Director of Programs – Partnerships

About Mercy Corps

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 / Team

Mercy Corps seeks to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression around the world. We recognize that instances of sudden change within a country or region are rare moments to enact significant, lasting change. Mercy Corps, with its global experience working in countries undergoing major transitions, brings knowledge, expertise and strong management skills to position the agency as a partner of choice for progressive change in Syria.

Mercy Corps has been responding to the conflict in Syria since 2008 by providing access to basic needs such as water, food, hygiene and household items, and shelter, as well as linking individuals and small businesses to economic opportunities and supporting protection and social cohesion.

Mercy Corps Syria recently revised its strategic approach in recognition of the protracted nature of the crisis, with an aim to partner with Syrian communities so they move beyond survival to productivity and self-reliance. To expand programming and holistically address the needs of communities, Mercy Corps has the following strategic objectives:

• Responding to immediate humanitarian needs
• Increasing economic opportunities.
• Improving social cohesion and inclusion; and
• Increased climate awareness and action

As part of the partnerships portfolio, Mercy Corps has led the Investing in Syrian Humanitarian Action (ISHA) program (funded by USAID/BHA) which is designed to advise, support, and coach targeted Syrian civil society organizations to better and more efficiently serve conflict-affected communities. The project takes a demand-driven approach to capacity strengthening, and utilizes creative methodologies for remote engagement, including both on- and off-line e-learning and broadening access to Arabic language resources for the wider Syrian humanitarian community. This partner-centered project takes a learning-by-doing approach to providing direct financial and capacity strengthening support to selected partners delivering humanitarian assistance in the WASH, Shelter, Protection, and Livelihoods sectors in Syria.

General Position Summary

The Director of Programs – Partnerships (DoP – Partnerships) is directly responsible for all aspects of program leadership, management, and implementation of Partnership Support Program (PSP) and ISHA programs. The DoP – Partnerships mobilizes the internal and external technical resources to ensure the quality delivery of programs implemented under his/her supervision; works closely with the Operations, Finance, Compliance, HR and Security departments to ensure that all of the programmatic aspects are compliant with MC and donor standards, rules and regulations. S/he ensures that the program team members are supported and resourced to deliver high quality humanitarian, early recovery/resilience and social cohesion programming in partnership with local organizations, with a focus on quality, risk management, capacity building, and Mercy Corps principles of responsible partnership. In collaboration with the Partnerships Director, the DoP will lead Mercy Corps’ partnership hub programming to seek a diversification of partners and programming opportunities in line with MCS’ strategic priorities focused on a longer term vision of resilience, recovery and social cohesion, alongside humanitarian assistance.

Essential Responsibilities

STRATEGY AND PLANNING

• Demonstrate leadership and adherence to Mercy Corps’ core values, principles and strategy;
• Lead on the partnership hub programmatic plan and communicate a clear vision of present and future program goals and strategies to program team members and stakeholders, translating into concrete work plans;
• Support overall partnership strategy within the hub and ensure adoption of approaches, policies and tools across teams and partners in collaboration with the Partnership Director. Follow analysis of the Syrian crisis, with an emphasis on programmatic operational areas and the impact of policy, political and military changes on the context, ensuring that this analysis is recognized and incorporated in planning for both short-term humanitarian and longer-term recovery and resilience programming;
• Ensure that all programs are implemented to the highest standards that adhere to industry norms/regulations, while working across challenging environments;
• Work collaboratively across departments to ensure that processes and measurements are in place to monitor evidence-building and strategic impact.
• Ensure all program management minimum standards are met including risk management.
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and aligned with Mercy Corps’ principles and values;
• Work in collaboration with program managers to identify new partners and programming opportunities in areas of geographic focus and in line with MCS’ strategic priorities.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

• Provide management and guidance to program managers, and guide the integration strategy across projects, including working with the PaQ department to ensure monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), gender and protection mainstreaming are integrated across the program.
• Direct oversight to ensure programs meet donor and internal obligations on scope, time and budget, including efficient coordination on common program, operational and funding issues;
• Coordinate and oversee grants developments and reporting deadlines – and any other tasks – in collaboration with the Grants team, to ensure timely and high quality inputs are provided.
• Coordinate and oversee program quality – in collaboration with the PaQ Manager and Technical Advisors, to ensure partnership programs are meeting minimum standards and are quality and evidence driven across all stages of the program cycle.
• Provide leadership to increase coordination, collaboration, communication and harmonization of partnership hub programming and operations;
• Facilitate sharing and learning – particularly on best practice in partnership programming – across different Mercy Corps offices and support teams to incorporate learning in project design and management;

