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.

USDA McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program / Mercy Corps Pakistan

Mercy Corps has been operational in Pakistan since 1986, when we began responding to the Afghan refugee crisis in Pakistan. Over the next 15 years, we primarily supported Afghan refugees and the communities they were displaced to. Since the beginning of 2000, Mercy Corps has worked with Pakistani communities, and governmental and non-governmental partners to increase access to quality health care, livelihoods, and education, and has helped communities recover from natural disasters/emergencies.

In Pakistan Mercy Corps has implemented over $140 million of humanitarian and development programs, with a focus on public health including maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH), primary healthcare, TB and malaria control, nutrition as well as emergency health interventions, with a wide geographical coverage. All health programs have been designed and implemented jointly with the national Ministry of Health, provincial Departments of Health, and the target communities.

In addition, since 2002 Mercy Corps has been implementing education programming in Pakistan, most recently working in Baluchistan to ensure that Afghan refugee and host community children have safe, equitable access to schools. Specific activities have included teacher training and community engagement on topics that have included protection, health, nutrition and hygiene promotion. Investments have also been made to improve school facilities, including modifications to increase accessibility for children with disabilities. To improve retention, particularly for girls and Afghan refugees, students have been provided with stipends, uniforms and educational supplies. Further, out-of-school children are enrolled in Accelerated Learning Pathways (ALP) centers, that offer alternative education models.

Mercy Corps is seeking an experienced and dynamic Chief of Party to drive forward the anticipated USD20 million USDA-funded Food for Education program in Pakistan. Offer contingent on securing donor funding and approval.

The Position

The Chief of Party (CoP) will have overall responsibility for successful delivery of the five-year USDA McGovern-Dole Food for Education (FFE) program which utilizes U.S.-donated commodities to reduce hunger and improve literacy and nutrition among school-age students, especially girls. The CoP will be Mercy Corps’ primary point of contact with USDA and will provide overall leadership, management and strategic vision to the implementation of the FFE program, to ensure that the program meets its targets and deliverables on-time and within budget. The CoP will supervise key program staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations. S/he will be the primary program representative to donors, relevant government entities, partners, other implementers and stakeholders.

He/she will be managing the Consortium-related aspects of this program and will be key in ensuring the overall success. The CoP will:
• Develop and implement the overall program strategy and design;
• Supervise program staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations.
• Lead the identification, engagement, capacity-building and coordination of partner organizations into a cohesive program implementation unit;
• Oversee effective engagement with government and non-government stakeholders involved in the implementation of the program;
• Facilitate clear communication among program partners, donors, government agencies/officials, and other Mercy Corps departments.
• Ensure gender equity, social inclusion and conflict sensitivity is mainstreamed throughout the program.

Essential Responsibilities (Example Section Below - Adapt to Specific Role, Safeguarding Responsibilities are required for all roles)

STRATEGY AND PLANNING

●        Lead the development of an overall vision and strategy for the program by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve program objectives and impact, shared with program team and key stakeholders.

●        Play an active role in identifying and developing new initiatives that foster and/or improve strategic objectives of the program and the country office.

●        Contribute to strategy development by ensuring lessons learnt and impact of the FFE program are integrated into organization-level strategies and plans.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

●        Provide strategic leadership and oversight for Mercy Corps’ FFE Program activities in cooperation with key program stakeholders, including national and international partner organizations, local civil society organizations, local and national government officials, other international agencies on the ground, and USDA.

●        Provide technical leadership, guidance, and share best practice approaches in fields of food security, nutrition and education program management, implementation and policy development

●        Provide leadership to the program team by managing the technical and operational aspects, ensuring clear plans, priorities, and fostering effective teamwork.

●        Oversee program start-up, management and administration. Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts.

●        Based on the program proposal, and working closely with the M&E team, ensure that appropriate monitoring systems and tools are in place to ensure a harmonized, effective and efficient monitoring system for the program.

●        Oversee the development and implementation of program work plans and strategies that align with National and Provincial frameworks and priorities in food security, nutrition, health, social protection, literacy and primary education, ensuring coherence with government policies and development  agendas.

●        Ensure that high technical standards guide the technical and programmatic aspects of work plans and activities

●        Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.

●        Confirm program participants are effectively targeted according to transparent criteria.

●        Develop partnership frameworks, partner agreements/Memorandum of Understandings, and oversee partner capacity building.

●        Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate. Certify all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.

●        Ensure program strategies and activities represent global good practice in food security, nutrition and education.

●        Supervise and/or review the work of program consultants.

●        Coordinate with procurement, logistics, security, administration, and human resources teams to ensure operational systems support field activities.

●        Fulfill Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
 

REPRESENTATION, COORDINATION AND PARTNERSHIPS

●        Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.

●        Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.

●        Maintain good working relationships with the donor, the host country government and local leaders, partner agencies, and other key stakeholders.

●        Facilitate learning and integration of Mercy Corps’ lessons learned and best practices on school meals programming, in addition to broader food security and nutrition initiatives and the program’s other technical areas for internal and external stakeholders.

●        Develop and maintain working relationships and coordinate with relevant international and local agencies active in the food security, nutrition and education sectors, including donors, other implementing organizations, local authorities and local partners, including representing Mercy Corps at local and national coordination meetings.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

●        Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.

●        Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

●        Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via performance reviews.

●        Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

●        Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance & reach objectives.

●        Supervise and regularly coordinate with program staff and support departments to ensure smooth planning, preparation, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of program activities. Develop a framework for adaptive management and program iteration driven by research and learning.

●        Provide overall leadership to a broad team of program staff ensuring synergy, sharing of best practices and resources.
 

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

●        Responsible for the management of the overall program budget

●        Regularly monitor expenditure to ensure each team and partner adheres to their respective approved budgets

●        Support budget reviews and revision processes at team, partner and program level

●        Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations

●        Create and maintain systems to ensure effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with program, donor and Mercy Corps needs
Security

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 that programs are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security.

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

Program Team: Deputy Chief of Party, Technical Experts, MEL lead, Accountability lead

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Mercy Corps Pakistan Country Director

Works Directly With: Deputy CoP, Technical leads, finance and operations teams, HQ Regional Program Team, HQ Technical Resources & Quality Unit, consortium partners

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 (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (education,  public health etc).

●        Minimum of 15 years’ of senior leadership experience on projects of similar scope and scale. Previous experience as Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party or Team Lead for a large donor-funded development program in Pakistan will be preferable. Strong skills and a track record in strategic visioning, leadership, and inspiring teams.

●        Technical experience and understanding of school meals programming, education, child nutrition and food security preferred.

●        Experience working on programs pertaining to commodities management, proven track record working with a range of government and community actors and managing teams in multiple offices and locations.

●        Experience in the management of USDA school feeding programs desired, or similar USG programming.  

●        Effective personnel management, coordination, and decision-making skills, with proven ability to be accountable for all components of the program.

●        Competent in building networks, strong problem-solving skills, and ability to influence with effective listening, persuasion, negotiation and other techniques.

●        Strong understanding of US government compliance issues.

●        Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work.

●        Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.

●        Persuasive written and oral communication in English, including report writing.

●        Demonstrated technical expertise in food security, nutrition, literacy and primary education.

●        Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.

Success Factors

The successful CoP will combine exceptional management skills and experience in maintaining donor and partner relationships. S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region. S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams and capacity building, individual staff development, and strong mentoring skills. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, 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 Karachi or Islamabad, Pakistan and it requires up to 40% travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited.  Housing for this role is in individual housing and staff will have access to good medical services and the living situation is of a high standard.

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 that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out different 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 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]).