Mercy Corps Hiring Program Assistant-Marsabit

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Description

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

Program / Department

Promoting Resilience Inclusivity & Meaningful Engagements(PRIME) by Empowering Youth Futures in Kenya, a four year 2 million USD initiative with a goal of consolidating the gains made in adolescent empowerment and healthy communities achieved through previous interventions under the GIRL H and GIRL LMS Programs at Mercy Corps while also accelerating social change through a stronger enabling environment that allows us to ensure that 10,000 adolescents and young people access opportunities, services and support to achieve their potential and live healthier lives. This program presents a unique opportunity to build on the significant gains realized over five years of related programming. The PRIME Program seeks to recruit a competent Human resource with skills, experience and capacity to fill the Program Assistant role who will support Program implementation in Marsabit County.

The Position Summary

The Program Assistant will be responsible for leading the community in the implementation of the PRIME Program, a 4-year Swinmurn Family Foundation Funded Program, aimed at empowering young people in Isiolo and Marsabit counties to prosper. Program Assistant will support implementation strategies in coordination with the Senior Program Officer and Program Manager who will train staff and partners, providing them with technical assistance; and ensuring that common strategies and approaches are applied consistently in all communities. The Program Assistant will coordinate closely with the M&E team to ensure that systems are in place to track, analyze and report results. The Program assistant will lead implementation of PRIME program at the community level keeping the grass roots context of implementation into play with program strategy and ensuring that the program buy in, and implementation are aligned.

Essential Job Responsibilities

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

• Working closely with the Program team the Program assistant will contribute to Teamwork plans and guide successful implementation of PRIME activities.
• Working with the Senior Program Officer, the program assistant will support in implementation of PRIME activities to achieve the intended program deliverables.
• Support the Senior Program Officer with conducting training for FAs, CHPs etc. to deliver technical curricula to adolescents and young people.
• In coordination with the Senior Program Officer, monitor the implementation of activities through regular field visits and assessments to ensure program quality and impact and document successes and lessons
• Coordinate with procurement, logistics, security, finance, administration and human resources teams to ensure operational systems support field activities.
• Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all PRIME activities as appropriate. Certify all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards, Child safeguarding and Child Protection policy.
• Assist in training of Participants and CHPs on PRIME curriculum and ensuring that the curricula is delivered as per age categories of participants.
• Manage adolescent girls safe space groups in collaboration with
• Provide training and mentorship to the mentors.

COMMUNITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT

• Conduct community mobilization and sensitization meetings at village level
• Identify and engage community leaders to sensitize on the PRIME model and establish buy-in
• Identify and engage local animal and human health workers to provide training and technical assistance to safe space groups.
• Link with relevant county government departments such as Gender and Social Services for group registrations, financial and material support.

PARTICIPANTS SELECTION

• Sensitize adolescent girls /boys on the PRIME model, objective and target groups
• Participate in identification and recruitment of group mentors to deliver technical curricula to girls and boys.
• Identify and recruit girls in the community to participate in safe space

PARTNERSHIP MANAGEMENT.

• Link the adolescent girls and boys to other traders, markets, financial institutions, public and private institutions.
• Facilitate planning meetings and workshops with government, NGO, private sector, and community partners to revise plans and promote partner acceptance/buy-in where needed.

 PROGRAM MONITORING

• Monitor and track the progress of safe space groups.
• Collect monitoring data from groups and submit to specify whether it is to PM or MEL officer?
• Support assessments, evaluations, and monitoring surveys relevant to PRIME component including support in the development of Scopes of Work, survey tools, training and management of data collectors.
• In coordination with the MEL team, monitor the implementation of activities through regular field visits and assessments to ensure program quality and impact.
• Monitor the safe space groups and upload all collected data on an online platform.
• Prepare accurate and timely monitoring and field reports on a weekly basis and other project documentation as required.

 COORDINATION

• Provide administrative support in preparing procurement and expense requests, following up with relevant departments for field activities

SAFEGUARDING

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

Supervisory Responsibility

CHPs and FAs

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Senior Program Officer.

Works Directly With: Program Manager, MEL Officer, MEL Coordinator.

Minimum Qualifications and Transferrable Skills

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience working with NGOs/CBOs in civic engagement, livelihoods and
• Diploma in Community Development, Economic Development, Business, Agriculture, Livestock or related field Degree is an added advantage.
• Commitment to working with Women, Girls, youth, and vulnerable groups in need, regardless of race, tribe, religion or gender.
• Understanding of working with local partners and commitment to working with the greater GIRL H
• Good problem solving, written and oral communication
• Strong written and spoken English and
• Local language skills
• Ability to work without constant supervision and as part of a mixed
• Good knowledge of MS Office software such as Excel, Word, and
• Be able to ride a

 

Success Factors

The successful candidate will have the ability to work without constant supervision and capacity to manage relationships with different stakeholders, including the greater PRIME team as part of a diverse team. The position requires an ability to think creatively about improving opportunities for women and adolescent girls. The Program Assistant will have the capacity to spark innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to programming and to inspire groups to collaborate closely to implement high-quality programs. Program Assistant will be committed to long-term sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, 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.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in  Marsabit, and requires up to 40% travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited.  Housing for this role is in individual housing and staff will have access to good medical services and the living situation is of a good standard.

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

Team Engagement and Effectiveness 

Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work.

We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.

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.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]).

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