CASH Program Officer - Mercy Corps

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. In Palestine, Mercy Corps has been working hand-in-hand with local communities and partners since 1980s and has staff in three offices based in East Jerusalem, West Bank, and Gaza. Mercy Corps work aims to increase the capacity of Palestinian’s civil society to promote inclusive social and economic development, long-term recovery, and respond to humanitarian needs.

Program / Department Summary

Globally, Mercy Corps is a recognized leader in cash transfer programming leading numerous efforts designed to harmonize and improve practices across the sector. Since 2006, Mercy Corps in Palestine has worked to provide vulnerable populations with access to basic needs and livelihood support through different cash modalities with funds from a range of donors, including ECHO, USAID, Qatar Charity, and Humanitarian Fund.

Mercy Corps has made a commitment to increase its use of Cash Transfer Programming (CTP) in humanitarian responses. In Gaza, Mercy Corps has been implementing CTP since 2006, and over the last few years we designed and established a stronger case for multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA) by testing different cash transfer modalities and completing ambitious research, Learning, and influence agenda. Mercy Corps’ Cash Program includes different cash projects from different donors.

General Position Summary

The Cash Program Officer (CPO) will work directly with the Cash Program Manager, closely Cash Programming Technical Advisor, and other team members of CTP projects under the Cash Program. The CPO will manage the work of Program Coordinator levels and all Cash Program activities implementation, including field and office work. The COP responsibilities include effective project technical support, community and relevant stakeholder liaison and coordination, monitoring and evaluation, quality assurance and accountability, cash delivery mechanisms, financial tracking, data collection, and management, analyzing and reporting on results, as well as engagement with senior management on the strategic direction of the overall humanitarian response in Gaza. The CPO position also includes close collaboration and coordination with Mercy Corps departments and functions, including Finance, Procurement, Logistics, and Human Resources.

Responsibilities and Duties

Strategy and Vision

Help Mercy Corps and Cash Program management to articulate the vision for Cash Transfer Programming (CTP) development and quality as an integral component of the overall program portfolio in Gaza. Contribute to promoting the centrality of CTP.
Work closely with relevant technical teams and management and provide timely input to design and test different cash modalities and optimize the use of cash transfer programming to meet basic needs in normal and emergency situations.
Contribute to developing strategies with the Mercy Corps management and teams to ensure that CTP best practices are systematically implemented, documented, and updated in the overall response interventions.
Assist in developing CTP learning agenda, evidence-based programming, and recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.

Program Planning, Implementation, and Development

Be fully responsible for managing the Cash Program’s activities implementation in the spirit of providing the best possible value for Mercy Corps, Program participants, and the community at large.
Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Program Management Standards (PM@MC), Cash Minimum Standards Policy, Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Protection Principles, Accountability to Participants Standards, Filed Procurement Manual, other Mercy Corps policies and procedures, and Mercy Corps Country Strategy.
Ensure Cash Program projects’ activities are implemented in accordance with technical, budgetary, and timely requirements to the highest standards delivering the maximum possible quality and in compliance with Mercy Corps’ standards and donors’ requirements.
Actively contribute to projects startup and design, including the development of projects’ implementation plans, activities financial plans, setting up targeting approaches and mechanisms, participants’ identification plans, timelines, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), partnership frameworks, participant targeting, and distribution processes (directly by Mercy Corps or jointly with national and international Program Partners).
Maintain up-to-date program plans are tracked, updated, documented, and reported to Cash Program management.
Ensure that participants are effectively identified and targeted according to established plans, vulnerability targeting approaches, and developed Targeting Frameworks. This includes data collection, entry, and cleaning processes are done in a timely and quality manner for all program monitoring tools in close coordination with the MEL unit, cross-checking of participants with relevant service providers, and setting up and implementing a filing system, tracking and document final lists.
Coordinate with teams and partners on preparing and implementing community, partners, and participants’ orientation information sessions. This includes preparing orientation materials and packages, coordinating with partners and Mercy Corps relevant departments and functions, preparing orientation plans, training relevant teams, etc.
Be fully responsible for the monthly Cash Transfers to program participants (Multiple Projects), including preparing monthly payment requests, following up the monthly transfers with Financial Service Provider(s), and maintaining up-to-date tracking sheets, notifying participants, and preparing periodic reports to Cash Program management.
Act as the Program’s point of contact for CARM to provide timely feedback for Program-related queries received through the CARM system through close coordination with the CARM team.
Identify various partners (local NGOs, financial institutions, private companies, etc.) necessary for successful CTP implementation, including developing partners’ MoUs and subaward agreements and tracking partners’ deliverables.
Ensure active engagement, timely communication, and proper coordination and liaison with all Mercy Corps support departments, including Finance & Compliance, Monitoring & Evaluation, Procurement, and Human Resources & Admin.

