Field Service Advance Team Lead – Togo

About the role

Mercy Ships is seeking an experienced Field Service Advance Team Lead for its operations in Togo. The role leads the mobile Advance Team and is accountable for delivering country‑specific activities that prepare the port and local infrastructure for vessel arrival and field service implementation.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, coach and manage a multidisciplinary Advance Team, setting priorities, allocating work and ensuring accountability.
• Develop and maintain an integrated Advance activity schedule, coordinating specialist workstreams such as logistics, customs, immigration, facilities, licensing, security and staffing.
• Monitor overall readiness, identify emerging risks and dependencies, and coordinate corrective actions or escalations.
• Partner with the Country Director to engage government, institutional and external stakeholders, representing Mercy Ships in operational discussions.
• Provide regular readiness updates and recommendations to senior leadership, and ensure a structured handover to the Ship Senior Management Team.
• Maintain Advance documentation, SOPs, trackers and conduct after‑action reviews to improve future readiness.

Required profile

• Demonstrated senior leadership capability with experience managing multidisciplinary, multicultural teams.
• Strong operational planning, risk‑management and stakeholder‑engagement skills, including experience working with senior government officials.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with ability to produce clear senior‑level reports and recommendations.
• Fluency in English and French; Portuguese is a plus.
• Willingness to travel extensively and deploy for extended periods.