Country Manager - Niger & Burkina

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.

The Program / Department / Team

Mercy Corps has been present in Niger since 2005, focusing its interventions on improving food security, livestock research, youth livelihoods, conflict prevention & social cohesion, climate change adaptation, and emergency response outcomes. Mercy Corps has also been working in Burkina Faso since 2016 with activities in social cohesion and youth and livestock programming. Our work in these areas contributes to local communities’ resilience to shocks and stresses and enables them to achieve long-term, inclusive and equitable development. Mercy Corps’ vision for change requires the private sector, government and civil society to work together to create meaningful and sustainable change. Mercy Corps is currently implementing development and humanitarian programs, in Niger and in Burkina Faso.

The Position SummaryThe Niger & Burkina Faso Country Manager combines high-level program management, business development leadership and official representation responsibilities. Given the smaller scale of the country mission, the Country Manager will directly oversee program strategy, implementation, and quality, while also acting as the primary representative of Mercy Corps in Niger & Burkina Faso. The role requires a dynamic leader who can provide strategic vision, manage complex multi-sector programs, ensure compliance with donor regulations, and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders, including donors, local authorities, and national and international partners. The Country Manager will actively participate in portfolio management and portfolio growth with the support of, and under the leadership of, the Deputy Regional Director for Programs. They will provide leadership, technical oversight, management and strategic vision of the multi-sectoral portfolio that spans humanitarian and development programming while managing staff and resources to ensure that the programs are of highest quality and adhere to internal Mercy Corps policies and procedures as well as donor rules and regulations, and meet its targets and deliverables on- time, on-scope and within budget.

Essential Responsibilities STRATEGY AND PLANNING

• With the support of the Deputy Regional Director Programs, lead on and communicate a clear vision for Mercy Corps’ programs in Niger & Burkina Faso, aligned with regional and global strategies.
• Lead the development and implementation of countrywide strategic plans, ensuring that they are responsive to the rapidly evolving context in Niger & Burkina Faso.
• Pursue new opportunities for innovative programming and to sustain and grow MC portfolio in Niger & Burkina Faso in line with the country strategy.
• Follow analysis of the Niger & Burkina Faso crisis and the impact of policy, political, and military changes on the context, ensuring that this analysis is recognized and incorporated in planning for both short-term humanitarian and longer-term recovery and resilience programming
• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed and considered.
• Ensure that the Mercy Corps strategy is updated and implemented as a collaborative process with MC Niger & Burkina Faso team, well communicated and guides decision-making. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
  • Lead the design, implementation, and monitoring of multi-sector programs, ensuring they are on-time, on-scope, and within budget.
  • Oversee program leads to ensure that all programs adhere to Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards (PM@MC 2.0) and meet donor expectations.
  • Support and mentor teams, fostering collaboration, learning, and continuous improvement.
  • Build and maintain operational systems that ensure proper administrative support for programs, as well as segregation of duties between finance and operations.
  • Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and program participants accountability standards. STRATEGIC BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
    • Lead strategic business development efforts, identifying and securing new funding that align with Mercy Corps’ strategic goals in Niger & Burkina Faso, under the leadership of the Deputy Regional Director for Programs and with the support of the Regional Program Team and Regional Business Development Advisor.
    • Track and review new program development opportunities and identify opportunities that match Mercy Corps’ strategic interests in Niger & Burkina Faso on a coordinated and timely basis.
    • Develop and maintain strategic partnerships in country with a diverse pool of potential partners from the civil society, local and international NGO, private sector, research or government space.
    • Coordinate with partner organizations and field program staff on proposal development and design, including gathering information for concepts and proposals and serving as primary drafter/editor of proposals and needs assessments.
    • Apply the agency’s best practices in donor cultivation, pre-positioning, and proposal development efforts for institutional donors TEAM MANAGEMENT
      • Develop capacity of the team and assist with career development; Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
      • Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on one and performance reviews.
      • Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect and accountability, where team members strive to achieve excellence.
      • Lead recruitment efforts for key positions, ensuring the selection of highly qualified and culturally competent staff.

