Description

Location:                    Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)  

Position Status:         Full-Time, Regular, Non-Exempt, Unaccompanied

Risk Level:                 ☒ Level 3                          ☐ Level 2                                    ☐ Level 1 

Level 3: Frequent contact with participants, direct contact with children, access to sensitive data, and/or high level of accountability.  

Level 2: Some contact with participants; unplanned non-direct contact with children.

Level 1: Likely to have no contact with participants or sensitive data)  

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. 

The Program / Department / Team (Program / Department Summary)

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), and in Tshikapa, Kalonda West and Ndjoko Punda (Kasai Province), and representation in the capital city, Kinshasa. 

Mercy Corps is responding to the 17^th Ebola outbreak in the DRC through an integrated emergency portfolio designed to support communities affected by the outbreak and strengthen the effectiveness of the wider response. The response operates in a complex and rapidly changing environment characterized by evolving epidemiological conditions, insecurity, displacement, community concerns and mistrust, operational constraints, and changing humanitarian and donor priorities. Mercy Corps works closely with government authorities, UN agencies, humanitarian partners, local organizations, donors and other stakeholders to ensure that its response is relevant, timely, safe and responsive to community needs. The Ebola response brings together complementary interventions and expertise, including community engagement, WASH, health-related activities, protection, livelihoods/cash and other humanitarian approaches as appropriate to the evolving response. 

Regionally, Mercy Corps teams in South Sudan and Uganda are engaged in Ebola prevention and preparedness for potential response scale-up in coordination with local authorities and other stakeholders, and the DRC country office. 

THE POSITION (General Position Summary)

Reporting to the DRC Country Director and working closely with the Director of Programs, country office senior management, regional and global technical teams, and business development colleagues, the Ebola Program Portfolio Director will provide overall strategic direction and portfolio-level oversight across Mercy Corps’ Ebola response in the DRC and orient prevention and preparedness efforts in Uganda and South Sudan. 

The Director will provide strategic leadership for Mercy Corps’ Ebola response portfolio in the DRC, ensuring that programming is timely, high quality, evidence-driven, conflict-sensitive and responsive to rapidly evolving epidemiological, humanitarian, security and operational conditions. S/he will also coordinate regionally with Mercy Corps teams in South Sudan and Uganda. 

The Director will lead portfolio strategy and prioritization; oversee program quality and performance; strengthen coordination, representation and external positioning; cultivate strategic partnerships and donor relationships; and drive resource mobilization to enable timely scale-up, adaptation or transition of the response. 

The position will ensure that Mercy Corps maintains a coherent response strategy across locations and projects while enabling teams to adapt rapidly to changing needs. The Director will also promote learning, accountability to affected communities, safeguarding, localization and conflict-sensitive approaches as core elements of the response. 

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

STRATEGY, VISION AND PORTFOLIO LEADERSHIP

• Lead the development, implementation and regular review of Mercy Corps’ overall Ebola response and preparedness strategy, ensuring alignment with the evolving national response strategy, government priorities, donor requirements and Mercy Corps’ organizational strategy.
• Maintain a clear strategic vision for Mercy Corps’ Ebola portfolio and translate changes in epidemiology, humanitarian needs, conflict dynamics, access, funding and operational conditions into timely strategic decisions.
• Establish clear portfolio priorities and ensure that resources, staffing and geographic coverage are aligned with the highest priority needs and opportunities.
• Develop and maintain a framework for rapid geographic adaptation, enabling Mercy Corps to expand into emerging hotspots, intensify activities where needs increase, and responsibly transition or reallocate resources where priorities change.
• Ensure coherence across the Ebola portfolio, identifying synergies and opportunities for integrated programming across sectors, locations and funding streams.
• Provide strategic advice to the Country Director and Senior Management Team on emerging risks, opportunities, response priorities and potential scale-up or transition scenarios.
• Ensure that Mercy Corps’ Ebola positioning remains relevant and differentiated within the wider humanitarian and public health response. 

PROGRAM QUALITY, LEARNING AND ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT

• Provide portfolio-level leadership to ensure that all Ebola programming meets Mercy Corps’ standards for quality, effectiveness, accountability and impact.
• Establish and monitor clear portfolio performance measures and ensure that program teams use data, evidence, community feedback and contextual analysis to inform decisions.
• Promote adaptive management and ensure that programming is regularly reviewed and adjusted based on emerging evidence, epidemiological developments, community perspectives and operational learning.
• Ensure that community engagement and participation are integrated meaningfully across the response and that affected communities have appropriate opportunities to influence program design, implementation and adaptation.
• Ensure that Do No Harm, conflict sensitivity, protection, gender sensitivity, safeguarding and inclusion are systematically incorporated into program design and implementation.
• Promote approaches that address not only immediate response needs but also community trust, social cohesion and resilience where relevant to the response context.
• Ensure that program learning, evidence, good practices and lessons are systematically documented and shared within Mercy Corps and with relevant external stakeholders.
• Oversee appropriate monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning systems across the portfolio and ensure that findings lead to concrete management action. 

