Area Coordinators -Border Security Programme

Role Overview

The Border Security Programme (BSP) Area Coordinator brings partner activities together across an assigned area, ensuring work is coordinated, delivered on schedule and within budget, and supports shared programme outcomes. Reporting to the Kenya Country Lead, the coordinator leads local planning, tracks delivery and risks, and builds working relationships with government counterparts and other stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate BSP partners’ area-level activities so they complement one another and follow the programme workplan.
• Work with the Kenya Country Lead and outcome leads to prepare and refresh quarterly area workplans, and lead regular partner coordination meetings.
• Monitor implementation against plans, identify delays, gaps or duplication, and recommend practical responses; provide updates and lessons at quarterly programme meetings.
• Maintain the area risk register, reviewing it quarterly and when circumstances change, and raise urgent concerns with programme leadership.
• Serve as the day-to-day contact for consortium and local partners, check delivery against agreed milestones, verify activities, and recommend payment or corrective action where appropriate.
• Build connections between partners and programme outcomes to strengthen collaboration, while supporting compliance with programme, donor and safeguarding requirements.
• Engage county and national government offices, share progress and challenges, arrange joint field visits where useful, and represent Mercy Corps and BSP in local forums in consultation with programme leadership.
• Coordinate with finance, procurement, logistics, HR and administration teams; work with the security focal point on safe activity planning; and support the MEL team to use area data for programme adaptation and learning.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in programme management, development studies, migration, security sector or police reform, border or security management, or a related field.
• At least five years of relevant professional experience delivering or coordinating multisectoral programmes, including work related to security, governance, policing, strategic planning or programme implementation.
• Experience in complex programmes and coordinating multiple activities, with the ability to identify complementarities and build collaboration across partners.
• Strong coordination, management and decision-making skills, including experience using adaptive management approaches.
• Understanding of financial, procurement, administrative and logistics systems, including remote management.
• Experience working with subnational government, international NGOs and national NGOs, and a demonstrated commitment to local capacity building and stakeholder participation.
• Knowledge of participatory approaches to programme design, implementation and evaluation; strong organisation, project management and attention to detail.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse national and international colleagues and in a team environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint; strong written and spoken English and Swahili; and knowledge of the local language in the assigned area. A relevant local language is an advantage.

What We Offer / Why Join

This role offers the opportunity to strengthen coordination among programme partners and government stakeholders, support locally informed delivery, and contribute to learning and adaptation across a border security programme. The position has no direct supervisory responsibility.