Program Director - Market Alliances Against Poverty
Last Date: March 12, 2011
Position Description
Position Title: Program Director - Market Alliances Against Poverty
Primary Location: Marneuli or Tbilisi, Georgia
Position Status: full-time, field, regular, exempt
Please apply at http://www.mercycorps.org/jobs
PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:
Mercy Corps has been awarded the Market Alliances Against Poverty in the Kvemo-Kartli region (referred to as Alliances KK) program in response to the recent tender by the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC). The program will commence the inception phase for 7 months, followed by the implementation period of 29 months.
The program is focused on the development of the livestock sub-sector in the three municipalities of Kvemo-Kartli region and is implemented with strict adherence to the ‘Making Markets Work for the Poor’ (M4P) approach. Thus in accordance, it has a light-touch facilitation approach to intervention design and implementation and makes strategic investments in order to address systemic causes of market ineffectiveness and exclusion of small-scale livestock producers. The program is implemented with low visibility in order to safeguard these markets and clients from the dependency culture that pervades with traditional direct-approach projects. Alliances is focusing on three outcome areas in order to increase access to markets, information, services and inputs enabling them to increase their productivity and incomes to withstand shocks: Animal health, Information, Breeding and Nutrition, Market Access, and Terms of Trade, local government and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). In addition, the transversal themes of gender and governance are also strongly present in the design implementation and monitoring of the program. DRR is both a component and a theme.
GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:
The Program Director has supervisory responsibility for the Alliances KK Program and is responsible for management, vision and leadership of the program. The Alliances team will comprise intervention portfolio managers which are supported by technical advisors and support staff.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
Vision, Leadership and Strategy
Collaborate with and lead Alliances team members and partners to develop and draft annual strategic plans.
Facilitate team members to conduct detailed market research, intelligence, assessments and feasibility studies;
liaise with and engage market actors in the livestock sub-sector to find strategic leverage points for coinvestment;
design systemic interventions in response to root causes of market ineffectiveness and exclusion of the poor. Write intervention and investment plans, and implement interventions effectively though the M4P approach.
Oversee management of the client portfolio and make regular visits to ensure that interventions remain on track through program documentation mechanisms.
Create an organizational culture of professionalism, accountability, responsibility and quality of service.
Commitment to Quality Program and Staff Development
Establish leadership, direction and personal credibility national staff; implement and maintain a clearly understood chain of authority and accountability.
Assist Mercy Corps Georgia Tbilisi staff to maintain an adequate human resource plan consistent with Mercy Corps’ policies.
Manage with an emphasis on excellence and achievement; encourage a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation.
Recruit, manage and motivate an informed, skilled and efficient team; incorporate staff development strategies and performance management systems into team building process.
Reporting, Monitoring and Evaluation
Ensure programs are based on sound design principles, including need assessments and baselines. Utilize MC and donor required M&E systems for creating logframes for all interventions and design a realistic M&E plan for each program and the country’s overall strategy.
Establish and maintain effective and timely program/ grant reporting systems for all donors. Ensure program teams are responsible and capable of conducting on-going program monitoring.
Representation & Diplomacy
Oversee the activities of and relationships with three partners and sub-contractors. Review and alter contracts as necessary in relation to performance and objectives.
Develop and nurture culturally sensitive internal and external relationships and networks to ensure optimum communication and program success.
Build strong constituencies to include Mercy Corps headquarters and regional teams, international and local NGOs, government officials, donor community officials, diplomatic corps and embassies, vendors, media and the general public.
Fiscal, Compliance Management and Accountability
Coordinate Alliances budget; manage budget within approved spending levels and assist in the development of Cash-flow projections and spending plans. Oversee budget management of sub-grantees/sub-contractors.
Exercise sound judgment to ensure program expenses are reasonable, allowable and prudent. Ensure all program funds are spent in accordance with donor rules and regulations including private funds.
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: Responsible for all international and national staff working under the Alliances program.
ACCOUNTABILITY:
REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Country Director, Georgia
WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Alliances KK program staff
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
BA/S in agriculture and/or agribusiness; MA/S in related field preferred.
Extensive experience in developing agricultural markets and value chains.
Demonstrated knowledge, experience and familiarity with the Making Markets Work for the Poor approach required.
Knowledge and experience in disaster risk reduction, gender and governance as transversal themes in market development projects.
Entrepreneurial spirit, adaptability and an ability to think creatively around market development problems.
Excellent communication skills.
Preference given to candidates with experience in the region.
Fluency in written and oral English required; preference given to candidates with local language skills.
SUCCESS FACTORS:
The successful Alliances Program Director will be self-motivated, creative and entrepreneurial with a drive and vision to create market-led opportunities for actors in the livestock subsectors which benefit small-scale producers. S/he will be tolerant, and able to work in difficult and stressful environments, and able to follow procedures. S/he will be a natural leader with the ability to assist the team in processing information and making and owning their decisions, fostering an environment of cross-collaboration. The successful Program Director will therefore be focused on team-building and capacity-building of national staff, and will be able to apply creative solutions to program quality, teambuilding, and resource development challenges.
LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:
The position will be based in either Marneuli or Tbilisi, with travel throughout the three municipalities of Dmanisi, Tetriskaro and Tsalka. The Program Director will spend 80% of her/his work time in the project area.
Tbilisi is a capital of Georgia with comfortable living facilities. Marneuli is a smaller town, approximately 40 minutes from Tbilisi. Both locations are accompanied, although Marneuli does not have schools of international standards.
Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Staff are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all incountry venues.
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