Programme Manager (PM) Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE)- DRC

Position pending funding approval

Location: Bunia, Ituri Province -DRC

Position Status: Full-time

Risk Level: ☐X Level 3 ☐Level 2 ☐Level 1

(Level 3: Frequent contact with participants, direct contact with children, access to sensitive data, and/or high level of accountability.

Level 2: Some contact with participants; unplanned non-direct contact with children.

Level 1: Likely to have no contact with participants or sensitive data)

ABOUT MERCY CORPS

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization, driven by the belief that a better world is possible. In disasters, in hardships, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to bring bold solutions into action – helping people overcome adversity and build stronger communities from within. Today and for the future.

Mercy Corps has been operational in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since August 2007 with a current workforce of approximately 300 national and expatriate employees. As a leading NGO in the DRC working with several local and international partners in 2025, Mercy Corps has reached more than half a million people in North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri and Kasai with integrated programmes ensuring equitable access to improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in humanitarian and development contexts; economic development and livelihoods to strengthen food security and resilience; as well as institutional capacity-building and social cohesion to foster peace and good governance.

EMERGENCY EBOLA RESPONSE TEAM SUMMARY

Mercy Corps is delivering a timely, appropriate, and high-quality response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), grounded in a holistic, community-centered approach. A significant part of this response is delivered through the Integrated Ebola Response Driven by Communities (IERDC) consortium, led by Mercy Corps in partnership with local and international organizations. This consortium approach combines complementary technical expertise and extends the response's reach across affected health zones. Mercy Corps' Ebola response is organized around the following integrated, mutually reinforcing focus areas that are all vital to stopping the Ebola outbreak and mitigating its secondary effects:

• Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) and Community Surveillance: builds community trust, counters rumors and misinformation, and strengthens community-based prevention and early reporting.
• Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH): strengthens IPC/WASH infrastructure and hygiene promotion in health facilities and communities.
• Continuity of Services and Livelihoods: sustains access to essential services, livelihoods, functioning markets, and food security for vulnerable households through cash assistance and other targeted support.
• Safeguarding, protection, conflict-sensitivity, conflict analysis and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI): ensure the response is safe, inclusive, and does no harm in line with Mercy Corps' humanitarian principles and locally-led commitment.

In line with Mercy Corps' humanitarian principles and commitment to local partnerships, the team ensures that interventions are delivered at scale, with impact, and in close coordination with the DRC MoH, Ebola response working groups and coordination pillars, communities, other community and international partners, and the broader humanitarian coordination system.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY

The RCCE Program Manager is responsible for the design and day-to-day implementation of Mercy Corps' Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) activities as part of the Ebola response in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The role works closely with Mercy Corps' Ebola Response and Emergency program leads to effectively engage all layers of affected communities on Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease (BVD) prevention, care-seeking, and related emergency needs, including coordination with IPC/WASH programming.

The RCCE Program Manager oversees the full RCCE programming cycle, from strategy development and message adaptation to field delivery, staff supervision, and partner management, ensuring appropriate systems are in place to track, analyze, and report on results. The role works in close partnership with the Ebola Response Technical Advisor, who provides strategic and technical guidance on RCCE approaches, behavior change strategy, and alignment with current epidemiological evidence, while the RCCE Program Manager leads execution, adaptation, and field-level decision-making. The RCCE Program Manager is a strong team leader, able to develop, coach, and mentor Community Engagement staff, and an effective communicator able to work across internal and external stakeholders, interact with donors, and bring innovation and expertise in community engagement and behavior change to Mercy Corps' broader program objectives.

The role works closely with the Ebola Response Team Leader, the Ebola Response Technical Advisor, the IPC/WASH Program Manager, MEL, the Crisis Analysis Team (CAT), the Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanism (CARM) team, local partners, and community structures to ensure RCCE activities are delivered effectively and in coordination with the wider Ebola response.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy & Program Design

