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 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. With the launch of Mercy Corps Global Strategy, Pathway to Possibility, the country office is poised to operationalize its three-year strategy with a vision 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. In Ethiopia, our strategy focuses in the four outcome areas: 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 six regional states – Afar, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Amhara and South Ethiopia. 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, Mercy Corps Ethiopia empowers people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. 

Position Title: Market Systems Development Advisor (LI-WAY)

Duty Station: Addis Ababa

Open Position:  1

Duration of assignment: 6 months

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps is one of four partners in a nine-year program entitled Livelihoods Improvement for Women and Youth (LIWAY) led by SNV Netherlands Development Organization and funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands. The programme is implemented by a consortium of partners composed of SNV Netherlands Development Organization, Mercy Corps, TechnoServe, and Save the Children International. LIWAY utilizes a making Markets work for the Poor (M4P) approach to contribute to sustainable poverty reduction and social stability in Addis Ababa by increasing incomes through improved wages and self-employment opportunities, primarily for poor women and youth. The objective is to increase the incomes of 257,000 poor people in Addis Ababa, of which at least 128,500 (50%) are women (young and adult) and 192,750 (75%) are youth (female and male).

General Position Summary

The Market Systems Development advisor will lead analysis of labor market systems in close relation with Growth, Microenterprise, Skills, and other potential Market systems including financial services for Li-WAY, ensuring harmonization between this work and that of 1) MC’s broader leadership in Market System development specifically labor market system; 2) other partners with private sector development, financial services and related areas. The Advisor will identify and guide opportunities and constraints of the market system across all clusters and link those back to the overarching objectives and targets of LIWAY. The MSD Advisor will be responsible for leading, designing, implementing market system related activities of the program from assessment validation, activities selection, planning implementation of activities to scale up and roll out activities in the program. She/he will contribute through analytical thinking, innovative approaches to support integration and harmony of approaches across all Mercy Corps Ethiopia market-driven programming. 

Essential Responsibilities

The Market Systems Development Advisor responsible for overseeing the implementation of priority intervention areas primarily LIWAY Labor Market systems and ensuring cross sectoral integration with other sectors led by the other consortium partners.

Kay job functions include the following: -

• Design and develop intervention idea Concept notes using detail market assessment and through co-creation jointly with potential private/public sector

• Provide technical leadership and guidance ensuring that interventions are integrated with high quality and evidence

• Lead implementation and monitoring of work plans across priority supporting functions, intervention areas in Labor Market Systems using adaptively management.

• Support learning initiative of the program within the Labor Market Systems area for policy change and across LIWAY in collaboration with SNV, Save the Children and Techoserve.

• Propose key monitoring and measuring indicators, milestones, and plans; monitor and reporting all output, outcome and impact indicators across the core market systems with a focus on Labor Market

• Identify priority supporting functions in the labor market system and other cross cutting sectors, responds to up-to-date information about market developments within respective market systems and global best practices for Economic & Markets Development.

Specific program implementation functions include: -

• Manage implementation of strategies to facilitate access to employment and market information opportunities amongst women and youth in Addis Ababa.

• Facilitate activities to connect women and youth to start and/or continue employment/entrepreneurship opportunities by facilitating linkage with employers, relevant stakeholders, and other system actors.

• Strengthens private sector development in the employment and labor market information sector by bringing new ideas and initiatives to Mercy Corps in general and overall

• Manage implementation of strategies to strengthen and create linkage between technology providers and employer’s that can expand outreach of employment information to create better access and sharing mechanism.

• Manage relationship with partners to track performance, ensure activities are in line to address systemic problem, identify potential areas for scale up to continuously ensure integration of activities of wage employment within the labor market and with other sectors for LI-WAY.

• Work closely with LI-WAY program team members and consortium partner to identify, conduct research assessment to identify potential private sector firms for partnership.

• Conduct analysis of market system functions in Addis Ababa across potential, priority & selected sectors and assess specific underlying root causes for women and youth to inclusive, productivity and efficiency.

• closely collaborate with all consortium team members to conduct an ongoing assessment across selected sectors/market systems and with a special focus on employment related but not limited to job matching, childcare, referencing and other priority functions in Addis Ababa, including understanding constraints related to unemployment, technology to enhance employment and related functions.

• Continuously ensure integration of activities of employment within the labor market and with other sectors for Li-WAY.

Supervisory Responsibility: None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: LI-WAY Team Leader

Works Directly with: LI- WAY Team Leader, Market System Advisor/s, Market System specialists, Monitoring, Research and Learning Advisor and the broader consortium team members.

How to Apply

Minimum Qualification and Transferable skills

• Deep understanding and mastery of Markets4Poor approach and Economic & Markets Development facilitation including coaching, relationship building, communicating, entrepreneurialism/business understanding and innovating.

• Familiar with all aspects of the relevant market systems including key actors, Technology Providers, Childcare and related service providers, Technical/vocational Training providers micro-financial institutions (MFIs), banks, Insurances, labor Market information service providers, governance frameworks (formal and informal); and all support markets and functions.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, Business Administration, Marketing, Agribusiness or other related field, or commensurate private sector or field experience is required.

• Minimum of 3-5 years’ experience in private sector or working with other agencies in market systems facilitation, agribusiness, or financial services.

• Demonstrated leadership, management, and training capabilities. Strong skills in planning and organization, partnership, and collaboration.

• Excellent communication, organizational and prioritization skills and the ability to multi-task and support and/or fill multiple positions at one time.

• Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work both independently and cooperatively with team members.

 Success Factors

• Fluent in English and Amharic.

• Business minded, entrepreneurial, adaptive, curious, great problem-solving skills,

• Experience working collaboratively with teams from diverse backgrounds.

• Strong presentation, reporting, and communication skills, facilitation, and networking skills with a wide range of private, public, and NGO-sector actors

• Excellent computer skills using MS Office 365 Suite of products including Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint.

• 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.

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 shortlisted 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 empowering women and youth.”

How to Apply

Register using the following link THIS LINK

DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: 26 December 2023/ 4:00 PM