Integrated WASH and Nutrition Program Manager

Closing date: 07 Apr 2013

THIS POSITION IS CONTINGENT UPON FUNDING

PROGRAM SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps has worked in the Middle East since the 1980s and currently has offices in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Libya. Mercy Corps opened its office in Yemen in 2010. Current humanitarian programming in Yemen includes food security, nutrition, water and sanitation, and child protection from the United Nations, US Government, European Union, and Swiss Government. Funding for an integrated Nutrition and WASH program is currently pending.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Program Manager will lead the implementation and manage all aspects of a one year program funded by UNICEF to treat malnutrition through an integrated approach in South Yemen. Mercy Corps will operate mobile nutrition teams in three districts in Lahj Governorate to treat Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). Additional activities include coordinating with the Ministry of Public Health and Population along with the Lahj Health Office to assist 12 existing health facilities to expand to include Outpatient Treatment Programmes (OTPs) and Infant and Young Child Feeding Corners by providing equipment, training staff and monitoring facilities. In addition, the Program Manager will be in charge of implementing WASH activities across five districts (3 in Lahj and 2 in Taiz Governorate) including repairing WASH facilities in 6 schools, promoting Open Defecation Free Communities and hygiene education campaigns. The Program Manager will be responsible for managing staff and resources to ensure that the program meets its targets and deliverables on time to the required level of quality, and within budget and will also support additional program development to identify interventions in a similar geographic area.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Program Management

Oversee program start-up and ongoing program management and administration;

Oversee Mobile Nutrition teams and ensure they are meeting national and international standards;

Oversee WASH projects in schools and hygiene education in communities and implementation of Community Led Total Sanitation pilot project in select communities

Oversee staff in both Aden and Taiz offices;

Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities;

Coordinate with UNICEF, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health and Population to implement and monitor programming;

Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity, Do No Harm, and capacity building into all activities as appropriate to be consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, and country plan;

Conduct risk analysis and management to operate in this conflict-affected, insecure area;

Collaborate with the Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor to maintain effective program reporting, monitoring and evaluation systems for both internal and external use in coordination with the program staff

Follow Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards to ensure all documentation is complete;

Adhere to all Mercy Corps procurement, administration, human resources policies to implement programming.

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;

Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary. Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance & reach objectives;

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.

Leadership and Strategy

Participate in overall strategic planning for the Yemen response; ensure linkages into overall Yemen programming;

Assist with proposal development to expand programming in coordination with the Country Office and HQ support teams.

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.

Security

Track security issues and identify strategies to mitigate the challenges that may interfere with programming;

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.

Coordination

Maintain internal and external relationships to ensure program success including contacts with government office and country program offices, international and local NGOs working in the emergency sector, related to emergency programming, beneficiaries and the general public;

Identify, coordinate and partner with local and international partners;

Coordinate closely with the Nutrition and other Clusters as required.

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 towards 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: Team members working under the Nutrition program funded by UNICEF

ACCOUNTABILITY:

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Aden Head of Office

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Works very closely with Finance, Administration, and Procurement team members, as well as Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor, plus other program staff.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

A BA in education, social science, international studies or related field. Advanced degree preferred;

A minimum of 3 years’ experience in a relief setting with management responsibility;

Experience supervising national staff, starting up programs and working in emergency and transitional programming;

High level of proficiency in English is required;

High level of proficiency in Arabic would be an asset;

Experience managing complex and complicated activities with time sensitive deliverables in unstable environments;

Experience with Nutrition Programs specifically Mobile Nutrition Teams;

Experience managing staff in multiple offices a plus.

SUCCESS FACTORS: The successful candidate will be able to manage a complex program in an austere environment, be focused on team-building and capacity-building of national staff, have strong program support skills, good information management skills and maintain a sense of humor.

LIVING /ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

This unaccompanied position will be based in Aden, Yemen. This position will be required to reside in group housing in an insecure environment with energy, transportation and communication challenges. The team member must follow all security protocols at all times. This position is eligible for hardship and R&R breaks.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

How to apply:

APPLY VIA URL:

http://mercycorps.silkroad.com/epostings/submit.cfm?fuseaction=app.dspjo...