• Develop and implement an adapted social and community engagement strategy for Mercy Corps DRC's Ebola response, in line with the national and provincial Ebola Response Plan.
• Conduct formative research to inform the RCCE strategy, developed in collaboration with Mercy Corps staff and partners and validated with relevant stakeholders, including government ministries, UN agencies, and other partners.
• Review and oversee the adaptation of officially approved Ebola response messages and materials, based on environmental analysis and community-specific needs (e.g., women, youth, motorcycle riders, traditional practitioners), with pre-validation of final materials and messages with relevant stakeholders.
• Design RCCE strategy and activities to strengthen and work through existing community structures (e.g., Community Action Cells (CACs), women's and youth groups, community governance structures, and trusted community leaders) as the primary vehicle for community engagement, behavior adoption, and early reporting, supporting their sustainability beyond the current outbreak.
• Develop systems and tools to track and document social and behavioral change and community knowledge retention in relation to promoted messages, and advise on strategy and program adaptations as necessary.
• Support the development of proposals, response strategies, donor concept notes, technical narratives, budgets, and implementation plans for RCCE programming.
• Ensure RCCE strategy and messaging align with national Ministry of Health protocols, WHO guidance, and humanitarian coordination priorities.

Coordination

• Represents Mercy Corps at RCCE working group/cluster meetings, Community Engagement Subcommittee meetings, as well as with local authorities, partners, and other NGOs on community engagement activities.
• Represents Mercy Corps in RCCE-specific consortium coordination mechanisms, in coordination with the Ebola Response Technical Advisor on broader cross-sectoral representation.
• Coordinates with local Ministry of Health officials and other partners on RCCE activities in intervention areas.
• Ensures effective communication and coordination with other teams in the consortium to implement coordinated interventions based on the most urgent needs.
• Builds and strengthens community networks, working through existing community structures and trusted leaders to manage dialogue with Ebola-affected communities, using approaches that encourage listening and full understanding of community concerns, including on topics such as: adoption of protective measures against the disease; increased use of health care facilities capable of treating the disease; respect for authorities carrying out Safe and Dignified Burials; reducing misconceptions about Ebola and the response; and reducing stigma toward survivors.

Implementation & Community Engagement

• Lead awareness-raising and dissemination activities to communities on Ebola prevention, care-seeking, and related emergency needs.
• Develop work and monitoring plans, and oversee the implementation of Community Engagement Assistants' activities as required by project needs.
• Work through and build the capacity of existing community structures (CACs, women's and youth groups, traditional practitioners, faith leaders, schools, and other community groups) to lead engagement on key behaviors and address barriers to safe practices at the community level.
• Use approved messages to address community-specific fears and misconceptions.
• Oversee the development and delivery of radio message programs, in coordination with local partners, Ebola response actors, and Mercy Corps staff.

Partnership Management and Support

• In collaboration with Mercy Corps' compliance, programs, and finance departments, supports the selection and contracting of local partners responsible for disseminating RCCE messages.
• Builds the capacity of local partners/contractors to deliver high-quality, context-appropriate, and sensitive RCCE messaging, and maintains regular communication to gather feedback and support necessary adjustments.
• Oversees partner performance to ensure activities are carried out as agreed and that contract/agreement terms are respected.

Team Management

• Directly manages and supervises Community Engagement Coordinators/Officers and Assistants, providing technical support to organize community engagement activities to established standards.
• Develops team members' skills, deepens their understanding of their roles, and supports their career development.
• Assists team members with training, information, tools, and resources to improve performance and achieve goals.
• Promotes accountability, communicates expectations, and provides constructive feedback informally and formally through regular 1:1s and performance reviews.
• Creates and sustains a mutually respectful work environment where team members strive for excellence.
• Organizes evaluation and coaching sessions in line with Mercy Corps HR policy.
• Recruits, orients, and directs team members.

Program Management

• Ensures program implementation is on time, meets targets, and stays within budget, using effective monitoring and evaluation systems to track progress toward desired outcomes.
• Collaborates with program, finance, and administrative staff to create and maintain systems for the efficient, transparent use of financial resources and timely, accurate reporting, in line with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.
• Communicates effectively to ensure that overall project objectives and donor obligations are met.
• Meets Mercy Corps' Minimum Program Management Standards.
• Ensures that all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps' Gender Equality Policy, the principle of do no harm, and standards of accountability to participants.

Security

• Ensures compliance with security procedures and policies as defined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensures that team members are in a secure environment and aware of policies.

