TEAM LEADER – GGP Component 3 - DRC

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organisation 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.

The Programme / Department

Mercy Corps is present in the DRC since August 2007 with a current workforce of more than 300 national and expatriate employees and operational presence in Goma and Beni (North Kivu Province), in Bunia (Ituri Province), in Tshikapa, Kalonda West, and Ndjoko Punda (Kasai Province), and representation in the capital city, Kinshasa. As a leading NGO in DRC working with more than 40 partners in 2024, Mercy Corps reached 2.12 million people in North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri and Kasai with integrated programs that ensured equitable access to improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in humanitarian and development settings; supported a comprehensive, rapid response to ongoing humanitarian needs; promoted economic and livelihood development to strengthen food security and resilience, including through improved financial inclusion; as well as institutional capacity strengthening and social cohesion to foster peace and good governance.

Green Growth Programme Component 3: Scaling Finance for Established Agri-businesses in the Democratic Republic of Congo forms part of FCDO’s Green Growth Programme (GGP) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Through a combination of technical assistance, catalytic grants, and concessional finance, the GGP will mobilise additional private capital, strengthen financial markets, and build the resilience and productivity of DRC’s agricultural sector. The GGP is part of FCDO’s broader efforts to promote low-carbon, climate-resilient development and deliver measurable results under the UK’s International Climate Finance (ICF) commitments.

Component 3 (SCAFIN) aims to increase access to finance for climate-smart agribusinesses, catalysing private investment and promoting sustainable economic growth. The programme will work with financial institutions, impact funds, and agribusinesses to expand the use of innovative financial products, improve access to finance for DRC firms, and incentivise lenders and investors to support green activities such as the uptake of resilient seeds, irrigation systems, and solar technologies.

SCAFIN will scale finance for climate-smart agribusinesses in the Kongo Central, Kwilu, Mai-Ndombe, and Kwango provinces, serving as a catalyst by supporting processes and systems to develop appropriate financial products and attract investments. SCAFIN will contribute to agricultural development in DRC that creates resilient, sustainable livelihoods as part of a climate-smart economic development pathway, by achieving the following Outcomes:

•       Outcome 1: Financial institutions provide financing products to agribusinesses to adopt and scale climate-smart products and services

•       Outcome 2: Agribusinesses access and effectively use finance to invest in climate-smart products and services

•       Outcome 3: Lenders and investors promote climate-smart activities through investments in agribusinesses and financial institutions

About the Role

The Team Leader role is focused on ensuring that the three outcomes of SCAFIN-GGP can be achieved. We are seeking a technical manager that requires a strong external focus in the sector and close collaboration with partners to develop solutions that work. Someone who can implement Technical advisory, has a strong technical skills and can be an influencer and trusted partner with Financial Institutions and the other partners on the programme.

Essential Responsibilities

STRATEGY & VISION

●        Develop compelling partnerships with financial institutions that lead to improved financing and products tailored to business and value chains

●        Lead the articulation and delivery of a clear strategic vision for Component 3, aligned with the overall programme’s objectives and Theory of Change - see end of JD.

●     Maintain and foster close collaboration with Component 3 partners to ensure aligned approach to enabling agribusinesses to secure additional investment and with Component 2 partners to ensure adequate support is provided to agri-business to become investment and finance ready.

●        Engage in strategic and implementation level stakeholder engagement and be across the financial ecosystem in DRC

●        Drive innovation by identifying new opportunities, partnerships, and approaches that enhance inclusive finance for agribusinesses, SMEs, and rural enterprises.

●        Provide strategic thought leadership on financial inclusion, blended and climate smart finance, digital finance and private sector engagement within the DRC agribusiness context.

●        Be the visible face of SCAFIN-GGP and be recognised as a significant enabler in the Agribusiness investment and Financial product sector

●        Provide significant financial technical leadership enabling development of financial products and scaling of investment by institutions and investors

●        Oversee partnership creation and management with financial institutions partners to ensure successful implementation and achievement of targets

●        Oversee the establishment and management of loan guarantees and other blended financing mechanisms as required to facilitate the provision of financing to target businesses

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

●        Serve as the primary point of contact for FCDO on all matters related to Component 3, ensuring effective communication, transparency, and trust.

●     Represent the programme in coordination fora (particularly with implementing partners of Components 2 and 3), technical working groups, and with government counterparts, financial sector actors, and other donors.

●        Foster alignment and complementarity with related donor and government initiatives on agribusiness finance, rural development, and SME support.

●        Collaborate with the MEL Manager to synthesise and share insights, evidence, and analytical products with FCDO and wider stakeholders to influence policy and practice.

IMPLEMENTATION

●        Drive a programme that brings partners (financial institutions and investors) out of their comfort zones, ensuring they surpass the current status quo by implementing innovative solutions, processes and services for agricultural financing.

●        Structure the programme so that it regularly brings together the finance sector (financial institutions and investors) and the agricultural sector (agri-businesses, cooperatives, farmers, etc.) to close the existing knowledge gap from both sides.

●        Develop programme activities that primarily take place in the provinces rather than just in Kinshasa, in order to confront financial institutions and investors with the reality, needs and challenges of agricultural stakeholders on an ongoing basis.

●        Focus on implementing a customer-centric approach based on a 'learning by doing' philosophy.  Provide financial institutions with enough space to test new approaches and services, learn from them, and improve them on an ongoing basis.

PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT

●        Oversee high-quality, timely, and compliant implementation of Component 3, ensuring alignment with the programme’s strategic and operational and annual work plans.

●        Work closely with our Component 3 partner on their outcome areas, providing strategic oversight, technical input, and coordination to maximise technical quality.

