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.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps has been present in Ethiopia since 2004 working to drive bold and transformative ideas, working closely with government, the private sector and civil society actors to build a more resilient country, ensuring that programs are responsive to and influenced by participants and stakeholders. Our vision is to enhance the resilience of climate and conflict-affected communities through market systems development for improved livelihoods, access to food, and safe and clean water to thrive in the face of crises. Our strategy focuses on the four outcome areas of: 1) Economically marginalized populations have improved and diversified livelihoods, income, and assets; 2) Pastoralists, farmers, and households have access to sustainably produced, safe, nutritious food; 3) Social cohesion and inclusive governance processes are built in crisis-affected communities; and 4) People have equitable, sustained access to clean water and sanitation for domestic and productive use. Currently we operate in the regional states of Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Sidama, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray and Addis Ababa city administration working with a diverse base of donors that includes United States Agency for International Development (USAID), European Union, GAC, Hilton Foundation, United Nations (UN), JOA, Sweden, EKN, and other foundations.

The USAID-funded Highland Resilience Activity (HRA) in Ethiopia. HRA will contribute to the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) 5’s “Big Push” initiative and has the overarching goal of strengthening resilience among vulnerable households in Ethiopia’s Highlands, resulting in 120,000 PSNP households reaching the graduation threshold. HRA will support these households in moving above the graduation threshold and to where they no longer require social safety net programming for household food security and have the capabilities and assets to withstand regular and predictable shocks. The Activity will achieve this goal by directly supporting households in increasing their on-farm, off-farm, and employment incomes while facilitating improvements in the market systems required to increase demand for goods and services in PSNP communities. HRA is a five-year program that started during October 2023.

General Position Summary

The Youth Engagement Specialist will directly report to the GYSI Advisor and will provide overall  technical support and delivering of Youth integration in the program engagements, including data collection and analysis, capacity building and ensuring the meaningful participation and leadership of youth targets in the program intervention. Essential Job Responsibilities include:

Strategy & Vision

• In collaboration with the GYSI Advisor contribute to the development and adoption of GYSI strategy and guiding tools and ensure the implementation across the program engagement

• Provides technical guidance to region-based program staff and local partners to promote youth engagement, inclusion, and economic empowerment.

• With direction from the GYSI Advisor, identifies issues and risks relevant to youth in the program context and advises in the design and implementation of youth-focused and youth-led activities

• Ensure the needs, interests and potential capacities of the youth are integrated in the project cycle management across the implementation areas

• Lead the development and implementation of a capacity-building plan for youth groups and networks at woreda, zonal and regional levels.

• Adapt technology-enabled processes and approaches for youth mass mobilization, capacity building, and advocacy that are responsive to the diverse youth groups and project participants.

• Ensure coherent engagement of youth structures at all levels in the implementation of different components of the program

Program Management / implementation

• Provide technical support for the effective and efficient implementation of the program interventions and activities to reach desired impacts.

• Ensure that the HRA program implementation is responsive to youth and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan, while applying adaptive management principles.

• Confirm program participants are effectively targeted according to transparent criteria.

• Integrate Conflict Sensitivity into all activities of the HRA program. Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ GEDSI Policy, Do No Harm principles, and participant accountability standards.

• Document processes and achievements to ensure best-practices are captured and disseminated. This will include the continual re-evaluation of program activities and information, with resulting activity adjustments in keeping with the new insights.

• Ensure written reports on program activities, capturing the impacts of activities related to youth.

• Conduct frequent field visits to all project sites – spend up to 50% of the time in the field.

Team work  

• Work closely with team members, technical advisors and specialists to have shared vision

• Assist field team members with information, tools and resources regarding youth inclusion to improve performance & reach objectives.

• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.

• work to sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

• Build and sustain a culture that fosters improved feedback loops, safe space for constructive debates and innovation

Influence & Representation

• Support the GYSI Advisor and other Mercy Corps senior managers to represent Mercy Corps and the project at different levels .

• Coordinate with consortium partners, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs to promote and advocate for Youth engagement

GEDSI (Gender, Equality, Diversity and Social Inclusion)

• Lead by example to promote gender equal and inclusive workplace culture in day-to-day interaction with team members, partners and program participants.

 Security

• Work closely with the country team’s security focal point to develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members.

• Proactive to work and operate in a secure environment and are aware of mercy corps and government 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.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility

Provides technical support for GYSI officers at region level

Accountability

Reports Directly To: GYSI Advisor 

Works Directly With: Mercy Corps' HRA Program team and implementing partners,  other Mercy Corps Ethiopia Program Teams

Job Requirements

Knowledge and Experience

• BA/S or equivalent in social science, international relations, development, economics, public administration, or other relevant fields related to youth programming.

• A minimum of 5 years relevant development experience with at least 2 years in senior management positions of similar size/scope of program. And a minimum of 3 years’ experience of leading Youth Civic Engagement Experience in grassroots youth mobilization and organizational capacity-building processes for youth groups and networks.

• Experience using capacity building and mentoring approaches with individuals and institutions

• Ability to engage youths/people in dialogues, and skills to communicate with various types of people, specifically youth of all types of background.

• Demonstrated ability to build and foster an adaptive team culture and a record of accomplishment in strategic visioning, leadership, and inspiring teams.

• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with local governments, other donor-funded projects and stakeholders, local organizations, and partners

• Experience with USAID rules, regulations and requirements is strongly preferred.

• Experience working in Ethiopia and familiarity with varying regional contexts in the country.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Amharic.

Success Factors

The ideal candidate will possess excellent leadership skills, with the ability to maintain a broad perspective. They will undertake innovative approaches, be agile in the conceptualization of new program ideas, and will be well versed in strategic thinking and planning. The ideal candidate will have a strong curiosity for understanding and working effectively within the complex cultural, political, security and social environment of Ethiopia. They will be an excellent communicator, multi-tasker, able to operate under tight deadlines and work in ambiguous situations. They will be a tolerant and flexible individual able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures. The successful candidate will be focused on team-building and capacity-building of team members; be a strategic role player, have strong skills in design monitoring and evaluation of development programs and maintain a sense of humor.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and it requires up to 50% travel to support the program intervention, which may include travel to insecure locations.

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

 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. 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.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

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.

How to Apply

All qualified individuals are invited to apply for the advertised position. All applications, including a CV, three references, and all applicable official papers, must be sent electronically.

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: 10 November 2023/ 4:00 PM

CLICK HERE to apply