Deputy Program Manager -YOU-SB at Mercy Corps

Project Description:
With funding from the Department for International Development (DfID), Mercy Corps will implement the “Youth Stabilization Initiative for Borno (YOU-SB)”, which seeks to address the grievances and unequal economic opportunities that leave youth vulnerable to recruitment and radicalization by violent extremist groups. YOU-SB will support civil society, government actors, community and religious leaders, and youth to increase community resilience to prevent the spread of violent extremism in Borno State. By facilitating dialogue and collaboration among the stakeholders to prevent violence, the program’s goals are aligned with the objectives outlined by UK DfID 2014-2016 Operational Strategy, which aims to support progress in Northern Nigeria in order to promote regional stability in the Sahel. The proposed program will focus on both “push” and “pull” factors that drive youth to participate in violence, including governance grievances, unequal economic opportunities and vulnerability to extremist messaging. YOU-SB puts emphasis on evidence generation and program learning, and the key program components have the potential for smart, significant scale-up beyond the life of this initial eight-month program.

Position Responsibilities:
The Deputy Project Manager (DPM) will provide technical, management, and strategic vision to the implementation of the You-SB program by managing staff, national partners, and resources to ensure that the program meets performance-based targets on-time and within budget, as per DfID requirements. The DPM will coordinate and mobilize civil society, youth, government, traditional, and religious leaders to collaborate in identifying the root causes of youth participation in violence in Borno. The DPM will also support civil society to engage the government on planning for reconciliation and reconstruction.

S/he will ensure program funds are spent efficiently and maximize Value for Money (VfM), as per DFID requirements.  The DPM will supervise and build the capacity of key program staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations. S/he will support the Project Manager in liaising with donors, relevant government entities, public and private sector partners, and external stakeholders.

General Position Summary:
The DPM will provide technical, management, and strategic vision to the implementation of the You-SB program by managing staff, partners and resources to ensure that the program meets performance-based targets on-time and within budget, as per DFID requirements.

The DPM will supervise and build the capacity of key program staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations. S/he will support the Project Manager in liaising with donors, relevant government entities, implementing partners, and external stakeholders.

Essential Job Functions:

Vision and Strategy

• Review and revise the strategic plan, in the light of new opportunities (particularly for innovative action) and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Play an active role in identifying new initiatives that foster and/or improve strategic objectives of the country office, whether utilizing existing resources or requiring program/project development, in coordination with the Project Manager.

Program Implementation:

• Ensure effective implementation of the You-SB program, including meeting deliverables on time, within budget, and according to Mercy Corps and DFID standards.
• Ensure that You-SB is responsive in strengthening local capacities to implement evidence-based, community- led projects that address the drivers of instability in the region. This also includes working with implementation partners that are aligned with Mercy Corps principles, values, and strategic plan.
• Ensure the You-SB team adheres to DFID’s VfM principles (i.e. economy, efficiency, effectiveness, and equity).
• Monitor adherence to grant agreement, Mercy Corps and DFID policies and procedures, and relevant external rules and regulations.
• Oversee performance of partners and stakeholders and conduct frequent field visits to all project sites in the three Local Government Areas (LGAs) (Maiduguri, Biu and Damboa) in Borno State.
• Resolve partners’ problems as needs arise.
• Prepare specific conflict analysis reports on a periodic basis, either thematic or geographic in focus, based on the specific need and relevance.
• Serve as a hub for reporting of incidents from staff and partners.
• Meet with the government, civil society, security, donor, media, and private sector on a regular basis to collect necessary information.
• Provide advice to the Country Director/Project Manager on unfolding conflict dynamics.
• Contribute to the proposal and report writing processes by writing contextual analyses.

Personal Leadership:

• Demonstrate flexibility, resilience, and the ability to maintain positive relationships and composure.
• Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity.
• Demonstrate an awareness of his/her own strengths and development needs.

Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and Reporting:

• Facilitate the achievement of performance-based targets and outcomes and lead efforts to design effective, proactive, and iterative M&E systems following DFID’s logical framework.
• Oversee the production of high-quality reports on all aspects of the You-SB program in a timely and efficient manner.
• Ensure that M&E team members focus on assisting the program to generate practical information that can be used for ongoing program decision-making while also capturing results at the impact level.

Representation:

• In close coordination with the Mercy Corps Nigeria Country Director and the Project Manager,  represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO, and other relevant events in the field,
• Coordinate activities with partners, civil society, government officials, traditional institutions, private sector actors, as well as with other Mercy Corps conflict programs in Nigeria.
• Proactively form strategic relationships with private sector actors who have the potential to complement DfID funding.

Team Management:

• Implement performance planning and management systems, establish performance expectations with team members, and regularly provide constructive feedback on team members’ performance.
• Promote accountability by conducting staff annual performance reviews and ensure that supervisory staff does the same. 
• Contribute to country team-building efforts and ensure the integration of all team members in the relevant decision-making processes.

Program Support Operations:

• Coordinate with program, finance, operations, and administration staff to ensure effective systems are in place to support field activities including logistics (transport, warehousing and asset management), procurement, security, administration, and human resources.
• Help design operational policies and practices as needed and in accordance with DfID and Mercy Corps regulations.

Security:
Work closely with Mercy Corps Nigeria country team’s security focal person to develop and maintain systems that ensure the safety and security of the team in all aspects of their work.

Ensure that You-SB activities are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security management priorities for Mercy Corps staff, You-SB participants, and implementing partners, ensuring Do No Harm principles are strictly adhered to.

Organizational Learning:
As part of Mercy Corps’ agency-wide Organizational Learning Initiative, all team members are responsible for spending 5% of their work time in formal and/or non-formal professional learning activities.

Accountability:
To be accountable for ensuring all allocated project plans, risk plans and project documentation and files are accurate and up to date. Also, 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: Direct supervision of: Officers, Assistants. Reports directly to:  Project Manager

Works directly with: Mercy Corps Nigeria operations and finance team, as well as staff of other Mercy Corps Nigeria conflict management programs.
Knowledge and Experience:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in education, management, international development or other relevant field;
• A minimum of 4 to 5 years of experience, including 2 years in a senior management position, with experience working in in North-East Nigeria strongly preferred;
• Experience working in conflict mitigation, stabilization or similar programming;
• Experience managing and mentoring staff;
• Experience operating large, complex programs in an insecure environment is required;
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members;
• Strong understanding of DfID compliance issues; experience managing contracts and performance based payments is desired;
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English and Hausa required, including report development, writing and editing. Kanuri language skills is a plus.
• Strong management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues in a high security environment. Experience managing a multi-organizational team (international and national partners) is a plus.
• Experience coordinating with government partners to ensure program effectiveness and impact.

Success Factors:
The successful candidate will combine exceptional management skills and experience in maintaining DFID and partner relationships with a focus on innovative interventions to engage adolescent girls in informal education and skills building linked with private sector entrepreneurship and employment opportunities in a culturally and religiously conservative environment.  S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative and complex 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 and strategic vision are essential.

Living Conditions/Environmental Conditions:
The DPM will be based in Maiduguri with regular travel to Biu and Damboa LGAs in central and southern Borno. The DPM will travel frequently to program locations, where security may be particularly difficult at times.