Deputy Chief of Party, Iraq Civic Engagement Activity, USAID

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact. Mercy Corps has worked across Iraq’s 18 governorates since 2003, implementing relief and development programming, more than a third of which has focused on the specific needs of internally displaced persons. Mercy Corps Iraq’s goal is to work with new and existing civil society, public and private sector partners to meet immediate and long-term needs by strengthening communities’ ability to rebuild amidst increasing crises. Mercy Corps Iraq focuses on (1) a relief-to-resilience pathway to meet the needs of conflict-affected communities leveraging agency expertise in conflict management and civil society development (2) a humanitarian response that empowers conflict-affected populations to meet their own needs (3) partnering with conflict-affected adolescents to address their diverse needs, promoting leadership and linkages with civil society. Mercy Corps is seeking a Deputy Chief of Party ( D COP) to lead implementation of the anticipated five-year USAID-funded fostering a more politically engaged citizenry in Iraq, enhancing trust and participation in the country's democratic processes. This activity seeks to elevate civic literacy, empower citizens to actively engage and contribute to discussions on issues of concern. Equipping citizens with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate effectively in the democratic processes. This includes fostering awareness of governmental processes, promoting access to accurate media content, facilitating increased engagement with government entities at various levels, and empowering citizens to participate in public life. The DCOP will assist the Chief of Party (COP) in project oversight, managing for results, technical, administrative, operational, and logistical management of the project. This includes oversight of the overall technical approaches, local partners, and day-to-day implementation of all project objectives . The DCOP will supervise a cadre of program and technical staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies as well as all donor rules and regulations. The DCOP will also have technical experience in one or more of the following areas and be able to provide strong technical inputs: CSO capacity building, civic engagement, and/or governance. Essential Responsibilities Work with the COP and the Technical Leads to create a coherent and integrated overall implementation strategy that is shared with the program team, local partners, and key stakeholders. Supervisory Responsibility Supervise a cadre of the ICEA Team including the local partnerships team. The number of direct and indirect reports will be determined at a later stage. Accountability Reports Directly To: ICEA Chief of Party Works Directly With: ICEA senior leaders, Director of Programs, Program Performance and Quality Director, other DCOPs, HR, finance and operations teams, HQ Regional Programs Team, and HQ Technical Support Unit Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward 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. Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

5 years of progressive professional experience managing civil society strengthening/civic engagement programs in similar contexts.
Experience working with youth groups and emerging social movements preferred.
3 years of experience in a staff management position, preferably for medium ($10+ million) USAID-funded activities. Strong interpersonal and communication skills, and a proven ability to network and maintain effective working relationships with diverse actors including CSOs, civic groups, community- based organizations, media, academia, political parties, government, the private sector, and donors Experience managing diverse multi-lingual teams located in different geographic locations Experience with and commitment to locally led development approaches (e.g., co-creation, micro-grant making, cultivating collective action practices) Experience with and commitment to adaptive management processes Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Iraq’s complex political, governance, and conflict dynamics preferred. Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. Familiarity with USAID rules, regulations, and requirements preferred. A successful candidate will have a demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively with team members and other stakeholders of varied work styles and cultures, follow procedures and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving. This position requires an ability to think creatively about civic engagement to strengthen inclusive, peaceful, and responsive governance. They will have a proven ability to learn quickly, multi-task, prioritize, take initiative, and be acc ountable for results, understand the larger picture while remaining focused on the details, problem solving, work within a complex and sensitive setting and to follow laws and security protocols. The most successful Mercy Corps team 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. The role is unaccompanied, eligible for R&R breaks, and hardship, and housing is provided in shared group housing in Erbil and when travel outside of Erbil is required . The team member must follow all security protocols at all times . Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.