        PROGRAM QUALITY, EVIDENCE & LEARNING

        • Communicate a clear vision of program goals and strategies to program team members and stakeholders, translating into concrete work plans.
        • Provide leadership to increase coordination, collaboration, communication and harmonization of Mercy Corps programming and operations in Niger & Burkina Faso, ensuring adherence to the highest technical program standards.
        • Building a supportive and accountable pathway for Program Managers to fully be responsible for meeting PM@MC standards with minimal oversight from Country Manager over time.
        • Liaise with the regional and global teams, including regular updates with the Deputy Regional Director for Programs and regional heads of TRAQ to ensure MC Niger & Burkina Faso remains on track with regional and global objectives and gets the required support to maintain program performance and quality at the country level.
        • Support the Programs team in ensuring the planning and proactive implementation of high-quality data collection (assessments, evaluations etc....) along with the development and implementation of a learning agenda across programs.
        • Build consensus around a common vision of what shared success looks like, including developing and tracking appropriate indicators.
        • Ensure programs meet donor and internal obligations on scope, time, and budget, including efficient coordination of program, operational, and financial issues.
        • Create and maintain systems to ensure efficient and transparent capture of program data for management decision-making and timely and informative internal and external reporting.
        • Oversee the establishment of systems, policies, and approaches necessary to ensure and demonstrate the quality of programs and ensure technical coherence and promote creative programming across the portfolio.
        • Ensure that all the program staff have received training in line with their level of responsibility and receive technical support relevant to their programs.
        • Coordinate all program units for the timely preparation of quality internal and external reports that flag contractual challenges where necessary.
        • Promote an evidence-driven culture, contributing to the establishment of the country’s evidence and learning priorities, in line with the regional Evidence and Learning Agenda. FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT:
          • Oversee financial management processes, ensuring transparency, accountability, and compliance with donor regulations and Mercy Corps’ policies.
          • Recognize the high level of donor scrutiny in Niger & Burkina Faso programming and ensure continuing effective, transparent and responsive compliance mechanisms are in place.
          • Maintain oversight of overall program budgets ensuring appropriate allocation of resources to meet program objectives.
          • Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations.
          • Ensure all internal control procedures are adhered to and that necessary measures are put in place to ensure high standards of accountability and compliance.
          • Create and maintain systems for regular review and implementation of corrective measures based on regular budget variance analysis in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies. INFLUENCE AND REPRESENTATION
            • Hold the legal representation of Mercy Corps in Niger & Burkina Faso.
            • With the support of the Regional Director and Deputy Regional Director for Programs, represent Mercy Corps Niger & Burkina Faso to donors, government officials, private sector partners, civil society and other stakeholders, ensuring strong partnerships and collaboration.
            • Anticipate needs and opportunities, understand donor pool and contribute to shaping donor’s views on humanitarian and development programming in Niger & Burkina Faso.
            • Demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure.
            • Develop and maintain internal and external relationships to ensure optimum program success.
            • Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity.
            • Exhibit awareness of his/her own strengths and development needs.

              ACCOUNTABILITY TO AFFECTED POPULATIONS

              • Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our program participants and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging program participant communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

                SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES

                • Actively learns about 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 ResponsibilityAll Country-level Program Teams

                  Accountability Reports Directly To: Deputy Regional Director for ProgramsWorks Directly With: Country Program Team, Regional Leadership, Regional Program and Technical Team, Regional Support Services Teams, Global Program Technical Teams (TRaQ, Evidence & Learning, Institutional Donors Engagement), additional global support teams as needed.

                  Accountability to Participants and StakeholdersMercy 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

                  • MA/S or equivalent in relevant field.
                  • At least 5 years continuous experience in portfolio and/or country management expertise, with technical design, strong technical skills and implementation of food security and livelihoods, youth engagement, peacebuilding and social cohesion, climate resilience and/or economic development. At least 2 years in humanitarian response in a complex context with international NGOs a strong advantage.
                  • Excellent representation abilities with proven experience interacting with authorities, donors and other partners to advance strategic objectives.
                  • Experience in or cultural roots in West Africa; Knowledge of Sahel context and dynamic is a plus.
                    • Experience as a Director of Programs or similar roles are a strong advantage.
                    • Strong management, mentorship and leadership skills with ability to build team capacity.
                    • Strong communications skills with exceptional ability to articulate technical issues with colleagues at different capacity levels.
                    • Understands donor regulations and compliance (FCDO, ECHO, EU,Sida, GiZ, UN, etc.);
                    • Ability to work under high pressure with multiple deadlines in a challenging environment.
                    • Strong program management skills, promoting innovation, collaborating effectively across sectors and departments and adopting a solution-oriented attitude at all times.
                    • Ability to adapt and work effectively in a multi-cultural context and remain culturally sensitive and appropriate at all times.
                    • Excellent oral and written French skills required, proficiency in English an asset.
                    • Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response an advantage.

                      Success Factors The successful Country Manager for Niger & Burkina Faso must demonstrate excellent program leadership, and team management, with proven expertise in fostering strong donor, partner, and team relationships. They should be proactive, independent, and capable of multitasking in high-pressure environments. The role requires technical proficiency, adaptability, and resilience, along with the ability to develop and implement multi-sector programs. Strong communication, cross-cultural sensitivity, and problem-solving skills are essential, as is the ability to mentor and build capacity within teams. The Country Manager must embody Mercy Corps’ values, maintain a commitment to teamwork and accountability, and navigate evolving challenges with diplomacy, patience, and a sense of humor while ensuring effective decision-making in all situations.

                      Ongoing LearningIn 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

                      Team Efficiency and Effectiveness Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work. We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.