Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardships, 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.

The Program

Mercy Corps is embarking on the Preparedness, Resilience and Impact for those Most Excluded (PRIME) in the Caribbean project. As part of the project, Mercy Corps is developing four Resilience Hubs (RHs), one each in Jamaica, US Virgin Islands, Saint Kitts, and Saint Lucia over the coming four years. RHs serve vulnerable and remote communities where basic health services are often limited. During a disaster, RHs function as shelters, resource distribution centers, and even command centers, empowering communities to sustain their well-being. Hub components will likely include solar energy, refrigeration, potable water, connectivity, and on-site food gardens to provide life-saving resources for people with chronic medical conditions, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

These existing community centers already serve as key gathering points, aid distribution sites, and places for community events. With our support, they will be able to do even more to support families in need, providing access to basic services and building resilience. As part of this program, Mercy Corps will work to provide access to potable water to 10,000 people and access to electric power to over 27,000 people in the event of future disasters at the RHs.

The Position

The Infrastructure Program Manager is responsible for all infrastructure aspects of the program. The Program Manager will supervise planning, design, and construction of the civil/structural, water and solar energy components of the projects and will also supervise consultant engineering teams as well as internal water team staff. He/she will work closely with local community leaders, local agencies and other local Mercy Corps staff including our Global Infrastructure Team and Mercy Corps’ Energy for Impact (E4I) Team and other PRIME in the Caribbean staff.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Infrastructure Program Management

• Manage and lead formation of program infrastructure team.
• Lead assessment of RH sites. Lead planning and cost estimation process, prepare work plans for implementation of the infrastructure aspects of projects.
• Liaise effectively with the community groups and public agencies to explain and promote the emergency hub concept.
• Manage selection and lead consultant team in preparing conceptual designs for infrastructure modifications and additions.
• Manage consultant team in preparation of all technical documentation for the tendering process.
• He/she will be responsible for updates to work plans and schedules and manage construction activities.
• Work together with the local Mercy Corps project teams to ensure that all aspects of the program are implemented.
• In coordination with program leadership, Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Team, communities, consultants and construction contractors, manage quality and schedule of all projects.
• Conduct frequent site visits and manage construction inspection to determine any deviations from contract documents and work with contractor, suggesting appropriate solutions to any changes needed to contract documents.
• He/she should interact with contractors during construction to ensure quality and approve progress payments.
• Provide feedback to the Mercy Corps MEL Team in order to assess the effectiveness of the projects and propose recommendations for improvements.

Team Management

• Identify training needs and deliver capacity-building activities both for the program engineering team as well as for beneficiaries.
• Coordinate and communicate with local authorities, program monitoring consulting firm, donor and other implementing partners to avoid overlapping and obtain all necessary no objection certifications.
• He/she will be the lead Mercy Corps contact for the local water and power utilities. The Infrastructure Program Manager will be responsible for developing necessary relationships with utilities to enable MC to provide support at both the utility as well as community level.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not jeopardize its humanitarian/development mission in the Caribbean.
• Work within communities in a manner that ensures safety and minimizes disruption during construction.
• Prepare or supervise others who will conduct site visits and quality check reports and contribute to overall program reporting to the donor and the government.
• Develop and maintain a filing system as both hard copy and soft copy of project documentation.
• Assist in development and evaluation of subcontracts with technical experts.
• Lead QA/QC process ensuring all technical reviews are conducted according to best practices.
• Coordinate with Mercy Corps HQ staff and global experts as required for assistance.
• Other duties assigned by supervisor.

Program Support and Coordination

• Coordinate with program, finance and administrative staff to ensure systems are in compliance with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
• Ensure program implementation is on time, on target and on-budget using effective MEL systems.
• Support community involvement in all phases of the project delivery cycle.
• Prepare project progress reports to be shared with donor and stakeholders.

Influence & Representation

• Communicate with local partners such as Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), St. Croix Foundation, Musson Foundation, and US Virgin Islands Long Term Recovery Group (LTRG), as well as any involved stakeholders, to verify their delivery processes and that they understand and follow all appropriate procedures and documentation.
• Maintain productive relationships with all stakeholders, vendors, suppliers, etc.
• Consistently demonstrate flexibility and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure, even under difficult circumstances.
• Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity.
• Demonstrate an awareness of his/her own strengths and development needs.

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.

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. 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.

Supervisory Responsibility

The Infrastructure Program Manager will supervise Site Engineers/Infrastructure Assistants who will assist with project delivery at each of the Resilience Hub locations.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Caribbean Resilience Initiative (CRI) Director.

Works Directly With: Site Engineers, Infrastructure Assistants, Agriculture Officer, MEL & CARM Officer, DRR/Capacity Building Program Manager, Operations Manager, Procurement Department, technical personnel of program implementing partners as well as with Mercy Corps HQ Infrastructure Team and E4I Team.

Knowledge and Experience

• BSc or Master’s Degree in engineering preferred, planning, architecture or other relevant field may be acceptable with related experience.
• 10+ years of experience in infrastructure project delivery project management.
• Recognized registration and license to practice engineering.
• Ability to legally work in all project sites identified.
• Strong preference for someone with experience in water systems and other related infrastructure within a community context or in emergency response.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and work collaboratively with design-build civil/mechanical/ electrical consulting engineers who will develop associated electrical power system designs, including PV solar.
• Demonstrated ability to write clear task orders for design contractors and effectively negotiate changes as required.
• Knowledge and understanding of design and operations of community water systems including piping, pumps, controls, storage reservoirs, treatment and well operation.
• Knowledge and understanding of the local construction industry, codes and practices.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Experience in leading development of clear and concise construction documents for tender.
• Experience in reviewing tenders and developing recommendation for award.
• Construction management experience including ability to review contractor work plans, budgets and work progress preferred.
• Strong computer skills in MS Office programs, MS project experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and process information into action to avoid delaying program activities.
• A clear understanding of assets, transport, property ethics and donor compliance is essential.
• Should have the ability to have frequent travels to all project locations.

Success Factors

The successful Infrastructure Program Manager will be good at problem solving and have the ability to work out methods to deliver successful programs while demonstrating excellent stewardship of donor funds and compliance with Mercy Corps and donor regulations. S/he will maintain strong cooperative relationships with other departments and interact effectively with international and national personnel both in a managerial as well as training capacity, while demonstrating the ability to multitask, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities. S/he will be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field project sites. 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.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is remote and candidates must be based in Jamaica, St. Lucia, or Saint Kitts & Nevis. All MC employees are expected to work a five day work week. This position requires (20-40% of time) of travel by road, sea and air to field program locations.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside 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’ policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

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 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 elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.