GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:
The Cash Transfers Technical Advisor is a new position that will have responsibility for providing overall leadership, technical support, and strategic vision to cash transfer preparedness and implementation activities across Mercy Corps' portfolio in Mali. The Technical Advisor (TA) will work closely with program teams to ensure that programs use best practices in cash-based programming and integrate opportunities to maximize use of technology, such as mobile money, to promote financial inclusion through humanitarian cash transfer activities. The TA will manage the Mali component of a multi-country USAID-funded institutional preparedness grant for digital cash transfers in humanitarian response, and co-lead with the digital financial services manager a sub-group of the Cash Working Group focusing on digital transfers and services. The TA will supervise key staff (directly or indirectly) and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations, while working closely with Mercy Corps team members to build capacity and ensure achievement of program results. The TA will play a key role in the development of relevant proposals, and s/he will provide input to the overall Mercy Corps country strategy in Mali.
PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:
Mercy Corps has been working in Mali since 2012 to provide timely humanitarian response and promote recovery and resilience of vulnerable and conflict-affected communities. We work closely with public and private partners to jointly address humanitarian and development needs, with a focus on timely humanitarian response, rebuilding livelihoods, increasing finance inclusion, promoting opportunities for women and girls, and supporting peace-building and conflict resolution. Since 2015 Mercy Corps has conducted cash transfers to over 14,000 returned refugees in Mali and implemented cash and voucher programs for agro-pastoralist populations across 4 regions.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
Technical Assistance
- Work with Program Mangers and program staff to design, implement and evaluate cash transfer activities, promoting opportunities to implement the use of mobile money technology to maximize efficiency and promote financial inclusion of transfer recipients.
- Work with Program Managers and program staff to evaluate market conditions and programmatic objectives to most effectively choose between cash-based modalities to effectively conduct humanitarian and development activities.
- Assess, contract and launch large-scale mobile money operations for cash transfer programs within Mercy Corps' Mali portfolio, including evaluating mobile money operators, establishing preferred supplier agreements for digital cash transfer services, and developing Standard Operating Procedures for beneficiary registry, SIM card distribution and sensitization, digital payments and cash transfer monitoring and evaluation.
- Elaborate an “account uptake plan” for beneficiaries, identifying opportunities to advance mobile money use among different demographic segments, monitor progress of account uptake plan, and develop and implement educational and social marketing tools to increase use of mobile products and services.
- Work with Program Managers, program staff and partner organizations to support the evolution of the Digital Cash Sub-Group, identifying shared resources, disseminating best practices and lessons learned, and engaging in joint advocacy, particularly with relevant private sector actors.
- Increase staff capacity by designing and leading technical training sessions on cash transfer programming for Mercy Corps staff and local partners and provide ongoing coaching and mentoring to ensure that Mercy Corps remains a leader in cash programming.
Vision, Leadership and Strategy
- Develop a clear vision and strategy for Mercy Corps' cash-based programming, and support development of new programs in line with this strategy.
- Ensure that Mercy Corps' cash-based programming is clearly linked to relevant programmatic outcomes and communicated to team members, local beneficiaries, donors, Government of Mali and other partners.
- Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and aligned with Mercy Corps' principles and values (Vision for Change).
- Collaborate with other related Mercy Corps programs to create synergies wherever possible.
Program Implementation
- Provide technical guidance and support in all aspects of implementation, management and evaluation within Mercy Corps' cash programming portfolio.
- Support program teams to establish effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts.
- Conduct frequent field visits to all program sites, security permitting.
Team Management
- Create a work atmosphere that promotes professional development of personnel at all levels.
- Contribute to team-building efforts across the Mercy Corps' cash and market programs and encourage the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
- Facilitate training and management of staff, particularly national team members.
Reporting, Monitoring and Evaluation
- Support effective program monitoring, evaluation, and reporting systems for both internal and external use and ensure high quality input is obtained from team members.
- Use reporting results to monitor program success, measure impact, and calibrate program strategy accordingly.
- Ensure documentation of achievements and lessons learned and ensure best practices are captured and disseminated in quarterly and final program reports, as well as in a final lessons learned document and presentation, to be shared with internal and external stakeholders as appropriate.
Representation and Coordination
- Liaise with relevant stakeholders including government ministries and local extension agents, donor organizations, humanitarian clusters, local NGOs, project partners, private sector partners and community members to ensure support for and acceptance of Mercy Corps' projects in relevant technical sectors.
- Represent Mercy Corps at the national Cash Working Group as well as select Cash Learning Partnership (CaLP) and Electronic Learning Action Network (ELAN) events.
Fiscal, Compliance Management and Accountability
- Collaborate with program, finance and administrative staff to ensure systems for cash programming are in compliance with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
- Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
Accountability
- 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.
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.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Indirect supervisory responsibility for cash transfer team members
ACCOUNTABILITY
REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Mercy Corps Mali Deputy Country Director
WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Mercy Corps Mali Program Mangers, Administration, Finance and Logistics departments. Also works directly with local national staff and relevant Mercy Corps headquarters units as necessary, including Mercy Corps' Economic and Market Development Team, Financial Services Team, Humanitarian Response Advisors, and program support and finance units.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
- Masters degree in economics, business, international development, social sciences, international relations or other relevant field preferred.
- Minimum 3 years' relevant professional experience implementing cash transfer programming, preferably with strong experience in mobile cash transfers in insecure or transitional environments.
- Strong facilitation and consensus-building skills.
- Experience working with and building the capacity of national staff and national partner organizations.
- Experience working with the private sector and building shared value partnerships.
- Familiarity and experience with USAID regulations preferred.
- Must be able to work independently while being a strong team player.
SUCCESS FACTORS:
The successful Technical Advisor will have the ability to multi-task, set priorities, and work under tight deadlines within a complex team. S/he will demonstrate strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills and be committed to the values and mission of Mercy Corps. S/he will take initiative and contribute to team efforts, as well as demonstrate an ability to communicate, assume leadership, and make solid decisions while working remotely from country leadership.
The most successful Mercy Corps staff 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:
The position is based in Bamako with travel to project areas, security permitting. Bamako is served by an international airport with daily flights to European and African destinations. Restaurants and shopping options are available but may be limited. Health care services exist but for more serious conditions, medevac to Dakar, Senegal or Europe may be required. There are international schools and Bamako is an accompanied family post.
While the city has been mostly secure, recent attacks against foreigners underscore the fluidity of the situation and may require expatriate staff to adhere to security policies, such as restrictions on movement.
Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Staff 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.
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