CHARITY JOBS IN AFRICA

Organization: Mercy Corps
Country: Liberia
Closing date: 09 Dec 2014

This position is being filled pending anticipated funding and requires donor approval.

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps has been operational in Liberia since 2002, most recently implementing programs in food security, peace building, and youth empowerment. Currently, Liberia is the epicenter of a fast-moving regional Ebola epidemic, which also includes Sierra Leone, Guinea and Nigeria. To date, over 5,340 people have been infected, with over 2,600 deaths (18 Sept 2014) in these regions combined. As the Ebola epidemic spreads throughout Liberia, existing social and economic challenges are growing more complex, requiring adaptive and dynamic approaches to help support affected communities as they defend against, cope with, and recover from, this devastating disease.

Mercy Corps’ initial response to this emergency will engage youth to promote healthy behaviors within communities that will help reign in the Ebola outbreak, address food security gaps that emerge and maintain livelihoods that are beginning to decline.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Sub Awards and Compliance Director for Mercy Corps Liberia is a key position in the Ebola Community Action Program (E-CAP) a 6 month USAID-funded project, responsible for ensuring and facilitating the compliance of programs with donor regulations and requirements for all sub-grantees. S/he will report to the Program Director and work closely with staff dedicated to the program – such as, Finance Director and Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, and Liberia procurement and logistics offices, and consult regularly with Mercy Corps’ Portland HQ compliance and legal departments. S/he will also lead efforts to build the capacity of local NGOs to meet finance and compliance requirements of USAID and other donors, so that these local organizations develop professional personnel and systems which enable them to perform the functions of their awards.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Sub Awards Management

• Participate in the development of the overall programmatic strategy and the strategy for the subawards/contract program.
• Develop the E-CAP Subawards and Contracts Manual, and ensure that the E-CAP program is complying with the procedures and that the annexes are being used as applicable.
• Update the E-CAP Subawards and Contracts as needed with input from MC HQ.
• Participate in the design of RFAs/solicitations for subaward/contract opportunities, publication of RFAs/solicitations, issuing of RFA/solicitations packages to prospective applicants, manage the administrative process of receiving RFA/solicitations applicant and providing the applicants to the RFA/solicitation Review Committee, in accordance with the E-CAP Subawards and Contracts Manual.
• Administer subaward and contract solicitation processes in accordance with the E-CAP Subawards and Contracts Manual, with, for each solicitation, clearly defined and communicated steps for selecting, negotiating and awarding subawards/contracts.
• Review applicant organization’s budgets and budget narratives for completeness, cost realism and compliance with the solicitation budget requirements.
• Be responsible for pre-award financial review, as applicable, and other due diligence of apparently successful applicants.
• Select appropriate subaward/contract agreement type, provide HQ with the required information to draft subawards, and negotiate agreements with selected subrecipients.
• Work closely with the partner organizations to ensure they are issuing, managing and monitoring subawards and contracts in accordance with the E-CAP Subawards and Contracts Manual.
• Draft modifications to subawards/contracts, as applicable.
• Develop and conduct subrecipient financial and compliance training workshops.
• Review subrecpient financial reports/invoices for correctness and completeness and ensure that reports are submitted on time.
• Develop subrecipient monitoring plans, conduct financial monitoring of subrecipients and prepare financial monitoring visit reports (as applicable).
• Follow up on all subaward compliance issues and audits and document resolutions.
• Maintain subawards in the accounting system as well as subaward financial files in accordance with Mercy Corps’ Field Finance Manual.
• Process needed documents for subrecipient payments.
• Responsible for subaward financial close-outs, including ensuring that all requirements of the subaward agreement have been met and that subaward funds have been properly settled.
• Provide compliance guidance and consultations to subrecipients on a demand-driven basis.

