Deputy Team Leader at Mercy Corps

Location: Maiduguri, Borno

Programme/Department Summary

• With the insurgency affecting North East Nigeria and displacing millions of people, Mercy Corps is expanding its humanitarian programming to support the conflict-affected population in Borno. In response to the ongoing crisis, Mercy Corps is scaling-up food security, non-food items, nutrition, protection, livelihoods, and water sanitation hygiene (WASH) activities in Dikwa, Ngala, and Jere Local Government Areas in Borno State to address emergency needs.

General Position Summary

• Mercy Corps is looking for a strong deputy team leader to provide technical oversight and lead guidance to the implementation of Mercy Corps program in Borno state.

Essential Job Functions

• Provide technical supervision , guidance and development of policy and good practice of  Mercy Corps to the team
• Deputize for the Team leader and is ready to take on delegated responsibilities for overall management of the team upon request.
• Supervise the implementation of food security and livelihood activities, and formulate strategies and recommendations for response.
• Ensure that key learnings are extracted from program implementation, and incorporate them into ongoing program and staff development processes
• Work closely with Mercy Corps program teams to implement interventions of the program according to the approved work plan and budgets, project document and implementation strategies, providing a coordination role within the team
• Lead field reporting activities and prepare work plans, and monthly, quarterly and end of program reports in liaison with the Team Leader.
• Identify the capacity gaps among teams on the program and propose most feasible capacity building activities based on identified gaps.
• Provide technical input on all Mercy Corps programs and activities and ensures synergy to maximize program impact.
• Work closely with Monitoring and Evaluation team in setting baseline indexes of targeted areas and track progress against set capacity performance parameters.
• Actively participate in the periodic program planning, review and reflection meetings and sessions.
• Conduct program needs assessments.
• Build team capacity by mentoring and coaching program staff.
• Prepare accurate and timely reports and other project documentation and communication that contributes to a learning organization;
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Proposal writing, designing and implementing new humanitarian programs
• Actively represent Mercy Corps in technical working group or cluster discussions (food security, nutrition, NFI/Shelter, protection and/or livelihoods) and serve as Mercy Corps’ resource person.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not to jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
• Other duties as assigned.

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.

Knowledge and Experience

• Degree in International Development, Agriculture, Economics, Social Studies or other relevant field.
• At least 4 years or more program management experience with specific focus on food security and nutrition, livelihoods program, cash transfer and vouchers program, including experience in humanitarian, recovery and long term-development.
• An up-to-date understanding of multi-sector humanitarian programming, including food security, risk reduction, sustainable development and livelihoods concepts.
• Familiarity with the program compliance requirements and processes of different donors   is critical. Experience of working on USAID programs an advantage.
• Skills in technical proposal writing, designing and implementing food security and livelihood programs
• Excellent experience in conducting multi-sector needs assessments.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Experience working in an insecure environment.
• Ability to work well under pressure.
• Strong commitment to teamwork and accountability,
• Able to thrive in an evolving and changing environment
• Excellent communication skills in English and Hausa, fluency in Kanuri preferred.

Succsss Factors:

• The successful candidate will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity building.
• S/he will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level.
• Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.
• In particular, the successful candidate will be willing to travel to locations such as Dikwa and Ngala according to the needs of the Mercy Corps program. This will mean sometimes staying and working in stressful environments with very basic living conditions, strictly following security protocols at all times and sometimes working long and irregular hours.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. 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.