Program Quality and Partnership Manager

Position: Program Quality and Partnership Manager

Location: Kathmandu, Nepal with at least 35% travel across Nepal

Position Status: Full-time, Regular

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. Mercy Corps has been operating in Nepal since 2005, implementing programs in food security, agriculture, market development, financial services, youth engagement, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. We take a systems-based approach in our programming, with the aim of improving the lives and potential of vulnerable individuals and communities across Nepal.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps began operations in Nepal in 2005, and since then has implemented projects in the sectors of agriculture, food security and nutrition, financial services, youth engagement, and disaster risk reduction/ climate change adaptation. To date, this programming has reached over 900,000 people in 23 districts. Mercy Corps Nepal works to build the absorptive, adaptive and transformative potential of vulnerable individuals and communities across Nepal. The goal is attained through a systems-based approach to market development, financial services, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, emergency response and youth engagement.

Mercy Corps also has a leadership role in a variety of technical forums across Nepal and globally, plus a priority for internal program quality, accountability and operational excellence. Business development will be a key priority with the short-term emphasis will be on complementary, transformative funding opportunities while the long-term goals will be to maintain a similar level of effort, influence and implementation across the country. At any time, the country of Nepal could experience a significant natural disaster, and this position would be expected to have a key leadership role in Mercy Corps Nepal’s emergency response efforts.

General Position Summary

The Program Quality and Partnership Manager (PQPM) is an important leadership role within Mercy Corps Nepal, working closely with the Country Director to set the overall strategic direction and quality of the country’s program portfolio. The PQPM provides coordination and oversight across a range of programs, promotes collaboration and learning among teams, and helps ensure technical quality and cross-program coherence. The role also contributes to strategic fundraising efforts and partnership development in line with country priorities. S/he builds and maintains strong relationships with all agency stakeholders and ensures a productive and thoughtful work environment between the Programs and Support teams. S/he plays integral roles in program development, evidence building and use, as well as communications, influence, accountability, and overall quality assurance. S/he represents Mercy Corps Nepal programs and is responsible for coordinating with the larger audience. S/he will directly supervise a 2–3-person program management team. The successful candidate will be an emotionally intelligent strategic thinker, someone able to work outside the lines and inject new ideas and critical thinking skills into our work. The PQPM for our team will be a strong leader, committed to gender and social diversity and will serve as a model for strong leadership not only to Mercy Corps’ project team, but also support staff, partners, and other stakeholders.

Essential Job Responsibilities

The specific duties and responsibilities of the Program Quality and Partnership Manager include, but are not limited to, the following:

Strategy & Vision – 10%

• Work with the Country Director, the senior management team (SMT), and other team members to maintain country program strategies and priorities, and to communicate this strategy to constituencies.
• Where appropriate, support the Country Director to conduct country office monitoring and reporting against the strategy.
• Work with the Country Director and Finance & Compliance Manager on country program consolidated budgets for the current and upcoming fiscal years, and to use this budget as a management tool to maximize resources and ensure sound fiscal management, especially for on-going programs.
• Serve as a member of the Senior Management Team, helping to formulate fair and affordable human resource and operations management policies and strategies.

Partnerships and Business Development – 40%

• Lead and coordinate partnership-driven business development efforts, ensuring that new program opportunities align with Mercy Corps Nepal’s country strategy and thematic priorities.
• Proactively identify and pursue new funding opportunities through engagement with donors, peer INGOs, local NGOs, and research institutions.
• Facilitate collaborative program design processes, including concept note and proposal development, and serve as lead or contributing writer as needed.
• Maintain an updated pipeline and donor engagement tracker, capturing evolving donor priorities, calls for proposals, and partnership opportunities.
• Cultivate and strengthen strategic relationships with national and international organizations, think tanks, and academic institutions to expand joint programming and innovation prospects.
• Manage and nurture constructive relationships with relevant government agencies at federal, provincial, and local levels to support program development, coordination, and compliance with national priorities.
• Ensure that key program documents, learnings, and evidence are well organized and packaged for external communications, donor engagement, and visibility purposes.

Program Quality Management – 25%

• Support CD to manage grants in the country office portfolio, ensuring programs remain on time, on scope, on budget and that program managers are skilled, resourced and empowered to make adjustments and manage these processes as well.
• Lead project planning processes, ensuring that all projects/ programs have a clear and achievable design, integrating innovations where appropriate; and fully comply with PM@MC and Gender Minimum standards.
• Work with Project Managers/ Program Managers, ensuring that projects: follow sound planning processes; have high performing teams, with good performance management processes; focus on detail, quality, and results; have strong monitoring & evaluation frameworks; deploy cutting-edge technical approaches; and, that good participatory methods and stakeholder management approaches are used.
• Ensure that projects/ programs receive adequate technical input by keeping projects/ programs technically focused and iterative, yet responsive to emerging opportunities and trends; identifying and organizing trainings and exposure visits; encouraging self-directed learning; and, facilitating cross-learning and information sharing.
• Ensure that key cross-cutting themes, such as community participation, partner capacity building, good M&E, coordination, consultation with government, public/ private/ civic sector partnerships, inclusion of women, and inclusion of disadvantaged groups are emphasized and integrated into all projects/programs.
• Strive to create and use standardized tools and practices, where appropriate, across projects/ programs.
• Carry out systematized project/ program monitoring visits and provide structured feedback in a way that can improve project/ program progress and impact
• Working with the M&E team, ensure that all projects/ programs produce professional quality reports and communications materials, that publishable results are disseminated, that Mercy Corp.
• Communicate effectively to ensure that overall project targets and donor obligations are met.