Compliance

• Ensure that the E-CAP program is executed in alignment with the Cooperative Agreement and the applicable USAID regulations, staying abreast of changes in the regulatory environment related to donor/grant compliance; update E-CAP procedures as necessary;
• Help find creative solutions to issues that are compliant, yet facilitate the achievement of organizational development objectives.
• Review E-CAP program procedures, contracts and other documents for compliance requirements and ensure these requirements are met.
• Prepare prior approval, waiver and other compliance requests to the donor.
• Assist subrecipients, as needed with subrecipient compliance requests to Mercy Corps. Identify and communicate compliance risks associated with program implementation;
• Prepare and maintain internal and donor compliance-related reports.
• Work closely the Finance department to facilitate grant projections, disbursement and reporting, ensuring compliant documentation, and, as requested by the Country Director, investigate financial anomalies as per MC policies and procedures.
• Provide leadership and direction with regard to any grant or contract functions needed for the program’s success and to provide input on program functions.
• Ensure the compliance tracker for E-CAP is up to date and reviewed with the relevant departments on a monthly basis.

Team Management

• Create and sustain a dynamic and participatory 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 & 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.
• Ensure that all staff receive appropriate communications regarding their compliance assignments and responsibilities.
• Develop, update as necessary and deliver training programs and materials and ensure all staff are aware of the compliance requirements related to their position.

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: Grants and Compliance Managers, Officers and Assistants

ACCOUNTABILITY:

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Program Director

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Project Managers, Finance Director, Technical Directors, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, Operations Coordinator, Partner Organizations, and Sub-grantees.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• BA/S or equivalent in International Development or related field, and MA preferred;
• 6+ years of relevant field or management experience of complex, multi-dimensional programming including administering small grants in an international environment;
• Experience in grants design, negotiation, and administration is required;
• Proven success managing the administration and compliance of US government funding, particularly with the management of large USAID-funded sub-grant mechanisms of a comparable size;
• Proven experience managing complex teams in difficult environments;
• Demonstrated experience and ability to professionally and appropriately represent the organization and negotiate and defend Mercy Corps’ interests with a diverse range of international and local organizations and other groups;
• Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational, and prioritization skills are necessary;
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members is required;
• Experience working in complex environments, and accordingly under dramatically more complex USG regulations;
• Experience with emergency response programs and staff training and mentoring is preferred;
• Experience living and working in Liberia or the West Africa region is preferred;
• Fluency in written and spoken English is essential.

SUCCESS FACTORS:

The successful Sub Awards and Compliance Director will recognize that Mercy Corps’ ability to function successfully in Liberia depends on the ability to understand the context in which programs operate. Candidates will demonstrate leadership in self-management and diligence. S/he will put as much importance on safety measures as in program implementation and will have the ability to work on emergency program activities that build relationships and platforms for longer-term programming. This person must have the ability to provide leadership to team and build bridges to other program teams. The candidate will have excellent negotiation and communication skills providing continued development of donor and partner relationships and will bring a positive approach to the job, embracing challenges as opportunities to innovate. S/he will write well and communicate in a manner that is confident and clear, yet diplomatic, enabling him/her to forge positive working relationships with donors and other stakeholders and will demonstrate a strong commitment to teamwork, accountability and organizational learning. Finally, the successful Sub Awards and Compliance Director will work well under pressure in a fluid operating and security environment. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members make effective communication a priority in all situations and maintain a sense of humor.

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

The position will be based in Monrovia, and may require travel to outlying counties and communities throughout Liberia. The security situation is stable but could change quickly in localized circumstances, although general unrest is not anticipated because of a significant UN, US military, and local police force presence to maintain public safety. Monrovia is served by an international airport and has many hotels, restaurants and grocery stores. Health services are currently limited and while we have made provisions for emergency care, team members should not anticipate an environment where casual outpatient services are available. Because safe access to health services should not be anticipated, a degree of self-sufficiency in first aid and medications should be considered. Candidates must consider taking anti-malarials as a preventative measure and other measures to lower their risk of requiring medical services. Candidates with chronic health issues should consider disclosing and self-eliminating from this recruitment process. Currently there is an 11 pm curfew, which could change at anytime, and staff should expect some interruption of movement as the government manages the Ebola situation. Housing will either be at private residences as group housing or at nearby hotels. Traveling in and out of Liberia is increasingly complicated with many commercial airlines suspending service and many countries closing their borders (air, land and sea) to individuals coming from Liberia. Two commercial airlines continue to serve Liberia (Brussels Air and Air Maroc) and UNHAS is currently working to establish air service to Dakar, Senegal and Accra, Ghana.

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. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

How to apply:

Please apply directly at:
http://mercycorps.silkroad.com/epostings/submit.cfm?fuseaction=app.dspjo...