Program Director - Empower - Sudan

Programs and Technical Specialities Nyala, Sudan

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Description

Location: Atbara & Nyala, Sudan (Roving)
Position Status Full-time, Regular
 
Risk Level:     X 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.

Program Summary

Mercy Corps has been operational in Sudan since 2004 and currently leads humanitarian assistance and longer-term development efforts in conflict-affected South Darfur, Central Darfur, South Kordofan, North Kordofan, Kassala, Gedaref, and Khartoum States, supporting host communities, IDPs, returnees and refugees. Mercy Corps’ current areas of programming include food security and livelihoods, WASH, health, nutrition, peace building and protection, resilience, and Market Systems Development.
The EMPOWER program is a €21M European Commission-funded action implemented by Mercy Corps in consortium with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and local partners to support conflict- and displacement-affected young people aged 15–35 in nine target states (of which Mercy Corps will work in five states: South Darfur, Kassala, River Nile, and North and South Kordofans). The 42-month program started in January 2026, and has a six month inception period through June 2026, with the implementation phase through June 30, 2029. It will respond to Sudan’s protracted crisis by combining short-term income opportunities with pathways to longer-term economic recovery, while strengthening protection and social cohesion for youth, especially young women, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and youth with disabilities. 
 
Through an integrated approach, the EMPOWER program will deliver labour-intensive, community-based public works and Cash for Work (CfW) activities that rehabilitate priority community assets and improve access to services and markets, alongside market-relevant training, entrepreneurship support, and linkages to employment and financial services (including VSLAs). All activities are designed using conflict- and gender-sensitive approaches and are informed by assessments, with protection mainstreaming and community safety measures embedded where feasible to support safe participation and reduce vulnerabilities.

General Position Summary

The Program Director (PD) provides overall leadership for Mercy Corps’ portfolio and responsibilities within EMPOWER, serving as MC’s principal representative to the DRC‑led consortium, the EU Delegation, government counterparts, private sector actors, and local partners. The PD ensures strategic clarity, adaptive delivery, risk and compliance management (including FSTP governance), and acts as the primary financial steward for Mercy Corps’ €21M share of the award. The PD steers Mercy Corps’ technical leadership on Output 2 and contributes to consortium‑wide coordination of Output 1 linkages and youth transitions from public works into employment or entrepreneurship pathways.
 
Essential Job Responsibilities
STRATEGY & VISION
  •  Translate the program’s theory of change into costed, statelevel workplans that link immediate income (e.g., CfW) to sustainable youth employment and entrepreneurship pathways.
  •  Lead Mercy Corps’ technical direction for Output 2 and ensure seamless referral/ linkages from Output 1 (public works/CfW) into training, jobs, and enterprise support.
  •  Integrate gender equality, disability inclusion, and protection mainstreaming across designs and delivery, ensuring safe access for atrisk youth, including reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities.
  •  Embed climate/environmental safeguards (e.g., NEAT+) and Decent Working Conditions (DWC) principles within marketdriven pathways and curricula.
  •  Drive synergies with the CAREled consortium and complementary DRC/MC programs to avoid duplication and expand opportunities for youth and MSMEs.
  •  Champion a learning agenda (including the ~5% learning time expectation) that uses monitoring and market intel to adapt strategy in a volatile context.
 
PROGRAM & CONSORTIUM MANAGEMENT
  •  Lead delivery of the entire program across Outputs 1 and 2; plan and sequence activities across states; ensure integration between public works/CfW, trainingtoemployment pathways, and enterprise/financial inclusion; and drive performance against targets, budgets, timelines, and quality/compliance standards in coordination with the DRCled CMU and consortium partners.
  •  Coordinate with DRC’s CoP, the Steering Committee, and CMU/technical working groups to harmonize approaches, tools, indicators, and learning products across the consortium.
  •  Manage national NGO partners/subgrantees endtoend—codesign costed state workplans and FSTP packages; align roles, targets, and referral pathways; lead due diligence and onboarding; provide handson capacity strengthening (program, MEAL, finance/safeguarding); monitor delivery and compliance (BvA, indicators, documentation); resolve bottlenecks (procurement, cash flow, TA/HAC access); and ensure timely reporting and closeout.
  •  Sequence Technical Agreement (TA) processes with government stakeholders and access negotiations to enable timely, safe startup and scaleup in each state.
  •  Run integrated delivery using costed workplans tied to procurement and HR plans; keep implementation on time, scope, and budget through routine progress reviews and adaptive course corrections.
  •  Lead monthly Budget vs. Actual and pipeline/burnrate reviews with Finance/ Subawards/Operations; approve corrective actions and quarterly reforecasts; keep procurement and staffing aligned to the costed workplan.
  •  Oversee cashflow/liquidity planning and timely, compliant disbursements to FSPs, vendors, and subgrantees/FSTP recipients; enforce EU documentation standards and ensure ontime donor financial reporting with auditready files.
  •  Ensure MEAL aligns to the EU logframe (employment, income, business survival, skills, protection outcomes), including regular learning reviews to inform adaptive management.
 
