to field programming.
• With the Deputy Project Director, supervise, hire and orient new field team members as necessary.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.

Influence & Representation: 

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with sub-grantee, local governments and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
• Participate in education coordination and other donor coordination meetings or workshops and/or as requested by the Project Advisor.

Security: 

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that field team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies

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.

Knowledge and Experience 

• Master's Degree or its equivalent in Education, Management, Social Sciences, International Development or other relevant field.
• A minimum of 4 years of progressive work experience including at least 1 year in a technical coordination role on education, gender- focused or skills building program.
• Strong management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues in high security environment. Experience managing a multi-organizational team (international and national partners) is a plus.
• Experience working in Northern Nigeria strongly preferred.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English required, including report development, writing and editing. Hausa language skills preferred
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Experience working on a large-scale education or school to work and especially targeting marginalized girls or young women programs required. Prefer expertise in at least one of the following areas: accelerated learning programs, Islamic and/or community-based education targeting community acceptance of girl’s education, increasing economic assets through savings clubs and links to financial institutions. Experience using SMS for training or messaging preferred.
• Strong understanding of DfID compliance issues.
• Demonstrated experience working with state-level ministries and government officials, Ministry of Education experience preferred.

Success Factors 

• The successful candidate will combine exceptional leadership, management and technical skills with a focus on innovative interventions to engage adolescent girls in informal education and skills building linked with private sector entrepreneurship and employment opportunities in a culturally and religiously conservative environment.
• S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative and complex programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.
• The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours .Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

 Note 

• All applications must include the position title in the subject line and not more than 4 pages. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
• We are an equal opportunity organization and we strongly encourage women to apply for this position.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their CV's and Cover Letter in one document, addressing the position requirements to: ng-recruitment.nigeria@mercycorps.org


Application Deadline: 31st March, 2017.