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONAL OVERSIGHT

• Provide strategic oversight of program start-up, implementation, adaptation and closeout across the Ebola portfolio.
• Ensure that project and response teams maintain realistic implementation plans, clear priorities and appropriate rapid response capacity.
• Establish appropriate portfolio management mechanisms to monitor delivery against objectives, timelines, budgets, quality standards and donor commitments.
• Work closely with program managers and technical leads to identify implementation bottlenecks and ensure timely corrective action.
• Ensure effective coordination among programs operating across different geographic locations and funding mechanisms.
• Support appropriate delegation of operational responsibility while maintaining clear accountability for portfolio-level performance.
• Ensure that program implementation remains responsive to changes in access, security, epidemiological conditions and community needs. 

COORDINATION, REPRESENTATION AND ADVOCACY

• Represent Mercy Corps strategically with the Ministry of Health and other government authorities, UN agencies, humanitarian coordination mechanisms, donors, international and national NGOs, local organizations and other relevant stakeholders.
• Maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders and ensure that Mercy Corps is appropriately positioned within relevant Ebola response coordination structures.
• Participate actively in relevant coordination mechanisms and contribute Mercy Corps’ evidence, analysis and operational learning to broader response discussions.
• Develop and implement stakeholder engagement strategies for priority government, donor, partner and coordination relationships.
• Work with the Country Director and relevant regional and global colleagues on high-level advocacy and policy engagement.
• Ensure consistent and transparent communication with donors and strategic partners.
• Where appropriate, represent Mercy Corps with national and international media and other external audiences. 

RESOURCE MOBILIZATION AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• Lead strategic resource mobilization for the Ebola response in close collaboration with the Country Director, Director of Programs, Business Development and Program Resource Manager, and relevant regional and global teams.
• Identify emerging funding opportunities and position Mercy Corps proactively with existing and prospective donors.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with key donors supporting Ebola preparedness and response.
• Shape funding strategies that support portfolio sustainability, appropriate scale-up and programmatic innovation.
• Provide strategic and technical leadership to proposal development, including concept development, positioning, partner selection and technical review.
• Support the development of strong consortiums and partnerships where these provide strategic or comparative advantages.
• Ensure that new funding opportunities are consistent with Mercy Corps’ response strategy, organizational priorities and operational capacity. 

PARTNERSHIP AND LOCALIZATION

• Build effective relationships with local and international partners contributing to the Ebola response.
• Ensure that partner roles, responsibilities, deliverables and performance expectations are clearly defined and monitored.
• Promote meaningful participation and leadership of local organizations and community-based actors where appropriate.
• Ensure that partner capacity strengthening is integrated into response planning where relevant.
• Identify and address partnership risks, performance issues and opportunities for improved collaboration. 

TEAM LEADERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT

• Provide leadership, direction and managerial oversight to direct reports and senior members of the Ebola response team.
• Establish a high-performing team culture based on accountability, mutual respect, collaboration, learning and adaptive management.
• Ensure that team members have clear objectives, appropriate support and regular feedback on performance.
• Promote effective communication and coordination across program teams, support departments and country office leadership.
• Monitor staff wellbeing in a high-stress emergency environment and work with People & Culture and senior management to address workload, duty-of-care and retention concerns.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, professional development and succession planning for key Ebola response positions.
• Develop the capacity of national and international staff and promote effective cross-cultural leadership.
• Ensure that team members are appropriately integrated into relevant country office decision-making and coordination mechanisms. 

FINANCE, COMPLIANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT

• Work closely with Finance, Operations, People & Culture and other support functions to ensure that the Ebola portfolio has the systems and resources required for effective implementation.
• Ensure that program expenditure is aligned with approved budgets, implementation priorities and donor requirements.
• Monitor portfolio financial performance and work with relevant managers to address variances, underspend, overspend and other financial risks.
• Ensure compliance with donor agreements, Mercy Corps policies and procedures, and applicable laws and regulations in the DRC.
• Ensure that program teams understand and comply with relevant grant, procurement, financial, safeguarding and operational requirements.
• Identify and proactively manage strategic, programmatic, financial, compliance and reputational risks affecting the portfolio. 

