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Position Title: Director" id="link" class="link">Technical Director
Location: Nairobi
Country: Kenya
Deadline Date:

Job Details

Job Posting Organization:
Mercy Corps is a global humanitarian organization established to address the world's most pressing crises. With a presence in over 40 countries and a workforce of more than 5,400 team members, Mercy Corps focuses on creating sustainable change through local impact. The organization emphasizes collaboration with Local Communities, governments, and private sectors to develop innovative solutions that address poverty, disaster, and the effects of Climate Change. Their mission is to empower individuals and communities to thrive, ensuring that 84% of their team members are from the regions they serve, which enhances their understanding and effectiveness in implementing programs.

Job Overview:
The Technical Director (TD) will play a pivotal role in the Nawiri Leadership Team, responsible for establishing and driving a cohesive technical vision and strategy for the Nawiri program. This position is crucial for ensuring the high-quality technical implementation of the program's approach, which aims to achieve a sustained reduction in persistent acute malnutrition. The TD will creatively manage and develop sustainable, multi-sector technical programming that is accountable to government entities, participants, and donors. The role involves overseeing a team of senior technical experts across various program components, including Resilient Livelihoods, Health and WASH, Water Systems, and Gender and Youth Social Inclusion. The TD will ensure that technical strategies are integrated across program systems and processes, reflecting best practices and responding to the needs of participants. Additionally, the TD will represent the program's technical strategy and results to donors and government partners, facilitating high-quality technical inputs into donor processes and ensuring a culture of learning and adaptive management within the team.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Technical Director will be responsible for providing overall technical leadership and vision for the Nawiri program. Key responsibilities include ensuring that the program's technical approach reflects learning and best practices, facilitating a shared understanding of the technical approach across the program, and integrating cross-cutting aspects such as Gender Equality and climate adaptation into the technical strategy. The TD will also identify areas needing additional Technical Support and facilitate linkages to the team. Program Management responsibilities include guiding the technical team in developing quality program standards, ensuring high-quality technical guidance informs the program cycle management process, and fostering adherence to program performance systems. The TD will coordinate with the Implementation team and county-level tech leads to ensure high-quality delivery of program activities and document technical team meetings to share decisions and deliberations with relevant members.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates for the Technical Director position should possess a strong background in technical leadership within humanitarian or development contexts. They should have demonstrated experience in managing multi-sector programs, particularly in areas related to Food Security, nutrition, and resilience. The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to lead and mentor teams, ensuring high-quality technical implementation and adherence to best practices. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential for effective collaboration with various stakeholders, including government partners and donors. Additionally, candidates should have a track record of fostering a culture of learning and adaptive management within their teams.

Educational Background:
A master's degree in a relevant field such as public health, nutrition, international development, or a related discipline is required for the Technical Director position. Advanced training or certifications in technical areas relevant to the program's focus, such as food security, water systems, or gender and social inclusion, will be considered an asset.

Experience:
The Technical Director should have at least 7-10 years of experience in technical leadership roles within humanitarian or development organizations. Experience in managing complex programs with multiple stakeholders, including government agencies and donor organizations, is essential. The candidate should also have a strong understanding of program performance systems and standards, as well as experience in adaptive management and learning processes.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory for the Technical Director position. Proficiency in Kiswahili or other local languages spoken in Kenya would be considered an advantage, as it would facilitate communication with local stakeholders and communities.

Additional Notes:
This position is full-time and based in Nairobi, Kenya. The Technical Director will report directly to the Chief of Party and will have supervisory responsibilities over various program leads. The role may involve travel to program sites for field visits and technical updates. Compensation and benefits will be commensurate with experience and in line with Mercy Corps' policies.