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 Markets Specialist

 Location: Jigjiga

 Number of Positions: One

 Mercy Corps and financial inclusion

Globally, 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. Our Ethiopia country program is implementing some of our most innovative and impactful MSD work. Two key sectors in which we apply MSD approaches are financial inclusion and energy. Financial inclusion is a cross-cutting intervention area in almost all of our programming, and Mercy Corps has been a pioneer in expanding financial services into pastoral lowland areas of Ethiopia, including supporting digital financial services. Mercy Corps is also increasingly focusing on improving energy access to alleviate poverty and support livelihood improvements.

 Program / Department Summary

In May 2019 Mercy Corps 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).

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 is seeking to recruit an MSD Specialist for financial inclusion, to support integration of these approaches into STEDE program across in Fafan Zone -Somali Region -Ethiopia country portfolio. The advisor will support implementation of high-quality financial inclusion interventions., through capacity-building for teams, support in conducting market assessments and designing interventions and building relationships with key market actors from the private sector and government. The MSD Specialist will also participate in designing Intervention Concept notes (ICN) that have financial inclusion, and helping to ensure robust M&E and Learning for our programs, working with our STEDE MEL Advisor (Learning and impact). The Specialist will also play a lead role in representing Mercy Corps’ financial inclusion work externally, through building relationships with key partners and participating in relevant coordination and learning events. The Specialist will also be helping to define and achieve STEDE programme strategy.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Program quality

• Conduct high quality market system assessments in financial services, providing the foundation for program design.
• Design interventions Concept notes for MSD programs, using tools such as Results Chains and ‘Who Does, Who Pays?’ matrices
• Develop and implement work plans for MSD programs, maintaining a clear focus on facilitation principles
• Work with program teams as they develop partnerships with private sector and government actors, and lead the process of developing partnerships with key ‘Lead Firm’ actors, such as large businesses and government
• Provide capacity-building for Mercy Corps program teams, through formal training on MSD methodologies and informal mentoring and guidance
• Support mainstreaming of gender and women’s economic empowerment into our financial inclusion programming, and support implementation of this strategy
• Manage MSD programs adaptively, through periodic reflection exercises and supporting use of M&E data
• Submission of high quality reports for financial inclusion programming to the Consortium Manager and other relevant Mercy Corps Ethiopia team members.

 Innovation and proposal development

• Build relationships with key stakeholders in the financial inclusion, including regulatory bodies, banks, MFIs, digital platform providers, Mobile Network Operators and government bodies. Leverage these relationships to place Mercy Corps at the forefront of innovative approaches for financial inclusion.
• Gather/analyze data and complete assessments to inform the design of new intervention ideas.
• Writing/review of concept notes and proposals on financial inclusion for the programme.
• Keep up to date on relevant strategies being developed or applied by significant governmental, academic, and non-profit groups. Work with Mercy Corps to determine how the agency can best work with and/or influence such materials.
• Work closely with the other programme teams to influence their engagement and support linkage with the financial inclusion initiatives.

Learning and impact

• Work with the Consotium Manager and the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Advisor to ensure that monitoring and evaluation is practical and reflects best practices
• Contribute to agency-wide initiatives such as the research agenda around Thought Leadership priority topics.
• Support new and ongoing programs with best practice advice and assistance on assessment, implementation, research, and evaluation needs.
• Engage in implementation of projects that have significant financial services component in building relationships with actors, documenting lessons learnt and best practices 
• Conduct assessments; write case studies, learning documents, short articles, and blogs; and develop internal and external disseminate plan for all products.
• Nurture partnerships with universities, research institutions, and other organizations to produce case studies, assessments, and other learning documentation, as well as enhance program quality.

Team management

• Build effective relationships with STEDE program teams implementing financial inclusion programming, based on mutual trust, collaboration, urgency and curiosity
• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.

Job Requirements

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required. M.A, M.S., M.Sc., or equivalent in a field related to economics, international development, business management or subject with relevance for market systems development are preferred.
• Participation in MSD training is strongly preferred.
• 5 to 7 years of practical experience working on market systems development programming in financial inclusion, that includes:
• Undertaking market assessments and writing market assessment reports
• Providing training for team members on MSD theory and practice
• Supporting development of robust results measurement systems, measuring impact on beneficiaries and system change
• Demonstrating strong theoretical and applied knowledge of the field of expertise.
• Practical field experience, typically over the course of 2 years, that includes:
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently to Mercy Corps project sites and field locations, including traveling to insecure environments, is required.
• Fluency in Somali and English is required.

 Success Factors

The ideal candidate will have a strong curiosity for understanding and working effectively within the complex cultural, political, security and social environment of Somali Region -Ethiopia. He/She will be an excellent communicator, multi-tasker, and able to work in ambiguous situations. He/She will be a tolerant and flexible individual able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures. 

 Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

 The position is based in (JigJiga, Somali Region - Ethiopia) and it requires travel to field locations.

 Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. 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.

 Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

How to Apply

All interested candidates are encouraged to apply for the position advertised. All applications submitted to the Mercy Corps office include a CV, three references, and all relevant official documents. Applications will not be returned and will not be retained for future recruitment efforts. In order to ensure fairness to all applicant’s personal inquiries are not permitted.

 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 candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to empower women.”

DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: 24 February, 2021/ 4:00 PM

 Please send non-returnable applications and credentials to one of the following address:  et-recruitment@mercycorps.org Mercy Corps Recruiter Addis Ababa: P.O. Box 14319 Arbaminch: P.O. Box 33 , Jijiga: P.O. Box 225   Negelle Borena: P.O. Box 116 Dire Dewa: P.O. Box 974