TEAM MANAGEMENT
  •  Build, coach, and inspire highperforming, diverse teams across states; set clear roles and objectives, provide routine feedback, and lead formal performance reviews.
  •  Recruit, onboard, and mentor program and support staff; deploy surge/consultative support as needed to maintain delivery pace and quality.
  •  Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and inclusion, ensuring staff have the tools, data, and decisionspace to execute and learn.
  •  Promote staff well‑being and professional development, enabling ~5% time for learning and skills growth relevant to program outcomes.
  •  Model and reinforce safeguarding, respectful conduct, and zero tolerance for harassment or exploitation in all workspaces and interactions.
STANDARDS AND COMPLIANCE
  •  Apply PM@MC and complexprogram standards; align planning, procurement, and documentation to internal controls and donor rules.
  •  Operationalize EU requirements and restrictive measures across all modalities; ensure partner/beneficiary vetting, eligibility checks, and auditready records.
  •  Govern Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) endtoend, setting ceilings and tranching, verify deliverables, and manage evidence for training stipends (MEBinformed), group cash transfers (<€6,000), youth startup kits (≈≤€500), MSME seed grants (≤€5,000), cashtransfer fees, and subgrants.
  •  Lead subaward management with robust due diligence, capacity strengthening, and monitoring, including antifraud controls and timely closeout.
  •  Ensure compliance with VAT/exemptions, procurement thresholds, asset control, timesheets/LOE, and costeligibility; coordinate early with Finance/Procurement on complex buys.
  •  Deliver EU visibility in line with branding/waiver guidance; coordinate communications limited to projectachievement needs and participant safety.
SECURITY
  •  Ensure team compliance with country security procedures; maintain updated context/risk analyses and clear movement/incident protocols for all locations.
  •  Integrate EORE/CPP coordination and messages where relevant to reduce UXO/ERW risks for participants and staff engaged in public works or market activities.
  •  Activate contingency and remote‑management measures during access disruptions; diversify transfer/payment channels and pre‑position supplies where feasible.
  •  Engage in access negotiations and coordination platforms (HAC/SAHRO, clusters, UNDSS/INGO fora) to maintain safe, principled reach to target areas. 
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
EMPOWER Program Team (directly supervises a Deputy Project Director, CfW Coordinator, and a Livelihoods & Employment Coordinator).
Accountability
Reports to: Director of Programs
Works Directly With: Market Systems Development Technical Lead, SMT, PMT, HR and TEQ (when necessary), PaQ Director.
Collaborates With: HQ teams, all MC logistics and operations team in the Sudan offices and at HQ
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
  •  MA/MS (preferred) in economics, business, international development, public policy, or related field; BA/BS required.
  •  10+ years of progressive leadership managing complex, multiyear, multilocation consortia in fragile settings; prior EUfunded program experience required.
  •  Demonstrated expertise in youth employment, market systems, entrepreneurship/MSME development, cash & voucher assistance, and financial inclusion (VSLAs/MFIs).
  •  Proven endtoend financial stewardship of large, multimillioneuro/dollar awards: budgeting and reforecasting, cost allocations and shared costs, cash flow/liquidity and FX risk, BvA/pipeline, procurementbudget alignment, donor financial reporting, and FSTP/subaward compliance (EU).
  •  Strong track record in protection mainstreaming and coordination of specialized protection services within economic programming; experience with GBV/PSS integration strongly preferred.
  •  Excellence in partnership management/localization and in representing programs to donors, authorities, private sector, and clusters.
  •  Advanced financial management, risk, and compliance skillset; adept with PM@MC standards.
  •  English required; Arabic highly desirable.
  •  Willingness and ability to travel frequently to field locations, including insecure and austere environments.
Success Factors
The successful candidate is a strategic, solutionsoriented, and experienced critical thinker and leader who knows what it takes to deliver impactful programs in challenging, fastmoving environments. They adapt quickly and make principled, datainformed decisions; communicate exceptionally to inspire broad and diverse teams toward a shared goal; and drive a fastpaced, adaptive program while fostering a stimulating workplace that encourages quality, innovation, and accountability. They bring strong listening and diplomatic skills and can navigate complex team dynamics, external politics, and stressful situations to deliver results. They pair excellent analytical and creative problemsolving skills with strong organizational abilities, the capacity to work independently, and financial stewardship (budgeting, BvA/pipeline analysis, and FSTP/subaward compliance with robust internal controls). They model inclusive leadership, centered on safeguarding, equity, local ownership, and learning, and take initiative to design and champion innovative, marketdriven solutions that advance the mission of Mercy Corps in Sudan.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
This is a roving role between Nyala (South Darfur) and Atbara (River Nile State) and requires significant, frequent travel across program locations. Duty travel may include remote or austere environments with limited services, movement restrictions, and elevated context risks. Mercy Corps may provide shared housing/guesthouse accommodation where applicable, and staff are expected to comply with all security protocols and movement procedures. R&R and other hardship benefits apply.
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 always adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values. 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]).

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