Program Specialist ER-CAP | Abala

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Mercy Corps has been present in Ethiopia since 2004 working to drive bold and transformative ideas, working closely with government, the private sector and civil society actors to build a more resilient country, ensuring that programs are responsive to and influenced by participants and stakeholders. With the launch of Mercy Corps Global Strategy, Pathway to Possibility, the country office is poised to operationalize its three-year strategy with a vision to enhance the resilience of climate- and conflict-affected communities through market systems development for improved livelihoods, access to food, and safe and clean water to thrive in the face of crises. In Ethiopia, our strategy focuses in the four outcome areas: 1) Economically marginalized populations have improved and diversified livelihoods, income, and assets; 2) Pastoralists, farmers, and households have access to sustainably produced, safe, nutritious food; 3) Social cohesion and inclusive governance processes are built in crisis-affected communities; and 4) People have equitable, sustained access to clean water and sanitation for domestic and productive use. Currently, we operate in six regional states – Afar, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Amhara and South Ethiopia. Working with a diverse base of donors that includes United States Agency for International Development (USAID), European Union, GAC, Hilton Foundation, United Nations (UN), JOA, Sweden, EKN, and other foundations, Mercy Corps Ethiopia empowers people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. 

Position Title: Program Specialist

Duty Station: Abala

Open Position:  1

Program / Department Summary

ER-CAP is a 5-year project by Mercy Corps, DRC, and First Consult Development. It aims to improve the economic adaptation, protection, and recovery of conflict-affected populations in three regions: Afar (Abaala), Tigray (Mekelle), and Amhara (Woldiya). The program will benefit 43,540 individuals, focusing on IDPs, returnee women, youth and marginalized groups. It uses a conflict-sensitive, systems-strengthening, climate-smart and inclusive approach to enhance systems that support economic recovery. The expected outcomes include resilient livelihoods, improved access to financial products and services, and enhanced capacity to mitigate protection risks.

ER-CAP aims to improve the economic condition of conflict-affected communities by strengthening MSMEs, improving crop and livestock value chains, and providing income-generating opportunities. It includes providing affordable financial products and technology through partnerships with financial service providers, conducting GESI dialogues, and identifying business ideas for economic activities in displacement settings.

General Position Summary

The program specialist will play a key role in facilitating and implementation of the ER-CAP program activities at the community level.  S/he will be in constant contact with partners, public and private stakeholders and targeted communities to ensure full participation, integration of activities, collaboration of partners and implementation.  S/he will play a role in assessment and research that will be conducted to understand needs and constraints of a market system and test feasibility of concepts to devise interventions to support target beneficiaries.  In coordination with the program coordinator, the program specialist will start up, implement and manage pilot interventions.  In coordination with program coordinator, MEL officers and CARM assistant, s/he will conduct regular field visits to ensure activities are progressing according to the plan.  S/he will be responsible for working and building the capacity of the partners, supporting in developing institutional development plans for the local partners, participating in coordination meetings, and preparing activity work plans.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Design, launch and manage implementation of interventions.

• Facilitation of all the regional field level engagement activities focusing on agriculture, technical and vocational skill training and BDS facilitation.
• Participate in sector research and analysis to design sustainable and scalable intervention ideas that would improve the economic condition of conflict-affected communities.
• Support development of a concept note, including viable business model to create a sustainable market system.
• Identify, assess and on board relevant key market players (implementing partners).

• Work with the community structures across IDPs, returnees and host communities to plan and implement effectively the deliverables of the intervention/program in line with work plans and targets in close collaboration with implementation partners.
• Facilitate implementation of the activities across ER-CAP implementation areas.
• Support developing and regularly updating of intervention strategies; logical framework, results chains in collaboration with program coordinator, MEAL manager and officer.

• Support the preparation of partnership agreement (sub grant agreements) and facilitate the signing process.  