FINANCE, OPERATIONS & COMPLIANCE

• Recognize the high level of donor scrutiny imposed on the Middle East programming and ensure continuing effective, transparent and responsive compliance mechanisms are in place;
• Maintain oversight of overall partnership hub program budgets, ensuring appropriate allocation of resources to meet program objectives;
• In coordination with relevant department leads, ensure adequate technical, analytical and administrative support for programs;
• In coordination with relevant department leads and program managers, ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations, including risk mitigation policy and others.

SECURITY and RISK MANAGEMENT

• Maintain oversight of access provisions to ensure Mercy Corps’ continued ability to access our most vulnerable and hard-to-reach participants;
• Regularly review the Crisis Analysis – Syria (CA-SYR) and other advisors’ analysis of security and its outlook in Syria and ensure that planning is consistent with them;
• Coordinate with the Security Manager on crucial events, high-risk periods and incident reporting.
• Engage in planning and dialogue with the Security Manager and other relevant staff to ensure that adequate risk management systems are in place within projects, including appropriate measures related to partner implementation;

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Lead a positive culture that prompts debate, creativity, accountability, ownership and teamwork.
• Promote high performance and excellence within a healthy work/life dynamic.
• 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 team meetings, conversations, and performance reviews;
• Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary;
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and 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.

Supervisory Responsibility

The DoP for Partnerships directly supervises the Program Managers (PSP and ISHA projects).

Reports Directly To: Partnerships Director

Works Directly With: Directors for Support teams, PaQ Director and Technical Advisors/TSU, Subawards and Compliance team, and coordination with fellow DoPs and Area Directors of MCS Hubs.

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

• BA/S or MA in relevant subject areas: international politics, local governance, civil society development, international development, etc.
• At least 10+ years of progressive program management experience, including supervisory experience. Remote management experience is an advantage, as is management experience of complex multi-dimensional programming including working in partnership with local civil society in an international environment.
• Proven technical experience in partnership approaches, civil society development and/or capacity strengthening of local partner organizations.
• Experience in transitional programming support to incorporate resilience, early recovery and development, alongside humanitarian interventions; with experience in managing of programming one/some priority sectors – including: food security, economic opportunities, water security or social cohesion.
• Experience in supervising diverse program management and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with colleagues in other departments or locations.
• Demonstrated experience and ability to professionally and appropriately represent the organization and negotiate and defend Mercy Corps’ interests with a diverse range of international and local organizations and other groups.
• Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational, and prioritization skills are necessary.
• Excellent oral and written English and Arabic.
• Knowledge of context and supporting program implementation in Syria preferred.

Success Factors

The successful candidate is a creative, fast thinking, experienced leader. S/he has a thorough understanding of what it takes to deliver impactful programs in challenging environments. S/he is an excellent communicator who can inspire broad and diverse teams towards achieving a shared goal and drive a fast-paced and adaptive program. S/he is able to create a stimulating working environment encouraging innovation and accountability. S/he will be able to understand the larger picture while remaining focused on the details and be able to balance upholding adherence with programmatic and operational standards with facilitating the implementation of complex programs. S/he has initiative, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity strengthening of local partners. S/he is able to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment and prioritize team-building and capacity-strengthening of colleagues and partner staff. S/he has excellent information management skills, is a strategic thinker. S/he has an outstanding ability to design, implement and manage innovative programs that respond to current needs and reinforce the future program structure of Mercy Corps in Syria.

How to apply:

Preferable to receive CVs before August 28, 2023.

*If you are interested, kindly apply as soon as possible, since resumes will be reviewed on rolling basis. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted before the submission deadline.

“Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision, and we encourage people from all backgrounds, especially women, to apply.”

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Amman, Jordan and requires up to 20% travel to support the country program, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited.

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 and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. 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.

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