Area Coordinators – Border Security Programme leads field operations, partner coordination, and project implementation, requires a relevant Degree and 5+ years field program management experience. Full-time role in Busia.
General Position Summary
The BSP Area Coordinator reports to the Kenya Country
Lead and serves as Mercy Corps’ focal point for the Border Security Programme
(BSP) within the assigned area. The role provides oversight and coordination of
partner activities, leads area-level work planning, and serves as the primary
liaison with local government and other key stakeholders.
The Area Coordinator ensures that activities across
BSP outcomes and partners are well-coordinated, sequenced, complementary,
timely, and within budget, while remaining aligned with overall programme
objectives
Essential
Job Responsibilities
Area Coordination and Work Planning
Coordinate
and oversee all BSP partner activities in the area, ensuring they are
sequenced, complementary and aligned with the overall programme workplan.
With the
Kenya Country Lead and outcome leads, develop and update the area workplan
quarterly, and chair regular area-level coordination meetings with partners.
Track
progress against the workplan and report on implementation, flagging delays,
gaps or overlaps between partners and proposing solutions.
Maintain
the area risk register, updating it quarterly and as needed, and escalate
issues promptly.
Attend
quarterly programme meetings and contribute area-level updates, lessons and
priorities.
Partner Oversight
Act as
the day-to-day link between consortium partners, local partners and outcome
leads in the area.
Monitor
partner delivery against agreed milestones and verify activities. Recommend
milestone payments or corrective action where needed.
Identify
opportunities to layer and link activities across partners and outcomes to
increase impact.
Ensure
partners comply with programme, donor and safeguarding requirements.
Government Engagement and Representation
Serve as
the primary liaison with county and national government offices in the area,
building relationships that support implementation.
Brief
government counterparts regularly on progress, challenges and lessons, and
organise joint field visits where appropriate.
Facilitate
government participation in programme activities and planning.
Represent
Mercy Corps and BSP at area-level coordination forums, in consultation with BSP
leadership.
Operations, Security and MEL
Liaise
with finance, logistics, procurement, HR and administration teams so
operational support meets field needs and complies with Mercy Corps and donor
policies.
Work with
the security focal point to ensure activities are planned with sound security
analysis and that team safety systems are in place.
Support
the MEL team so area data is collected, used and fed back into adaptive
management and the BSP learning agenda.
Safeguarding responsibilities
Actively
learns safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding
risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
Practices
the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of
participants and fellow team members.
Encourages
openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit
reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity
Hotline and other options.
Supervisory Responsibility
None
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Kenya Country Lead
Works Directly with: Programme Leads, Operations
Team, Finance Team, Program Managers, consortium partners, local implementing
partners, and donor stakeholders.
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.
Knowledge and Experience
Bachelor’s
degree in Programme Management, Development studies, Migration, security
Sector/Police reform, Border/Security Management, or related discipline.
At least
five (5) years of relevant professional experience in multi-sectoral programs,
including security, governance and policing, strategic planning and
implementing programs.
Strong
managerial skills, including adaptive management, coordination and
decision-making.
Experience
working in complex programs required.
Sound
understanding of financial, procurement, administration, and logistics
management systems, including remote management.
Experience
coordinating multiple activities, developing synergies and creating
opportunities for collaboration.
Strong
commitment to local capacity building and the ability to engage local
stakeholders in project design and implementation.
Experience
working with host governments at the sub-national level, INGOs and national
NGOs.
Excellent
organizational and project management skills; detail-oriented; and possessing
an ability to anticipate program and operational needs.
Proven
ability to work cooperatively with others in a team environment and to a
diverse group of national and international staff.
Understanding
of adaptive management and participatory methodologies for project design,
implementation, and evaluation.
Demonstrated
proficiency with the MS Office software (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
required.
Knowledge
of the local language in the Area of application.
Persuasive
written and oral communication in English and Swahili required; competency in a
relevant local language beneficial.
