Vacancy Announcement for a Contract Director – Mercy Corps

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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 collaborate to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Mercy Corps began working in Kenya in 2008 to address the societal wounds following the 2007 post-election violence. Since that time, Mercy Corps has built a robust and diverse portfolio in Kenya that is working to address structural causes of poverty and injustice and to strengthen systems that enable men, women and children to access opportunities, participate in and contribute to peaceful democratic processes, and thrive in the face of ecological and social change. To do this, we deliver integrated programming to strengthen market and governance systems, address the root causes of conflict, and equip vulnerable populations- in particular youth, women, adolescents and marginalized communities- with the skills, opportunities and resources they need to be healthy, productive and to drive the development of their communities. We work closely with the private sector, civil society and governance structures at local and national levels to facilitate change and ensure that opportunities are inclusive of all Kenyans.

Programme / Department

Mercy Corps is implementing a multi-year, 12 million GBP Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) programme funded by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). This programme will engage local and national government, local civil society organizations and communities to mitigate the drivers, enablers and narratives of violent extremism in East Africa through support to policy initiatives, community engagement, and support to national civil society organizations in order to prevent the recruitment of vulnerable individuals by violent extremist organizations. The programme will work in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Uganda, through strategies adapted to the context and opportunities in each country to advance research, legislation and field implementation of programme activities.

The Position Summary

The Contract Director will provide overall leadership and oversight for the finance and grants management team under the CREATE programme, while working with Mercy Corps Commercial Contracts team in HQ to ensure overall contract compliance. S/he will empower the team ensuring that staff are familiar with policies and procedures related to finance and grants management, while providing quality control to ensure robust, flexible, and adaptive support to programme activities. The Contract Director must be fluent in compliance matters and help the senior management team to ensure the contract is implemented in accordance with contractual requirements, Mercy Corps policies, CSSF regulations, and local law, across 3 countries.

The Contract Director will work closely with the Deputy Team Leader who oversees technical programmes while reporting to the Team Leader. Three Major functions that support programme delivery will fall directly and indirectly under the Contracts Director 1) Grants and Sub-Contract Management 2) Financial Management; 3) Programme Compliance and Administration.

Essential Responsibilities

Grants and Sub-Contract ManagementThe Contracts Director will oversee the grants team, ensuring grants and sub-contracts are issued and managed in line with Mercy Corps and CSSF policies, and to provide quality control and risk management of the grant management function. Specially the Contracts Director will:

  • Review all RFAs and liaise with Team Leader, Deputy Team Leader and MCE for approval.
  • Oversee the grant management function, ensuring timely submission and approval of reports and advances to partners.
  • Draft all Requests for Grant Approval from the donor, as required by the contract.
  • Oversee the development of sub-partner grants and contracts, advising on the most suitable grant/contract mechanism for each partner.
  • Ensure activity or milestone budgets are developed and implemented accurately, providing support to the Senior Finance and Subgrants Manager in cooperation with technical teams, maintaining a master collation of partner budgets.
  • Provide leadership during grants close out and partner’s asset disposition.

Financial Management

In collaboration with the Finance and Compliance Director and the Senior Finance and Subgrants Manager, the Contract Director will be responsible for the financial management of the CREATE programme, including quality controls, cost reporting, forecasting and tracking. S/he will provide recommendations on the overall financial management and performance of the programme and work in close collaboration with Mercy Corps Europe team to monitor costs. Detailed duties include:

  • Regularly participate in calls with the MCE and with CSSF and support the maintenance and updating of the programme Activity-based budget and forecast
  • Conduct monthly ABB forecast review
  • Oversee responses to internal and external financial/compliance audits.
  • Mitigate project risks and protect the programme against fraudulent practices through adherence to the programme’s schedule of authorities.
  • Ensure strict implementation of a sound internal control system and take appropriate actions against any violation of the system.
  • Review Mercy Corps, and sub-contractor invoices prior to submission to CSSF for accuracy
  • Approve payment requests, and review and approve financial vouchers.
  • Release bank payments and hold bank signatory authority for the programme; provide quality control and risk management for finance functions.

Programme Administration and Compliance

The Contract Director will work with Mercy Corps Kenya Operation team, providing oversight and quality control for the administrative operations of the programme, including procurement, inventory management, and reporting. S/he will work with this team to ensure the CSSF and Mercy Corps standards. Detailed duties include:

  • Ensure programme asset management and disposition plans are in line with the CREATE contract.
  • Review the programme’s Exit Plan, and ensure actions are initiated in line with plan and CREATE’s contract, ensuring timely close out partners, disposition of assets, finalization of financial responsibilities and reporting.
  • Review/draft all requests to CSSF for procurement approvals.
  • Ensure programme procurement process are completed in a timely manner. Support in contract reviews.
  • Work with MCE to draft/review CSSF contract deliverables – including Quarterly Financial Report, Inventory and Asset Report.
  • Provide leadership during donor spot checks and in addressing any identified issues.

Team Management

  • Supervise the day-to-day performance of direct reports, ensuring that they understand their roles, coaching them to succeed and providing them with feedback and technical and administrative support that they require in meeting their performance objectives.

Other Responsibilities

  • Respond to urgent client requests, including budget scenarios, inventory disposition, scope of work development, and other tasks as needed.
  • Perform other tasks as requested by the Team Leader

Supervisory Responsibility

Finance and Sub-grants Manager and the Senior Finance and Grants Officer.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Team Leader

Works Directly With: Deputy Team Leader, Programme Partners, Mercy Corps Kenya Operations and Finance Directors, Tanzania Country Coordinator, Uganda Country Coordinator, Mercy Corps Europe Commercial Contracts Team.

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.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

  • Bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration, public administration, economics or other relevant field; advanced degree preferred;
  • Minimum of ten years of experience implementing donor-funded development projects, to include project administration, operations and procurement;
  • Detailed knowledge of donor rules and regulations, preferably with experience implementing a UK government-funded contract;
  • Minimum of five years of supervisory experience and proven ability to manage teams of professionals to produce key results;
  • Demonstrated record of results-driven project management and an ability to creatively solve complex organizational issues and foster ownership within teams; and
  • Strong writing skills and experience in developing budgets, reports and workplans.

Success Factors

A successful Contract Director will possess an exemplary professional standard of ethics as well as the willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures and external regulations. S/he will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interact effectively with internal and external stakeholders on sensitive and confidential matters is necessary along with the ability to navigate difficult circumstances with a calm demeanor, in an analytical and methodical manner.  A demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities is necessary.  A broad understanding of humanitarian and development programs coupled with the ability to analyze financial operational data and clearly present conclusions and recommendations is essential.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Nairobi.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations 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 organization 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, color, 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, program 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.

Travel Required

Yes.

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