South Sudan: WASH Program Manager

Mar 9, 2017 | Mercy Corps
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General Position Summary
Mercy Corps has been working in Rubkona County since 2005 and in the Bentiu PoC since April 2014. As one of the leading NGO agencies providing WASH services, Mercy Corps is looked upon for reliable, timely and appropriate support to conflict affected populations in the upcoming years. Mercy Corps is currently implementing WASH emergency programs to: i) provide safe and sufficient water supply to affected communities inside the PoC and in Rubkhona County; ii) increase access to improved, sustainable, and culturally and gender appropriate sanitation services including wastewater management, vector control and mitigation of flood risks; iii) conduct Hygiene Promotion Campaigns with a strong focus on MHM.

The Program Manager will report to the Head of Office in Bentiu. He/She will be responsible in managing all the WASH activities funded by UNICEF inside and outside the Bentiu PoC. He will work more closely with the existing Mercy Corps WASH PMs to ensure that the resources of the program meet its targets and deliverables on time. The job demands regular interaction and coordination with the WASH partners and UNICEF and the PM shall coordinate activity implementation with these partners. This position includes, developing tools for assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring, capacity building of Mercy Corps staff, reporting, and evaluation of the program and preparing periodic reports back to donors. Candidate should have a wide range of WASH interventions experience, especially in IDP or refugee camp, peri-urban and rural contexts.

THIS POSITION IS FUNDED FOR 4 MONTHS


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 / Department Summary


Mercy Corps began programming in Sudan in 1985, and has been operating in states of what is now South Sudan since 2005; operations have continued since the independence of South Sudan in 2011. We have been working to meet people’s immediate needs, and with communities, to build local capacity and promote economic development, especially with the eruption of violence in December 2013. Mercy Corps South Sudan’s priority areas are food security and livelihoods (focusing on cash assistance, market-based solutions in agriculture and economic development), WASH, Education, youth development and conflict resolution. Mercy Corps has been implementing projects, which combine agricultural, economic development, WASH, Education and other humanitarian interventions to tackle the convulsive crises affecting vulnerable communities. Mercy Corps has worked to build relationships with local government and other actors, which has enhanced our understanding of local contexts and the multiple stakeholders involved. With the Peace Agreement and formation of a Transitional Government, Mercy Corps is expanding and intensifying multi-sector programming to rural areas in Rubkona and Panyijiar Counties, especially areas inaccessible in 2014 and 2015. From 2017 Mercy Corps plan to operate also in Equatoria States.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy & Vision

  • Provide program technical guidance, coordination, supervision and monitoring designed to meet program objectives, deliverables and goals.
  • Spearhead a WASH strategy for the Mercy Corps South Sudan Country Program designed to integrate with other sectors, namely protection, education and livelihoods.
  • Develop innovative models for WASH programming with linkages to reproductive health, child protection, gender-based violence and food security and livelihoods.
  • Analyze WASH needs and concerns, propose new areas of work to Mercy Corps, participate and in proposal development.
  •  Ensure inclusion of national technical staff and other key stakeholders into strategy process.

Program Management

  • Supervise and monitor the implementation of the UNICEF funded WASH activities, ensuring that all the activities are compliant with the grant requirements.
  • Work with Head of Office based in Bentiu to identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, donors, and other stakeholders.
  • Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
  • Participate in cluster working groups and meetings on WASH.
  • Develop surveys, need assessments, data and information collection, design interventions accordingly for on-going WASH activities to build the capacity of Mercy Corps staff, as well as project stakeholders.
  • Provide technical oversight to the field teams and mentor senior staff in the design of WASH activities.
  • Communicate grant work plans related to WASH to senior technical staff and to the Head of Office.
  • In coordination with the Head of Office and the Director of Programs, work with UNICEF grant holder and other relevant grant holder to ensure joint planning and grant compliance.
  • Work with the Head of Office to overcome implementation challenges based on practical solutions.
  • Ensure the tracking, monitoring and quality reporting of all WASH activities.
  • Complete budget pipeline planning, monitoring and monthly follow up in collaboration with Mercy Corps staff and in communication with the Head of Office
  • Ensure documentation and filing of project activities in compliance with Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
  • Understand and appropriate application of WASH in Emergency guidelines and promotion of best practices.
  • Understand and follow Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards.
  • Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy and Do No Harm principles.

Team Management

  • 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 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.
  • Other duties as assigned by the Director of Programs for South Sudan

Finance & Compliance Management

  • Prepare procurement plan based on project cycle for WASH interventions.
  • Manage grant budgets.
  • Ensure all necessary requests (procurement requests, purchase orders, etc.) are accurately prepared and submitted on time.
  • Ensure internal and donor compliance through a strong knowledge of UNICEF rules and regulations.
  • Stay informed of incidents as they arise through the field and are raised through the program coordination mechanism.
  • Enhance internal and external compliance through supporting incident-reporting mechanisms when needed.
  • Maintain and coordinate reporting and documentation of WASH activities.
  • Timely preparation bi-weekly, quarterly and interim donor reports for relevant activities under the guidance of the M&E Manager, Head of Office and Director of Programs.

Influence & Representation

  • Develop and maintain effective coordination with community stakeholders, government bodies/officials, civil society bodies and humanitarian partners with an eye towards long-term, cooperative and collaborative relationship-building.
  • Effectively represent Mercy Corps in coordinating bodies and other forums, especially the South Sudan WASH Cluster at field and national levels.
  • Participate in local coordination mechanisms

Security

  • Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country
  • Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

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.

Supervisory Responsibility
WASH Project Officers, Hygiene Promoters.
Reports Directly To: Head of Office – Bentiu  

Works Directly With: WASH team members

Knowledge and Experience
-       BA/S or equivalent in relevant field. Graduate degree or extensive work experience in WASH or public health related fields preferred.
-       5-7 years of water, sanitation, hygiene promotion and outbreak response experience in emergency and early recovery contexts.
-       Strong programmatic/technical background in a broad range of WASH in emergency and early recovery situations.
-       Demonstrated capacity in program management, budget management, planning, reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and team-building.
-       Strong oral and written communication capabilities, effective in coordination and representation roles, strong presentation and public speaking skills.
-       Demonstrated experience and abilities in donor and government relations.
-       Demonstrated experience in capacity-building of national and international staff.
-       Effective multi-tasking, organizational capacity, prioritization skills are necessary.
-       English (written and spoken) is required.
-       Works well in a fast-paced, multi-cultural environment. Flexible and able to handle pressure well.
-       Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members is essential

Success Factors
A successful candidate will have a strong technical background and will have demonstrated management of similar projects in the past. S/he will have the capacity to deliver and meet deadlines, be conscientious, with an excellent sense of judgment and have an ability to foster solid working relationships with communities, GOs, INGOs, and NGOs and other stakeholders. S/he will have an ability to work simultaneously on multiple tasks with strong computer literacy and exceptional organizational skills.


Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in (city, country) and it requires up to (insert %) travel to (insert locations).

This position is based in Bentiu, South Sudan with travel to deep-field locations in Rubkona County.    Accommodation in Bentiu is in containers/pre-fabs. Laundry, filtered water and cooking facilities are provided by Mercy Corps.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in 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

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in 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.