Project Manager, Nutrition

Location: Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Position Status: Regular, Full-time

Language Requirements: English and French fluency is required.

Assignment Length: 6 months, extension contingent to funding

ABOUT MERCY CORPS

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization driven by the belief that a better world is possible. In times of disaster, in dire conditions, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to implement bold solutions - helping people overcome adversity and build stronger communities.

THE PROJECT/DEPARTMENT

Mercy Corps helps communities develop their own ideas to solve Haiti's toughest problems by using innovative approaches providing Haitians with new social and economic opportunities and make their country more secure, productive. Established in January 2010, Mercy Corps Haiti has offices in Port-au-Prince, Miragoane and Jeremie and more than 80 employees delivering food security, agriculture, protection, peacebuilding, financial inclusion, natural resource management, disaster risk reduction/preparedness, WASH, Nutrition and humanitarian response programs. Mercy Corps takes a progressive approach to development that leads communities and entrepreneurs from helping sustainable livelihoods to building resilience.

Mercy Corps is seeking applications from qualified candidates for a Nutrition Project Manager for the anticipated project entitled “Programme Intégré de Lutte contre la Malnutrition aigüe et de Renforcement de la Résilience Nutritionnelle”, a position based in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

THE POSITION/ROLE

The Nutrition Project Manager will provide overall leadership, management, and strategic vision to the implementation of the Nutrition Project. She/he will oversee the delivery of the project outcomes using participatory approaches at all stages of the project including planning, coordinating, organizing, quality and delivery and monitoring and results measurement and learning in the Ouest, Nord-Est and Sud departments of Haiti. S/he will manage the project staff, resources, and partnerships to ensure that the Project meets its milestones on time, with high quality and within budget. The Nutrition Project Manager will also represent the Project externally, through participating in Nutrition and coordination and learning events. She/he leads the Nutrition Project Management Team, who will support in defining and achieving the Project strategy. The Nutrition Project Manager will ensure accountability of the Projects to the Project participants, donors, stakeholders including government, timely reporting, feedback, etc.

She/he will ensure that the Project is on time, on scope, and on budget at all-times. She/he will report to the Mercy Corps Haiti Director of Programs (DOP). The Project Manager will also closely work with other Mercy Corps key departmental leads. The role requires excellent project management knowledge and skills in nutrition.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy, vision and planning

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to country-wide strategy development.
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for the Project and convince stakeholders to provide support.
• Provide leadership and strategic vision in all aspects of Project implementation, development, and management.
• Ensure that Project implementation is responsive to communities and partners, and aligned with Mercy Corps principles, values, and strategic plan.

Project management

• Ensure Project implementation is on time, on target and on budget, using innovative systems to achieve and measure success.
• Prepare high-quality monthly, bi-annual and annual Project reports in collaboration with the MEL team.
• Ensure the Nutrition Project is sufficiently and rightly resourced with the right teams, tools and equipment needed to deliver quality results for the Project participants on budget, on time and on scope.
• Establish and support systems to regularly monitor the quality of implementation, and lead actions to course-correct to address quality issues.
• Create and foster an environment for adaptive management, including championing the timely use of data for decision-making.
• Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate. Certify all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.
• Coordinate with procurement, logistics, security, administration, and human resources teams to ensure operational systems support field activities.
• Fulfill Mercy Corps’ Project Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.

Human resources, safeguarding and diversity

• Assist with the on-boarding of project staff members, ensuring they are set up for success and familiar with agency systems, procedures, and protocols.
• Develop the capacity of the Project team, deepen understanding of their roles, identify and source technical capacity strengthening support, and assist with career development.
• 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.
• Support Mercy Corps global and regional initiatives for human resources, including safeguarding and diversity, and talent development.

Budget, Finance and 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 Project, donor and Mercy Corps’ needs.
• Ensures the Project meets targets on budget. This responsibility includes collaborative work planning that keeps all team members accountable, ensuring accurate budget forecasting and analysis of monthly budget vs. actual reports, and proper procurement planning in collaboration with the Operations team.
• Support in the development of financial management tools and the monitoring of budgets.
• Cross-check detailed transactions and review budget versus actual (BVA) spending reports to determine status of Project burn rates.
• Work with the Country Finance Manager to ensure spend-down plans and cash projections are developed and monitored.
• Lead Project inputs on any budget revisions or programmatic inputs for financial reports.

Influence and representation

• Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other nutrition events, in close coordination with the Mercy Corps Haiti Director of Programs and Country Director.
• Coordinate activities with partners, subgrantees, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs/projects.

Security

• Ensure compliance with Mercy Corps Haiti security procedures and policies and as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Risk management

• Engage and support the country’s initiatives on risk management systems are in place.
• Collaborate with country leadership to support preparedness and response to major disruptive events.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

The Project Manager will be overall responsible for supervising the Senior Nutrition Officer, 3 Nutrition Officers, 1 Finance Officer and 1 Operations Officer.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Reports Directly To: The role will report to the Mercy Corps Haiti Director of Programs (DOP).

Works Directly With: Finance and operations teams, CARM & MEL Managers, Operations Manager and HR/Admin Manager.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our Project 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 QUALIFICATIONs & TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

• Medical Doctor (MD) or Master’s degree in nutrition, public health, family medicine, epidemiology, or a combination of relevant studies and experience.
• At least 3 years of field experience in undertaking nutrition and mortality surveys.
• Demonstrated experience in working with government, NGOs and donors.
• Preparing writing and analysis on proposal development.
• Experience in managing and implementing successful nutrition projects in the field.
• Demonstrating strong theoretical and applied knowledge of the field of nutrition.
• Delivering Capacity Building curriculum or other processes for field teams.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently to Mercy Corps project sites and field locations, including traveling to insecure environments, is required.
• Fluency in English and French is required.

SUCCESS FACTORS

The successful PM will combine exceptional management skills and experience in maintaining donor and partner relationships. S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage nutrition projects. S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams and capacity building, individual staff development and strong mentoring skills. S/he will take energy from solving Project implementation challenges. A strong ability to train and mentor team members that have limited skills and experience in project management. 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. He/she will have to be fluent in both English and French.

LIVING CONDITIONS / ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Haiti is a country of 11 million people and is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The country has been wracked by a series of major natural disasters since 2010 including earthquakes, hurricanes, and drought. A new government is in place for the next two years which is anticipated to reduce instability, however occasional violent demonstrations and flare-ups in crime can occur. Haiti suffers from chronic high unemployment, severe environmental degradation, food insecurity, and health issues like cholera exacerbated by low levels of access to water and poor infrastructure. Nonetheless, Haiti also has great beauty including beaches and mountainous national parks. Its international airport provides daily flights to multiple destinations in the US, as well as access to Dominican Republic, Canada, Paris, Cuba, Panama, Turks and Caicos Islands, and other locations in the Caribbean. The Capital city, Port au Prince, is estimated at around 2.5 million people. Although infrastructure is also poor in the capital, comfortable housing with water and electricity are readily available. There are many places to eat in all price ranges, as well as shops, and supermarkets which are comparable to a US supermarket. Self-drive is permitted, however driving can be challenging, and traffic is often very heavy. Housing is provided for this position.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in 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.