SECURITY, SAFETY AND DUTY OF CARE

• Ensure that all Ebola response activities are implemented in accordance with Mercy Corps security policies and country-level security guidance.
• Work closely with Security and Operations leadership to ensure that programming and travel decisions appropriately reflect the prevailing security and access environment.
• Promote strong compliance with Ebola-related occupational health and safety requirements and other relevant infection prevention and control measures.
• Ensure that staff understand and comply with applicable safety procedures and that concerns are escalated promptly.
• Support responsible programming decisions that balance humanitarian needs, operational feasibility and staff duty of care.  

SAFEGUARDING, ACCOUNTABILITY AND ETHICS

• Actively learn about safeguarding and integrate safeguarding principles into day-to-day work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work. 
• Practice the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourage 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. 
• Promote accountability to affected communities as a core principle of the Ebola response.
• Ensure that program teams establish appropriate mechanisms for community feedback, complaints and response.
• Model Mercy Corps’ values and Code of Conduct and ensure that team members understand and uphold expected standards of behavior. 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

The position will provide direct supervision and strategic leadership to designated senior Ebola response personnel in DRC including:

• The DRC Ebola Response Team Leader
• Other senior response personnel (project and program managers; technical leads; etc.) as determined by the evolving response structure.

The Director will provide portfolio-level leadership while ensuring that day-to-day implementation responsibilities are appropriately delegated to project and technical leads. 

The position may also have technical supervision (dotted line) of preparedness and response leads in Uganda and South Sudan. 

ACCOUNTABILITY

Reports Directly To: Country Director, Mercy Corps DRC

Works Closely With: Director of Programs; Senior Management Team; Ebola response program and technical teams; Crisis Analysis Team; Program Quality, Evidence and Learning teams; Business Development and Program Resource Management; Finance; Operations; People & Culture; Security; regional and global technical teams; consortium and implementing partners; donors; government authorities; UN and humanitarian coordination structures. 

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 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in international development, humanitarian response, public health, management or another relevant field; advanced degree preferred.
• At least 7 years of progressively senior experience managing humanitarian, emergency, public health or development programs, preferably including complex multi-sector responses.
• Previous Ebola response or other major infectious disease emergency experience is an asset but is not required
• At least 3 years of senior management experience with responsibility for significant programs, portfolios or teams.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex emergency responses in volatile, insecure or conflict-affected environments.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-sectoral programming and integrating different technical approaches around a coherent response strategy.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, adaptive management and portfolio-level decision-making.
• Strong experience engaging donors, government authorities, UN agencies, humanitarian coordination mechanisms and other senior stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience identifying and pursuing funding opportunities and contributing to successful proposal development.
• Experience managing consortia, sub-grantees or major implementing partnerships is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience working with national and local organizations and supporting meaningful localization and capacity strengthening.
• Strong understanding of accountability to affected populations, safeguarding, protection, gender and conflict-sensitive programming.
• Experience working in DRC, Central, West or sub-Saharan Africa preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and French required; additional relevant languages are an advantage.
• Strong analytical, organizational, prioritization and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively under pressure and make sound decisions in conditions of uncertainty.
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead geographically dispersed and diverse teams.
• Strong computer literacy and proficiency with standard office applications. 

SUCCESS FACTORS

The most successful Mercy Corps team 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. 

The successful candidate will be an experienced humanitarian leader who combines strategic vision with strong operational judgment and the ability to translate strategy into results. They will:

• Bring together a diverse portfolio of programs and teams under a coherent response strategy.
• Make timely, evidence-informed decisions in a rapidly changing and uncertain environment.
• Balance strategic ambition with operational realism, risk management and duty of care.
• Build strong relationships with government, donors, partners and humanitarian coordination structures.
• Demonstrate credibility in complex emergency and conflict-affected environments.
• Promote an integrated, community-centered and conflict-sensitive approach to emergency response.
• Build high-performing teams characterized by accountability, collaboration, learning and mutual respect.
• Demonstrate strong political and contextual awareness and the ability to navigate sensitive stakeholder relationships.
• Be comfortable leading through ambiguity and changing priorities while maintaining clear strategic direction.
• Demonstrate a commitment to Mercy Corps’ mission, values, safeguarding principles and accountability to affected populations. 

LIVING CONDITIONS / ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

This is an unaccompanied position based in Bunia, Ituri Province DRC, in a high-risk and rapidly evolving emergency environment. The position requires regular travel by road and air to field locations, including areas where access and security conditions may be constrained. The position may involve extended working hours, including evenings and weekends, in response to operational requirements.

Housing in Bunia is group accommodation (an apartment within a guest house) provided by Mercy Corps. 

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 EFFICIENCY 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 e-learning 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]).