Subgrant Program Officer - Public Health - Northeast China - Mercy Corps

Tracking Code

218424-927 

Job Location

Yanji, Jilin Province, China

Position Type

Full-Time/Regular

 

Job Description

PROGRAM SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps has maintained an operational presence in Yanji City, Jilin Province, China since 1998 and has been implementing a humanitarian and developmental relief program there for the past four years. Program activities include educational programming support, microfinance lending, community health training in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Yanbian University School of Nursing, job and skills training. Projects are implemented in cooperation with local partners, with funding coming from a variety of multilateral and private donors.
          
GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Subgrant Program Officer (SPO) is responsible for health sector programming in close collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, the Yanbian College of Nursing and other partners.  The SPO will in collaboration with other staff also carry out a range of duties related to new program development and implementation.  In addition, the SPO will provide programmatic and technical assistance to the Program Specialist and Program Coordinator in carrying out activities related to Disaster Risk Reduction, Youth Development, Agricultural/Market Development and Design, Monitoring & Evaluation as needed.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Subgrant Program Management (JHU/YCN)

• Oversee the effective implementation of the sub-grants to Johns Hopkins University and the Yanbian College of Nursing, including the planning, design, and management of intervention as well as follow-up coordination with the sub-grantee.
• Visit field sites regularly to assess the progress and effectiveness of project implementation and report feedback to stakeholders.
• Ensure that activities listed in grant recipients’ sub-award are implemented in a timely and professional manner.
• Liaise closely with program consultants and counterparts on all matters related to effective project implementation.
• Perform administrative functions and/or provide guidance and training to grantees on administrative functions, including logistics and financial management, as needed.
• Prepare work plans, budgets, quarterly and annual reports, and other documentation or reports, as required.
• Represent MC Yanji as requested in meeting with partners, sub-grantees and the public as required.
• Research and review experiences and resources on community-based health development.
• Other duties as assigned by your supervisor.
• Actively identify and pursue new program development opportunities.
• Prepare grant proposals and applications in collaboration with MC Yanji senior staff and program consultants.
• Consult with stakeholders, including national staff, on local needs, challenges and priorities, requesting their views on the content suggested in the preparatory concept materials.
• Work in close collaboration with JHU consultants to provide technical assistance to the Program and DM&E teams in all areas of responsibility.

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.

Accountability to Beneficiaries: 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.


KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s Degree in Public Health with focus on International Health, in particular Global Epidemiology (would be a plus) 
• Demonstrated expertise in design and implementation of health projects, with at least 1-2 years of relevant project management experience in NE China.
• Previous experience in coordinating projects and research between multiple partners, including international research institutions
• Proven experience in design and implementation of community-based assessments, as well as managing and analyzing data collected.
• Strong analytical skills, both qualitative and quantitative.
• Experience in developing training for capacity building in Disaster Risk Reduction.
• Good organizational and project management skills and the ability to anticipate project needs.
• Proven ability to work cooperatively with others in a team environment, and to lead a diverse group of national and international staff in project design and implementation.
• Understanding of participatory methodologies for project design, implementation and evaluation.
• Knowledge of humanitarian standards and codes, including SPHERE and WHO.
• Working understanding of procurement, administration and finance systems.
• Demonstrated proficiency with MS Office software (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint); statistical analysis software packages (i.e., SPSS, STATA, SAS and EpiInfo) is required.
• Proven verbal and written English, multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.
• In-depth knowledge of the political and social forces in Northeast China
• Strong awareness of political and cultural sensitivities related to Mercy Corps Yanji’s program operations within and outside of Yanbian Prefecture.
• Working-level knowledge of Korean and English is required; Mandarin Chinese is preferred; other languages a plus.

SUCCESS FACTORS:

The successful Subgrant Program Officer will display an entrepreneurial spirit that is both creative and flexible, and will understand how to work closely with the Senior Staff and represent Mercy Corps at Yanji.  S/he will combine strong communication skills, creativity, initiative, participatory leadership and tactful decisiveness to manage in the development and implementation of Mercy Corps Yanji's broader program strategy.  Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.  An understanding of the current political, economic, cultural and historical context of the region is vital.  S/he must possess the ability to work effectively with a large variety of people who will be diverse culturally, economically and politically.  S/he must be sensitive to political and cultural nuances.  The successful Subgrant Program Officer will display a commitment to the Mercy Corps mission and values, and will work to enhance and protect the reputation of the organization throughout the region and within the international development and donor communities.  The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.


Accountability:

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO:  Program Director
WORKS DIRECTLY WITH:  Subgrant consultants, other Mercy Corps staff

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

The population of Yanji is approximately 400,000, which would make it a relatively small city by Chinese standards.  Yanji is located about an hour's drive from the North Korean border, in upper northeast China.  The city serves as the capital of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, an ethnic minority region within Jilin Province, and roughly 50 percent of Yanji's population is of ethnic Korean descent.  As such, official and commercial signs throughout the city are almost always written in both the Chinese and Korean languages and Korean serves as an official language within the prefecture.  Yanji is a fairly developed city with access to most modern amenities.  However, it does not offer many of the "comforts" that may be found in much larger cities in the region such as Harbin, Shenyang, Beijing, Shanghai, etc.  The cost of living in Yanji is quite low compared to US standards and one can get by on a very minimal monthly budget.
Entertainment/recreation options include bike riding, swimming, pool/billiards, bowling, hiking in nearby mountains, restaurants, pubs, karaoke rooms and saunas.  As coal remains the primary source of energy, Yanji is relatively polluted, especially in the winter, when many of the older homes burn charcoal.
Yanji has four seasons, with a climate comparable to that of an upper mid-west state in the US, such as Minnesota or Wisconsin.  The first snow usually falls sometime in November, with snow often lasting into early April.  Spring and Fall are quite temperate and usually considered to be the most comfortable seasons.  Summer is warm, not oppressively hot, but can become quite humid during the rainy season, which lasts from late July through August.
Taxi and bus transportation to and from the office and throughout Yanji city is convenient and very inexpensive.  Taxi rates are either 5.00 Chinese RMB or 10.00 RMB, depending on your destination within the city limits, and bus fares are usually around 1 RMB (US$1 = 6.50 RMB).  Expatriate housing will be provided in the form of an apartment.  Apartment has modern amenities, including heat, hot water, gas range, television, washing machine, etc.  Housekeeping services can be obtained at a very minimal monthly cost, to be paid by employee (average monthly cost is approximately US$40).
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.  Team members 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.
Mercy Corps is an AA/EOE

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