The Program Manager will assume overall responsibility for the management and implementation of the M-RED and Zurich Flood Resilience measurement (ZFRM) program in Nepal, and take leadership on program strategies, approaches and methods across the regional M-RED program, particularly with Timor-Leste. S/he must be a dynamic and effective manager who has a sound understanding of both disaster risk reduction and market-driven programming (at a senior level); will be responsible to generate high quality outputs and results; and, will have strong stakeholder management, team management, communication, and representation skills.

Project Management:

• Lead the M-RED and ZFRM (Zurich Flood Resilience Measurement Program) Nepal program team to conduct a comprehensive and participatory assessment of community vulnerability and capacity as well as an assessment of local and sub-national markets to determine high-value/ high-demand crops and livestock, services or process that are also suitable for disaster mitigation purposes.  Provide leadership to the regional program team on the VCA and market assessments including strategy, methodology, tools, work-planning and training staff.
• Lead the project team to develop DRR strategies with market opportunities so as to mitigate risk and build resiliency in ways that are durable and sustainable through activities such as bioengineering and land/watershed management and other complementary approaches both as a means of increasing economic opportunities and for the protection of current assets and future investments.
• Work closely with the Country Programme Director, MRED-Program Director, Regional Resilience Director and MERL advisor to ensure synergy of strategies between the Nepal and Timor-Leste MRED and ZFRM activities and to capture learning from shared approaches, and from differences pertaining to each context.
• Develop good collaboration with BRIGE Program Manager and develop synergistic effect on the implementation of both the program and develop harmony among field team member.
• Develop program document to meet the SWC compliance and maintain good relation with national level government and private stakeholders.
• Develop Influence strategies for national level private and government stakeholders and engage them to expand the nexus interventions beyond the program area.
• Lead the project team to work with target communities in a participatory manner to adopt durable and sustainable approaches to disaster preparedness, with a particular focus on mitigation, and, where appropriate, early warning and contingency planning.
• Work closely with the Deputy Project manager, research advisor and CCA and livelihood advisor, to ensure the program strategies and research activities are in line with the program.  Work with the Directors (MRED and Regional resilience) to capture these approaches from Nepal and assure lessons are shared with the Timor-Leste program team, and vice versa.
• Lead the development and maintenance of all project planning documents and processes, including detailed work-plans, engineering work plans and technical design plans, and M&E plan.
• Ensure monitoring of project activities is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts in order to assess effectiveness and impact and propose recommendations for improvements.
• Lead and ensure all program components are working jointly; DRR, Market system development, financial services, livelihood and CCA to increase the resilience of the vulnerable communities and systems.
• Provide technical leadership for the application of research methods with the external research partner during Nepal site visits, ensuring rigor of research approach while maintaining feasibility for the local context.
• Work closely with Finance & Compliance Manager to 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.
• Take lead, working with the Design, Monitoring & Evaluation Program Manager and M&E Officer, to design and coordinate needs assessments, data and information collection for on-going monitoring.  Provide support and mentorship to Timor-Leste team to conduct the same.
• Coordinate closely with all project personnel, including partner staff, other similar projects within and outside agency and other related stakeholders to ensure all objectives of the proposal and activities are met, and project outputs are clearly documented and results used to produce high-quality, well written, donor and internal progress reports.
• Organizes site-visits to the projects sites and host visitors including donor representatives and consultants, as needed.

Representation:

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with implementing partners, private sector partners, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met; including among stakeholders in Nepal but also across the regional program in Indonesia and Timor-Leste, as well as with the external research partner based in Bangkok.
• Participate in external meetings as requested by the Director of Programs/Country Director, and on behalf of the M-RED and Zurich team to present Mercy Corps’ learning from the ‘nexus’ approach of DRR, flood resiliency and economic development.
• Take leadership on strategic decision-making among the regional program team at all team events including annual program management workshops, assessment design workshops, cross-visits and other relevant meetings.

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.
• Recruit and supervise staff members, including setting program tasks to ensure the fulfillment of program goals.
• 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.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance & reach objectives.

Others:

• 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.
• Develop GESI integration plan, track progress and document GESI learnings on a regular basis.
• Other duties as assigned by Program Director- M-RED for MRED and Director-Regional Resilience for ZFRM program.

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 towards 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.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: M-RED and ZFRM Program Team.

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Country Program Director for all; Specifically Program Director- M-RED for MRED and Director-Regional Resilience for ZFRM program.

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Local implementing partner(s); private sector partner(s); and Mercy Corps DM&E, Finance/Compliance, and Operations team members.

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Country Director; Position Description; MACF grant agreement and policies; National staff policy handbook; Code of conduct and Mercy Corps policy and procedures.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• BA/S is required or MA/S is preferred or equivalent in, management, social sciences, international development or other relevant field.
• 7 years of experience of managerial experience in budget management, report writing and program coordination on development sectors specifically on DRR, Market System and Livelihood is required; experience working in resilience programming highly desirable.
• Strong management, team building, capacity development skills.
• Demonstrated experience and ability to professionally and appropriately represent the organization and negotiate and defend organizations’ interests to a diverse range of international and local organizations and other groups.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Excellent negotiation and representation skills and the ability to work comfortably with culturally diverse staff under tight deadlines and often stressful situations.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills strong organizational skills
• Proficiency in computer skills.

SUCCESS FACTORS:
The successful Manager will combine exceptional management skills and technical skills with a focus on innovative interventions to institutionalize market development approach. S/he will also have proven experience with providing technical inputs in market development programming, individual staff development, and strong mentoring skills. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.  The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

“Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision, and we encourage people from all backgrounds, especially women and members of disadvantaged groups to apply. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer”.

Interested candidates are requested to submit cover letter and Mercy Corps Application Form available at http://nepal.mercycorps.org by COB April 12, 2017 to the address below:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further selection process. Telephone enquiries will not be entertained.
Attn: Human Resources Department
[Please mention the title of the Position on the subject line of the e-mail while applying]
Email to: [email protected]