Country Director Sudan

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

MC (Scotland) is currently implementing $5 million in grants throughout Sudan in emergency and early recovery needs while laying the groundwork for long-term development. MC (Scotland) work in Sudan has three major components: Humanitarian Activities, Civil Society Development and Economic Recovery and Development that span many sectors including agriculture, market and livelihoods development, water/sanitation, capacity building, peace building and emergency distribution. MC (Scotland) is committed to long-term programming in Sudan and has numerous opportunities for expansion.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Country Director is the top management position for MC (Scotland) in Sudan and includes providing overall leadership, management and strategic vision to the implementation of the programs along with shaping the strategic direction and management structure of the MC (Scotland) Sudan program. The CD will build upon the current program and utilize the strengths and experience of the current staff located throughout Sudan. As MC (Scotland’s) senior manager in Sudan, the CD will also be responsible for financial oversight, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, staff security, human resource management and representation in the field as detailed below. Working closely with the Regional Program Director, the Sudan CD will ensure that country program operations are of the highest quality and standards. The CD is required to work closely with Sudanese government organs at all levels, UN, INGOs, NGOs/CBOs partners and communities. The CD will supervise key program staff and ensure accountability to MC (Scotland) policies and donor rules and regulations. He/she will be the primary program representative to donors, relevant government entities, partners, other implementers and external stakeholders.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:Do This

Strategy and Vision:

Develop program strategies which animate and maximize internal and external resources and relationships. Formulate and plan, in consultation with key stakeholders, a clear vision of present and future program goals and strategies which can be clearly communicated to team members, local beneficiaries, international partners, governmental counterparts and donors. Take a leadership role among NGOs, closely monitor and contribute to the development of UN, Donor, Governmental, and Civil Society strategies and plans for Sudan in a complex operational environment.

Representation:

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 officers and staff, international and local NGOs, local and regional authorities, donor community officials, diplomatic corps and embassies, vendors, media and the general public. Maintain positive and constructive relationships with the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) and the Government of Sudan.

Personal Leadership

Consistently demonstrates flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure, even under difficult circumstances. Maintains high ethical standards and treats people with respect and dignity. Has high emotional intelligence and is awareness of his/her own strengths and development needs. Seeks to understand and address underlying causes of a problem rather than focusing on the symptom. Makes informed, transparent decisions in a timely manner and takes follow-up actions.

Program Implementation:

Translate the program concept and spirit into measurable activities / tasks for the program staff striving for innovative programming with practical and sustainable impact on the ground. Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners, and aligned with MC (Scotland) principles, values and strategic plan. Monitor adherence to grant agreement, MC (Scotland) policies and procedures and relevant external rules and regulations. Oversee performance of consortium partners and sub-grantees. Conduct frequent field visits to all project sites.

Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and Reporting:

Facilitate the achievement of program targets and objectives and lead efforts to design effective M&E systems. Oversee the scheduling and production of formal and informal reports on all aspects of the program in a timely and efficient manner. Ensure that M&E staff focus on assisting programs to generate practical information that can be used for ongoing program decision-making while also capturing results at the impact level.

Staff Management, Professional Development and Team building:

Lead a dynamic team of international and national staff striving to ensure adherence to MC (Scotland) policies whilst bolstering team spirit. Translate the program concept and spirit into measurable activities / tasks for the program staff striving for innovative programming with practical and sustainable impact on the ground. Implement, and ensure all staff are effectively using the performance planning and management system, establishing performance expectations and regularly providing constructive feedback. Promote accountability by conducting staff annual performance reviews with direct supervisees, and ensuring that supervisory staff do the same.

Program Support Operations:

Coordinate with program and finance and administration staff to ensure operational systems are in place to support field activities including logistics (transport, warehousing and asset management), procurement, security, administration and human resources. Propose design of new local policies as needed and in accordance with donor and MC (Scotland) regulations.

Security:

Work closely with the country team’s security focal point and the MC Regional Security Advisor, in collaboration with relevant UN agencies, to develop and maintain systems that ensure the safety and security of the team in all aspects of its work. Ensure that programs are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security management priorities.

New Initiatives:

In coordination Regional Program Director, HQ Program Operations team and other relevant personnel and counterparts, play an active role in identifying new initiatives that foster and/ or improve the strategic objectives of the country office, whether utilizing existing resources or requiring additional funding.

Organizational Learning:

As part of Mercy Corps (Scotland)’s 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.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

Mercy Corps (Scotland) 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: Key Program Managers, Finance Manager and Operations Manager

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Arica Director

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: HQ senior program officer(s), Finance Manager and (senior) managers, Operations Director and (senior) managers, HQ Program Operations Team members, TSU team members, RFO, Security Advisor, regional PALM Advisor and Regional Growth Officer.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• MA/S or equivalent in social science, management, international development or other relevant field.
• 7-10 years of overseas experience including five years in a senior management position and experience managing multiple sub-awards.
• Strong understanding of USAID, EC and UN compliance issues.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English, including report development, writing and editing.
• 7-10 years experience in staff team building, emergency and early recovery programming, local NGO capacity building and financial management
• Knowledge of Arabic preferable.
• In-depth understanding of cross-cultural and political issues specific to Sudan and relationship to South Sudan
• Expertise in civil society strengthening; experience in livelihoods, WASH programming preferable.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.

SUCCESS FACTORS:

The successful CD will combine exceptional management skills and experience in maintaining donor and partner relationships with the ability to achieve results in a highly challenging operating environment. S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative programs within the current and future program structure of MC (Scotland) in the region. S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural team and capacity building, individual staff development, and strong mentoring skills. Prioritizing, problem solving, flexibility and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential. The most successful MC (Scotland) 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.

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

This position will be based in Khartoum with frequent travel to field sites including Darfur, Southern Kordofan, and Blue Nile State and possibly eastern Sudan. Conditions while traveling will be basic. Located at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile Rivers, Khartoum is one of the more modern and safest cities in Central Africa with a large international community. The climate is hot and dusty. Individual housing options with most modern conveniences available provide for a comfortable living environment. There are both reputable international school and private health services. Khartoum is an accompanied location for spouse and children.

Mercy Corps Scotland 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 in-country venues.

How to apply:

Apply online at our website:
http://mercycorps.silkroad.com/epostings/submit.cfm?fuseaction=app.dspjo...