Job
Country Director - Kenya (NATIONAL ONLY)
- Organization: Prosper Global
- Location: Kenya
- Category: Full-time
About this opportunity
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Position Status: Full-time (open to Kenyan Nationals)
Salary Level: Kenya level 10
Risk Level: X Level 3 ☐Level 2 ☐Level 1
(Level 3: Frequent contact with participants, direct contact with children, access to sensitive data, and/or high level of accountability.
Level 2: Some contact with participants; unplanned non-direct contact with children.
Level 1: Likely to have no contact with participants or sensitive data)
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is transitioning to Prosper Global. Learn more here. As the transition is being implemented by location, you may see the Mercy Corps and Prosper Global names used concurrently during this period. This is an administrative transition, and our teams, programs and commitments continue without interruption.
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.
About Mercy Corps Kenya
Mercy Corps began working in Kenya in 2009 to address the societal wounds following the 2007 post-election violence. Since that time, Mercy Corps has built a robust and diverse portfolio in Kenya that is working to address structural causes of poverty and injustice and to strengthen systems that enable men, women and children to access opportunities, participate in and contribute to peaceful democratic processes, and thrive in the face of ecological and social change. To do this, we deliver integrated programming to strengthen market and governance systems, address the root causes of conflict, and equip vulnerable populations- in particular youth, women, adolescents and marginalized social groups- with the skills, opportunities and resources they need to be healthy, productive and to drive the development of their communities. Mercy Corps Kenya also collaborates with neighboring country offices to implement several multi-country and cross-border programs.
Working with a diverse base of donors that includes the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), European Commission (EC), United States Department of State, Swiss Development Cooperation, Netherlands, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Google.org, Cisco, and other donors, Mercy Corps empowers people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. We work closely with the private sector, civil society and governance structures at local and national levels to drive positive change and ensure that opportunities are inclusive of all Kenyans.
Mercy Corps Kenya is a country where there is considerable strategic interest for the agency and high growth potential, including an existing portfolio of large and highly strategic programs. Moreover, with most donors and international agencies having regional hubs in Nairobi, there is significant potential to drive regional influence, advocacy and representation objectives from the Nairobi office. Mercy Corps Kenya is recognized as a leader in resilience programming, market systems development, conflict mitigation and youth employment, bridging humanitarian, development and peacebuilding interventions to drive resilient outcomes for communities across Northern Kenya. We champion and lead innovative solutions, guided by our comprehensive resilience framework, and are strongly positioned to influence donors, development actors, private sector and government to foster collaboration and strengthen the systems that communities depend on to cope, adapt and thrive in the face of external shocks and changing environments, centering climate adaptation and conflict mitigation at the heart of our work.
The Position
The Mercy Corps Kenya Country Director (CD) is an innovative and visionary leader responsible for resourcefully developing and managing all programming and operations in Kenya to deliver impact, harness innovative solutions and influence lasting and systemic change. Building on a strong foundation of programming that has improved the lives of more than 2.9 million Kenyans, the CD will continue to oversee the delivery of high-impact, multi-sector programming that is accountable to both program participants and donors, while prioritizing strategies for thoughtful growth, external influence and partnership building. Placing a high value on innovative solutions to development issues and creative partnerships, the CD will position Mercy Corps to drive forward strategic programming, both within Kenya and sub-regionally (with a focus on the Horn of Africa), strategically connecting programs into a cohesive country portfolio, guided by a long-term Country strategy that aligns to the regional and Agency’s global vision. The Country Director has full supervisory responsibility for the portfolio and is responsible for building a cohesive team that works together to deliver high-impact programming across the country.
Essential Responsibilities
STRATEGY & VISION
• Refine and articulate a clear and compelling vision of Mercy Corps’ strategy in Kenya, and contribute to the regional strategic vision, drawing on Mercy Corps’ key agency distinctives and experience in Kenya and the region to inspire team members, donors, government stakeholders and partners to support the country objectives and develop impactful and relevant programming within our partner communities.
• Build strategic partnerships and relationships to achieve the vision outlined in the country and regional strategy.
• Set direction for the country team by prioritizing and organizing actions and resources to achieve the objectives outlined in the country strategy.
• Lead country strategy development and annual country planning using a collaborative process.
• Leverage headquarters and regional technical support teams to support program design and delivery in line with Mercy Corps’ best practices.
• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcome. Remain current with development thinking, including resilience approaches, systems thinking, nexus approaches, social impact, value for money, etc.
• Lead engagement with donors, partners, and communities to design and secure resources for high-impact programs that are aligned to community priorities.
• Partner with the regional team and other country programs in East Africa to elevate Mercy Corps’ expertise and profile within the broader subregion, leading to strategic regional programming that works across borders and delivers impact across the subregion.
• Support program and operations team members to pivot and adapt programming to be responsive to contextual changes, such as environmental and climate change impacts, conflict, or emerging opportunities to deepen impact.
LEADERSHIP & CULTURE
• Commit to preserving an organizational culture of trust, transparency, diversity, equity, and inclusion across the team and global organization.
• Uphold a culture of integrity through ethical decision-making, safeguarding and compliance with the Code of Conduct.
• Lead by role modeling self-awareness to foster an environment of mutual respect, diversity and inclusion so that all team members are included, supported and can thrive.
• Create a culture of accountability for highly effective communication systems and relationships to ensure every voice matters.
TEAM MANAGEMENT
• Recruit, manage, motivate, and onboard an informed, skilled and efficient team with an emphasis on high quality impact, inclusion and achievement.
• Encourage a team culture of growth, learning, creativity and innovation by incorporating a culture of continuous feedback, development and performance management.
