About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
Program / Department Summary
Mercy Corps helps communities develop their own ideas to solve Haiti’s most daunting problems by using innovative approaches to bring Haitians new social and economic opportunities and to make their country more secure, productive and just. Established in January 2010, Mercy Corps Haiti has offices in Port-au-Prince, Miragoana, and Jeremie and more than 70 staff implementing programs for humanitarian assistance and recovery, economic development including cash programming and livelihoods support, agriculture, and disaster risk reduction. Mercy Corps’ work is guided by the principles of localization and demand-driven strategies, and supports communities and entrepreneurs along the spectrum from acute humanitarian relief to sustainable livelihoods and resilience.
General Position Summary
The Mercy Corps Haiti Country Director (CD) is an innovative leader responsible for resourcefully managing day-to-day operations in Haiti. This person has held senior roles in managing operations and/or programming in fluid environments and formulating strategic direction within a high-risk humanitarian context. The CD has supervisory responsibility for the country team and implementation of security protocols. The CD is responsible for ensuring the smooth functioning of the country program in compliance with local laws, Mercy Corps policies and procedures, and donor rules and regulations. They will also ensure that all Mercy Corps Haiti programs are implemented in accordance to PM@MC standards, ensuring a high level of program quality, and that programs are implemented on time, on budget, and on scope. This person will contribute to proposal development for sustainable, multi-sector programming, ensure accountability to program participants and donors, placing a high value on innovative solutions to relief and development issues and creative partnerships. Ideally, this person will have extensive experience and expertise in emergency response and rapid expansion of activities and support functions.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy & Vision
- Plan and communicate a clear vision for present and future program goals and strategies to team members and stakeholders that translates into concrete programs and work plans.
- Lead the country strategy development process in alignment with global Pathway to Possibility (P2P) framework, as well as annual implementation plan.
- Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions and resources to achieve program and agency objectives.
- Harness regional and global programmatic, operational, and other support to advance the Haiti team’s objectives through collaboration and development of strong relationships.
- Explore, evaluate and present new country and project funding opportunities that leverage impact and integrate initiatives and activities; support and direct related fundraising activities with both institutional and private donors.
Team Management
- Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
- Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
- Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
- Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
- Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.
Program Management
- In partnership with Director of Programs, oversee program quality and impact by ensuring programs are based on sound design principles and utilize Mercy Corps and donor required M&E systems.
- Ensure effective, transparent use of resources in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies/procedures.
- Oversee budget management of sub-grantees/sub-contractors, if applicable.
- Build and maintain operational systems that ensure proper administrative support for programs, as well as segregation of duties between finance and operations.
- Fulfill Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
- Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.
Finance & Compliance Management
- In partnership with Deputy Country Director for Program Support and Finance teams, ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.
- As needed, allocate resources to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.
- Build and maintain operational structures that ensure proper segregation of duties between finance, administration and logistics and fully support field programs.
Influence & Representation
- Represent Mercy Corps programs with humanitarian peers, coordination mechanisms, and national and international media, and participate in community activities as appropriate.
- Maintain productive relationships with internal and external constituents such as private partners, local governments, foundations, the private sector, and donors.
- Anticipate needs, understand diverse donors and contribute to shaping donor’s views on relief and development.
- Demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure.
- Maintain high ethical standards, exhibit awareness of team strengths and development needs, treat people with respect and dignity, and promote adherence to core Mercy Corps standards, Code of Conduct, and safeguarding policies by all staff and stakeholders.
Security
- Liaise with the Regional Security Advisor, Senior Director of Global Security, and Regional Director on crucial events, high-risk periods, incident reporting and security policy changes.
- Work with the administration team to continually revise policy and management, including housing and office leases and ensure that security standards are maintained at all premises.
Supervisory Responsibility: Temporary Deputy Country Director for Program Support, Director of Programs, Security Manager
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Americas Regional Director
Works Directly With: Deputy Regional Director, Regional Program Team, International Finance and Grants Compliance, People team, Ethics and Compliance, Technical Director and global Program Quality and Technical Support Unit, New Initiatives, Global Media and Communications, Global Policy and Advocacy, Global Humanitarian Response Team.
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
- MA/S or equivalent in social science, management, international development or other relevant field.
- 8-10 years of field experience in international relief and development programs, including demonstrable success in managing emergency response and complex development programs.
- 5 years of senior-level leadership, capacity building and field management experience.
- Capacity to respond to emergency and disaster response as appropriate.
- Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in emergency response preferred.
- Demonstrated success working effectively and respectfully with host country government, private sector, INGO, NGO partners and other stakeholders in complex environments.
- Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work.
- Proven skills in financial and grants management; prior experience with USAID, ECHO, GAC, UN agencies, private donors, and grant management is preferred.
- Strong interpersonal and supervisory skills, with a good understanding of and belief in diversity, gender and inclusion policies to ensure a work environment that is welcoming to all.
- Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
- Successful and proven negotiation, communication and organization skills.
- Previous work experience in insecure environments.
- Fluency in French and English (oral and written) required. Creole a plus.
Success Factors
The successful Haiti CD will skillfully represent programmatic priorities to donors and regional partners while providing effective leadership to the Mercy Corps program team. There is a significant emphasis in new business development for the Haiti program and growing the portfolio to meet the immediate and long-term needs of Haitian communities. They will have high emotional intelligence, sound judgment, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity building and 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.