Thursday, June 4, 2015

Relief, Recovery and Resilience Compliance and Reporting Officer - DRC


Tracking Code: 219731-927

Job Description
This position is contingent on funding

PROGRAM/ DEPARTMENT SUMMARY: 
Mercy Corps has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since August 2007, with a staff of around 200 people working in North Kivu, South Kivu, Province Orientale, and Kinshasa. Mercy Corps’ national office is in Goma with sub-field offices in Katwe, Mweso, Butembo (North Kivu), Bukavu (South Kivu), and Dungu (Province Orientale). Current Mercy Corps activities focus on the provision of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in camps of internally displaced people, but also large-scale WASH infrastructure and service delivery development in urban centres. Mercy Corps also has Food Security, Economic Recovery/Development and Governance programs, with an increasing shift towards transitional and integrated development programming. The DRC team has a strong commitment to providing entrepreneurial and innovative solutions to development challenges, and is actively seeking and facilitating market-based solutions.

The Relief, Recovery and Resilience (3R) Division of Mercy Corps DRC responds to the emergency needs and contributes to building the resilience of conflict-affected populations to recurrent shocks. We primarily work with internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camp settings as well as hosting arrangements, returnees and people with specific needs. Our main sectors of intervention are Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Economic Recovery, Food Security and Livelihoods, and Non-Food Items (NFIs). We mainstream gender and protection integration across all our programs.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:
The Compliance and Reporting Officer will fill a number of program development, coordination and monitoring roles to ensure that adequate systems are in place across all 3R programs and that the teams can successfully implement activities on scope, on budget and on time.

S/he will ensure high quality and timely performance reports to Mercy Corps and donors of the 3R portfolio including, but not limited to, weekly program updates, monthly/quarterly, annual, and final program reports per donor requirements. The Officer will be responsible for collating and updating the programs dashboards that will include program management compliance status (including program file documentation, program manager certification, program documentation, program performance and financials). The Compliance and Reporting Officer will also assist with communications: s/he will assist in extending M&E and reporting activities including: responding to information requests, writing success stories, and monitoring and reporting on program impact.  S/he will coordinate with donors, partners and other NGOs as required by the 3R Director and will attend key coordination and advocacy meetings and prepare internal reports on those meetings.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Grants Compliance:
  • Provide technical and management support for reporting requirements to the 3R portfolio.
  • Prepare schedule of all official donor and partner reports and inform the relevant 3R counterparts about deadlines.
  • Review and coordinate all official donor reports for Mercy Corps-3R programs after drafting by program staff.
  • Ensure project reports comply with donor and Mercy Corps’ procedures and best practices.
  • Support 3R M&E staff and the Design, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (DMEL) Department in reporting duties including, but not limited to, responding to information requests, supporting the fulfillment of donor M&E requirements, monitoring and reporting on 3R program impact.
  • Draft program updates for donors and other key stakeholders.
  • Produce dashboard performance reports for all reports in line with Mercy Corps DRC’s Monthly Program Review Package requirements.
  • Produce other reports as required by supervisor.
  • Work closely and in coordination with Mercy Corps offices in the USA and UK to establish a strong working relationship with HQ program officers.
  • Build the capacity of DRC staff and local partners in the area of reporting to enable them to develop high quality reports and other documents.

Program Quality Monitoring:
  • Ensure that the 3R programs have sufficient systems in place to meet program management standards and comply with donor regulations and good practice, including a dashboard for reporting to senior managers/executives.
  • Coordinate with the team to ensure that the 3R program files are kept up to date and meet minimum program management standards.
  • Support development and implementation of program policies, protocols and systems.
  • Facilitate the elaboration of inclusive program selection criteria and methodologies that take into consideration the needs of different vulnerable groups, and monitor beneficiary selection processes to ensure that these criteria are followed.
  • Work with program staff to integrate quality monitoring processes based on protocols into program implementation, including internal and external reviews of program quality.
  • Ensure that program information shared with stakeholders is presented in languages, formats and media that are appropriate for, accessible to, and can be understood by the target population.

Representation and Communications:
  • Act as day-to-day representative of Mercy Corps to organizations as requested by the 3R Director (in association with the Country Director) including attending key internal and external meetings, as needed.
  • Lead the design and drafting of communications plan and material (annual report, social media, speeches, editorials, press releases, website content, newsletters, drafting success stories, and any other).
  • Other duties as assigned.

Program Development
  • Advise 3R senior management at the provincial and national level on strategic priorities.
  • Coordinate field assessments to identify new opportunities and partnerships in accordance with the mandate, objectives and guiding principles of the 3R Division.
  • Participate in the development, drafting and consolidation of project proposals and fundraising documents in close cooperation with country director and senior management to expand the 3R portfolio.

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: None
ACCOUNTABILITY:
REPORTS DIRECTLY TO:  Relief, Recovery and Resilience (3R) Director
WORKS DIRECTLY WITH:  Senior Managers of 3R Division, Heads of Offices, Operations Director (and associated Managers including HR/Administration Manager), Finance Director. 

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:         
  • Master's degree in one of the following: International Development or other related field
  • 1-2 years of experience with European and US institutional donors, including grants management, and proposal development.
  • Field experience in conflict and development environments. Exposure to gender, protection, and conflict mitigation and management programs.
  • Ability to work in a sometimes solitary environment with moderate to high levels of insecurity and significant restrictions on personal movement.
  • Advanced/fluent English and fluent French are required.
  • Ability to deliver high quality reports within short deadlines.
  • Demonstrable knowledge of DRC.
  • Ability to multi-task and juggle several tasks and relationships at one time.
  • Excellent communication skills, experience in representing an organization.
  • Demonstrated proficiency with the MS Office software (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is required.
  • Experience designing and implementing programs related to governance, participation, and accountability particularly in Africa.
  • Previous experience working with international organizations required.
  • Proven ability to work effectively in multi-cultural teams and with technical and administrative staff and consultants.

SUCCESS FACTORS:  
A successful candidate will have an ability to work independently, take initiative in tasks and self-learning, and be proactive in communications and development of professional relationships. S/he will be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment with demonstrated sensitivity to the people and issues in the region. S/he will demonstrate exceptional interpersonal, relationship and cross-cultural communication skills especially in high stress environments are essential for success. S/he will be committed to the values and mission of Mercy Corps; have the ability to creatively problem-solve, to juggle multiple priorities under tight deadlines and to calmly and diplomatically deal with unexpected and sudden events impacting program operations with patience, dynamism, tenacity and a good sense of humor.

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:
This position is an unaccompanied position. Shared accommodation will be provided in Goma according to Mercy Corps DRC housing policy.

Goma is a provincial capital of over 700,000 inhabitants. Living in Goma is comfortable, although water and electricity can be unstable. Outside Goma, travel can be dangerous and unpredictable due to armed forces and rebel activity.

While conditions in the country are improving, and security is quite stable in Goma, there are still pockets of violence and insecurity. Mercy Corps' sub-offices experience variable levels of insecurity, with the situation closely monitored by UN peacekeepers. Air travel is necessary to get from one end of the country to the other. Mobile phones and cellular service are widely available.  Internet is available in all Mercy Corps offices. Travel to field sites will be required where living conditions are clean and secure, but basic. There are a number of health services available with evacuation options for serious illnesses. There’s reasonable access to most consumer goods, although they can be expensive.

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 MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Job Location: Goma, , Congo - Kinshasa
Position Type: Full-Time/Regular


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