Program Manager- Energy Access in Emergencies

Sep 25, 2018 | Mercy Corps
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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

The Energy in Emergencies - Mitigating Risks of GBV (EEMRG) program is a 2-year initiative with the goal of improving the capacity of humanitarian actors to design sustainable, market driven, access to energy programs that are specifically designed to address the energy needs of women and girls, enhance their opportunities to play a central role in the sector, and help mitigate risks to GBV.  This will primarily be achieved through designing and delivering a curriculum in partnership with Mercy Corps Afghanistan, Jordan, and Uganda teams to humanitarian practitioners as well as working in collaboration with existing networks and communities of practice dedicated to increasing access to energy access in humanitarian settings.  

General Position Summary

The EEMRG Program Manager will be responsible for leading all aspects of the program.  The individual will provide day to day management of program activities, ensuring that the EEMRG  is delivered on time and on budget, provide technical support related to the program, ensure effective communication and coordination between all stakeholders, partners, contracted consultants, and the project donor.  

Most critically, the individual will lead the project's development of curriculum and tools to guide the design of Energy Access in Emergency programming; communication, coordination and co-design with country teams in Afghanistan, Jordan and Uganda; and delivery of the training to humanitarian practitioners in Afghanistan, Jordan and Uganda.  The individual will also be responsible for maintaining networks and representing Mercy Corps in energy access and humanitarian response communities of practice.

Essential Job Responsibilities

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

  • Overall management of the project
  • Establish project strategy with subgrantees and collaborating partners
  • Establish and maintain project work plan with subgrantee and collaborating partners.  
  • Maintain ongoing coordination with subgrantees and other partners

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

  • Assess current practice on energy access delivery models and program design in emergency and humanitarian contexts
  • Use existing guidance and best practices to expand energy access in humanitarian settings through market based approaches and evidence based approaches for energy access interventions as a tool for GBV risk reduction to create training modules designed for humanitarian practitioners.
  • Solicit peer review of tools with partner agencies and practitioner communities of practice
  • Test and adapt modules with practitioners in Afghanistan, Uganda, and Jordan
  • Develop e-learning version of curriculum

PROGRAM QUALITY, LEARNING AND COMMUNICATION

  • Program administration, reporting and communication with donors
  • Develop, conduct, and analyze field assessments
  • Develop monitoring and learning systems
  • Promote guidance and lessons learned
  • Highlight and incorporate best practices for safety concerning GBV risk reduction

TRAINING DELIVERY

  • Deliver tool development seminars
  • Pilot training modules in 3 field sites
  • Deliver webinars and briefings to promote the training curriculum and the associated e-learning course
  • Establish a dissemination plan with subgrantees and communities of practice

REPRESENTATION

  • Develop and maintain networks in energy access and humanitarian communities of practice
  • Represent Mercy Corps’ energy access in humanitarian settings portfolio including participating and contributing to regular working group meetings of key groups such as SAFE, GPA, MEI on behalf of Mercy Corps
  • Develop and maintain strong relationships with humanitarian stakeholders and energy access communities of practice and identify strategic implementation, research and private sector partners that can contribute to Mercy Corps’ portfolio development, influence and impact.
  • Participate in relevant strategic external working groups and fora to share Mercy Corps’ experience and promote thought-leadership
  • Maintain partnerships with key humanitarian stakeholders, including local civil society organizations.
  • Conduct himself/herself/themselves  both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

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

Consultants

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director of Energy, Environment, and Climate Technical Support Unit

Works Directly With: Y2G Senior Protection Advisor, EEC Senior Energy Advisor, relevant program teams

Knowledge and Experience

  • B.A./B.S or equivalent in a field related to renewable energy, socio-economic development, education, or business administration in a development context or related field required. M.S/M.Sc or equivalent preferred
  • 5+ years experience managing at least 2-3 projects (6mo. to multi-year in length) that include partner coordination and multisector approaches.  
  • Understanding of USG grants and experience with USG grant management of at least $1 million USD  
  • Proven experience developing and designing curriculum using adult learning approaches and human centered design.
  • Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences using training, mentoring, coaching, interactive exercises and other formal and non-formal capacity building methods.
  • Experience in managing project or business dedicated to increasing energy access and using market systems to bring energy access to scale is strongly preferred.
  • Proven experience with gender and age intentional programming for energy access. Preferred knowledge and experience incorporating gender analysis into assessments, project design, activities and M&E.
  • Experience developing GBV/protection mainstreaming tools, guidance and/or capacity building to assist practitioners working in energy access, livelihoods, or market system fields.
  • Understanding of humanitarian response governance structures and familiarity with best practices on engaging market systems in emergency, humanitarian, or early recovery contexts is desirable.