Program / Department Summary

The District Implementation Team Lead will play a key leadership role in the implementation of Apolou/RCF programs in any one of the districts of Kaabong, Kotido or Amudat districts in which s/he is stationed. The $41 million USAID Food for Peace Activity (Apolou) and the $5 million USAID Resilience Challenge Fund (RCF) Activity support agriculturalists, agro-pastoralists, and pastoralist households living across the districts of Amudat, Kotido, Kaabong, Karenga, and Moroto in Karamoja.

Apolou’s goal is to “improve the overall food and nutrition security of vulnerable households in Kaabong, Kotido, Moroto and Amudat districts within the Karamoja region,” and has major 4 objectives as follows:

1. Inclusive and effective governance contributes to food and nutrition security
2. Adolescent girls, Pregnant and Lactating Women, and Children under 5 are nutritionally secure
3. Reduced incidences of WASH related diseases
4. Improved livelihoods and income support household food security

The RCF program works in the districts of Kaabong and Amudat, with the goal to “Improve the veterinary governance and increase public and private investment in disease prevention, surveillance, control and response systems to strengthen productive assets for improved resilience in Karamoja.” RCF has the following objectives:

1. Increased domestic resource allocation into animal health services in Karamoja
2. Central and local government develop animal health services capacity-strengthening plan for the Karamoja region
3. Disease control plan for economically prioritized diseases (PPR and FMD) developed and implemented
4. Private sector animal health development strategy developed and rolled out

General Position Summary

The DITL will be responsible and accountable to oversee that all programmatic activities are performed in target communities, using an “adaptive” management approach within the district they are responsible for. The IM will manage their team, mentoring the Program Officers / Assistants, to adopt an approach that mobilizes and adapts to the needs of different community platforms. The focus of the Implementation Team will be to develop core capacities of community group leaders, and systemic support structures of government extension agents and bodies, as well as the surrounding private sector. Through this approach, the Apolou/RCF Activities intends to sustainably strengthen the capacity of communities, supported by a functioning and responsive government and private sector support system.  The DITL will work closely with the Technical Team to implement high quality activities in governance, health/nutrition, WASH and Livelihoods, as well as work closely with the Gender & Youth, MEL, and Program Quality and Partnerships teams. The DITL will be responsible to ensure that high quality activities are implemented on scope and budget within their district

The District Implementation Team Lead will be the focal point representing the program in their individual districts with government and other civil society platforms, and will be supervised by the Implementation Director who will be the senior focal point for relationships with government and other civil society representation.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Support the Implementation Director in executing the vision and strategy for the program.
• Play an active role in identifying and developing initiatives that foster or improve strategic objectives of the program and the country office.

Program Management

• Together with the Implementation Director, the Technical Director and managers, and with the Gender, MEL, and Program Quality and Partnerships team, oversee program implementation, management, administration, and close-out of activities within their district. Together with the Implementation Director and Technical Team, lead the development of detailed implementation plans within their district, and ensure that program implementation is on time, on target and on budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts.
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
• Work closely with local government to bring them on as active partners to the program.
• Confirm participants are effectively targeted according to transparent criteria.
• Integrate facilitative approaches, gender and youth sensitivity, a resilience lens and capacity building into all activities as appropriate. Certify all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.
• Work with the Technical Team to ensure program strategies and activities represent global good practice in market facilitation, health & nutrition, WASH and governance.
• With the MEL Director and Manager, ensure program staff as well as sub-grantees adhere to USAID monitoring and evaluation requirements and that data analyzed is used to inform programming through adaptive management approaches. Support the CoP where necessary in donor reporting.
• Support the CLA Manager and the MEL team to identify key areas of learning taking place in communities, together with assisting the MEL team document these areas of learning
• Together with the Implementation Director, fulfill Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
• Represent the program within their district to government, donors and other high-level stakeholders.
• Ensure that program monitoring tools such as the Activity Tracker and Dashboards are populated on time, and that informed actions are taken as required as they emerge from these program tools.

Team Management

• Fully accountable for the oversight of their District Implementation team, including their capacity development and their facilitative and adaptive approach to communities.
• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Hire, train, coach and motivate their team.

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.

OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT

Finance, & Operations Management

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to programming and operations
• Manage program budget(s) as secondary budget holder
• Strictly follow Mercy Corps Fraud and Corruption Prevention guidelines.
• Chairing Field Office Management (FOM) meetings and liaising with the Apolou SMT and the Country Office SLT

Influence & Representation

• Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events, in close coordination with the Implementation Director within their district.
• Coordinate activities with consortium partners, subgrantees, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs.

Security

• With the Operations Team, develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members.
• Ensure that programs are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security.

Supervisory Responsibility

The DITL will be responsible for managing the District Implementation team and working closely with the Technical team to ensure that all program activities are implemented on time, with high quality, and ensuring that an adaptive management system is instituted. This will entail direct supervision of the Community Development Agents/Program Officers/Assistants within their district, and a dotted supervisory line to the Operations Manager. The DITL will remain in close coordination with the partners including the CSOs, Whave and Save the Children.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Implementation Director

Works Directly With: Technical Director and Technical Managers, the Operations Director, and the finance team.

Knowledge and Experience

• MA/S or equivalent in social science, management, international development or other relevant field [include technical fields as per program]. However, educational requirements will be relaxed for candidates demonstrating relevant experience.
• A minimum of 7 years of experience.
• Prior experience in managing USAID DFAP programs is preferred.
• Strong skills and a track record in strategic visioning, leadership, and inspiring teams.
• Effective personnel management, coordination, and decision-making skills, with proven ability to be accountable for all components of the program.
• Competent in building networks, strong problem-solving skills, and ability to influence with effective listening, persuasion, negotiation and other techniques.
• Strong understanding of USAID/FFP compliance issues.
• Persuasive written and oral communication in English, including report writing.
• Demonstrated technical expertise in one or more of the sectors described above.
• Experience in Karamoja preferable.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.

Success Factors

The successful DITL will combine strong management skills and experience in maintaining staff and partner relationships. S/he will have an ability to develop, implement and manage innovative programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region. S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams and capacity building, individual staff development, and strong mentoring skills. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail are essential.  The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The DITL is based in either Kaabong, Kotido or Amudat within the Karamoja region. Staff have access to basic services – medical, electricity, water, etc. However, recreational facilities are limited. This position requires travel within the district and in the Karamoja region (50%) and occasional travel to Kampala by road and internal flights to field offices in often-insecure environments.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/short term assignment 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.