Haiti: Program Manager - Haiti

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY

Mercy Corps helps communities develop their own ideas to solve Haiti's most daunting problems by using innovative approaches to bring Haitians new social and economic opportunities and to make their country more secure, productive and just. Established in January 2010, Mercy Corps Haiti has offices in Port-au-Prince, Canaan, Arcahaie, and Mirgoane and more than 50 staff implementing programs in economic development, agriculture, natural resources management and humanitarian response. Mercy Corps economic development work is guided by the principles of pro-poor development and demand driven strategies. Mercy Corps takes a progressive approach to development that leads communities and entrepreneurs from relief to sustainable livelihoods to resilience.

Mercy Corps has received funding from the Government of Canada to implement a two and a half year project focused on reducing community violence. The core approaches of the program are improving relationships between the community and the police and providing alternatives to violence for young people. The project will be implemented in Carrefour-Feuilles in PAP, Canaan, Arcahaie, and Miragoane in partnership with the University of Waterloo, the Centre for Community Based Research and the Community Justice Initiative also out of Waterloo. Local NGOs will also be engaged in the implementation of the project as part of the sustainability strategy.

The Ann Viv Ansamn project will provide a special focus on youth (12-18) and young adults (18-35). They will be trained to undertake community designed and led research on the drivers of violence in their community, develop plans and activities to address those drivers and build social cohesion, build skills in restorative justice approaches to conflict prevention and resolution, and build skills that will increase their readiness to transition into the workforce, either through employment or through self-employment/freelancing. The project will be tailored for the specific contexts in each of the targeted communities.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Project Manager will be responsible for the management and successful implementation of Government of Canada funded Ann Viv Ansamn project. This includes ensuring that objectives are reached, expenditures in accordance with the budget and regulations, and learning is captured and incorporated into ongoing implementation planning and decisions. The Project Manager will serve as the primary liaison between Mercy Corps and the donor and Mercy Corps and all project partners and relevant government offices. The PM is responsible for the day to day supervision of the team and ensuring that the team has the tools and support necessary to execute their functions.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Project Management:

• Be responsible for overall leadership and strategic vision on the implementation, coordination and management of the project. Ensure that project implementation is responsive to communities and partners and aligned with Mercy Corps' principles, values and strategic plan.
• Monitor project's adherence to the grant agreement, Mercy Corps policies and procedures and relevant donor rules and regulations.
• Monitor implementing partners' adherence to sub-grant agreement and coordinate with partners' senior managers on a regular basis to ensure the successful implementation of the program partner's activities.
• Ensure a detailed Program Work Plan (PWP) is developed and updated regularly, with the participation of the program team and relevant partners and program stakeholders.
• Ensure very strong communication and coordination within the team, with other departments and with senior management.
• Monitor project expenditures and undertake monthly forecasts and budget vs. actual analyses.

• Ensure an effective end-of-program transition.

• Ensure participatory methodologies for project design, implementation and evaluation take place.

Team Management:

• Create a work atmosphere conducive to professional growth and development of excellent personnel.
• Implement and ensure all project staff effectively use the performance planning and management system, establish performance expectations and regularly provide constructive feedback to program staff and senior managers.
• Promote accountability by conducting staff performance reviews with direct supervisees and ensuring that supervisory staffs do the same.
• Contribute to overall Mercy Corps Haiti's team-building efforts and help ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision making processes.

M&E and Reporting (in coordination with M&E Manager):

• Facilitate the achievement of project targets and objectives and lead efforts to manage/implement an effective Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP), including conducting baseline, midterm and endline surveys.
• Ensure that timely and quality data are collected and generate practical information that can be used for ongoing project decision-making while also capturing results at the impact level.
• Ensure effective coordination and the sharing of quality and timely M&E data between implementing partners and the program's M&E focal point.
• Regularly communicate observations and analysis from assessment and ongoing M&E activities with the broader Mercy Corps Haiti and Mercy Corps HQ teams.
• Proactively manage internal and external communications, including writing program reports, and working with Mercy Corps' Media Team to develop media relationships and generate story placements.
• Assist with documentation and dissemination of institutional knowledge: case studies, lessons learned, and good practices in social innovation and economic development.

Coordination and Representation:

• Ensure representation and coordination as appropriate with donors and implementing partners, NGOs, and CBOs.
• Network and cultivate relationships with a broad cross-section of private sector entities, enterprise development practitioners, organizations, and other stakeholders to elicit feedback on the program and assess the potential for collaboration and partnership.
• Ensure regular meetings and calls with program partners to ensure good communication, share challenges and promising practices, and inform any mid-stream adjustments that need to be made to projects.

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 towards 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: Project team of 12-16 people in four locations

ACCOUNTABILITY:

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO:** Country Director

WORKS CLOSELY WITH: Mercy Corps Haiti program and operational team, Technical Support Units for Economic Development and Monitoring and Evaluation, and Media team.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• BA required in economic development, psychology, international development, or relevant field; MA/S preferred
• 2-4 years of experience preferred in project management and team leadership
• 2+ years of experience working with youth or conflict resolution or community development, particularly in higher-risk neighborhoods
• Professional experience in Haiti preferred.
• Outstanding interpersonal, customer service and partnership development and relationship management skills.
• Demonstrated experience in managing sub-grant partner agreements and building high performance teams.
• Demonstrated ability to write well in a range of styles (reports, official correspondence, stories, etc.) in Creole or French and good to excellent in English
• Proven ability to follow procedures, meet team objectives and work independently and cooperatively with team members and diverse groups of people.
• Demonstrated experience and ability professionally in representing the organization and negotiating and defending Mercy Corps' interests with a diverse range of government officials, local organizations and other groups.
• Demonstrated commitment to develop, acquire, document and apply best practices in related fields, and apply solutions to obstacles.
• French or Creole required, English preferred

SUCCESS FACTORS:

The successful candidate will be a detail-oriented, but adaptable self-starter with the ability to build a high performance team and implement a large complex project that delivers outstanding results. Creativity and entrepreneurial spirit will be vital in growing and sustaining programs. The candidate should be an exceptional communicator, with the ability to develop rapport with a diverse range of program participants, partners, local stakeholders and government officials, as well as produce clear, concise, and compelling communications. In addition, the ideal candidate will have a demonstrated interest in economic and international development, and be dedicated to Mercy Corps' mission of helping to build more secure, productive, and just communities.

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

The position will be based in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. The position will require regular travel (40-60% of time) to Carrefour Feuilles, Canaan, Arcahaie, and Miragoane.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

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PI96904330

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