NATURE AND SCOPE:

Mercy-USA currently has health, nutrition, food security and livelihood, and WASH interventions in East Africa region. Under the general direction and guidance of the Head of Programs and Program Manager Implementation, the Project Manager will ensure all Mercy-USA’s assigned programs in Somaliland are timely implemented and of excellent technical quality, attract significant donor funding and contribute to national and global learning, advocacy and program development. The post holder is expected to provide technical advice and support to the program staff in the field offices to ensure programming objectives are successfully achieved. The post-holder shall also contribute to the development and review of the Mercy-USA strategic direction and actively participate in the development of programs policy and design.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Management:

• Oversee the effective and timely implementation of planned activities in the field with support of Coordinators and Officers at the decentralized level;
• Advise the Head of Programs, Regional and Country Office management on implementation of the Mercy-USA’s Strategic Plan and on the application of the strategic results framework and associated monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning requirements as relates to program activities;
• Responsible for leadership of the Mercy-USA assigned programs and for positioning the programs into national strategies;
• Assist the Country Office (CO) in project implementation for scaling up activities to address the needs of the most vulnerable groups; this could include pilots of innovative approaches which have the potential to be initiated or scaled up, in close consultation with Mercy-USA headquarters/Regional Office, government, clusters and relevant partners;
• Integrate and promote initiatives addressing the utilization pillar into the activities, such as behavior-change communications (BCC), sensitization and community-based information and training;
• Ensure program are compliant with donors and Mercy-USA policies and procedures;
• Provide day-to-day management and leadership for program teams in the field;
• Ensure the program operates within the approved budget and monitor and approve all budgeted program expenditure (budget holder);
• Ensure coordination and close collaboration with support departments, including MEAL, Logistics, Finance, and HR to ensure timely achievement of project outputs, including delivery of program supplies and staff recruitments, and that all operating expenses are within budgeted limits.
• Communicate and engage with the donor and other stakeholders as necessary to aggress the program operations and provide updates.
• Ensure cross-cutting issues such as protection, disability inclusion, SGBV, and exploitation are embedded in the programs to protect both the beneficiaries and the staff;
• Ensure that risk assessment is carried out for all project sites, and mitigation measures are outlined;
• Enforce the implementation of Mercy-USA’s AAP and child-safe guarding policy is enforced in program implementation and that beneficiaries and stakeholders have private channels where they can give their feedback.

Program Development:

• Stay updated on donor priorities and calls for proposals, and advise the Regional and Country Office on potential fund development opportunities;
• Pursue new and routine resource mobilization opportunities for Mercy-USA;
• Anticipate and assist in concept identification and development;
• Take the lead in needs assessments and technical design of the program activities, including work plan and budget development.
• Monitor humanitarian situation in the region, including initiating and leading needs assessments and advising the Senior Management Team (SMT) on response options.

Reporting, Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Frequent Travel to the field for monitoring and coordination;
• Ensure program activities are monitored and appropriate changes to the implementation are taken when required and report to the SMT, the donor and other stakeholders in a timely and appropriate manner;
• Ensure timely preparation, review and submission of quality progress program and finance documentation including progress/status reports, budget analysis, program analysis and assessment, and quality monthly, quarterly or annual reports as required by management, donors, stakeholders, etc.
• Ensure success stories are systematically shared and incorporated into the reports;
• Ensure and monitor donor compliance in the implementation and reporting;
• Work closely with MEAL team to ensure quality and accountability, including ensuring that lessons learned are documented and recommendations implemented.

Technical Leadership:

• Line management for project staff and support functions in the area;
• Supervise sector coordinators/officers (Health & Nutrition) and provide assistance to successfully implement current programs, ensure consistency with SOPs, and further develop and integrate these sectors where appropriate;
• Provide technical support, orientation and guidance to field teams, government officials, technicians and partners on appropriate technical and institutional capacity-building measures to achieve program goals and expand coverage of services;
• Lead and support the field team to develop participatory approaches for community involvement in education services;
• Ensure exchange of information, experience, identify new strategies, innovative approaches and courses of action to accelerate/improve delivery of services and accessibility, and achieve program requirements and objectives.

Coordination, Representation and Networking:

• Assist the Country Office in its coordination with the federal government, the states, the respective ministries, and other actors in the development of national policies and programs;
• Represent the assigned program/s with stakeholders;
• Interact with the key stakeholders including the Ministries of Health at the zonal and national level, the communities, and other partners, and support program ownership and partnership at all levels.
• Support the continuous evaluation of the program through periodic meetings, individually and in groups with the various sectoral team members. Lead coordination between Mercy-USA and other partners, NGOs, UN, and bilateral agencies in the different stages of program implementation, to follow up on implementation of recommendations and agreements.
• Communicate with donors as outlined in funding agreements, and support future resource mobilization efforts for the programs.
• Liaise with technical units/agencies, other NGOs, and research institutes with the aim of consolidating emerging scientific and operational evidence and data and integrate in the program strategies and guidance material for the field.

Academic

• Degree in Health/Nutrition & Dietetics/Public Health/ Engineering/ Program Management or another relevant technical discipline, Master’s Degree in the specified field will be an added advantage
• Professional qualification will be an added advantage

Experience

• 7 years in a similar position
• 3 years of direct experience in the coordination and implementation of health and nutrition projects
• Experience working in Somalia and Somaliland
• Should be fluent in Somali and English
• Experience in implementing FCDO, USAID, UN, EU funded projects
• Experience working with budgets, including managing financial outlays and expenditures
• Previous work experience managing remote field teams

Work-related skills

• Strong knowledge of the program management cycle, and related processes and structures for quality program management;
• Good organizational skills;
• Good time management skills;
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to lead and manage remotely;
• Ability to work in harsh conditions;
• Strategic thinking;
• Aggressive and Result Oriented;
• Able to meet set own targets and meet own targets on a monthly basis and follow up targets of reporting colleagues;
• Able to meet deadlines;
• Able to identify program challenges and plan and communicate alternatives for smooth program implementation;
• Courses or skills related to program management (such as PMP) will be an added advantage

Personal attributes

• Ability to work under pressure
• Trustworthy
• Team player
• Responsiveness
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Integrity
• Should be based in Hargeisa and be a Somaliland local