Agriculture and Market System Development Coordinator

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.

We help people overcome poverty and conflict. Working with communities, we leverage local logic to help people transform their lives. To grow more food, earn higher incomes and ultimately advocate for their needs. We see global challenges as an invitation to pioneer innovative, sustainable solutions. During our 34-year history, our work has improved more than 170 million lives in more than 115 countries around the world.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps has been present in Ethiopia since 2004 and acts on behalf of people who have become disenfranchised and poor. We stand with Ethiopia to find and access opportunities, and to be part of lasting and meaningful transformation in the country. Mercy Corps seeks to be influential with government and development actors towards a more resilient country where poverty is tackled through the eyes of those who understand it best. This translates into ensuring that the population is financially stable, healthy & nourished, educated & unformed, and that natural resources are accessible, shared and utilized sustainably. 

With USAID support, Mercy Corps proposes to activate the RIPA-North Crisis Modifier to implement Crisis Modifier 3 (CM3), an 18-month initiative that will improve water security and livelihood outcomes for more than 14,200 households (85,200 individuals) in Shabelle Zone of Somali Region. Through CM3, RIPA-North will directly contribute to the vision of the government of the Somali Regional State outlined in their Multi-Year Resilience Strategy (MYRS).

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Agriculture and Market Systems Development (MSD) Coordinator is responsible to coordinate RIPA-North Crisis Modifier under Objective 3 for Strengthened systems for productive use of water (Livestock/crop production and marketing). He/she will be a key member of Market Systems Development unit. The MSD Team uses a market-systems, community-led approach to stimulate economic growth creating wealth and jobs for the poorest while maximizing investment from the private and public sectors. The MSD Team is comprised of technical expertise in the areas of production, marketing, employment, input/output markets, post-harvest technologies and financial services. Its main sectors include livestock, crop/fodder, livestock products, energy, financial services, enterprises development and related sectors.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Oversee and coordinate field level MSD team and activities to ensure quality and timely delivery of planned activities.
• Provide technical leadership to field team in planning, organizing, implementing, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of MSD activities.
• Advises the Water security Manager on related MSD activities and supports to ensure better CM3 overall implementation in the Zone.
• Manage relationship with relevant government stakeholders, public and private partners including key actors (inputs suppliers, producers, information service providers, and other appropriate actors) in the target area for better success.
• Facilitate private sector engagement in his/her respective responsibility in the region by bringing innovative ideas and initiatives to MSD team.
• Work closely with all RIPA-North CM3 component team members ensuring activity integration and achieve overall goal.
• Contributes to the key monitoring and measuring indicators, milestones and plans in close collaboration with MSD and M&E team and be responsible for monitoring and reporting outputs and outcome indicators in each component.
• Ensures the program captures and updates information about market developments within the components.
• Compile and submit regular updates/reports (weekly, monthly, and quarterly); and
• Other duties as assigned.

REPRESENTATION AND COORDINATION

• Liaise with local government officials, local NGOs and civil society organizations, local religious leaders and other notables to ensure support for and acceptance of Mercy Corps’ programs. 
• Maintain close working relationships with donors, other humanitarian and development organizations, and local partners, including representing Mercy Corps at local coordination meetings as assigned.
• Represent Mercy Corps professionally in the responsibility areas to bring credit and to maintain its humanitarian and development mission.
• Team management
• Build effective relationships with program teams implementing production, marketing, diversified economic opportunities, based on mutual trust, collaboration, urgency, and curiosity.
• Assist team members with information, tools, and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback informally and formally.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Support hiring and orientation of team members with a focus on MSD.

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.

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 projects.
• 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.

Supervisory Responsibility

Accountability: MSD Team

Reports Directly to:  Water security Manager

Technical Reporting

• Team Lead:Pastoral and Agro-Pastoral Production and Marketing
• Team Lead: Diversified Economic Opportunities

Works Directly with: Component Leads for RIPA, MSD Advisors, other administrative, finance and operations staff in-country,

Knowledge and Experience

Experience in private sector is strongly preferred

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, agribusiness, economics, business administration or other related field, or commensurate private sector or field experience is required;
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in private sector or working with other agencies in program coordination, market systems facilitation, production, agribusiness and/or financial services;

SUCCESS FACTORS:

• Fluent in English, Amharic and local language for the location applied: Somali and/or Afar (capable in all require basic skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing);
• Business minded, entrepreneurial, curious, great problem solving skills, unafraid to ask questions, and results motivated;
• Excellent communication, presentation, facilitation and networking skills with a wide range of actors across geographical areas;
• Computer literate especially in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)