Team Leader-BPRM 3 Kampala(Internal Advert)

Program Summary

Mercy Corps Uganda with funding from the U.S. Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM) in a consortium with the International Rescue Committee (IRC, as lead agency), Urban Refugees and Young African Refugees for Integral Development (YARID) is implementing a 34-month program entitled “Enhancing the Resilience of Urban Refugees and Vulnerable Host Communities in Kampala through an Integrated Protection and Livelihoods Approach targeting refugee host communities in Makindye and Kawempe divisions. The program has been running effective 1^st September 2019 with Mercy Corps leading on the implementation of private sector led livelihood activities, such as launching micro-enterprise grants, supporting extremely vulnerable households with unconditional cash transfers (UCTs), organizing structured apprenticeships that lead to employment, harnessing ICT to improve employability, leveraging social networks for information and opportunity exchange, and providing private sector-led business mentorship. 

General Position Summary

The Team Leader will be responsible for the overall management and coordination of livelihood interventions including cash grants to persons of concern (PoCs) and micro businesses, ICT Mobile Platforms, Social Networks Activations, Structured Apprenticeships and Mentorship. The Team leader will provide technical leadership, supervise program staff, and coordinate the implementation of all program activities to ensure the interventions are on time, on scope and on budget. The Team Leader will promote a culture of constant program improvement, mentor the program team, integrate monitoring and evaluation into program activities and ensure the delivery of high-quality program that delivers impact. She/he will also identify opportunities to operationalize recommendations from ongoing context analyses.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and support to program staff on budget management, monitoring and reporting activities in line with Mercy Corps program management minimum standards and donor guidelines and regulations.
• Provide technical feedback on monthly, quarterly narrative reports ensuring that objectives and targets are met.
• Prepare brief location-based reports on a monthly basis outlining strategies and identified contextual changes within the target communities, ensure that approaches are adapted to evolving dynamics.
• Assist in the coordination and analysis of needs and market assessments and surveys such as market assessments, and stakeholders mapping.
• Oversee participatory needs assessments and identify appropriate livelihood interventions to increase incomes for the host and refugee communities in the target locations.
• Responsible for planning and oversight of program activities and outcomes, including beneficiary registration, assessment and selection of participants who benefit from cash grants, ICT mobile platforms, structured apprenticeships, mentorships, social networking etc.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly expenditure forecasts and work plans for program activities to ensure that project remains on track against the forecasts and budget commitment tracker.
• Directly supervise the program team to ensure satisfactory completion of tasks and responsibilities at all times and identifying training needs, in coordination with the Program Manager.
• Ensure mainstreaming of age, gender & diversity during activity implementation to promote safe, dignified, and equitable access to resources and services for all.
• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with implementing partners, local governments, donors and other stakeholders to promote a positive profile of the program and good understanding among key stakeholders.
• Represent Mercy Corps at relevant meetings and forums, perform any other duties as assigned.

Documentation, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Take a leadership role in working with the SMEL Officer to develop a MEL system linked to indicators to measure program achievements.
• Coordinate data gathering and management with project staff and take overall responsibility for MEL, with technical support as required from the SMEL Officer.
• Oversee scheduling and production of formal and informal reports on all aspects of program, with a high level of quality, requiring minimal revision.
• Work closely with M&E team to capture data for measuring output and impact of social cohesion and livelihood activities.
• Prepare and submit timely weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports and work plans that will be indicative of program progress during implementation.
• Maintain a proper filing system of all activities implemented in the program.

Program Support Operations:

• Coordinate and with support of finance, operations and administration staff to ensure operational systems are in place to facilitate field activities including logistics (transport, warehousing and asset management), procurement, security, administration and human resources.

Accountability to Program Participants

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our participants 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. All Mercy Corps staff are expected to behave ethically and demonstrate highest level of integrity in their professional and personal life. Mercy Corps has zero tolerance to any form of fraud, corruption, abuse, harassment or exploitation. Any breach of our policies or misconduct will lead to disciplinary action or may lead to termination.

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.

Skills and Abilities

• Critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment. 
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented with proven ability to contribute to written reports and technical proposals.
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.
• High level of administration and management skills with experience in managing budgets, working effectively with local stakeholders and leading a team of staff and volunteers.
• Experience analyzing data and contributing to evaluation reports.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams).

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Microfinance, Entrepreneurship, Economics or any other relevant fields.
• 4 years+ related mid-level work experience with NGOs with focus on market facilitation or private sector led approaches or interventions.
• A dynamic, “outside-the-box” attitude is required, with proven ability to think and act creatively in challenging environments.
• History of working effectively and respectfully with government, private sector, INGO and NGO partners in complex environments
• Strong interpersonal, writing and oral presentation skills in English is a requirement; knowledge of other languages including Kiswahili, Arabic and French is an added advantage.
• Strong leadership and proven team building experience is a must.
• Possession of a valid driving permit class A and willingness to ride is desirable.

Supervisory Responsibility: Program officers (2), Program assistants (2)

Reports Directly To: Program Manager

Success Factors

The successful Team Leader will take a deep personal interest in humanitarian and development assistance. S/he will be creative and flexible, contributing to developing and encouraging new and innovative solutions, but at the same time will not have any difficulty in adhering to systems and procedures. S/he will strictly follow all protocols related to safety and security, and holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Mercy Corps’ values.

Closes: 5th August 2021