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
