Director of Programs – Haiti

The Position

The Director of Programs (DoP) will work closely with the Country Director (CD) and program team to lead new program development and ensure effective program coordination and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, quality assurance and accountability in close collaboration with the operations team. The position may be based in Port au Prince or remotely, with travel to field sites if the security situation permits. They will help represent the Mercy Corps programs to donors, other NGOs and stakeholders, thematic clusters, relevant government authorities, and other program partners.

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY & VISION

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Lead the identification of new initiatives and opportunities that respond to identified needs and the country strategy, in coordination with the Country Director and Program Managers, as well as the Regional Program Director, headquarters-based Senior Program Officer, Technical Advisors and other relevant staff.
• Support the development of solicited and unsolicited proposals and concept notes.
• Support the CD in the annual program planning cycle.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

• Oversee program startup and ongoing program management and administration of teams across various field locations.
• 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.
• Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to established and well-defined criteria and processes.
• Develop partners’ MoUs and contracts and ensure that partners are delivering in accordance with the agreements.
• Support the PMs and team in the development and ongoing refinement of implementation strategies.
• Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate.
• Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts (adaptive management).
• Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
• Conduct frequent field visits to all project sites for monitoring, quality control and program staff mentoring and coaching.
• Ensure that community feedback mechanisms are in place, functioning, and clearly communicated to staff and beneficiaries.
• Review all draft reports and ensure that reports are ready for submission to HQ on time.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• 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.
• Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.
• 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.
• Be comfortable and able to manage a team remotely and with limited travel based on the security situation.

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to programming.
• Review BVAs with Finance and Program managers to identify any issues and undertake any necessary budget revisions.
• Ensure program close-out begins in a timely manner to minimize any significant under or overspends at the end of the grant (i.e. final variance for all grants should be within 5%).

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

• Support the CD in representation in the various coordination platforms and ensure that the PMs are appropriately engaged in coordination mechanisms.
• Communicate effectively to external stakeholders Mercy Corps’ mission, programs, and achievements in Haiti.
• Ensure that Mercy Corps Haiti is actively engaged in the wider Mercy Corps community around technical and program quality practices.

Supervisory Responsibility

Program Managers, Communication Officer, Senior CARM Officer, MEL Manager, Heads of Office, and other staff as needed.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Country Director.
Works Directly With: All program staff, both national and expatriate in Haiti; HQ-based program, operations, recruiting, human resources, finance, and technical support teams

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• BA/S or equivalent in social science, management, international development or other relevant field. MA/S preferred.
• 5+ years overseas experience, including at least 3 years in a senior management position.
• Experience managing humanitarian relief and/or transitional programs in areas affected by insecurity and natural disasters.
• Previous experience working in Haiti or similar contexts strongly preferred.
• Proven track record in program design, proposal writing and development, and donor reporting.
• Trained and knowledgeable in design, monitoring, and evaluation concepts and methodologies. M&E experience should include conducting assessments and surveys, program design using a logical framework approach, selecting indicators, implementing monitoring plans, coordinating evaluations and data analysis.
• Experience supervising international and national staff, starting up programs and working in difficult environments.
• Experience managing programs in relevant technical area(s) including, Participatory Community Development, Livelihoods, Agriculture, Water and Sanitation, Economic Recovery, Women’s Empowerment and GBV programming, Peace-building, Civil Society Capacity Building and Youth.
• Knowledge of major donor requirements and compliance issues.
• Strong management skills with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meets deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• History of working effectively with host country government, national and international NGO partners, and collaborating with other actors, including the private sector.
• Solid knowledge of and experience with security protocols is essential.
• Fluency in written and oral French and English is required.

Success Factors

A successful candidate will be conscientious, with excellent judgment and will display an entrepreneurial spirit that is both creative and flexible. S/he will combine strong communication skills, creativity, initiative, participatory leadership and tactful decisiveness to assist in the development and implementation of Mercy Corps’ country strategy. Prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential. The individual will be a strategic thinker able to bring ideas to implementation in growing program operations. They will have exceptional proposal development skills and an outstanding ability to design, implement and manage innovative programs that respond to current needs. An interest and ability to travel and work in remote environments, and awareness of and sensitivity to multicultural international development work and ability to train and facilitate dialogue among a diverse group of individuals with various skill sets and working styles is required. An even temperament and a good sense of humor are appreciated.