Job Description
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps partners with communities as they move from a place of fragility to resilience, meeting urgent needs while addressing root causes – always 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 / Team
Mercy Corps has been operating in Zimbabwe since 2002 focusing its interventions on a multi-sectoral market systems development and resilience portfolio mobilizing communities to promote small-scale agriculture and revive local economies. MC Zimbabwe seeks to support at-risk communities in Zimbabwe to move towards sustainable development through building resilience and strong inclusive systems in the face of climatic and economic shocks and stresses.
General Position Summary
Mercy Corps Zimbabwe will implement a 1 year USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA)-funded ELEVATE program to respond to households experiencing acute food insecurity by providing life-saving food assistance and support agricultural interventions to improve resilience of vulnerable households in targeted underserved pockets of rural communities. This position presents an exciting opportunity to lead the successful implementation of a program that cuts across agriculture and food assistance.
Reporting to the Team Leader (ELEVATE Program), the Program Manager will be responsible for the successful implementation of the program in the three targeted districts (Makoni, Mutasa, Mutoko) and coordination of the program activities. The position includes coordination between a variety of provincial and district stakeholders and day to day management of program activities and program staff ensuring appropriate systems and support mechanisms are in place to track, analyze and report on results. The Program Manager will be based in Mutare with more than 50% travel to the districts.
Duties and Responsibilities
Essential Job Responsibilities
KEY PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES
● Develop district implementation/activity plan(s) in line with project milestones
● Arrange and facilitate grant kick-off meetings with local authorities, government officials and other
development agencies as might be required.
● Assist in the development and documenting of standard operating procedures for registration and
distribution of value vouchers to targeted households during the height of the lean season.
● Oversee the day-to-day implementation of the project activities in the target areas.
● Monitor project budget and track all expenses to ensure efficient and effective use of available
resources.
● Assist in set up and response to project feedback mechanisms
● Mobilize all locally available resources in collaboration with the local authorities for the successful
project implementation.
● Participate in field level coordination meetings
● Ensure that all project targets are met on time, with efficient and effective use of available resources.
● Track and report on all project indicators as defined in the project proposal document.
● Compile and submit monthly, quarterly and annual reports as well as other reports as requested by
the Team Leader, Director of Resilience Programs or the donor.
● Prepare stakeholder and donor field visits to the project sites in liaison with the Team Leader.
● Participate and contribute to the country strategic framework on food security, assistance and
resilience programming.
● Contribute to project proposal generation or any other strategic document as may be requested by
the senior country management team.
● Network and liaise with other development agencies in the project areas and explore opportunities
for collaboration.
● Conduct himself/herself both professionally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and
to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission in Zimbabwe.
Qualifications and Experience
Knowledge and Experience
● Bachelors’ Degree in Social Sciences a must, MSc preferred
● Minimum 5 years of field experience in food assistance and resilience contexts.
● Experience with food assistance through vouchers and Resilience Design in Smallholder Approach
highly desirable.
● At least 3 years’ experience of project leadership with coordination roles or functions at the domain,
district or regional level.
● Budget monitoring and tracking ability.
● Strong planning and organizational skills .Experience in working with diverse project partners
● Good report writing, data analysis and research skills
● Fluency in written and spoken English, ability to speak and understand local languages.
● Proven capacity to work in a multidisciplinary environment
● Strong computer skills especially in MS word and excel
● Ability to troubleshoot, investigate and make recommendations for solving some of the problems
encountered during the implementation of the project.
How to Apply
How to Apply
To apply, please send one document that includes your cover letter describing your interest, qualifications, contactable references, and your CV to Mercy Corps Human Resources Department at zw-hr@mercycorps.org by COB 12 August 2022. Applications should be clearly marked with the position applied for in the email subject line.
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.
