Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Program / Department

Mercy Corps has been workingin Sudan since 1985 where we responded to the draught emergency, supporting refugees with permanent presence in southern Sudan since 2005. Mercy Corps acts on behalf of people who have become displaced and disenfranchised by the ongoing conflict. With funding from multiple donors including the United Nations (UN), USAID-Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), UK Foreign, Common Wealth and development Office (FCDO), Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), and Private Foundations, Mercy Corps has been able to empower people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. In South Sudan, our work focusing on the delivery of timely humanitarian interventions, improving food security and livelihood options, increasing equitable access to safe water and sanitation services, and providing access to safe and protective learning spaces. With emphasis on conflict-affected youth, women, as well as IDPs, returnees and host communities, we champion and lead state-of-the art relief and recovery approaches through gender mainstreaming, identification of root causes, adaptive management, and resilience approaches.

General Position Summary

The TL MSD will oversee the delivery of MSD interventions/approach in all aspects of the THRIVE programme including planning, coordinating, organizing, quality and delivery and monitoring and results measurement and learning in the Greater Upper Nile. She/he will provide MSD technical leadership on the strategic development, development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), support the design and implementation of high-quality MSD interventions (Program Quality), through capacity-building for teams, supporting market assessments and designing interventions and building relationships with key market actors from the private sector and government. The TL MSD will also participate in putting in place a robust Monitoring and Results Measurement (MRM) and Learning for the THRIVE programme (Learning and impact). The TL MSD will also represent the THRIVE’s’ MSD work externally, through participating in relevant coordination and learning events. H/she is a member of the THRIVE programme Management Unit, who will support in defining and achieving the programme strategy. The TL MSD will ensure accountability of the MSD approach/interventions to the programme participants, donors, stakeholders including government authorities and consortium lead/members. She/he will contribute to ensuring that programming is on-time, on-scope, and on-budget. The role requires extensive travel in the field and the region.

Mercy Corps South Sudan is a partner in the consortium with GOAL, CAFOD and VSF and will implement a 4-year programme that aim to bolster resilience in conflict and climate affected communities in Greater Upper Nile. Over four years, THRIVE program is expected to reach approximately 120,000 households with gender-responsive and inclusive livelihoods development, market system strengthening, financial inclusion, women’s economic empowerment, climate adaptation, and social cohesion activities. Key outcomes envisaged as a result of the integrated intervention strategies include:

• Increased incomes among individuals and micro/small-scale businesses engaged in the fishing, livestock and agro/non-timber forestry sectors.

• Improved food security among households targeted with livelihoods and women/youth empowerment activities.

• Strengthened disaster preparedness & coping capacities to climate and conflict shocks and stresses.

• Improved social cohesion and conflict resolution capacities among target communities.

• Women and youth economic empowerment, including financial inclusion and improved gender equality.

• Provide effective overall leadership in the planning, coordination, delivery of the program with management of the MSD program

• Ensure timely and effective design and implementation of interventions, and achievement of targets, on time, on scope and on budget.

• Support the programme team to adaptively manage a portfolio of interventions that is appropriately balanced in terms of risk and benefits.

• Ensures the program meets Program Management @ Mercy Corps (PM@MC) minimum standards.

• Build, manage and maintain relationship with the consortium lead and members, donor, including leading periodic communications on status of program activities and collaborating with the consortium Lead to facilitate adaptive management.

• Prepare high-quality monthly, quarterly, annual and final project reports in collaboration with the program teams and the MEL team.

• Ensure backstopping for all team members, in particular for sector selection and system framing; market systems research and analysis; , designing systemic interventions to address the root causes of market dysfunctions which disadvantage and exclude women and young people; finding strategic leverage points for co-investment and building public and private sector partnerships, monitoring interventions, and adapting strategy in response to results.

• As the MSD technical Lead, ensure design and implementation of MSD component for the THRIVE consortium partners meets the standards of MSD approach, drawing on appropriate and diverse technical resources to support programme needs as required.

• Ensure operational systems enable a diversely-skilled programme team to implement the programme effectively – including standard operating procedures on engaging and contracting with the private and public sector actors, enabling intervention or concept design, and guidance for adaptive management.

• Follow analysis of the socio-political and economic context, ensuring that this analysis is recognized and incorporated in programming, particularly with respect to gender and age, as well as to climate and conflict risk.

• Lead the development of the THRIVE programme strategy, particularly on MSD components.

• 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 discussions and strong performance management protocols.

• Train and mentor staff in MSD approaches to ensure successful program implementation, and support them to access additional professional development and technical capacity building as required

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.

• Ensures the programme meets targets on budget. This responsibility includes collaborative work planning that keeps all team members accountable, ensuring accurate budget forecasting and analysis of monthly budget vs. actual reports, and proper procurement planning in collaboration with the Operations team.

• Support in the development of financial management tools and the monitoring of budgets.

• Cross-check detailed transactions and review budget versus actual (BVA) spending reports to determine status of program burn rates.

• Work with the Country Finance Manager to ensure spend-down plans and cash projections are developed and monitored.

• Lead program input on any budget revisions or programmatic input for financial reports.

• Work with the MEL team to ensure the finalization of the programme-specific MEL plan and any relevant procedures with clear designation of roles and responsibilities between the Program and MEL teams.

• Ensure that robust monitoring and evaluation, quality data collection and analysis systems are in place, adhered to and used as a decision-making tool, in coordination with the MEL team.

• Ensure appropriate attention to program learning and integration of lessons learned.

• Masters’ degree or equivalent in Economics, International Development, International Relations, Business Management, Agriculture Economics or another relevant field highly preferred.

• 5-7 years of field experience in MSD programming with a focus on markets required. At least 3 years of experience in a programme management/leadership role. Experience working in consortium setting.

• Experience directly building partnerships with the private sector to increase women and youth employment opportunities.

• Experience in multi-stakeholder engagement, building value propositions in both peri-urban and rural programming.

• Strong strategic thinker with demonstratedcapacity to translate concepts into action, with proven ability to be accountable for all components of the program.

• Strong project and people management skills.

• Experience in financial inclusion, tech-based employment, women & youth employment, and gender transformative MSD programming is preferred.

• Competent in building networks, strong problem-solving skills, and ability to influence with effective listening, persuasion, negotiation, and other techniques.

• Persuasive written and oral communication in English, including report writing.

Success Factors

The ideal candidate is expected to be a flexible and experienced working in consortium managing project, MEL, quality assurance, team, reporting and budget management. The TL MSD will have a strong technical understanding of MSD in markets in Africa. S/he will take energy from solving programme implementation challenges, will have a strong ethical centre and a commitment to safeguarding. S/he will be an influencer, able to connect with diverse audiences from a young petty trader to a private sector employer to a high-ranking government official. A strong ability to train and mentor team members that have limited skills and experience in MSD approach.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The TL MSD position is based in Juba. MC provides individual accommodation in a basic apartment, which is well equipped and comfortable. The weather is very hot, humid and sometimes muddy or dusty depending on the season. Medical facilities are basic, although there has been some significant improvement in the past few years. Tropical diseases including malaria are endemic. The role involved frequent travels (40%) to program locations to support team in the implementation of MSD component in all locations. Accommodation in the field is in shared compound and very basic.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours and as such staff are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps policies, procedures, and values always 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, colour, 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 Policiesand values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity organization and encourages both female and male candidates to apply. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis and shortlisting will proceed as applications are received.