• Support in developing capacity building materials for partners as well as participate in capacity building sessions based on identified needs.
• Provide technical support and guidance for implementing partners during the implementation.
• Follow up and update intervention implementation progress against work plans. 
• Monitor, follow up and update progress of public and private implementing partner’s work plans against achievement and report against key monitoring and result measurement plans.
• Contribute to the development of field activities and report writing.

Relationship Management

• Proactively build and nurture partnerships with implementation partners, other organizations and key stakeholders including government offices and authorities as well as NGOs and private sector market players.
• Manage relationship with partners in conducting capacity assessment, track performance, ensure activities are in line to address systemic problem, identify potential intervention areas for expansion and scale up.
• Organize lesson learning workshops and other events and proper documentation for future programmatic actions.
• Representing the ER-CAP program, displaying courtesy and tact in all interactions with community members, sub-city and woreda level authorities and other stakeholders.

Collaboration with consortium partners (DRC and FC)

• Closely work with consortium partners (DRC&FC) organization to integrate the innovate and access to financial service and products.
• Closely work with DRC to integrate the priority protection issues across institutions, private and public sector partners
• Organize joint events and workshops whenever necessary.

Contribution to learning and adaptive management

• In coordination with MEL team, facilitate learning sessions with project team and external stakeholders to reflect on evidence and drive planning and implementation of program inputs and activities.
• Organize and facilitate pause and reflect sessions to monitor performance of project activities and document to inform and adapt work plans taking into consideration the dynamic and complex contexts of economic recovery activity.
• Contribute to the identification of lessons learnt and propose recommendations for programmatic adaptations.
• Compile and update ER-CAP filing system, and other related documentation. 
• Find opportunities to share transferrable insights and learnings with broader Mercy Corps Ethiopia team.
• Carry out any other duties as required for the good functioning of the project.

 Supervisory Responsibility:  None

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Program Coordinator (Line Manager)

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: ER-CAP team including Consortium partner team members with DRC and FC in Tigray and/or Afar regions.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward 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 programs.

Security

• Adhere and comply with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.

Knowledge and Experience

• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in the areas: Economics, Agriculture (i.e. Plant/Animal Science), Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, Agribusiness, Marketing and other related subjects;
• Minimum of 4 years’ experience in private sector or working with other agencies in market systems facilitation, livelihood programs, rural development, agribusiness or financial services 
• Good understanding of Markets Systems Development (aka Making Markets Work for the poor-M4P) approach and facilitation including coaching, relationship building, communicating, open and willing to work on new initiatives.  
• Familiar with all aspects of the relevant market systems including key actors, information service providers, employers of different scale, micro-finance institutions (MFIs), banks, Insurance’s providers, inputs suppliers, producers, traders, intermediary and terminal markets governance frameworks (formal and informal); and all support markets and functions and experiences in supporting livestock/crop production.
• Excellent communication, organizational and prioritization skills and the ability to multi-task and support and/or fill multiple positions at one time. 
• Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work both independently and cooperatively with team members.

 SUCCESS FACTORS:

• Fluent in English, Afar and one additional local language (capable in all required basic skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing);
• Business minded, entrepreneurial, adaptive, curious, great problem-solving skills and results oriented. 
• Excellent communication skills, facilitation, and networking skills with a wide range of private, partner, Government and NGO-sector actors 
• Computer literate especially in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

 GEDSI (GENDER, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION)

• Understand and aware GDI related priorities of the country office and contribute for the realization of priorities (continually work to understand and be aware of the gender diversity and inclusion priorities of the country office and contribute in the execution)
• Promote gender equal and inclusive workplace culture in a day-to-day interaction with a team member, partners and program participants.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

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.

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 further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

All qualified individuals are invited to apply for the advertised position. All applications, including a CV, three references, and all applicable official papers, must be sent electronically.

Only candidates that are short-listed will be acknowledged and called for interviews.

“Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer promoting gender, equity and    diversity. Qualified female and young candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to empower women and youth.”

DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: 10 March 2024/ 4:00 PM