About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The program

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.

Resilience in Pastoral Areas (RIPA) program is a five-year USAID-funded initiative that aims to improve the resilience capacities of households, markets, and governance institutions across 22 woredas in the Somali, Afar and Oromia regions. RIPA includes a Crisis Modifier component that allows us to pivot our approach and respond to humanitarian needs in ways that support, not undermine, long-term development and resilience objectives. In relation to this, Mercy Corps is planning to implement a $10 million Crisis Modifier in response to the drought and Global Food Crisis impacting Ethiopia.

 Position Title: MARKET SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST -DEO

Duty Station: Dire Dawa ( Sitti zone-Somali):

Open Position:  1

Duration: - One Year

 The Position

 Essential Responsibilities

Project implementation

·Leads the implementation of high impactful activities to support diversification of economic opportunities to facilitate employment opportunities for youth, women and job seekers pastoral and agro-pastoral locations

· Lead regular implementation of district and kebele level field activities to assess progress and provide formal and informal feedback.

· Coordinates and organizes market assessment validation and activities planning workshop, which will involve all key stakeholders.

· Builds and maintains close relationships with key government partners across the project implementation areas and other cities and towns at all levels.

·  Develops quarterly and final report providing summary of activities and recommendations and shares with his/her supervisor and other team members and stakeholders.

·  Works 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.

·  Integrates community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities.

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

· Participate in a market assessment validation and activities planning workshop, which will involve all key stakeholders.

· 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.

·  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

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

 Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. 

 GEDSI (GENDER, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION)

• Understand and aware GDI related priorities of the country office and contribute for the

realization of priorities (continually work to understand and be aware of the gender diversity and inclusion priorities of the country office and contribute in the execution)

• Promote gender equal and inclusive workplace culture in a day-to-day interaction with a team member, partners and program participants.

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.

Safeguarding & Ethics

·       Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Job Requirements

Minimum Qualification and Transferable Skills

· Bachelor’s degree in one of the following subjects: Economics, agro economics, Management, Accounting, Finance, Rural development, or related field

· Three to five years of experience in   MSMEs markets, labor and financial markets, financial inclusion, Business development service, and skill training in pastoral and agro-pastoral systems of Ethiopia.

· Knowledge of participatory analyses, action and results processes.

· Previous experience in arid and semi-arid parts of Ethiopia is preferred.

·  Knowledge of Af somali

 Success Factors

·  Fluent in English

·  Knowledge of   local language is an asset(Afaan Oromo, and Af Afari)

· 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)

 Ongoing Learning

How to Apply

All interested candidates are encouraged to apply for the position advertised.  All applications submitted to the Mercy Corps office or electronically include a CV, three references, and all relevant official documents. Applications will not be returned and will not be retained for future recruitment efforts.  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 and young candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to empower women and youth.”

 DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: 03 May 2023/ 4:00 PM Click Here