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: Gender Advisor

 Location: Gambella

 Number of Positions: One

 Program / Department Summary

·         Mercy Corps is committed to supporting the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) to address the challenge posed by the large influx of refugees into the country. Ethiopia has the second largest refugee population in Africa, second only to Uganda. The official refugee population is more than 905,000 individuals, composed of mainly South Sudanese (48%), Somalis (28%), Eritreans (18%), and Sudanese (5%) living in 25 refugee camps in peripheral regions of the country. The largest populations are in Gambela Region (44% of refugees) and Somali Region (28%).

·         The scale of the refugee numbers, and the long-term nature of the challenge (many refugees have been living in the country for more than 20 years), requires new thinking and innovative solutions. This has been recognized by the GoE through its support for the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), and through the draft of a ‘National Comprehensive Refugee Response Strategy’ (NCRRS) by the Administration of Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA). The NCRRS includes ‘Nine Pledges’ that ultimately aim to create productive and self-reliant citizens among refugees and host communities.

·         Mercy Corps has extensive expertise in developing sustainable solutions to complex humanitarian challenges. We employ a systems-strengthening approach to improve human and social capital; and to link, strengthen and expand systems critical to improving household incomes and resilience at the individual, community and systems level.

·         Mercy corps in partnership with DCA is about to implement a market system program that is WFP Funded (supported by SIDA and DANAID) in the Gambella region. It aims to support the long standing challenges of refuges and host communities and proposed action contributes to the EU’s commitment to supporting the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), and SDGs 1, 5, 8 and 10, including the Decent Work and Economic Growth goal. The action also supports the Government of Ethiopia’s (GoE) CRRF pledge, including the signing of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants in September 2016 and the revision of Ethiopia’s Refugee Proclamation in January 2019.For this reason, Mercy Corps is planning to conduct market system assessments to better understand needs and opportunities, focusing on Gamblella region including all the refugee camps.

General Position Summary

·         The position holder will be responsible for mainstreaming gender in the program design and implementation. He/She/ will also be the focal person for the GDI initiative in the Gambella Region.

 Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

·         Recognizes opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where project teams work together, exchange information, coordinate activities and develop team spirit in project management

·         Contribute to agency-wide gender integration efforts and communities of practice as appropriate

 Program management

·         Provide program teams with technical support, coaching and capacity building to ensure high quality gender integration in programs;

●          Work closely with the program lead and the team in mainstreaming Gender issues as part of the program design, implementation and monitoring. Provide technical guidance to teams to ensure programs/departments develop and implement gender integration strategies and work plans.

·         Support and insure alignment of the gender and inclusion initiatives both in time of design and implementation of the program

·         Serve as technical representation on the strategic gender and social inclusion focused opportunities in the Gambella Region 

·         Gather/analyze data and complete assessments to determine community needs and priorities identify partnership opportunities.

·         Cultivate and activate relationships with women’s rights and gender equality focused civil society organizations across the region to advance programmatic impact.

Team Management

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

·         Provide Program teams with technical support, coaching and capacity building to ensure high quality gender integration in programs and the GDI initiative

·         Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.

·         Contribute to Program team-building efforts, training program and department staff on gender integration mainstreaming

·         Work closely with team members from other implementations partners for WFP 

Finance & Compliance Management

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

·         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

·         BA degree in international development, public health, women’s studies, gender or a comparable area of study preferred

·         Three to Five years of experience in related work.

·         Demonstrated program implementation and training capabilities;

·         Knowledge of participatory analyses, action and results processes;

·         Experience in the region is required; 

Success Factors

·         Fluent in English and one of the local languages in Gambella 

·         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 Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)