Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action – helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Mercy Corps Nigeria was established in 2012 to respond to these challenges. The Nigeria team is headquartered in Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with offices throughout Nigeria delivering multi-sectoral life-saving humanitarian support, early recovery, and development programs. Specific sectoral work includes girls’ education and financial inclusion, community peacebuilding, market-based livelihoods, and a multi-sector humanitarian response. With the vision of a Nigeria in which all people are empowered, engaged, resilient and secure, Mercy Corps Nigeria focuses on the root causes of conflict, governance, humanitarian needs, and market systems development. Working with a diverse funding base, Mercy Corps empowers people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. We stand with Nigeria to find and access opportunities, and to be part of lasting and meaningful transformation in the country.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior Program Officer – Business Development

Requisition Number: SENIO002395
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Employment Type: Full-time

Program / Department Summary

• Mercy Corps Nigeria is one of the sub-partners in a CRS-led consortium planning to deliver a 38 million USD, 24-month humanitarian and early-recovery activity in Borno State titled Transitioning Households to Recovery from Vulnerability (THRIVE).
• THRIVE will provide context-specific multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance with the goal of saving lives and initiating early recovery in four wards in Borno State, Jere LGA: Mairi, Mashamari, Dusuman, and Maimusari.
• Across the 24- month period, THRIVE will reach over 300,000 unique participants with a humanitarian and recovery intervention covering ten sectors: Food Assistance, Health, Multi-purpose Cash Assistance, Shelter & Settlement, Nutrition, WASH, Protection, Agriculture & Econ. Recovery and Market Systems (ERMS).
• Other partners in the THRIVE consortium are WINN, Salient Humanitarian Organization, Justice Development & Peace Commission (Maiduguri) and Herwa Community Development Initiative (HECDI), Maiduguri.

General Position Summary

• The Senior Program Officer Business Development ensures implementation of THRIVE activities is on time, on scope, and on budget.
• Using effective systems to reach desired program impact, s/he is responsible for the daily, weekly, and monthly planning of staff, field volunteers and partners to fulfil THRIVE’s activities.
• Responsible for the day to day implementation of THRIVE program Early recovery and Market System (ERMS) activities in the assigned LGAs, the Senior Program Officer effectively coordinates activities and staff members working in the LGA, engages communities in program activities, manages the community, government, and partner relationships, promotes the effective integration of M&E systems into activities, uses data to identify and address program performance gaps, ensures quality program delivery, and takes a lead in addressing community concerns.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy & Program Management:

• Manage and supervise day to day implementation of THRIVE program Early recovery and Market System (ERMS) activities and ensure activity implementation is on time, on scope, and on budget.
• Lead and or supervise capacity building activities on business development and VSLA through formal training, on-job mentorship, and supportive supervision to ensure that it is adopted and practised.
• Support the design, formalization, and management of ERMS activity standard operating procedures, tools & activity workplans (Daily, Monthly and Quarterly).
• Support creation of multi-skills training and resources and lead the development and implementation of vocational skills, entrepreneurship, and other training modules.
• Lead the implementation of cash grants for livelihood start-ups among women and Youth.
• Coordinate and or supervise community mobilization and sensitization activities that promote ERMS activities.
• Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to established vulnerability criteria.
• Provide team members with information, tools, and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Raise procurement requests to initiate procurement process following MC policy and periodically evaluate and update project procurement and supply needs.
• Draft monthly financial forecast and quarterly financial need forecast in line with the detailed project activity plan/Monthly activity plans.
• Consolidate and submit quality ERMS and related activity reports (including success stories and lessons learned reports).
• Closely collaborate with nutrition and agriculture sector teams at the field level to ensure Early Recovery and Market System activities are nutrition-sensitive. Discuss and follow up on any technical problems and brainstorm solutions.
• With the support of the M&E team, monitor and report on program progress and submit weekly, monthly, bi-annual, and annual reports.
• Provide team members with information, tools, and other resources to improve performance and reach program objectives.
• Provide technical support to sector-related assessments, surveys, and research
• Serve as technical focal person for all field level engagements.

Team Management:

• Track project teams’ daily attendance and validate monthly attendance for the supervisee.
• Communicate with HR for necessary staff meetings, performance reviews, appraisals
• Work with the team to develop a detailed project implementation plan and orient the project teams on their roles and responsibilities
• Identify specific technical gaps in project implementation teams and in liaison with the Technical Advisor organize internal training for them.
• Organize area level weekly ERMS team meetings and provide feedback on improvements, gaps and standardization of the service provision and reporting.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.

Finance & Compliance Management:

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.

Influence and Representation:

• Identify, build, and manage collaborative partnerships with the community, government, private sector, and other stakeholders
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets are met.

Security:

• 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.

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 toward 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.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values always and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Business Development Officer, Assistants

Accountability:

• Reports Directly to: Early Recovery and Agriculture Program Coordinator
• Works Directly with: Program Team, Finance and Operations, Human Resources

Knowledge and Experience

• Minimum of a Bachelor’sDegree in a relevant field; MA/MS/MBA or equivalent is a plus.
• Minimum of 5 years experience in livelihood programming centred around early recovery and Market system development in a resource-challenged setting.
• Substantial hands-on experience in social and Behaviour change programming is required.
• Familiarity with the intervention areas.
• Knowledge of livelihood programming assessments and or surveys is a plus.
• Microsoft Office Skills (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
• Excellent analytical, written, and oral communication skills.
• Willing and able to be based within remote areas, where services are limited.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team, including cross-cultural teams.
• Fluency in Hausa, Kanuri and English.

Success Factors:

• The successful candidate will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity building.
• S/he 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.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values always and in all in-country venues.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:

• Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges.
• We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectivesand authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best workof their lives.
• We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable, and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

• Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have a sustained global impact.
• We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all.
• We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination based on race, colour, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics:

• Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we encounter through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants, or others, are treated with respect and dignity.
• We are committed to the core principles regarding the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary-General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members.
• As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times.
• Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Application Closing Date
25th May, 2022.