Mercy Corps is an international organisation working in more than 40 countries around the world. It helps communities, particularly those most affected, to overcome crises and seize opportunities in the face of conflict and climate change in order to move from fragility to resilience. Present in Niger since 2005 and Mali since 2012, Mercy Corps provides emergency assistance to save lives and preserve livelihoods while working on the root causes of fragility. Our programmes have helped to improve the living conditions and economic development of hundreds of thousands of people.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps has been present in Niger since 2005, focusing its interventions on improving food security, livelihoods, gender, social cohesion, governance and emergency response outcomes. Mercy Corps has also been working in Burkina Faso since 2016 with activities in conflict research and livestock programming.

In Burkina Faso and Niger, few opportunities are available for achieving sustained livelihoods or meaningful social engagement for youth due to deeply entrenched and interrelated economic, political, and customary barriers at the household, community, and system levels. Understanding the extensive challenges associated with successful socio-economic integration of youth, Mercy Corps is leading a consortium of local and international partners to implement USAID’s Youth Connect (YC) Activity (2020-2025) to support vulnerable young people to engage in strategic economic and social opportunities. YC’s goal is to strengthen young people’s ability to resist the temptation to radicalize and participate in violent extremism. Concretely, YC will support 65,000 young people aged 15-29 to achieve their potential through engagement in a comprehensive and integrated program model. The target geographic area includes the East, Center-North and North regions of Burkina Faso.

The position

Mercy Corps is seeking a Deputy Chiefs of Party (DCOP)to lead the implementation of the five-year USAID-funded Youth Connect program in Burkina Faso, including the initiatives supported by the Crisis Modifier funds. USAID activated two Crisis Modifiers in August 2021 and September 2022 for YC to implement programming in support of 11,860 internally displaced youth and their host communities in the urban areas of Ouahigouya, Tougouri, Manni, Yalgo and Fada N’Gourma, to increase youth-led resilience to shocks and stresses among the crisis-affected households in Northern, Center-Northernand Eastern in Burkina Faso

General Position Summary

The DCOP will work in concert with the Chief of Party (COP), providing technical and operational management in support of implementation and overall consortium coordination. S/he will oversee technical areas that include youth livelihoods, Positive Youth Development (PYD), market systems, skills development, financial inclusion, and governance. Additionally, the DCOP will have experience in and guide the program in one technical area such as PYD, market systems, financial inclusion, community mobilization, conflict, governance and civic engagement. The DCOP will oversee programmatic and operational aspects of the program in Burkina Faso with responsibility for establishing and managing systems to ensure cohesion across all aspects of the program. S/he will support the COP in all technical, operational, and management aspects and ensure that all appropriate reporting requirements (technical and financial) as well as workplan and annual budget preparation are met. The DCOPs will report to the COP and one will be designated as Acting COP in his/her absence.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Program Management and Implementation

• Provide technical guidance to the program in one area such as PYD, market systems, financial inclusion, community mobilization, conflict, governance and civic engagement under both Youth Connect and Crisis Modifier funds
• Work with the COP and other DCOPs to adapt a coherent overall strategy for the program that is implemented in both countries providing leadership, mentoring, quality control and coordination to strengthen program outcomes.
• Support the Chief of Party in the adaptation of a program and structure that favors integration across all activities and implementing partners.
• Ensure that cross-cutting aspects of the program such as adaptive management, gender equality, female empowerment and male participation, social inclusion and resilience are included and well-integrated into the program strategy.
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and is consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, and quality standards.
• Ensure the close follow up of the conditions of implementation of the YC teams and partners in the geographic areas given the context of insecurity, with the security focal points of Mercy Corps.
• Liaise with Mercy Corps’ support departments (finance, operations, HR/Admin, security etc.) for operational support and of the program.
• In coordination with the Mercy Corps Niger/Burkina Faso Monitoring and Evaluation department, monitor the implementation of activities through regular field visits (if the context of security allows) and assessments to ensure program quality and impact.

Team and Partners Management

• Oversee program implementation team and partners (international and national NGOs and private/public organizations) in Burkina Faso, ensuring that all staff and consortium members are following work plans, activities are on schedule, and project deliverables are completed as planned.
• In close coordination with the implementation team and partners, oversee budget forecast and expenses monitoring on a regular basis according to the workplan and budget established and approved by the donor.
• Set up regular coordination meetings with the implementation team and partners to ensure monitoring of activities progress as planned.
• Develop and oversee the implementation of capacity building strategy for team members that promotes a culture of learning through systematic analysis and reflection of program data and lessons learned.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Internal and External Coordination
• Contribute to program visibility and advocacy work by assisting in the dissemination of program research and learning information. Represent Mercy Corps in forums with the broader humanitarian and development community.
• Active contributor and collaborator with regional and global counterparts to promote best practices.

Security

• Work closely with the Niger/Burkina Faso security focal points to develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members.
• Ensure that programs are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security.

Supervisory Responsibility

• Number of direct reports: Program managers YC, Program manager Crisis Modifier, Communication and program assistant.

Accountability

• Reports Directly To: Chief of Party
• Works Directly With: Sector leads/program managers, field teams, the MEL team, consortium partners, local government, other DCOPs, USAID and other stakeholders.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to

international standards guiding international relief and development work. We

are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Knowledge and Experience

• MA/S or equivalent experience in development, international relations, non-profit management, business, finance, agriculture, agribusiness, agricultural economics, or other relevant field;
• At least 7 years of relevant experience in relevant management, supervisory, technical experience working with programs of a similar scope and scale, at least 2 of which have been working in fragile or post-conflict states;
• Experience of working in a consortium of international NGOs;
• Demonstrated technical knowledge in youth livelihoods, agriculture, Positive Youth Development (PYD), market systems, financial inclusion, governance, community mobilization, countering violence extremism (CVE), or related fields; Demonstrated ability to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders, and to liaise with donors and HQ;
• Fluency in written and spoken French and English;
• Preference for experience with USAID-funded programs;
• Experience in West Africa, specifically Burkina Faso, preferred.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The DCOPs will be based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso is an accompanied location. Individual housing is available with freedom of movement beyond the house and office. There are international schools in Ouagadougou (French & American). Mercy Corps team members have good access to essential services, such as medical care, electricity, water, etc. International supermarkets and consumer goods are also readily available. Very hot temperatures prevail for large parts of the year and power outages are frequent.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside 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.

Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

Ongoing Learning:

In support of our belief that learning organisations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organisation 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 perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of 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 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 on the basis of 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 come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, programme participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. 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 to 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.