Job Details

Description

 

General Position Summary

The Project Manager will provide leadership, management and strategic vision to the implementation of the GIRL program in Karamoja.  The Project Manager is responsible for ensuring that the project meet targets and deliverables on-time and within budget, in compliance with donor and Mercy Corps rules and regulations.  The Project Manager will provide oversight to all GIRL program officers while working closely with APOLOU Adolescents, Livelihoods, and Health Teams, District Implementation Team Leads, MEL, and Chief of Party to ensure that GIRL program is implemented to the highest standards possible with strong community engagement. S/he will coordinate closely with the MEL Leads at Mercy Corps to ensure appropriate MEL activities are planned, and supervise the management of MEL activities on the ground, ensuring that analysis of data coming from the ground feeds into the learning agenda for the programs, and ensures higher level impact for program beneficiaries.  The Project Manager will work under Mercy Corps-led APOLOU Activity in Karamoja, Uganda and will coordinate implementation of the GIRL program.  S/he will manage and enhance essential relationships with key stakeholders, including District Local Government officials, partners, and CSOs.  Under the leadership of APOLOU Gender & Young People Advisor and the GIRL Program Director, s/he will also promote GIRL model and its approaches to peers and relevant bodies, and ensure effective communication and coordination between stakeholders and partners.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Management

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  • Oversight of all staff members on the project, coordinate and implement GIRL program activities across Apolou’s 5 districts in Karamoja (Amudat, Kaabong, Karenga, Kotido, and Moroto) in line with approved project proposal, budget and within the agreed time frames.
  • Coordinate closely with GIRL Director and Technical team to ensure activities implemented in Uganda are contributing to global learning on MC adolescent girl approach
  • Work with POs, to ensure the GIRL programming reflects Mercy Corps’ signature technical approaches, including meaningful youth engagement, resilience, and gender equality outcomes.
  • Provide supervision, support and mentoring to POs to ensure that all GIRL program activities are being implemented as per the agreed work schedule;
  • Foster a collaborative team atmosphere which engages and supports all team members;

Program Development, Implementation and Reporting

  • Work closely with the GIRL Program Team and DITLs to review monthly budget versus actual financial management information to ensure that all program expenditure is on track and does not exceed approved budget variance limits;
  • Ensure harmonization in program implementation approaches and harmonization of tools across MC Karamoja field offices;
  • Ensure project deadlines, quality standards and targets are met
  • Ensure compliance to all Mercy Corps, Donor and Government of Uganda policies, procedures and guidelines that relate to the implementation of the program with limited supervision.
  • Develop all reports, both internal and external to the donor, with a high level of quality with limited need for revision, and that these are are submitted on time and to the highest possible standard;
  • Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and participant accountability standards.

Partnership Management

  • Establish, maintain and grow productive working relationships with Local Government officials and line departments, soliciting their participation in all activities where appropriate, in close coordination with other programs in the same operating areas.
  • Ensure effective communication with implementing partners, ensure that they are implementing as per workplans and budget, and assist with troubleshooting any challenges they may encounter
  • Review partner reports and provide feedback, and work closely with the sub-award team to ensure partners receive sufficient support to report financially.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)

  • Take a leadership role in working with MEL team to develop and revise the MEL system linked to indicators, and information management, ensuring that all essential program and organizational metrics are being adequately captured;
  • Coordinate data gathering and management with project staff as per the monitoring plan for the project
  • Make on-site field visits regularly to provide technical back stopping and/or design recommendations.
  • Support in development of GIRL learning documents and facilitate the dissemination of promising practices and lessons learned with stakeholders.
  • Ensure that program lessons learned are documented and shared for decision making;
  • Foster and maintain proper conditions for learning within GIRL program team. Establish a safe environment for sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to challenges.

Representation and Coordination

  • Represent MC at all relevant GIRL program coordination meetings at field and national levels to highlight the work of GIRL program and share evolving evidence to support the model;
  • In coordination with the Gender & Youth, Adolescents, & Livelihoods Teams, and the Implementing partners, lead donor visits in project locations;
  • Demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure.
  • Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity;

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.
  • Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
  • In coordination with the G&Y Advisor, identify performance gaps and training opportunities for GIRL team
  • Supervise and regularly coordinate with project staff and support departments to ensure smooth planning, preparation, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of program activities.
  • Provide leadership to a broad team of program and MEL staff ensuring synergy, sharing of best practices and resources.

Safety and Security

  • Work closely with the country team’s security focal point to ensure that the program is contributing to and responding to safety and security plans and procedures;
  • Ensure that the program is designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security management priorities;
  • Ensure that GIRL program team members in all field offices strictly abide by security standards in each office location.

 

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: GIRL Program/Partnership Officer, PPP Officer, Senior Economic Empowerment Officer, & MEL Officer.

Reports Directly To: Gender & Young People Advisor (with dotted line technical reporting to GIRL Program Director)

Works Directly With: GIRL Program Director and Technical Team, Apolou Field Team (Program, MEL, Finance, HR, Operations), District Implementation Team Leads, Chief of Party, and the Senior Management Team.

Knowledge and Experience

  • BA/S or equivalent in development management or related fields required,
  • Minimum 3-5 years’ experience in Adolescent Girls and Young Women programming, preferably in Karamoja and knowledge in Ng’akarimojong language is an advantage
  • Technical knowledge related to adolescent girls, youth and/or gender and experience supporting program teams to achieve technical excellence in youth and gender programming.
  • Experience with monitoring and evaluation and report writing, and being involved in M&E
  • History of working effectively and respectfully with district local government, INGO and local CSO/NGO partners
  • Ability to effectively represent Mercy Corps and its interests to key stakeholders
  • Demonstrated ability to work in complex programming and volatile environments.
  • Fluency in English written and oral communication required.
  • Ability to effectively manage a team and apply relevant Mercy Corps’ procedures and approaches.
  • Experience supporting technical capacity and skill development amongst diverse teams.

 

Success Factors

This position requires someone with the ability to effectively carry out duties as outlined in the position description. One should be willing to learn and work in accordance with Mercy Corps policy. The successful candidate will have demonstrated the ability to multitask, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities if necessary. A high professional standard of activity implementation, strong interpersonal and intellectual skills are necessary.

 

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This position is based in Kotido or Moroto, Karamoja and requires at least 60% travel within the region.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed. 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.  Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision.

 

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 world’s 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

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Closes: 22nd Jan 2021

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