Program & Strategy Lead – Refugee Finance

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions
into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps has been present in Uganda since 2006, focusing its interventions on economic and agricultural development, food security and nutrition, governance, conflict management and humanitarian response. With funding from USAID, DFID, private individuals and private foundations including MasterCard, Mercy Corps has been able to work together with communities in Uganda to respond to the needs of our target population, which is focused on youth, adolescent girls and rural poor. In 2017, Mercy Corps had an impact on almost 1 million beneficiaries in Uganda through our work focusing on building resilience and enabling economic growth, improving opportunities to attain better health and nutrition, and improving governance and conflict management. Common themes include community engagement, inclusive development, gender, and working in partnership with local government, the private sector and civil society actors.

General Position Summary

The Program & Strategy Lead will lead the French Development Agency (AFD) funded Refugee Finance to Grow Incomes, Assets and Resilience through Bundled Services in Uganda (ReFine) and will report to the Director of Programs in Mercy Corps Uganda and collaborate closely with the Director of Financial Inclusion (TSU) on technical and partnership issues.

To implement the ReFine program, Mercy Corps will partner with Kiva, Urban Refugees (UR), and multiple financial service providers (FSPs) in Uganda to further develop and improve financial services for refugees and host communities. This is a unique opportunity with overall responsibility for program implementation and team management, partnership development with FSPs, and creation of a scale strategy to develop or improve products and delivery channels that better understand and respond to the needs of refugees. Having successfully implemented the ReFine program, the Program & Strategy Lead will play a foundational role in helping Mercy Corps to develop and implement a strategy to replicate and scale the model in other countries.

The successful candidate will bring in-depth experience of banking or microfinance operations, a clear understanding of, and vision for impact, and excellent leadership and management skills to support high quality execution and field operations. In doing so, you will work closely with MFIs in Uganda to deliver against program goals; ensure the program and partners understand and respond to the needs of refugees and host communities; provide excellent management oversight of a team of staff and consultants to ensure the highest quality program execution and that Mercy Corps measures and delivers impact; work with leadership colleagues to develop a sustainable long term strategy and partnership for scale; and write accurate and compelling reports and updates for donors.

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY AND VISION

• Ability to think creatively, and demonstrate laser like focus on impact and scale

• Take ownership of advocacy and communications focused program deliverables, including ‘state of the sector’ reports

• Work closely with key stakeholders to develop a long term scale and impact strategy for ReFine, that can be replicated in additional countries.

• Create a high profile for the ReFine program both in Uganda and across the wider sector. Engage and lead on thought leadership opportunities.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

• Understand and articulate the priorities and objectives of the program

• Develop, monitor and execute a results focused project plan

• Manage multiple and competing priorities across different workstreams including product development, training, and strategy.

• Provide technical knowledge and leadership, and contribute to technical work undertaken by program staff and/or consultants.

• Provide high degree of attention to detail, logistics, and planning to ensure high quality and consistent execution.

PARTNERSHIP MANAGEMENT

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with multiple external partners, including AFD, Kiva, UR, and 2-3 financial service providers.

• Communicate clearly and consistently with internal and external stakeholders

• Coordinate program activities across multiple implementing organizations and develop shared work plans, objectives and key results.

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

• Lead hiring process for staff and consultants

• Provide leadership and management to the program team, including clear objectives and key results, regular performance reviews and feedback, and support for ongoing professional development.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO DONORS AND 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.

• Take ownership of donor reporting, completing detailed, accurate, compelling and timely reports for AFD.

Supervisory Responsibility

Program team of five staff

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director of Programs.

Works Directly With: Financial Inclusion Director, TSU; Country MEL Manager; external partners;

Knowledge and Experience

• Strong commitment to using financial inclusion as a tool to serve the most vulnerable in improving their incomes and resilience.

• 7-10 years of experience in financial inclusion, preferably including experience working for a Financial Service Provider, ratings agency or financial inclusion consulting. Including,

• High degree of fluency in microfinance, digital technology or mobile money

• Experience or knowledge of human centered design

• Familiarity using integrated approaches and applying systems thinking and/or key partnership development.

• Familiarity with inclusive and gender-responsive approaches.

• Project planning and management experience

• Great people skills. Proven ability to build and manage strong working relationships in-person and remotely, and to build strategic partnerships with institutional partners

• Experience in East Africa, and preferably in Uganda and the local financial services sector.

• Ability to be dynamic, work flexibly and effectively in remote management situations, and manage ambiguity in the workplace

• Willingness and ability to travel frequently to project sites and field locations, including traveling to insecure environments, is required.

• Fluency in English is required.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position requires travel at least 30% time to program sites where living conditions may be exceptionally rugged or be in volatile environments where security protocols will need to be followed. Team members must be ready to deploy to field environments on short notice in response to any emergency or crisis. When in the field the team member must be able to work in remote settings, over weekends and/or evenings as required by the schedule, and in settings with limited infrastructure, food options, and living conditions.

Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.**