Job Details

Your next big opportunity awaits

Deputy Team Lead Policy and Institutional Systems

Mercy Corps | Lusaka

Mercy Corps

Innovating the future of tech solutions in Zambia.

Job Description

Job Description

The Position

The Deputy Team Lead (DTL) will provide technical and operational management of the anticipated MSD programme, to ensure the programme meets its targets and deliverables on-time and within budget. The DTL, working closely with the Team Lead (TL), will contribute to overall leadership, management and strategic vision of the programme with a particular focus on policy and stakeholder engagements. The DTL will be designated Acting Team Lead in the Team Leader’s absence, and represent the programme to donors, relevant government ministries and departments, partners, other implementers and stakeholders.

Essential Responsibilities

STRATEGY & VISION
● Support the TL in the development of vision and strategy for the programme
● Drive stakeholder engagements and policy analysis in support of enabling environment reforms
● Play an active role to identify and develop new programme adaptations that foster and/or improve strategic objectives of the programme.
● Pull in requisite technical and contextual expertise to ensure realistic strategy

PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT
● Oversee the technical and operational management of the programme activities across target sectors and geographic regions. Owning the technical approach and accompanying work plan to ensure effective implementation – including scaling/adaptation
● Work with the TL to oversee inception, programme start-up, management and administration. With the TL, ensure programme implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective MEL systems to manage adaptively and reach desired impacts.
● Ensure that programme implementation is responsive to communities, partners, and changing contexts, and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant programme guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
● Ensure programme activities support changes in local market systems that provide significant to benefit target populations.
● Integrate rights-based approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate. Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and accountability standards.
● Ensure programme strategies and activities represent global good practice for Market Systems Development (MSD)

TEAM MANAGEMENT
● Oversee the programme’s team and collaboration with partners
● Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
● Alongside the Team Leader, provide mentorship on Market Systems Development, support team capacity strengthening, and build a culture of collaboration and learning across program staff and partners.
● Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
● Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
● Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT
● Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps’ regulations.
● Create and maintain systems to ensure effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with programme, donor and Mercy Corps’ needs.

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION
● Ensure effective stakeholder engagement on enabling environment policies and reforms
● In coordination with the TL, represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events
● As deputised by the TL, coordinate activities with partners, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programmes.

SECURITY
● Work closely with the country team’s security focal point to develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members.
● Ensure that programmes are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security.

ORGANISATIONAL LEARNING
● As part of our commitment to organisational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organisations 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.

Supervisory Responsibility

Sector Leads, Geographic Area Coordinators

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Team Lead

Works Directly With: Programme Team including Knowledge Mangement, MEL and all finance and compliance; Country Director, Regional and Global support teams Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our programme 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

● MA/S or equivalent experience in Market Systems Development (MSD)business, agriculture, economics or other relevant fields
● A minimum 7 years relevant development experience, including at least 5 years demonstrated experience working with government stakeholders on policy reforms
● At least 5 years in team management roles with demonstrated ability to build and foster an adaptive team culture and a record of accomplishment in inspiring teams.
● Experience working on programs using an MSD approach strongly preferred
● Keen interest in adaptive evidence-driven programming, ability to foster learning and reflection and proven experience overseeing programmatic shifts/adaptations.
● Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with partners including the private sector, host governments, donors, other donor-funded projects and stakeholders, and local organisations.
● Experience with SIDA rules, regulations and requirements is strongly preferred.
● Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English Success Factors

A successful candidate will have a demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively with team members and other stakeholders of varied work styles and cultures, follow procedures and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving. Multi-tasking, prioritising, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Applications will be received until this position is filled.

Don't miss out on this opportunity!