Mercy Corps Tahidi Youth Fund Business Officer Job in Kenya

Business Officer 

Thika Based

Program / Department Summary
 

Mercy Corps works amid disasters, conflicts, chronic poverty and instability to unleash the potential of people who can win against impossible odds. 

Since 1979, Mercy Corps has provided $1 billion in assistance to people in 82 nations. 

Supported by headquarters offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, the agency's unified global programs employ 3,500 staff worldwide and reach 9 million people in more than 40 countries. 

Over the last five years, more than 90 percent of the agency's resources have been allocated directly to programs that help people in need.

Mercy Corps is implementing a 3-year program under USAID’s Yes Youth Can initiative, covering six regions in Kenya; Western, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Central, Nairobi and Coast. 

The core of this program is a The Tahidi Youth Fund (TYF), which will be a youth-owned, youth-led and youth-managed financial facility to support local solutions for community economic development as it grows in value. 

This program aims to appropriately empower Kenyan youth (15-30yrs) to strengthen their socio-economic and political stakes through youth-led and managed initiatives and institutions. 

The TYF will in the first three years provide sustainable financial and skills development assistance to approximately 200,000 youth through a variety of youth-identified social and economic community development projects.
 

General Position Summary
 

Working under the direction of the Regional Coordinator, the Business Officer will ensure field-level and institutional compliance with the TYF grant operations manual and any other additional guiding policy under this program.

This position will work with other Business Officers and other stakeholders in a designated geographical area of operations, in order to engage directly with County Youth Bunge Forums and Youth Bunges (which are mobilized by the Yes Youth Can-Regional projects) to provide Community Development Grants, micro-investments, and other programs. 

The Business Officer will execute a standardized grant application process and procedure in a transparent, client friendly manner. 

The Business Officer is a key function in fraud prevention and grant management at the field level.

Essential Job Functions

• Engage directly with qualifying Youth Bunges in an efficient, transparent, client-friendly manner in order to provide Community Development Grants to Youth Bunges.
• Provide qualifying Youth Bunges with all information regarding the processes, policies and procedures of applying for a grant from the TYF Youth Grant Fund, specifically highlighting the role and responsibility of the Youth Bunge.
• Work in a respectful, transparent manner with the County Youth Bunge Forums by creating an environment in which the County Bunges are provided an equal space and opportunity to lead the grant application process in conjunction with the TYF Regional Manager.
• Support the Youth Bunges and County Bunges in becoming stronger, more sustainable youth institutions.
• Drive a client-friendly “front office” service delivery process to all Youth Bunges that are engaged.
• Work with the field Finance Officer to ensure smooth disbursement of funds to the Youth Bunges.
• Provide minimal technical assistance across a variety of areas such as: agriculture, light manufacturing, horticulture, technology etc. etc.
• Work with the TYF team to gradually and effectively utilize information from the database for future strategic planning of the fund from the 3rd year of operation.
• Ensure proper filing of all hard copy documents and correspondences of clients. 
• Maintain a client file for all Youth Groups who apply for a TYF Grant.
• Oversee effective communication and conduct outreach to all TYF potential clients on procedures for accessing funds, including time frames.
• Present monthly fund updates to TYF management team.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in economic development or development-related field.
• Three years of work experience with increasing responsibilities in private, NGO or government sector.
• Two or more years of experience in grants’ making and management, especially under a USAID grant.
• Experience implementing, monitoring and managing Community Development or Youth Leadership projects at the field-level.
• General working knowledge of SACCOs’ operations.
• Demonstrate skills in outreach, meeting facilitation, and public speaking.
• Experience in identifying and managing fraud at work.
• Strong organizational and planning skills.
• Good computer user-skills in MS Excel, Word, Power-point, & Outlook.
• Excellent oral and written English and Kiswahili.
• Thorough understanding of project management cycle.
• Proven project management experience.
• Professional grant-making & management training.

Living /Environmental Conditions:
 

The positions will be based in Thika but with up to 40% field travel within Central Region.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit to a field posting. 

Staff are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Application Process:
 

Interested candidates who meet the above minimum requirements should submit a cover letter, detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) listing three professional references (including a recent supervisor) to hrkenya@ke.mercycorps.org  on or before Friday 2nd July 2013. 

Please do not attach any certificates! 

Applicants must clearly indicate on the email subject field; “Business Officer”.   

Applications without this subject heading will not be processed. 

ONLY Qualified short-listed candidates will be contacted.