PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY
Mercy Corps helps communities develop their own ideas to solve Haiti’s most daunting problems by using innovative approaches to bring Haitians new social and economic opportunities and to make their country more secure, productive and just. Established in January 2010, Mercy Corps Haiti has offices in Port-au-Prince and St. Marc and 40 staff implementing programs in economic development, agriculture, natural resources management and alternative energy. The Life, Land and Energy implemented project takes a holistic approach to watershed rehabilitation, improved agriculture practices, livelihoods improvement and community development. Mercy Corps economic development work is guided by the principles of pro-poor development and demand driven strategies. Mercy Corps takes a progressive approach to economic development that leads communities and entrepreneurs from relief to sustainable livelihoods to long term economic growth.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) released a $12 million Request for Applications (RFA) for a two year “Canaan Upgrading and Community Development (CUCD)” program to be implemented in Canaan, a new and rapidly expanding city on the northern border of Metropolitan Port-au-Prince with an estimated population of at least 100,000 inhabitants anticipated to start May 2015. This purpose of this program is to achieve a better functioning and more resilient urban area created through carefully planned neighborhood upgrading and urban management initiatives, and a more dynamic and equitable livelihoods sector fostered by reducing market barriers and inefficiencies and stimulating new economic opportunities in Canaan.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
Project Management:
• Be responsible for overall leadership and strategic vision on the implementation, coordination and management of the livelihoods’ component of the CUCD program. Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and aligned with Mercy Corps’ principles, values and strategic plan.
• Monitor project’s adherence to the grant agreement, Mercy Corps policies and procedures and relevant donor rules and regulations.
• Monitor implementing partners’ adherence to sub-grant agreement and coordinate with partners’ senior managers on a regular basis to ensure the successful implementation of the program partner’s activities.
• Ensure a detailed Program Work Plan (PWP) is developed and updated regularly, with the participation of the program team and relevant partners and program stakeholders.
• Ensure very strong communication and coordination within the team, with other departments and with senior management.
• Monitor project expenditures and undertake monthly forecasts and budget vs. actual analyses.
• Ensure an effective end-of-program transition.
• Ensure participatory methodologies for project design, implementation and evaluation take place.

Team Management:
• Manage the implementing team of the livelihoods’ component of the CUCD program.
• Create a work atmosphere conducive to professional growth and development of excellent personnel.
• Implement and ensure all project staff effectively use the performance planning and management system, establish performance expectations and regularly provide constructive feedback to program staff and senior managers.
• Promote accountability by conducting staff performance reviews with direct supervisees and ensuring that supervisory staffs do the same.
• Contribute to overall Mercy Corps Haiti’s team-building efforts and help ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision making processes.

M&E and Reporting:
• Facilitate the achievement of project targets and objectives and lead efforts to manage/implement an effective Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP), including conducting baseline, midterm and endline surveys.
• Ensure that the M&E focal point focuses on collecting timely and quality data and generates practical information that can be used for ongoing project decision-making while also capturing results at the impact level.
• Ensure effective coordination and the sharing of quality and timely M&E data between implementing partners and the program’s M&E focal point.
• Regularly communicate observations and analysis from assessment and ongoing M&E activities with the broader Mercy Corps Haiti and Mercy Corps HQ teams.
• Proactively manage internal and external communications, including writing program reports, and working with Mercy Corps' Media Team to develop media relationships and generate story placements.
• Assist with documentation and dissemination of institutional knowledge: case studies, lessons learned, and good practices in social innovation and economic development.

Coordination and Representation:
• Ensure representation and coordination as appropriate with donors and implementing partners, NGOs, and CBOs.
• Network and cultivate relationships with a broad cross-section of private sector entities, enterprise development practitioners, organizations, and other stakeholders to elicit feedback on the program and assess the potential for collaboration and partnership.
• Ensure regular meetings and calls with program partners to ensure good communication, share challenges and promising practices, and inform any mid-stream adjustments that need to be made to projects.

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 towards 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.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:
The Program Manager will lead Mercy Corps Canaan's Economic Development team and will be primarily responsible for the management and successful implementation of the livelihoods’ component of the CUCD program. The livelihoods component of the program will facilitate access to markets and livelihoods for Canaan’s residents. The activities will address the multiple barriers residents face in securing employment and/or income generating opportunities. Mercy Corps will work in consortium and lead the livelihoods’ component of the CUCD program.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
• BA required in economic development, business administration, international development, or relevant field and MA/S preferred
• 5-7 years of experience preferred in managing livelihoods support and/or economic development programs and people.
• Significant experience managing programs in technical areas, including business and market development, value chain development, VSLA and vocational training.
• Significant experience working with Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) approach including market research and value chain assessments.
• Professional experience in Haiti, as well as an existing professional network in Haiti preferred.
• Also working with low-income communities and government counterparts preferred.
• Outstanding interpersonal, customer service and partnership development and relationship management skills.
• Demonstrated experience in managing sub-grant partner agreements and building high performance teams.
• Proficient with MS Office.
• Proven ability to follow procedures, meet team objectives and work independently and cooperatively with team members and diverse groups of people.
• Demonstrated experience and ability professionally in representing the organization and negotiating and defending Mercy Corps’ interests with a diverse range of government officials, local organizations and other groups.
• Demonstrated commitment to develop, acquire, document and apply best practices in related fields, and apply solutions to obstacles.
• Fluency in Haitian Kreyol or French, and English required