Description

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION/SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps does high-quality, analytical work in very difficult places. We have been operating in Uganda since 2006 and currently implement development programs in the Acholi, West Nile and Karamoja sub-regions of Uganda with funding from USAID, DFID and ECHO, among others. Apolou (“Growth” in Nga’karimojong) is a 5-year USAID funded DFSA activity operating in the four districts of Moroto, Kotido, Kaabong and Amudat. Apolou has four objectives grounded in social behaviour change and supports gender-transformative and resilience outcomes:

1. Inclusive and effective governance contributes to food and nutrition security.
2. Improved health and nutritional status of pregnant and lactating women, children under five and adolescent girls.
3. Improved WASH conditions.
4. Adolescent girls, adolescent boys, women and men access diverse and secure livelihoods through improved capacities and strengthen market systems.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The primary focus of the Partnerships and Capacity Building Officer will be to provide strategic guidance, build local partner technical, financial and operational capacity, and serve as a key adviser to one of Apolou’s local partners: KAPDA, RIAM RIAM or AIDI.  The position will be embedded within the local partner organization. The position will support the development and implementation of strategies to develop local partner capacity and networks across all four districts. The position should focus on three key success factors:

1. Ability to provide relevant, timely, and focused capacity building support to their respective local partner.
2. Strategically building networks across civil society in Karamoja while integrating the work of Apolou’s local partners into mainstream Apolou activities, for example, Community Mobilization, social behavior change and advocacy for improved service delivery.
3. The degree to which the position drives results, making critical decisions and producing scheduled outputs on time, on scope and on budget for Mercy Corps and the associated local partner.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Monitoring & Evaluation

• In close coordination with the M&E team implement M&E protocols and procedures to ensure accurate reporting of data against program indicators for Mercy Corps and the local partner.
• Ensure that the local partner is fully aware of and understands the data reporting requirements, the M&E system which they are required to follow and the indicators that they are tracking.
• Follow standard operating procedures when it comes to documenting monitoring of partners (reports, meeting minutes, spot checks etc.)

Compliance

• Ensure the compliance of local partners to their subgrant agreements, and monitor that they are meeting the agreed upon milestones on time, on scope and on budget.
• Compile and organize the necessary paperwork to ensure timely payment of all local partners in line with their sub grant agreement.

Documentation & Knowledge Management

• Implement a document management system in partnership with local partners to regularly document activities, success stories and administrative issues (e.g. distributions or transfer documentation) in soft and hard copy.
• Contribute to reports as required by Mercy Corps and its donor.

Partnership Management and Strategy

• Identify, organize and execute strategic trainings and capacity development opportunities for local partners.
• Ensure that capacity building strategies are implemented and updated for all local partners.
• Implement and support team members to implement the Organizational Capacity Index on an annual basis with all local partners. Track, oversee and document their capacity development progress.
• Work with local partners to integrate social behavior change and gender initiatives into their everyday work and activities.
• Identify and develop networking opportunities for Apolou local partners within Karamoja and beyond to strengthen their capacity and further engage civil society.
• This position will have primary responsibility for management, leadership and support to the local partner.
• The position will provide advice on technical aspects of the training and implementation of good governance, community mobilization and engagement strategies for the local partner.
• Provide key support to the local partner for technical, financial and operational capacity building to ensure that they meet their objectives on time, on scope and on budget while building a platform for sustainability.

Representation and Coordination

• Liaise with local government officials, local CSOs and NGOs, local religious leaders and others to ensure support for and acceptance of Mercy Corps.
• Maintain close working relationships with donors, other humanitarian and development organizations, and local partners, including representing Mercy Corps at local coordination meetings as required.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
• Act as a point of coordination between local partners and other CBOs working in the same District and/or technical sector. Similarly, act as a focal point for coordination with other Mercy Corps programs that also work with local partners in Karamoja (e.g. SP3, PEACE III, BRACED etc.)

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: N/A

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO:  Partnerships and Governance Team Leader

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Quality & Partnerships Manager, SO2, SO3, SO4 teams, M&E staff, Gender & Youth team, Local Partner Agencies (NARWOA, KAPDA, RIAM RIAM, AIDI), Finance and Operations staff

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science, Governance, Development Studies or related field.
• 3+ years of experience focused on governance programs at both community and official levels.
• Experience supporting the development of local partner internal management systems.
• Facilitation skills are a strong asset.
• Excellent negotiation and representation skills and the ability to work comfortably with an ethnically diverse staff in a sensitive environment.
• Effective verbal and written communication; strong skills in organization and prioritization
• Good knowledge on Microsoft Office applications (Word, excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) are a requirement
• Excellent English language skills essential (verbal and written), with N’Karamojong skills preferred.