MercyCorps, Program Manager (National), Deadline February 03, 2010.

Position Description

Job Title:         Program Manager, Agricultural Livelihoods (National)

Program:         SECURE – Sustainable Crop Production, Utilization, and Resource management through Capacity Enhancement in two Districts of Timor Leste 

Location:         Dili with frequent travel to Manufahi and Ainaro districts, Timor Leste

Program/ Department Summary:

Mercy Corps has been working in Timor Leste since 2005, with current programming focusing on Youth Capacity building, Environment, and agricultural livelihoods. In the SECURE program, funded by the European Commission, Mercy Corps will work with 4500 farmers, 59 Agriculture Extension workers of the Ministry of Agriculture, and women groups over a period of 3.5 years aiming at achievement of the overall objective of Improved agricultural production and storage and development of market linkages for food insecure communities while increasing household resource management skills for more stability against shocks. This overall objective will be achieved through the following expected results.

1-                  59 MAFF extension workers with increased capacity to provide specialized technical support to farmers in their geographic target areas

2-                  4,500 farmers with increased capacity in farming and storage techniques for improved production

3-                  30% of target households with increased  income from sales from crops

4-                  30% of target households with increased income from sales from crops

The SECURE program will be implemented in Manufahi and Ainaro Districts of Timor Leste.

General Position Summary:

The program manager will be responsible for the implementation of the SECURE program – both program design and field-based activities – working to achieve program objectives and targets.  Responsibilities will include staff supervision, reporting, budget management and establishing monitoring and evaluation systems. The Program Manager will take part not only in program implementation but also identifying needs and priorities for future program activities and designing appropriate interventions and longer-term strategies.

Essential Job Functions:

Vision, Leadership and Strategy - Under the overall Mercy Corps strategy, work with Director of Programs to communicate a clear vision of present and future program goals; provide leadership and direction; develop a program strategy in collaboration with key team members. Communicate strategy to all team members, local partners, local beneficiaries, local and central government and the international community present in Timor Leste.

Commitment to Quality Program Development - Assemble all components necessary to insure quality programming. Conduct regular field visits to ensure quality standards met.  

Commitment to Staff Development – Recruit and manage an informed, motivated and efficient national team with a particular focus on staff development. Conduct effective performance management.

Through Mercy Corps’ district coordinators, work closely on a day to day basis with local partners, IMM in Manufahi and HIR in Ainaro to insure quality implementation of the program, budget management, reporting mechanisms, improvement/development of M&E mechanisms, and improving overall staff and institutional capacity of both organizations.

Management and Administration - Oversee management of all field activities, including overall management of “Same” field office,  and necessary office functions for the SECURE program, ensuring high quality performance from staff and local partners and program delivery focused on planned results. Coordinate effectively with Program support staff in Dili office.

Finance, Compliance Management and Accountability - Coordinate and manage program budget within approved spending levels and ensure compliance with EC and Mercy Corps rules and regulations. Coordinate with finance Manager and team. Ensure effective co-financing relationships with complementary programs.

Representation and Diplomacy - With the guidance of the Country Representative, develop and maintain both internal and external relationships in the field to ensure optimum program success, including international and local NGOs, government officials, donor representatives, beneficiary communities, media and the general public.

Program Development – As integral member of Mercy Corps Timor Leste senior management team, assist in inter-program transitional activities, ongoing strategy and programming as needed.

Reporting, Monitoring and Evaluation – Ensure that M&E is integrated into responsibilities of all program staff. Build M&E support team to assist program staff and local partners.

Security – Active engagement in security management and compliance with all security protocols. Ensure all program planning and implementation take security management into consideration. 

Organizational Learning – As part of Mercy Corps’ agency-wide Organizational Learning Initiative, all team members are responsible for spending 5% of their work time in formal and/or non-formal professional learning activities.

Overall – Conduct himself/ herself in a manner professionally and personally to bring credit to Mercy Corps and in no way jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

Supervisory Responsibility: All SECURE program staff

Accountability: Reports Directly to: Country Representative – Timor Leste

Works Directly With: National, provincial and district representatives of relevant ministries of Timor Leste; representatives of European Commission, International NGOs, Food Security Working Groups,  other Mercy Corps programs, and Mercy Corps administrative and finance staff.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Degree in Agriculture or related field.
• Minimum five years experience with community-based program management.
• Experience working with government officials and integrating them into programme implementation.
• Experience building capacity of diverse team and Local partners.
• Experience in, or familiarity with, agricultural livelihoods programs and best practices.
• Strong writing, reporting, organization and communication skills.
• Fluency in written and verbal English.
• Previous experience working in politically sensitive and/or insecure environments.
• Previous experience working on similar programs in Timor Leste or region and Tetum / Portuguese / Bahasa Indonesia language skills a plus.

Success Factors:

The successful Program Manager will be familiar with the opportunities and challenges of agricultural livelihoods programming, with a strong combination of team leadership, grant management and reporting, and donor and government communication skills. The position requires an ability to think creatively about improving community livelihood security and promoting institutions for long-term agricultural and agri-business development. The conditions of Timor Leste demand someone who is flexible, culture savvy, and has the ability to manage programs with limited resources, infrastructure and means of communications.

Living Conditions/ Environmental Conditions:

The position is based in Dili. Frequent travel will be needed to Manufahi and Ainaro districts for program oversight for coordination and regular program updates at Mercy Corps’s country office. Reasonable and geographically appropriate means of transportation will be provided for travel to these areas.

Interested candidates (Timorese Nationals) can submit their CV and application through e-mail by sending to: JOBS@TL.MERCYCORPS.ORG with “Application for the position of Program Manager” in the subject line. Last date for submitting the applications is Wednesday, Feb 3, 2010.