Field Manager at Mercy Corps

Location: Dikwa, Borno
Employment Type: Full-time, Regular

General Position Summary

• Mercy Corps is looking for a Field Manager that will be responsible for leading a diverse team and managing Mercy Corps operations and multi-sectoral program of Humanitarian Assistance, early recovery, and long-term development in the Deep Field Location.
• The field manager is responsible for project management, implementation of program quality, accountability and ensuring Mercy Corps policies and procedures are adhered to by all staff and contractors of Mercy Corps.
• She/he is responsible for enforcing strict ethical and integrity standards and ensures that those cases of violation of ethics such as fraud, corruption, and breach of code of conduct are reported, documented, and dealt with according to Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
• As the most senior staff for Mercy Corps in the Field location, the Field Manager is responsible for representing Mercy Corps. The post holder will represent Mercy Corps on the local government level on all coordination platforms.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Project Management:

• Oversee ongoing programs and startup of new programs in field locations.
• Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to achieve the desired impact.
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities, authorities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
• Fulfil Mercy Corps Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
• Conduct monitoring visits to the field sites in the communities to ensure that all targeted program beneficiaries are rightly benefitting from Mercy Corps interventions.
• Supervise and be responsible for all technical aspects of project implementation, ensuring that all interventions are completed in a timely, efficient, and accurate manner according to standard engineering methods.
• Ensure a safe working environment for all people involved in project implementation.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

Quality, Accountability and Compliance:

• Provide Field Leadership in the roll-out and implementation of the Community Accountability Response Mechanism according to established Standard Operating Procedures.
• Promote and encourage openness to welcoming feedback and complaints from beneficiaries and communities and learning from staff.
• Ensure that those cases of violation of ethics such as fraud, corruption, and breach of code of conduct are reported, documented and dealt with according to Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
• Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to established vulnerability criteria and Standard Operating Procedures.
• Ensure that Standard Operating Procedures for all program activities are developed and adopted, strictly followed in the Dikwa.
• Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity, resilience approach and capacity building into all activities as appropriate.
• Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources and timely, accurate and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.

Operations Management:

• With the support of the Senior Field Manager and Operations Team lead, ensure operation systems (procurement, transport, storage, communications, estate/buildings management, asset management etc) are in accordance with Mercy Corps systems and policies
• Ensure adequate operational systems are in place to provide adequate support to the field team.
• In conjunction with the Senior HR Officer and HR staff, ensure local recruitment is consistent with Mercy Corps HR recruitment policies, the legal context and local practice And that HR policies and procedures are understood by the project team and implemented.
• Provide leadership to the Field team, ensuring clarity over project plans and priorities, encouraging effective teamwork and inclusiveness, and building a team spirit through regular meetings.
• Oversee the administrative functions for the project team, line managing staff where appointed.

Security Management:

• Responsible for security management for the Field team, including providing inputs to the location-specific Security Plan, ensuring staff are fully briefed/trained on the agreed security measures appropriate to the area, staff understand individual and collective responsibilities for safety and security and ensuring incidents are reported, critical learning is recorded and corrective actions are taken.

External Representation:

• Develop and maintain good lines of communication and strong relationships with local authorities, partner agencies and the local community leaders in the area of intervention.
• Represent Mercy Corps to local authorities (whether formal governmental or informal Authorities), securing the necessary appointments for visitors and local authority approvals and attendance to Mercy Corps functions.
• Represent Mercy Corps to other NGOs, and visitors, ensuring coordination and constructive working relations and attendance at relevant inter-agency coordination meetings as delegated by the Senior Field manager/Humanitarian sustainable Solution Director.

Accountability:

• Supervisory Responsibility: Yes
• Reports Directly To: Senior Field Manager
• Works Directly Wit : Programs, Operation, Logistics and Finance

Knowledge and Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree.
• At least 5 years of field experience in Humanitarian and/or development programs, including demonstrable success in managing humanitarian programs in transitional environments
• Proven experience in managing programs in a relevant technical area(s) including E-Vouchers, Cash Transfers, Livelihoods, Financial Services, and/or services for Internally Displaced Persons.
• A strong understanding of conflict-sensitive program mainstreaming would be a key advantage;
• Strong field leadership skills and proven experience in managing diverse and multicultural teams that cooperate and deliver results.
• Must be a person of high morality and integrity standards both at personal and professional levels.
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage effective working relationships in a multi-cultural environment.
• Pro-active and able to work independently to complete project tasks.
• Attention to detail and ability to follow through on task assignments.
• Experience working in humanitarian context projects is essential.
• Maintain effective communications with the local authorities and local community.
• Supervise and be responsible for all technical aspects of daily project implementation.
• Ensure regular field monitoring visits of the targeted areas and provide on-job support & monitoring.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills inEnglish and Hausa language.

Success Factors:

• The successful candidate will provide effective leadership to the Mercy Corps program team in Dikwa.
• S/he will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, 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.

Security:

• Security in the field locations requires additional vigilance and accessibility will be reassessed continuously. Access to good medical services in the northeast is limited. Phone communication, internet, electricity and water are available but might be erratic.
• Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting. 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 locations.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

• The position is based in Dikwa, Borno State, Nigeria and it requires frequent travel to deep field locations in and around Dikwa

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.