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 operating in Ethiopia since 2004, working in rural, peri-urban and urban areas in five regional states - Somali, Oromia, Afar, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples, Amhara - and the capital city of Addis Ababa. We engage in both development and humanitarian work, and seek to integrate approaches, programs and geographies as much as possible.  Our partners include government, academic institutions, development and private sector actors, civil societies and communities. Mercy Corps Ethiopia invites motivated and qualified candidates to apply for the following vacant position.

Position Title: Financial inclusion Markets Advisor

Location: Jijiga

Number of Positions: One

 Program / Department Summary

In May 2019 Mercy Corps will begin implementation of the EUR 10 million, 44-month ‘Strengthened Socio-Economic Development and Better Employment Opportunities for Refugees and Host Communities in the Jigjiga Area’ program, with funding from the European Union Trust Fund (EUTF). The program is being implemented in partnership with Danish Refugee Council (DRC).

Globally, and in Ethiopia, Mercy Corps is a leading practitioner of market systems development (MSD) approaches to poverty reduction, with particular expertise in implementing MSD programs in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. This program will apply our market systems expertise to refugee and host community contexts in the Jigjiga area, with the objective of finding durable solutions to the protracted refugee situation. This program is part of a broader portfolio of markets and refugee programming for Mercy Corps in Ethiopia.

The program has three objectives / outcomes:

1. Increase the ability of the local/regional economy to create jobs for various skills as per existing and/or potential economic value chains;

2. Increase demand-driven skills of the labour force in the area of intervention;

3. Refugee and host communities experience improved social integration and access legal rights

.

General Position Summary

 Mercy Corps seeks Financial Inclusion Markets Advisor for the EUTF Program. This position will be based in Jijiga, Ethiopia. The Advisor will report directly to the Consortium Manager and work to support the effort in improving the livelihood options and participations for both the host and refugee community with better economic integration among themselves. He/she will be working with the team to establish a better understanding of the financial inclusion markets that can create a vibrant job market.

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY & VISION

 Recognizes opportunities for innovative, Technology and IT action to enable financial inclusion of different categories of target groups at scale.

 Work closely with financial sector actors Banks, Micro finance, Cooperatives, SACCOs, Researchers, Technology based companies, Money transfers companies globally to co create appropriate financial services in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. 

 create an environment where project teams work together, exchange information, coordinate activities and develop team spirit in project management

 Works closely with project management other team members to contribute to a vision and strategy development and in applying market systems development approaches to refugee and host community contexts.

 Support policy change influence in the sector to spa growth in the Financial sector for refugees and Host Communities.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

 Supports the expansion of the high potential markets for Agriculture, livestock and financial services, in target refugees and host communities.

 Work with market actors like inputs suppliers, producers, traders, aggregators, value adders, processors, cooperatives, Agri Businesses, Banks, MFIs, RuSSACOS and VSL’s to strengthen their reach in serving the refugees and host communities.

 Supports the expansion of the relevant Micro finance institutions in the region and their network of money transfer (mobile banking agents) into refugee- hosting areas, such as identifying and training mobile banking agents

 Supports the team to conduct ‘refresher’ market analysis of crop, livestock and financial markets to generates programmatic understanding about the market opportunities, constraints related to access to inputs, knowledge/skills, limited value addition – will support the team to identify any market shifts caused by recent shocks and stresses.

 Will lead the teams to map the relevant market functions and key market players. Execute quality activities, track results, update any changes in capacities, constraints, and incentives to adopt new market behaviors and develop and implement activities

 Develops key monitoring and measuring indicators, milestones and plans in close collaboration with supervisor and M&E team, and solely responsible for monitoring and reporting all output, outcome and impact indicators for respective market system(s).

 Ensures the program captures and responds to up-to-date information about market developments within respective market systems and global best practices for Economic & Markets Development.

 Build and maintain close relationships with key government partners in Jigjiga, at all levels

 Work closely with the program team and partners ensuring we adhere to humanitarian principles, Mercy Corps’ gender policies, Do No Harm principles and beneficiary accountability standards;

 Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities;

 Fulfill Mercy Corps Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

 Familiarize the team with all aspects of agriculture, Livestock and Financial market systems the project is targeting including key actors; governance frameworks (formal and informal); and all support markets and functions.

 Trains and provides mentoring to the teams working with him/under him to acquire knowledge and key tools in market systems Development and facilitation approach and works in field with the objectives to increase their capacities in program implementation effectiveness

 Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.

 Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

 Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations.

 Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

 Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.

 Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met. 

Knowledge and Experience

Bachelor’s degree required. MBA, M.A, M.S., M.Sc., or equivalent in a field related to economics, Finance, international development, business management or subject with relevance for market systems development are preferred

 Five years of experience in the financial markets in pastoral and agro-pastoral systems of East and Horn of Africa or good experience in the finance private sector will be considered;

 Exceptional Masters recent graduate in MBA or Finance related course who is ready to demonstrate creative and ambitious to set a breakthrough great idea in the financial sector will be considered.   

 Deep understanding and mastery of Markets4Poor approach and Economic & Markets Development facilitation including coaching, relationship building, communicating, entrepreneurialism/business understanding and innovating.

Demonstrated Program implementation and training capabilities; Knowledge of Participatory analyses action and results processes:

 Success Factors

 Fluent in English and Somali languages

 Business-minded, entrepreneurial, adaptive, curious, great problem-solving skills, unafraid to ask questions, and results motivated.

 He/She will be a tolerant and flexible individual able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures

 Excellent communication, 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)