• Establish credibility within the team by demonstrating personal accountability, flexibility, resilience and
Position Status: Full-time (open to Kenyan Nationals)
Salary Level: Kenya level 10
Risk Level: X Level 3 ☐Level 2 ☐Level 1
(Level 3: Frequent contact with participants, direct contact with children, access to sensitive data, and/or high level of accountability.
Level 2: Some contact with participants; unplanned non-direct contact with children.
Level 1: Likely to have no contact with participants or sensitive data)
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is transitioning to Prosper Global. Learn more here. As the transition is being implemented by location, you may see the Mercy Corps and Prosper Global names used concurrently during this period. This is an administrative transition, and our teams, programs and commitments continue without interruption.
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.
About Mercy Corps Kenya
Mercy Corps began working in Kenya in 2009 to address the societal wounds following the 2007 post-election violence. Since that time, Mercy Corps has built a robust and diverse portfolio in Kenya that is working to address structural causes of poverty and injustice and to strengthen systems that enable men, women and children to access opportunities, participate in and contribute to peaceful democratic processes, and thrive in the face of ecological and social change. To do this, we deliver integrated programming to strengthen market and governance systems, address the root causes of conflict, and equip vulnerable populations- in particular youth, women, adolescents and marginalized social groups- with the skills, opportunities and resources they need to be healthy, productive and to drive the development of their communities. Mercy Corps Kenya also collaborates with neighboring country offices to implement several multi-country and cross-border programs.
Working with a diverse base of donors that includes the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), European Commission (EC), United States Department of State, Swiss Development Cooperation, Netherlands, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Google.org, Cisco, and other donors, Mercy Corps empowers people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. We work closely with the private sector, civil society and governance structures at local and national levels to drive positive change and ensure that opportunities are inclusive of all Kenyans.
Mercy Corps Kenya is a country where there is considerable strategic interest for the agency and high growth potential, including an existing portfolio of large and highly strategic programs. Moreover, with most donors and international agencies having regional hubs in Nairobi, there is significant potential to drive regional influence, advocacy and representation objectives from the Nairobi office. Mercy Corps Kenya is recognized as a leader in resilience programming, market systems development, conflict mitigation and youth employment, bridging humanitarian, development and peacebuilding interventions to drive resilient outcomes for communities across Northern Kenya. We champion and lead innovative solutions, guided by our comprehensive resilience framework, and are strongly positioned to influence donors, development actors, private sector and government to foster collaboration and strengthen the systems that communities depend on to cope, adapt and thrive in the face of external shocks and changing environments, centering climate adaptation and conflict mitigation at the heart of our work.
The Position
The Mercy Corps Kenya Country Director (CD) is an innovative and visionary leader responsible for resourcefully developing and managing all programming and operations in Kenya to deliver impact, harness innovative solutions and influence lasting and systemic change. Building on a strong foundation of programming that has improved the lives of more than 2.9 million Kenyans, the CD will continue to oversee the delivery of high-impact, multi-sector programming that is accountable to both program participants and donors, while prioritizing strategies for thoughtful growth, external influence and partnership building. Placing a high value on innovative solutions to development issues and creative partnerships, the CD will position Mercy Corps to drive forward strategic programming, both within Kenya and sub-regionally (with a focus on the Horn of Africa), strategically connecting programs into a cohesive country portfolio, guided by a long-term Country strategy that aligns to the regional and Agency’s global vision. The Country Director has full supervisory responsibility for the portfolio and is responsible for building a cohesive team that works together to deliver high-impact programming across the country.
Essential Responsibilities
STRATEGY & VISION
• Refine and articulate a clear and compelling vision of Mercy Corps’ strategy in Kenya, and contribute to the regional strategic vision, drawing on Mercy Corps’ key agency distinctives and experience in Kenya and the region to inspire team members, donors, government stakeholders and partners to support the country objectives and develop impactful and relevant programming within our partner communities.
• Build strategic partnerships and relationships to achieve the vision outlined in the country and regional strategy.
• Set direction for the country team by prioritizing and organizing actions and resources to achieve the objectives outlined in the country strategy.
• Lead country strategy development and annual country planning using a collaborative process.
• Leverage headquarters and regional technical support teams to support program design and delivery in line with Mercy Corps’ best practices.
• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcome. Remain current with development thinking, including resilience approaches, systems thinking, nexus approaches, social impact, value for money, etc.
• Lead engagement with donors, partners, and communities to design and secure resources for high-impact programs that are aligned to community priorities.
• Partner with the regional team and other country programs in East Africa to elevate Mercy Corps’ expertise and profile within the broader subregion, leading to strategic regional programming that works across borders and delivers impact across the subregion.
• Support program and operations team members to pivot and adapt programming to be responsive to contextual changes, such as environmental and climate change impacts, conflict, or emerging opportunities to deepen impact.
LEADERSHIP & CULTURE
• Commit to preserving an organizational culture of trust, transparency, diversity, equity, and inclusion across the team and global organization.
• Uphold a culture of integrity through ethical decision-making, safeguarding and compliance with the Code of Conduct.
• Lead by role modeling self-awareness to foster an environment of mutual respect, diversity and inclusion so that all team members are included, supported and can thrive.
• Create a culture of accountability for highly effective communication systems and relationships to ensure every voice matters.
TEAM MANAGEMENT
• Recruit, manage, motivate, and onboard an informed, skilled and efficient team with an emphasis on high quality impact, inclusion and achievement.
• Encourage a team culture of growth, learning, creativity and innovation by incorporating a culture of continuous feedback, development and performance management.
• Establish credibility within the team by demonstrating personal accountability, flexibility, resilience and
Loading interactive page…