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: MSD Coordinator

Location: Dollo Ado

Number of Positions: One

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps is currently implementing the ‘Innovative Approaches to Building Resilience for Vulnerable Populations in Ethiopia’ program in partnership with WFP and funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and DANIDA from Denmark. Mercy Corps is leading Component 4 – Market Resilience and Livelihood Improvements (MARLI), which aims to provide alternative, climate change-sensitive livelihood and creating market opportunities for refugee communities and host populations in Dollo Ado and Bokolmayo, Somali Region.

The Market Systems Development(MSD) Coordinator is responsible to coordinate PARA Component 2 (Diversified Economic Opportunities) and Component 3 (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:

STRATEGY & VISION

• 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 Program Manager on related MSD activities and supports to ensure better MARLI overall implementation in the area;
• 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 MARLI component team members ensuring activity integration and achieve overall MARLI 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.

PROGRAM 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 as 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;

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.

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.

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 and Somali languages (capable in all require basic skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing);
• 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 and NGO-sector actors
•  Computer literate especially in Microsoft Officer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)