Mercy Corps drives high quality, analytical work in tough places. We have been operating in Uganda since 2006 and currently manage a breadth of programs in Acholi, Karamoja, Lango and Arua sub-regions with funding from a basket of donors. We partner with a range of private, public and civil society actors to systemically broaden opportunity for people across northern Uganda.

USAID funded Securing Peace and Promoting Prosperity in Karamoja (EKISIL) which Mercycorps and Partners- Riamiriam Civil Society Network, DADO and AWOTID have been implementing since November 15 2017 to April 15, 2021. We anticipate a two (2) year extension for this program from April 2021 – April 2023. EKISIL is a Conflict Mitigation and Management Project that uses people-to-people approach (P2P) that brings groups together across divisions to address underlying social, economic, ecological, and governance issues at risk of fueling conflict in Karamoja region.

This is achieved through three interlinked objectives that address root causes of inter-ethnic conflict and promote reconciliation, empower local capacities to prevent and manage conflicts, and address emerging conflicts related to land.

General Position Summary

The Senior Technical Advisor (STA) will provide both technical and operational oversight of the project in Karamoja. He is responsible for planning, coordination and overall implementation of the project at the local level in line with the donor guidelines. The STA plays key roles in organizing capacity building trainings, program quality assurance and documentation of all events leading to the successful implementation of the project. The STA oversees specialized training on conflict sensitivity, collaborative negotiation and mediation, EWER, and advocacy and influence.

He/she focuses on strengthening the collaboration, learning and adaptation horizontally across the four districts and bolstering vertical linkages between districts and the national CEWERU. S/he will be responsible for providing internal capacity building for program staff, review and development of necessary tools that feed into needs of Mercy Corps and donor reporting. Working and building the capacity of the partners, supporting in developing institutional development plans for the local partners. .

Essential Job Responsibilities
Essential functions
• Oversee the development of program and staff work plans;
• Act as the main liaison with relevant District government officials and institutions, stakeholders and community members relevant to the Activity;

• Participate in peace and conflict-related coordination meetings and represent Mercy Corps in these meetings;
• Manage all initiatives related to the Activity in Karamoja area as agreed with the Chief of Party and in accordance with approved proposal, budget and timelines;
• Coordinate and share information with the Chief of Party to ensure overall program targets and donor obligations are being achieved;
• Provide direct and ongoing supervision and managerial support to the Activity staff to ensure effective implementation of program activities;
• Recommend promotions, improvement plans, dismissals/terminations in accordance to the Mercy Corps Uganda Personnel Policy and Procedures and the Ugandan Labor Law;
• Identify training needs and opportunities for Karamoja staff to ensure that they have adequate resources to complete program objectives, and to enable learning and growth;
• Visit project sites regularly to provide appropriate technical assistance, monitor and oversee activities;
• Support the Project officers to establish a system to monitor and evaluate program activities and impact on an ongoing basis. Ensure that program monitoring is being done on a regular basis and that adequate monitoring reports are prepared;

• Support the development of partnerships with national and international NGOs, CBOs and other agencies involved in Conflict Management initiatives and other Mercy Corps activities.
• Maintain close cooperation with the Finance and Administration departments and other staff to ensure that the program is in full compliance with all the established operational, administrative and financial procedures;
• Keep in communication and working relationship between the Activity and other USAID and other doors funded projects;
• Regularly meet with the Chief of Party to discuss program achievements, especially when they deviate from the original plan;
• Work with the Chief of Party to organize and facilitate field visits for donors and Mercy Corps staff;
• In collaboration with the Chief of Party, monitor security developments and report to Mercy Corps Senior Management as per the Mercy Corps Uganda security procedures and protocols;
• Jointly prepare donor reports with the Chief of Party and other staff to capture program impact;
• 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;
• Other duties as assigned

Additional Responsibilities.
Technical
• Provide overall leadership to the startup of the new USAID Regional Development Initiative that covers Nine (9) districts of Karamoja.
• Support the newly on boarded Partner Riamiriam in setting up and implementing the community level and district activities
• Support the Senior Program Officers in implementation and delivery of the Karamoja Regional Development Plan and the Investment Plan
• Develop contacts with senior government officials in the government and USAID and this necessitates travels to Kampala on regular basis
Finance & Compliance Management
• In collaboration with the country program’s operations and finance departments, ensure proper financial management, procurement, administration, human resources and logistics needs of the program are conducted within Mercy Corps’ policy and with the maximum benefit to the program
• Maintain close cooperation with the Finance and Administration departments and other staff to ensure that the program is in full compliance with all the established operational, administrative and financial procedures
INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION
• Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events in the field, in close coordination with the Country Director.
• Ensure close coordination and information sharing with consortium partners, sub-grantees, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs.
• Establish and maintain relationships with communities and local government.
Security
• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
Organizational Learning
• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.
Accountability to Beneficiaries
• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Knowledge and Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in conflict management/peace building or any other social science.
• Six years’ experience managing conflict management or other capacity building related projects preferably with NGOS.
• Experience in managing teams and facilitating planning and program development processes
• Financial and personnel management experience and knowledge
• Experience in both community level programming and government focused capacity building.
• Leadership skills, and proven experience in developing effective teams
• Demonstrated problem solving skills.
• Demonstrated experience in coaching, conducting workshops and community meeting facilitation.
• Excellent report writing skills and speaking skills and an excellent communicator.
• Strong organizational and managerial skills.
• Excellent computer skills, including all Microsoft applications.
• Demonstrated skills to successfully communicate and initiate and maintain positive relationships with beneficiary’s community.
• Excellent relationship management skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English both verbally and in writing
• Experience or working in Karamoja region, with strong contextual knowledge of Karamoja cultures.

Success Factors
The successful STA will provide overall leadership, management and strategic vision to the implementation in of programs. S/he will manage staff, resources and partnerships to ensure that the program meets its targets and deliverables on-time and within budget and on scope. She will combine exceptional management skills and experience in building and maintaining partner relationships. S/he will have an ability to think creatively about operationalizing and improving the regional program.

S/he will have proven experience with cross-cultural team and capacity building, individual staff development and leadership skills. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail as well as 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. A good sense of humor and the ability to learn from mistakes also goes a long way!

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Moroto Uganda with frequent travels to all the Nine (9) districts of Karamoja. The region is secure with access to most basic amenities.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. 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 locations.

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 72

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Job application procedure
Use the link to apply: https://recruiting2.ultipro.com/MER1024MERCY/JobBoard/df92509c-10a2-4fc7-9d8c-ddae2a94d9fc/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=c6c0598a-5d6f-4297-b35d-188dc5f126ad