Regional Supply Chain Operation Director
Description
Location: East & South Africa region where Mercy Corps has presence.
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.
The Program / Department / Team (Program / Department Summary)
Global Supply Chain Operations (GSCO) provides support to Mercy Corps’ HQ and field operations in the areas of supply chain, compliance with internal policies and procedures. Strong supply chain support is key to the success and delivery of quality programs. Mercy Corps defines Supply Chain Operations as those systems and support functions necessary to implement programs effectively inclusive of procurement, inventory management, property, and asset management and well as vehicle and fleet management. The Regional Supply Chain Operations Director (RSCOD), in close collaboration with regional leadership, country leadership, and country procurement, logistics and program teams, will focus on developing and supporting a high standard of supply chain excellence to maximize program results, compliance and efficiency.
The Position
The Regional Supply Chain Operations Director (RSCOD) supports Global Supply Chain Operations for his/her assigned region in ensuring cost-effective, timely, reliable and high-quality program delivery. S/he is responsible for working closely with the country procurement, logistics and other support teams to improve the planning and management of country supply chain, and to ensure effective integration of supply chain and other support functions necessary to implement programs effectively. S/he will assist country teams with procurement, and other related functions as needed.
Essential Responsibilities
- Work closely with the regional and country program teams to develop supply chain strategies that prioritize initiatives to improve operational capabilities, effectiveness and compliance.
- In partnership with Mercy Corps Compliance and Legal, ensure that contracting practices within a country are effective, ensure quality suppliers, and mitigate risk of noncompliance with donor requirements.
- Identify regional and country supply chain strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) through market analysis, operational assessments, and understanding of regional procurement and contracting capacity. Develop action plans in partnership with Global Procurement, regional and country staff accordingly.
- Review and take appropriate action on globally defined Mercy Corps Supply Chain KPI’s for countries within the assigned region.
- Coordinate with the Program Operations Team.
- Be the expert on market dynamics for the region as a whole, and assigned countries.
- Deploy to country programs within assigned regions during emergencies where a high level of procurement is required.
- Lead implementation and delivery of global and regional initiatives to meet specific procurement needs, including local and sector-specific Master Purchase Agreements.
- Intake and review Modified Procurement Procedure (MPP) requests and support country teams throughout the MPP process.
- Identify country procurement and logistics team capacity building opportunities and provide training and other development activities for national staff.
- Coach and mentor Country Operations Directors/Managers
- Participate in the recruitment process of in-country supply chain operations staff.
- Organize short-term assignments for supply chain-related needs when requested by assigned countries, following assessment of the situation.
- Support rollout of Source to Pay System across region
- Work with country office teams to assist supply chain operations teams to improve linkages between operations and programmatic management.
Supervisory Responsibility
Indirect - Country Operations Directors/Managers
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Vice President Global Supply Chain Operations and Deputy Regional Director Operations – ESA Region
Works Directly With: Country Programs, including Operations, Programs, and Finance; and HQ support functions including Global Procurement, Operations Support, Finance, and Compliance, Program and Quality, Humanitarian Leadership Response.
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
- Advanced Degree, minimum 10 years of progressive Procurement and/or Logistics professional experience, with a minimum of 5 years as a regional or field operations lead or equivalent education and experience.
- Demonstrated success as a supply chain leader across all disciplines including planning, procurement and logistics. Experience within a given region or in a global environment required.
- Broad knowledge and experience in procurement strategies, market analysis techniques, procurement and contracting.
- NGO experience preferred with thorough understanding of institutional donors’ (USAID, FCDO, OFDA, ECHO) policies relating to procurement
- Must have proven project management skills and experience, excellent communication skills, the ability to find solutions and achieve results, the ability to analyze and resolve complex issues and the ability to motivate team members
- Strong collaborator and influencer with effective interpersonal and analytical skills who is able to work seamlessly across countries, cultures, and organizational units.
- Able to work effectively in a highly matrixed structure.
- Strong financial management and budgeting skills.
- Excellent training and coaching ability.
- Fluency in English and French required.
- Ability to travel up to 40-50 percent of time.
Success Factors
This role will require exceptional stakeholder engagement and communication skills in implementing Mercy Corps procurement policies and procedures and ensuring compliance. Organizational skills and ability to prioritize will be critical due to the number of countries within the assigned region that will need to be managed. 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.
The most successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, and make effective communication a priority in all situations. Mercy Corps is a highly collaborative and lateral organization that encourages strong self-initiative as well as team spirit. In order to succeed in this environment, the candidate should be highly organized and innovative. They should also demonstrate proud workmanship, good communication, and collaboration skills.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The Regional Supply Chain Operations Director is based in a current MC Africa or Americas Region location. This position requires 40 - 50% of time of travel by air to field offices within varying levels of security environments.
Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
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
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 is 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 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, color, 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, 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. 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.