●        Lead external coordination with Components 1 and 2 implementing partners, to ensure coherence, cross-learning, and integrated delivery that strengthens DRC’s agricultural finance ecosystem.

●        Ensure that interventions are market-driven, inclusive, gender-responsive, and compliant with “Do No Harm” and environmental and social standards.

●      Ensure operational excellence and compliance with programme management standards, including working with the MEL Manager to ensure robust M&E systems for tracking impact and outcomes.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

●        Provide strong leadership and mentoring to the DTL, MEL Manager, and wider Component 3 team, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and performance.

●     Support team capacity strengthening, ensuring staff and partners can design and implement the financial products and catalytic mechanisms in an inclusive, gender response and adaptive manner

●        Promote a learning culture - encouraging continuous reflection and evidence-based decision-making across the programme team.

●        Lead structured performance management, including regular check-ins, reviews, and professional development planning.

●        Build a cohesive and motivated team environment that reflects Mercy Corps’ values of integrity, innovation, and impact.

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

●        Ensure full compliance with FCDO and Mercy Corps regulations, contractual obligations, and financial management standards.

●        Maintain effective systems for financial planning, forecasting, and reporting to ensure transparent and accountable use of resources.

●        Monitor budget execution closely, identifying and addressing variances early to maintain delivery within time, scope, and budget.

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 all programme activities are designed and implemented with a robust understanding of the operating environment and associated risks.

ORGANISATIONAL LEARNING 

●        Promote a culture of learning and continuous improvement across the programme team and partners, ensuring that lessons learned from programme implementation inform future design, scale-up, and external engagement.

●        Contribute to Mercy Corps’ wider learning agenda by documenting and sharing experiences from the DRC access-to-finance context.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES

●        Ensure that programme design and delivery uphold Mercy Corps’ standards on accountability to participants and communities.

●        Strengthen mechanisms for feedback and inclusion, ensuring that beneficiaries - particularly women, youth, and marginalised groups - inform programme decisions.

Supervisory Responsibility

GGP Component 3 Programme Team. Around 3 staff plus consortium partner.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: DRC Director of Programmes

Works Directly With: Country Director, Other DRC Directors and Deputy Directors, DRC finance and operations teams, HQ Regional Programme Team, HQ Technical Support, Evidence, and Program Quality

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

●    Experience of working with financial institutions (e.g. banks, Microfinance Institutions and digital finance/payment service providers) and other investors (e.g. impact funds, family offices, DFIs, institutional investors) to provide inclusive finance to underserved markets and customers

●        Experience of working in agri-finance, FinTechs and AgTechs is a plus

●    Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in financial sector and investor development, blended and catalytic finance, impact investment, or agribusiness finance, including experience structuring or managing innovative financial products or facilities in emerging markets.

●   Demonstrated understanding and experience of designing and implementing blended finance instruments (e.g. guarantees, debt instruments, grants and technical assistance) to mobilise commercial financing to the agricultural sector, for example for investment in climate smart technologies and practices.

●    At least five years in a senior leadership or advisory role overseeing complex, multi-stakeholder programmes of comparable size and scope (approx. GBP 5-10 million), ideally involving investment facilitation, green finance, or private sector partnerships.

●     Advanced degree (MA/MSc or equivalent) in finance, economics, business administration, development economics, or a related field relevant to sustainable finance, investment, or private-sector development.

●        Proven strategic leadership experience, with the ability to shape programme direction, influence stakeholders, and build strong relationships with financial institutions, investors, DFIs, and government partners.

●        Extensive networks within the African financial sector, including relationships with banks, DFIs, and impact investors; understanding of regional investment ecosystems in Central and sub-Saharan Africa.

●        Demonstrated ability to represent the programme at senior levels and engage persuasively with FCDO, government, private sector, and development finance stakeholders.

●   Experience working with or managing FCDO-funded or donor-funded programmes is strongly preferred, including familiarity with due diligence, value-for-money, and reporting requirements.

●        Demonstrated ability to lead diverse technical teams and foster a culture of adaptive management, innovation, and collaboration.

●        Experience managing partnerships or consortia, ideally within multi-donor or multi-implementer arrangements.

●        Strong understanding of climate finance, green growth, or climate-smart agriculture in fragile and frontier markets.

●        Experience working in Africa, preferably in the DRC or Central Africa region, is required.

●        Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. French fluency is required.

Success Factors

The successful Team Leader will combine exceptional management skills and experience in maintaining donor and partner relationships.  They will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative programmes within the current and future programme structure of Mercy Corps in the region. They will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams and capacity building, individual staff development, and strong mentoring skills. 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.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Kinshasa, DRC. Housing for this role is in a private apartment under housing allowance regulations. Rest and recovery cycle follows the Country Office R&R policy. Kinshasa has limited security regulations, and has many options for healthcare, shopping, restaurants, and social life.

The position requires regular travel to various locations within Kongo Central, Kwilu, Mai-Ndombe, and Kwango. This may include unstable areas with strict security rules and limited amenities. Living conditions in the field locations are clean and secure, but basic.

While conditions in much of the country are improving, there are still pockets of violence and insecurity, and petty crime is present. Mercy Corps' offices experience variable levels of insecurity and adapt their procedures accordingly. Due to poor infrastructure, air travel is often necessary to get from one end of the country to the other.

Mobile phones and cellular service are widely available. Internet is limited, but available in all Mercy Corps’ offices. There are a number of health services available with several evacuation options for serious illnesses. There is reasonable access to most consumer goods, although it must be noted that imported goods can be more expensive than in other locations.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organisations 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 are 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 a 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, colour, 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, programme 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.