ABOUT MERCY CORPS

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.

PROGRAM SUMMARY

Mercy Corps has been operational in Sudan since 2004 and currently leads humanitarian assistance and longer-term development efforts in conflict-affected South Darfur, Central Darfur, South Kordofan, North Kordofan, Kassala, Gedaref, and Khartoum States (currently expanding in Northern and River Nile States), supporting host communities, IDPs, returnees and refugees. Mercy Corps’ current areas of programming include food security and livelihoods, WASH, health, nutrition, peace building and protection, resilience, and Market Systems Development.

THE POSITION SUMMARY

The Program Performance and Quality (PaQ) team is an integrated unit consisting of the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team, the Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanism (CARM) and PaQ itself. The purpose of PaQ is to support effective, efficient, and equitable program performance through a culture of quality program/project management, to achieve results for those that matter most (our program participants). Mercy Corps is seeking bold and proactive individuals to be PaQ Officers. The role will work very closely with PaQ, programs and other support functions including PaQ Manager, MEL Manager and program and team leaders, HR, Finance and Operations among others. The PaQ Officer will be a critical member of Mercy Corps Sudan team, tasked with helping to strengthen the quality of its programming; and our ability to innovate, learn and adjust to continually changing realities in the country. This includes PM@MC standards and training, ensuring gender integration, support the development of effective Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) processes, oversight of capacity development strategy and process, providing support to programs during key project development and implementation moments, checking in on program quality and impact.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Support PaQ Manager in establishing systems, policies and approaches necessary to ensure and demonstrate the quality of programs. 
• Assists with the development of M&E systems for the coordinated design, planning, management and monitoring of programs/projects within identified priority areas. 
• Support the collation and development of donor reports – monthly, quarterly, bi-annual/semi-annual, annual and other reports including final program/project reports.
• Provide support and participate along with program teams at key moments including program start-up, kick-off meetings, inception meeting check-ins, quality audits and spot checks, and end of program transition meetings. 
• Support program teams ensuring they have the tools and support needed to lead technical excellence across WaSH, cash, food security, voucher programming, construction activities, protection, shelter, Market Systems Development sectors, protection and peace building etc. 
• Assists with the formulation of M&E recommendations for improving implementation performance and enhancing the design of policies and programmes. Manages the maintenance of an electronic management information system with performance indicators and targets embedded in the system for implementation and tracking.
• Develops operational reporting templates that facilitate the acquisition and aggregation of information on programmes. 
• Engage programs leadership in ongoing context analysis that enables programs and teams to adapt to significant and work together in a collaborative and impactful manner. 
• Support and maintain systems to ensure efficient and transparent capture of program data for management decision-making and timely and informative internal and external reporting. 
• In coordination with the PaQ Manager ensure the PaQ unit effectively contributes to proposal development processes, ensuring the incorporation of lessons learned and technical excellence to program design 
• Ensure retention programmatic documents are in place and accountable. 
• Support the periodic review of program management standards and evaluate those meeting the pre-set organizational standards. 
• Perform other related duties as required. 

Safeguarding Responsibilities

• Actively learn about safeguarding and integrate it into his/her work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourage openness and communication in their team; encouraging team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

N/A

ACCOUNTABILITY

Reports Directly To: PaQ Manager

Works Directly With: PaQ and Programs team, Grants and reporting team, MEL Manager, finance, HR and Operations. 

ACCOUNTABILITY TO PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION & TRANSFERABLE SKILLS 

• A Degree in communications, development studies, management, business or other related field is required.
• At least 2 years of work experience in a similar position is required.
•  Experience in humanitarian operations in a field environment. Excellent knowledge of local institutions, politics and culture and context.
• Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint as well as Photoshop and/or other graphic design softwares.
• Adequate understanding of donor rules and regulations is required.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully initiate and maintain positive relationships with stakeholders e.g. donors, partners, iNGOs and local NGOs.
•  Demonstrated flexibility, creativity and enthusiasm and willingness to learn and to be continually adaptive within a dynamic and often self-directed working environment 
• Excellent written and oral communication in English and Arabic.
•  Excellent teamwork abilities, interpersonal and problem-solving skills, attention to detail and timeliness.
• Commit to working with program participants regardless of race, religion or gender.

SUCCESS FACTORS 

The ideal candidates will have a natural curiosity for articulating the development and impact of Mercy Corps’ programs on individuals and in communities. He/she will have the ability to work with tight deadlines and produce work of a high quality. He/she will also have excellent abilities to absorb and disseminate information. They will need an interest in exploring the work across our field offices and create assets and materials to best communicate that to the broader organization and our stakeholders. This candidate will have good partnership management and interpersonal skills and they should be dynamic, agile and be able to apply innovative approaches and strategic thinking, planning and monitoring frameworks

ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING

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 AND 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.

SAFEGUARDING AND 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 and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. By applying for this role an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or trafficking policy. 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. As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline (integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).

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.

LIVING CONDITIONS / ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

The position is based in Central Dafur-Umdokhon.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/short term assignment to a field posting. 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.