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 Responsibility

• The RCCE Program Manager supervises Community Engagement Coordinators/Officers and Assistants.

Accountability

• Reports Directly To: Ebola Response Team Leader
• Works Directly With: Ebola Response Technical Advisor, IPC/WASH Program Manager, other RCCE/CREC Coordinators across consortium partner organizations, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team, Crisis Analysis Team (CAT), Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanism (CARM) team, Mercy Corps DRC Finance and Operations teams, Headquarters Technical Support Unit (TSU), Regional Finance and Programs teams, and local partners.

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.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

• Bachelor's degree in social sciences, public/community health, communication, rural development, community development, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in community engagement, social and behavior change, or a similar role, preferably with an NGO.
• Demonstrated experience engaging and strengthening community structures, organizations, and groups (e.g., community action committees, women's and youth groups, governance structures) as a means of empowering community-led RCCE and sustainable behavior change.
• Experience leading RCCE or community engagement activities within a multi-partner or consortium structure, including coordinating approaches and messaging across partner organizations.
• Experience coordinating with government counterparts, humanitarian coordination bodies (e.g., clusters, working groups), and other stakeholders on program design and implementation.
• Experience developing, implementing, and adhering to donor-funded programs (e.g., OFDA, USAID, ECHO, UNICEF) is an asset.

TECHNICAL

• Demonstrated experience identifying barriers to social and behavior change and developing evidence-based strategies to address them.
• Demonstrated results in measuring and achieving behavior change outcomes, using data and evidence to show program impact.
• Knowledge of community mobilization principles and approaches, including consideration of gender, age, disability, and other dynamics.
• Good knowledge of the project's areas of intervention.
• Previous experience and knowledge of Ebola or similar disease outbreak responses is an asset.
• Knowledge of Sphere standards and other humanitarian response training is preferred.

WORKING STYLE

• Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem-solving.
• Ability to manage and communicate effectively with team members with a variety of work styles.
• Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.
• Previous experience in hazardous or insecure environments.

LANGUAGES

• Excellent oral and written French skills required.
• Knowledge of local languages required (e.g., Swahili, Lingala, or other relevant DRC languages).
• Fluency in English is an asset.

SUCCESS FACTORS

The successful RCCE Program Manager will combine strong technical knowledge in social and behavior change communication with exceptional program management skills and a proven track record building relationships with donors, partners, and community structures. They will have a remarkable ability to develop, implement, and adapt innovative RCCE programming within Mercy Corps' current and evolving response structure, and will be a force for innovation, proposing realistic and effective adaptations to engagement approaches as the outbreak evolves.

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record leading cross-cultural teams, with strong skills in capacity building, individual staff development, and mentoring. They will be skilled at prioritizing, solving problems, seizing opportunities, and maintaining strategic vision while remaining attentive to detail. They will demonstrate flexibility and resilience, maintaining calm and effective relationships under pressure, and will hold themselves to high ethical standards, treating others with respect and dignity while remaining self-aware of their own strengths and development needs. Mercy Corps' most successful team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in changing and evolving environments, and prioritize effective written and verbal communication in all situations.

LIVING CONDITIONS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The RCCE Program Manager position is based in Bunia, DRC: a city currently located at the epicenter of the 17th Ebola outbreak. This location is insecure. Housing is group accommodation with limited freedom of movement beyond the house/office. Team members will have limited access to medical services but access to electricity, water, etc. This position requires 30% of travel by road and plane to field offices in insecure environments.

Given the emergency context, this position requires exceptional work schedules, including evenings and weekends.

ONGOING LEARNING

In 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 support their personal and/or professional growth and development

TEAM ENGAGEMENT AND EFFECTIVENESS

Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together people with diverse 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 perform at their best.

We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants, regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or creed, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other group protected by applicable law.

SAFEGUARDING AND ETHICS

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that everyone we come into contact with in the course of our work, whether they are team members, community members, program participants, or others, is treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the UN Secretary-General's and IASC's Core Principles for the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and have signed the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Program. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or members of our team. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to behave professionally, respect local laws and customs, and adhere to the policies and values of the Mercy Corps Code of Conduct at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses at the time of hiring and on an annual basis.

As a candidate, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report it to Mercy Corps' Integrity Hotline ([email protected]).