Team Management
Help 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 regular performance reviews.
Hire, orient, and supervise new team members and implementing partners as necessary.
Provide team members with information, tools, and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
Contribute to country team-building efforts, provide any program-related technical capacity building as needed, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
Ensure all team members adhere to all Mercy Corps policies, including the Code of Conduct Policy and Safeguarding Policy

Monitoring and Evaluation, and Reporting

Ensure high quality monitoring and evaluation procedures are in place and maintained with a focus on outputs, outcomes, Learning, and evidences of impact.
Support management in developing Program’s evaluation strategy, data collection tools, monitoring and evaluation tools in close cooperation with Mercy Corps’ Monitoring & Evaluation department.
Help in planning baseline as well as endline data collection in line with the established evaluation strategy.
Collaborate with the program teams and the Monitoring & Evaluation department to conduct relevant assessments, present evidence on effectiveness of CTP, support data analysis and provide analytical reports, and advise on practices around programming for further expansion.
Ensure program implementation is using effective monitoring and evaluation systems and indicator tracking and transparency tools to reach desired impacts.
Provide timely periodic and ad hoc high-quality reports and updates on the status of the Cash Program implementation.
Maintain and update project summaries for donors and internal use, including updated fact sheets.
Capture evidences of impact, write success stories and produce other written material as required.

Security

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

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 – Mercy Corps expects all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Participants

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our partners and international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging partner communities as equal partners in designing, monitoring and evaluating our field projects.

Authority and Accountability

Supervisory Responsibilities

Cash Program Coordinator levels.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Cash Program Manager

Works Directly With: Director of Programs, Cash Programming Technical Advisor, MEL Unit, Mercy Corps departments and functions, including Finance, Procurement, Logistics, and Human Resources, and additional regional or headquarters-based support departments as needed.

Job specification

Bachelor’s degree required, M.A, M.S., M.Sc. or equivalent degree preferred, in international development, economic development, international relations, engineering or other relevant degree.
4+ years of field experience of international relief and development programs.
3+ years of direct field experience in CTP.
Experience in Palestinian humanitarian sector. Excellent familiarity with, and understanding of, Gaza humanitarian context.
Previous experience managing cash transfer programming and knowledge of e-transfer mechanisms.
Previous experience building capacity of staff and local partners.
Demonstrated success working effectively and respectfully with country government, private sector, INGO, NGO partners and other stakeholders in complex environment.
Excellent writing skills and experience with proposal development processes with prior experience with USAID, ECHO, OCHA and other institutional donors.
Successful and proven negotiation, communication and organizational skills.
Excellent Computer Skills.
Excellent oral and written English skills required.
Experience managing national staff.

Success Factors

The successful CPO will skillfully represent programmatic priorities of Mercy Corps to donors and partners while providing effective leadership to the Mercy Corps program team in the transitional response environment. The CPO will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive, and energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity building. The CPO will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level. Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority. The successful candidate will combine great management skills, data analysis skills and experience in maintaining donor and partner relationships. The CPO will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative CTP projects within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in Gaza. Prioritizing, problem solving, ability to seize opportunities, attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.

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.

HOW TO APPLY:

Qualified persons with disability are highly encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit an application online HERE

no later than Thursday, 21 July 2022

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Please apply separate application for each position you are interested in.