Description

Team Lead (Project Manager Sadep)

Only South Sudanese Nationals

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.

DEPARTMENT/ PROGRAM SUMMARY

Mercy Corps has been present in South Sudan since 2005 and acts on behalf of people who have become displaced and disenfranchised by the ongoing conflict. With funding from a multitude of donors including the UK Department for International Development (DFID - FCDO), Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), European Union, NORAD, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Private Foundations, Mercy Corps has been able to empower people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. In South Sudan our work focusing on the delivery of timely humanitarian interventions, improving food security and livelihood options through and market systems development, and governance for supporting civil society empowerment  With emphasis on conflict-affected youth, women, as well as IDPs and host communities, we champion and lead state-of-the art relief and recovery approaches through gender mainstreaming, market systems development, partnership, addressing root causes, adaptive management, and resilience approaches.

The Sustainable Agricultural Development Project (SADEP) is a seven-year initiative jointly designed by IFAD and the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of South Sudan. Its goal is to contribute to lasting peace and poverty reduction by enhancing resilience, food, and nutrition security for rural communities in four counties across Central Equatoria, Western Equatoria, and Jonglei States. SADEP will support approximately 18,700 households (about 122,200 people), primarily smallholder farmers and fishing communities engaged in sorghum, groundnuts, sesame, and fisheries value chains. SADEP is structured around three core components plus emergency response. Component 1 strengthens community-driven planning and promotes climate-adaptive, nutrition-sensitive agriculture and sustainable fisheries through climate-smart practices, improved seeds, extension services, and community-led fisheries management. Component 2 complements this by investing in inclusive, climate-resilient community infrastructure and improved post-harvest technologies, with a strong focus on women and youth. Component 3 focuses on institutional strengthening, policy support, and effective project coordination to ensure sustainability, alignment with national systems, and efficient implementation.

The Position

The Project Manager will provide overall leadership and direction for implementation of the Sustainable Agricultural Development Project (SADEP) in South Sudan for activities allocated to Mercy Corps. The position is responsible for the day-to-day management, coordination, and implementation of project activities, ensuring alignment with SADEP objectives, donor requirements, and organizational standards. The Project Manager will serve as the primary liaison with government authorities, partner organizations, and other projects working on related themes, ensuring synergy, efficiency, and the achievement of project outcomes. The Project Manager ensures that the project is implemented on time, scope, and budget. He/she leads engagement, coordination, and oversight of sub-contractors and consultants.

Essential Responsibilities

Project Planning and Implementation

• Lead the development and execution of detailed work plans to achieve SADEP objectives.
• Ensure that all project activities are delivered on time, within scope, and in accordance with quality standards.
• Monitor progress against targets and make adjustments as needed to achieve results.

Stakeholder Coordination and Partnership

• Coordinate with government agencies, NGOs, private sector partners, and other relevant projects to enhance collaboration and avoid duplication.
• Represent SADEP at workshops, meetings, and forums to strengthen partnerships and visibility.
• Facilitate community engagement and ensure participatory approaches in project planning and implementation.

Technical Leadership and Capacity Building

• Provide technical guidance to project staff, field teams, and partners.
• Support training, mentoring, and capacity building of staff and local partners to enhance operational effectiveness and sustainability.
• Promote best practices in sustainable agriculture, climate-smart farming, and rural development.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Compliance

• Ensure effective monitoring of project activities, including financial and operational reporting.
• Identify risks and challenges, proposing practical solutions to ensure continuity and achievement of objectives.
• Ensure compliance with donor regulations, organizational policies, and local legal requirements.
• Prepare regular reports for management and donors detailing achievements, challenges, and lessons learned.

RISK MANAGEMENT

●        Engage and support Project team to ensure that adequate risk management systems are in place.

●        Collaborate with country leadership to support preparedness and response to major disruptive events.

●        Engage with country teams on the internal audit process to track findings and ensure country team compliance with IA findings and recommendations.

●        Engage with country level Ethics and Assurance managers as well as the global Ethics and Assurance department to track and analyze trends and needs across countries.

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES 

●        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

Sorghum Production Officer, Fisheries Officer, M&E Officer, Infrastructure Engineer

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director of Programs

Works Directly With: FSL Advisor

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

• Master’s degree in Agricultural Science, Agricultural Economics, Development Studies, Economics, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years’ professional experience in planning, managing, and implementing rural development, agricultural, or livelihood improvement projects in public, private, or NGO sectors.
• Demonstrated experience in commercial/private sector practices, including service contracting, performance monitoring, and financing.
• Post-qualification in Project Management is an added advantage.
• At least 2 years’ experience working in South Sudan.
• Strong knowledge of project management, technical approaches, and problem-solving techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to set priorities and to work with minimum supervision to meet changing deadlines.
• Excellent communication, reporting, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Proficiency in computer applications and office technology (MS Office, project management tools).
• Strong teamwork skills and willingness to travel at short notice.
• Experience in donor-funded project implementation is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience successfully managing consortium partners and subcontractors in the delivery of complex, multi-stakeholder programmes.

Success Factors

Success in this role requires the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams and coordinate complex project activities under challenging conditions, including rural and remote environments. The Project Manager must be able to work independently, set priorities, and deliver results within tight deadlines. Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential to foster collaboration with local communities, government institutions, and partner organizations. Commitment to sustainable agricultural practices, participatory development approaches, and achieving measurable impact on livelihoods and nutrition outcomes is critical for the success of the SADEP project.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Juba, and it requires up to 40% field travel to support project delivery, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. 

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]).