Sahel Program Director

Sahel Program Director

Description

Position Description

Department: Programs function – West and Central Africa

Location: Dakar, Senegal

Employee Type: Full-Time, Regular

Risk Level: ☐ Level 3 ☐Level 2 ☐Level 1

(Level 3: Frequent contact with participants, direct contact with children, access to sensitive data, and/or high level of accountability.

Level 2: Some contact with participants; unplanned non-direct contact with children.

Level 1: Likely to have no contact with participants or sensitive data)

About Mercy Corps

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.

The Department Summary

Mercy Corps operations in West & Central Africa region consist of countries including Niger, Senegal, Nigeria, Liberia and Chad. Mercy Corps’ programs in West Africa are undergoing both momentous humanitarian crises and significant development challenges that offer the opportunity to empower people to survive through crises, build better lives and transform their communities for good.

The Sahel Program Director is part of the regional program leadership team who works closely with the Regional Vice President and Deputy Regional Directors to ensure that transformational change occurs through the combination of: programmatic impact in our communities; the ability to influence change makers at local, regional and global levels; and a restlessness to innovate in search of better solutions. They will provide strategic direction and support to regional and country teams to build an impactful portfolio that strengthens community resilience to conflict and climate shocks, aligning to Mercy Corps’ three P2P impact priorities of: 1) Addressing Urgent Needs: People’s immediate needs are met – enabling them to survive, recover, and build a better future; 2) Accelerating Climate Solutions: People can adapt to the immediate effects and long-term risks and impacts of climate change; 3) Driving Economic and Food Security: People have expanded security and opportunity through sustained access to food, income, and jobs. The Sahel Program Director will primarily focus in building productive relations with donors, partners, peer agencies and critical stakeholders to our work in the Sahel sub region. They will be responsible for the successful delivery of high-impact programming that is responsive to donor commitments and adheres to Mercy Corps’ program management standards. They will work closely with the Regional leadership team to ensuring the Sahel portfolio is set-up to deliver programmatic excellence through established and responsive systems.

Position Summary

The Sahel Program Director is a strategic position that has overall responsibility to lead external engagements in the region, new business development, program design, quality, implementation and compliance and business development for key country programs across the region (Senegal, Niger, Chad and beyond). The Sahel Program Director represents Mercy Corps in various platforms in the subregion including FONGA, donors, UN agencies and other key partners. The role supervises program/country teams, ensuring evidence-based and data-driven decision making, using existing systems and processes while introducing new ones as needed to strengthen efficiency, proper control and oversight. The Sahel Program Director is expected to maintain, adapt and expand the scale of portfolios through forward-looking business development strategies informed by regular engagements with donors, partners, peer organizations and coordination bodies in close collaboration with the Country or Program Managers in their respective countries. The Sahel Program Director works closely with other members of the Regional Team inspiring a focus on effective delivery and high impact for those we serve. The Sahel Program Director represents Mercy Corps at the highest level and is able to develop, articulate, deliver, and operationalize a strategic vision in line with context shifts and Mercy Corps’ global strategic direction.

Essential Responsibilities

Influence and representation

• Represent Mercy Corps programs with regional and international stakeholders in the respective countries and in the region/Dakar as needed in close coordination with the Country/Program leads, Multi-Country Program leads and the regional leadership team.
• Maintain productive relationships with internal and external constituents such as private partners, local
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