Team Management – 5 % (Integrated with Above Program Management)

• Support Project/ Program Managers in their efforts to manage strong project/ program teams.
• Supervise and monitor the performance of direct reporting line management and taking corrective action as required.
• Work with operations team members, the Country Director, and the Finance & Compliance Manager to make sure that adequate operational support is in place for project/ program success, while at the same time minimizing overheads and maintaining a ‘projectized’ (or composite) structure that facilities project/ program success.
• Participate in the recruitment, selection, orientation and training of key project/ program staff, and other staff as requested by the Country Director.
• Help to facilitate team coordination and capacity building opportunities and events as required.

Strategic Communication -15 %

• Lead and implementing Mercy Corps Nepal’s organizational communication strategy across various levels.
• Prepare clear, concise, and compelling reports, presentations, and other communication and visibility materials.
• Responsible for managing internal and supporting external communication channels to ensure timely information flow for various audiences.
• Support the assessment of learning from the field in different thematic issues in collaboration with thematic head, M&E team and PM.
• Update MC project innovation, impact and influence in the workplace, the hub and other platforms in communication with the PM.
• Assist the field team in collecting appropriate learning about programs and their best practices and organize/lead best practice sharing workshops.
• Support in preparation and updating standard information package for project(s) that can be shared with visitors and media as required.
• Collect, structure and document project related information for internal and external audiences, government and ensure publications are regularly posted and accessible.

Influence & Representation – 5%

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.
• Ensure that all programs produce professional quality reports and communications materials; that publishable results are disseminated strategically and effectively; and that Mercy Corps is a ‘thought leader’ in its strategic technical areas.
• Ensure effective, consistent and timely communication with donors and project partners
• Facilitate learning and collaboration internally with other Mercy Corps teams beyond the Nepal country office
• Maintain excellent relationships with donors, the host country government and local leaders, partner agencies, and other key stakeholders.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned and best practices to internal and external stakeholders, including at international conferences and similar forums.
• Ensure visibility of Nepal programs, both internally and externally.

Finance and Compliance Management

• Collaborate with program, finance and administrative staff to ensure systems are in compliance with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
• Support Program Managers to appropriately manage their budgets through regular budget vs actual reviews and follow up action items
• Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.

Others

• 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.
• Mercy Corps as a humanitarian agency is expected to response as and when crisis and humanitarian situation engulfs. As an MC employee, all staff are expected to be part of humanitarian and emergency response in addition to their regular roles and responsibilities in such situations.
• Other duties assigned by the Country Director.

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.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values always and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibility

• Senior MEL Officer, Communications and Advocacy Officer, Technical Advisors who fall outside of project/ program management structures, if these positions exist; temporarily supervise consultants deployed to the country program to provide technical or project design support.

Accountability

• Reports Directly to: Country Director
• Works Closely with: Project/Program Managers, Finance/Compliance, and Operations team members

Knowledge and Experience

• MA/S or equivalent in international development, economics, agriculture, disaster management, political or social science, management or other relevant field.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in project/program management positions is preferred.
• At least 5 years of proven track record of bringing in new business, including innovative design and leading the proposal development process
• Excellent spoken and written English and Nepali language skills and ability to interact effectively with international and national staff.
• Demonstrated technical understanding of at least some of the following sectors: agriculture, food security and nutrition, market systems development, disaster management, humanitarian response, gender equality and social inclusion, and social development.
• Demonstrated understanding of sound project management practices and protocols.
• Excellent organizational strategic communication skills
• Excellent program conceptualization and development capacities, including the ability to convey these ideas convincingly in writing.
• A high level of personal efficiency, and the ability to balance multiple urgent or important tasks without undue stress.
• Good oral communication and representation skills.
• Strong representation and presentation skills.
• An impatience for ‘business-as-usual’, including the ability to clearly communicate a vision of success and help people to “operationalize” this vision and reach for improved results.
• A tolerance for ambiguity, and proven inter-personal and inter-cultural skills.
• Ability to maintain a consistent field orientation and performance orientation.

Success Factors

The successful PQPM will combine exceptional management skills and experience in building diverse programs/projects and maintain donor and partner relationships. S/he will have an ability to think creatively about improving quality and impact of programs. The PQPM will have proven experience with cross-cultural team and capacity building, individual staff development and strong mentoring 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. This position brings with it a potentially large and demanding workload, so the successful candidate will also have a strong ability to manage and prioritize tasks and delegate to other team members, while still caring for their own well-being.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position will be based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Kathmandu is a culturally dynamic capitol city that can provide a comfortable, safe living environment with access to amenities, although a sense of patience with routine (and extended) power cuts, water shortages, air/ noise pollution, and traffic is required. Approximately 35% of travel may be required to field locations, so the incumbent should be in decent physical shape so as to access all project sites. Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/short-term assignment to a field posting.

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 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 (integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).

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