This position is contingent upon funding.
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have
long term impact.
Program / Department Summary
Mercy Corps has been operating in Guatemala for over 15 years, and is known for innovative programming around cash, market-based livelihoods, and violence prevention among others. Mercy Corps Guatemala’s current programs build on our long experience in the highlands region. Our national office recently relocated from Guatemala City to Coban, Alta Verapaz. The Coban office allows us to draw on strong program leaders and support teams (finance, operations,
human resources, etc.) who are representative of the communities where we work.
The USAID/Guatemala Integrating Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (I-
WASH) Activity is a proposed five-year, $10 – 24.99 million Program that will work with local municipalities and the private sector to ensure rural Guatemalans have a reliable water service that is chlorinated and adequate for human consumption, improved sanitation facilities, and establish the habit of practicing optimal hygiene behaviors.)
The Position
Mercy Corps is seeking candidates for a
Chief of Party (CoP) to provide overall strategic vision, team leadership, and management for implementation of the I-WASH Activity. The CoP will supervise program staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations. S/he is responsible for staffing, project planning, project financials, and staff direction and oversight. The CoP will be the primary program representative with USAID, relevant government entities, program partners, other implementers, and stakeholders.
This position spans through the life of the project, expected to last 5 years.
Essential Responsibilities
Program Strategy and
Design
- Lead the development of a vision and strategy for the program shared with program team and key stakeholders.
- Play an active role in identifying and developing new initiatives that foster and/or improve strategic objectives of the program.
- Leads the development of annual workplans and PMP plans.
- Leads a culture and operationalization of adaptive management practices within the team to ensure that program approaches remain relevant and responsive to the changing context in Guatemala.
Program Management
- Responsible for overall and day-to-day management of award activities across multiple locations. Oversee program start-up, management, and administration. Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts.
- Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
- Develop partnership frameworks, partner agreements/Memorandum of Understandings, and oversee partner capacity building.
- Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate. Certify all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Safeguarding Policy, Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and participant accountability standards.
- Ensure program strategies and activities represent global good practice in Market Systems and WASH.
- Coordinate with procurement, logistics, security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security, administration, and human resources teams to ensure operational systems support field activities.
- Supervise and/or review the work of program consultants as applicable.
- Fulfill Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
Team Management
- Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
- Develop partnership frameworks, partner agreements/Memorandum of Understandings, and oversee partner capacity building.
- Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate. Certify all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Safeguarding Policy, Gender Policy, Do
- No Harm principles, and participant accountability standards.
- Ensure program strategies and activities represent global good practice in Market Systems and WASH.
- Coordinate with procurement, logistics, security, administration, and human resources teams to ensure operational systems support field activities.
- Supervise and/or review the work of program consultants as applicable.
- Fulfill Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
Finance & Compliance Management
- Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps’ regulations.
- Create and maintain systems to ensure effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with program, donor and Mercy Corps’ needs.
Influence & Representation
- Monitor adherence to grant agreement, Mercy Corps’ policies and procedures and relevant external rules and regulations, including those of the government of Guatemala.
- Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events.
- Maintain close working relationships with counterparts in other organizations in Guatemala
- Liaise with and represent program to USAID and other cooperating sponsors and stakeholders.
- Ensure close coordination and information sharing with consortium partners, sub-grantees, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs.
Security
- Work closely with the security focal point to develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members.
- Ensure that programs are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security.
Supervisory Responsibility
These will include the national and international team members working on the program, as well as partnerships with international and national program partners. The actual number of direct and indirect reports is to be determined.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Country Representative
Works Directly With: Deputy Chief of Party,
Director of Finance and Administration, Program Sector/Technical Managers, Program Managers, Reporting & Communications Officers,
Country Director, Finance, and Operations teams. Coordinates with HQ Program Performance team and the
Technical Support Unit.
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding
international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design,
monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
- Master’s degree in a relevant field such as social sciences, development studies, engineering, or environmental science, etc., and a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience working in the WASH sector and/or international development (or an equivalent combination of education and experience)
- Minimum of 5 years of experience managing water sector projects in with increasing levels of responsibility.
- Prior experience managing complex donor-funded programs in Guatemala or in Central America and existing relationships and experience working with government and private sector actors on WASH-related in the region strongly preferred.
- Strong leadership skills and experience overseeing large teams across multiple partner organizations, as well as working in politically sensitive contexts.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills. Demonstrated ability to think strategically and communicate his/her vision to partners and colleagues.
- Proven experience navigating complex and high-pressure operating environments.
- Demonstrated ability to establish and sustain interpersonal and professional relationships with different donors, civil society organizations and host country government counterparts.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs i.e. Excel, Word, PowerPoint etc.
- Experience of working on USAID WASH programs preferred.
- Previous experience living and working in challenging or insecure environments.
- Experience in conflict sensitivity training and Do No Harm training of trainers strongly preferred.
- Must be professionally proficient and fluent in written and spoken Spanish and English.
Success Factors
The successful candidate will have a proven ability to learn quickly; multi-task; take rapid decisions; take initiative; have drive and energy, as well as high emotional intelligence; constructive mentoring skills; proven experience with capacity building; be accountable for results; understand the larger picture while remaining focused on the details; possess
problem solving skills; work within a complex and sensitive setting and ability to follow laws and security protocols.
They will have a demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively with team members of varied work styles and cultures, follow procedures, and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving.
The most successful Mercy Corps team 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.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position will be based in Guatemala City with regular travel to program locations including deep field sites. The location is generally secure. Housing, health care, water, electricity and consumer goods are all reasonably accessible. Mobile phones services are widely available. Internet is available in all Mercy Corps offices with some inconsistencies in the most remote sites. This position requires 40% travel to field offices that are located in highly insecure locations.
Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on short-term assignments. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect
local laws, customs and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.
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.
