Cash Transfer Program Officer at Mercy Corps

Location: Ngala, Borno
Employment Type: Full-time, Regular.

Program / Department Summary

• Mercy Corps has been present in Nigeria since 2012, focusing its interventions on humanitarian assistance, economic development, and conflict mitigation. With the ongoing insurgency in Northeast Nigeria causing the displacement of millions of individuals, Mercy Corps started its humanitarian response in 2014 to address the rising humanitarian needs.
• As the crisis has persisted, Mercy Corps’ strategy has also expanded to address the root causes of the conflict and seek to build the long-term resilience of communities with integrated programs focusing on governance, the recovery of markets and livelihoods, social cohesion and social protection, youth empowerment, and local conflict management.

General Position Summary

• The Cash Transfer Program Officer is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of multisectoral cash and voucher assistance activities using systems in place to support cash transfer programming in Northeast Nigeria (Borno state).
• The Cash Transfer Program Officer will work closely with the Field Manager, MEL team, and operations staff (including finance and operations) to ensure that activities are implemented according to schedule, budget and required quality.

Essential Job Functions
Strategy and Vision:

• Recognize opportunities to evolve the current humanitarian portfolio into a more effective and impactful portfolio addressing the changing needs of conflict-affected populations.
• Contribute to countrywide strategy development.

Representation and Coordination:

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with communities, local authorities and other stakeholders.
• Ensure effective coordination with relevant working groups, UN, ICRC and colleagues I/NGO agencies.

Program Management:

• Oversee the implementation of Cash-Based intervention activities and administration of the teams across program field locations.
• Develop activity work plans and manage day-to-day activity implementation.
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to community needs, meets targets, and is carried out in line with best practices.
• Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to vulnerability criteria.
• Establish and maintain effective program reporting, and monitoring and evaluation systems (to track, analyze and report on results) for both internal and external use.
• Integrate community approaches, protection mainstreaming, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate.
• Ensure program filing system is in place, adheres to internal and donor regulation and filing is regularly maintained.
• Adhere to all MC policies related to security, operations and transport/ logistics information related to programming.

Team Management:

• Supervise, hire, and orient team members, as necessary.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
• Identify any gaps or capacity needs within the team and ensure training and capacity building are incorporated into program planning.

Finance & Compliance Management:

• Ensure compliance with all donor and Mercy Corps regulations.

Security:

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Supervisory Responsibility:NA

Accountability:

• Reports Directly to: Cash and Voucher Senior Program Officer and Field Manager
• Works directly with: MEL Team, Finance, Program and Operation teams

Knowledge and Experience

• BA / BSc in relevant field required.
• 3 years of experience working on the development, implementation, administration and compliance of a field-based humanitarian program and familiar with cash and voucher assistance.
• Prior experience implementing distributions is required, preferably in conflict settings.
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders to identify beneficiaries according to criteria required.
• Experience with running assessments, monitoring and evaluation and other learning efforts required.
• Experience representing the organization and its interests to a diverse range of local and international government officials, local civil society organizations, other international organizations, the media and the public.
• Commitment to renewing and maintaining knowledge of best practices
• Demonstrated training and facilitation experience
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Demonstrated strengths in analytical skills, monitoring and evaluation, and report writing
• Strong interpersonal, intercultural and communication skills
• Excellent oral and written skills and computer skills
• Fluency in English; fluency in Hausa is required.

Success 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.
• 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.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

• Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges.
• We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
• We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

• Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have a sustained global impact.
• We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all.
• We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, colour, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics:

• Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity.
• We are committed to the core principles regarding the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary-General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members.
• As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.