Program Coordinator - YES at Mercy Corps Nigeria

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.

Youth Empowered for Success (YES!) is a partnership with The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation, Kuza Biashara, and Harambee, which seeks to enhance employment for 25,000 young people in six African countries by 2018. Mercy Corps is the lead implementer in Kenya, Uganda, Liberia, Nigeria, and Tunisia. In Nigeria, the program seeks to link vulnerable youth in Lagos to entry-level employment, through training, skills validation, coaching and development of a pipeline of hiring private sector partners.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Program Coordinator - YES

Location: Lagos

General Position Summary

• The Program Coordinator will support the partner organization in Lagos in the implementation of activities that transition vulnerable youth into employment.
• This position will connect the partner to administrative functions in Mercy Corps as well as YES! leadership, coordinate monitoring, evaluation and learning, and support the program through development of relationships with government, NGOs, and private sector partners

Essential Job Functions
Strategy & Vision:

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.

Partner Support:

• Ensure implementation of activities is on time, target and budget. Manage sub-grantee activities including budget, implementation and reporting
• Support partners to maintain compliance with Mercy Corps and donor systems, and coordinate closely with other YES! personnel to ensure smooth communications and all objectives of the proposal and activities are met.

Program Support:

• Leverage Mercy Corps’ relationships to identify Nigerian partners – government institutions, NGOs, vocational training/skills centers, or other replicators – to participate in YES! activities, and help to build those relationships.
• Support advocacy to employers committed to competency-based hiring and educators committed to competency-based education
• Provide backstopping support for partner activities as agreed with the partner.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• In collaboration with partner, maintain YES! M&E Database, support deployment of baseline/endline surveys.
• Support documentation of lessons learned, and coordinate learning activities in collaboration with the Results, Learning and Research Coordinator.

Program Management:

• Oversee program startup and ongoing program management and administration of teams across various field locations.
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
• Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to established vulnerability criteria.
• Develop partners’ MoUs and contracts & oversee a training program for program partners.
• Develop program implementation strategies, including partnership frameworks, beneficiary targeting and distribution process as well as WASH, psychosocial and capacity building of partners.
• Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate.
• Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts.
• Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.

Team Management:

• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
• Finance & Compliance Management:
• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.
• Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.

Influence & Representation:

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
• Security:
• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

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.

Knowledge and Experience

• BA/S or equivalent in Education, Management, Business Studies, International Development or other relevant field. MBA or MA an advantage.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in skills building, employment, youth, and/or market development programs. Experience with private-sector led initiatives required. Experience working in the private sector preferred.
• Experience in M&E data and/or databases.
• Experience managing sub-grantees
• Experience working in a multi-organizational team (international and national partners) is a plus.
• Experience working with country-level ministries and government officials.
• Ability to mobilize resources from private sector groups
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English required, including documenting learning, report development, writing and editing.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, develop reports, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.

Success Factors

• The successful Program Coordinator will combine exceptional management, communication, and relationship-building skills, with an ability to think creatively about employment programming. 
• S/he will have an outstanding to supportively and diplomatically engage with partners. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.
• 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 at all times and in all in-country venues.

Application Closing Date
22nd December, 2016.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their CV's and Cover Letter in one document, addressing the position requirements to: [email protected]

Note

• All applications must include the position title in the subject line and not more than 4 pages. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
• We are an equal opportunity organization and we strongly encourage women to apply for this position.