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: Conflict Sensitivity Advisor

Duty Station: Addis Ababa

Open Position:  1

Program / Department Summary

The Gender and Conflict Sensitive Approaches to Peace Building in Ethiopia (GCAP) is an eighteen-month project that recently received follow-on funding for a period of three months from Global Affairs Canada's Peace and Stabilization Operations Program. The overall goal of the project is to strengthen gender sensitivity and inclusivity in the peacebuilding structures, processes, and services and thereby increase peace, security, and stability in Ethiopia. The project is structured around three objective areas: (i) support formal and informal institutions to improve their capacities to prevent and manage conflict and (ii) increase meaningful representation and participation by women and women-led organizations in conflict management and peacebuilding processes within formal and informal institutions and (iii) enhance the integration of conflict sensitivity through a gender-focused approach within existing projects and informs future programing.

The project will explore practical application of conflict sensitivity analysis to international assistance in Ethiopia in collaboration with the Rift Valley Institute (RVI), conduct preliminary national conflict analysis and conflict sensitivity landscape mapping and listening exercise in selected contexts, the project also will facilitate strategic cluster meetings with Peacebuilding, Humanitarian and Development organizations on conflict sensitivity, establish pilot conflict sensitivity hub and provide different services for selected peacebuilding, humanitarian and development organizations and the program will also adapt and localize training modules to the local context and facilitate capacity strengthening trainings for selected Peacebuilding, Humanitarian and Development organizations.  

General Position Summary

Mercy Corps is looking for an experienced, qualified conflict sensitivity advisor to support the implementation of the GCAP Project, including providing technical support for staff and organizations working on conflict sensitivity and ‘Do No Harm’ (DNH) principles and provide support on institutional capacity for mainstreaming conflict sensitivity, assist in developing training designs as per training needs assessments and develop training toolkits. The conflict sensitivity advisor also advises on implementation and monitoring of conflict sensitivity capacity development in Peacebuilding, Humanitarian and Development organizations through close collaboration with Rift Valley Institute (RVI) and local partners. The Conflict Sensitivity Advisor reports to the GCAP Manager and works directly with MEAL Manager, Consultants, PaQ director, Data Analytics Manager, Country CARM advisor, GEDSI advisor, other support functions (Operations and Finance),

Essential Responsibilities

Project Implementation

Strategy and Vision

• Work closely with the Program Manager, International and local partners to develop a strategy for achieving the objectives pilot conflict sensitivity programing in Ethiopia.

• Recognizing that peacebuilding, humanitarian assistance and development activities interact closely with the context where are taking place, GCAP is adopting a coherent and coordinated approach to ensure that development efforts are conflict-sensitive so that they minimize unintended negative consequences and maximize their development and peacebuilding impact. 

• The Conflict Sensitivity advisor will have a significant impact in the implementation of the pilot conflict sensitivity program for three months, will strengthen the way Mercy Corps and the Rift Valley Institute delivers its Peacebuilding, Humanitarian and Development assistance in Ethiopia though conflict sensitivity programming.

Key Job functions include.

• Design and develop intervention ideas, Concept notes using conflict sensitivity programing and through co-creation jointly with potential international and local partners.

• Review and analyze existing and evolving organizational policy, legal, and regulatory framework for mainstreaming conflict sensitive approaches that is aligned with Mercy Corps peace and good governance activities.

• Adapt and localize conflict sensitive training modules in English languages.

• Take leadership in initiating Training of Trainers or training to key Peacebuilding, Humanitarian and Development organizations.

• Advise project manager on the introduction of conflict-sensitive systems and approaches within the program management cycle, starting at the program conception, design, and appraisal process.

• Contribute to knowledge management activities and documents related to Conflict Sensitivity.

• Strengthen partnership with organizations that could benefit from and contribute to building capacity in conflict-sensitive development approaches in Ethiopia.

• Report project progress, disseminate findings, and provide operational support for the pilot evaluation.

• Perform any other duties as assigned by the supervisor!

Specific job functions include.

• The piloting of the conflict-sensitive programming is well organized, tailored to meet global best practices, and linked to the broader Mercy Corps peace and good governance strategy.

• Conflict-sensitive approaches are piloted in the selected Peace building, Humanitarian and Development organizations.

• Design and facilitate the implementation of all the activates of pilot conflict sensitivity programing in Ethiopia.

• Workshops and training on conflict sensitivity are independently rolled out by partner Peace building, Humanitarian and Development organizations.

• Lessons learned are collated and knowledge products developed to facilitate institutional wide learning.

• Build networks with INGOs and local Civil Society Organizations that analyze local contexts to feed into regular context analysis and updates.

 Required Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Educational background - Master’s degree or Bachelor of Art in Peace and Conflict studies, International Development, Law, or related fields.

• Experience: At least three years’ experience for master’s holder or five years’ experience for bachelor’s degree in development work related to conflict and peacebuilding activities in Ethiopia.

• At least two/one years’ experience directly related to conflict sensitivity and ‘Do No Harm’ approaches, including experience in mainstreaming these concepts into development programming in Ethiopia.

• Experience in conflict analysis and experience in applying such analysis to local development contexts in Ethiopia.

• Expertise with training modules on conflict sensitivity and ‘Do No Harm’ principles, in Ethiopia preferable.

• Good understanding of Ethiopia’s peace process, and the social, economic, and political aspects of peacebuilding and development efforts in Ethiopia.

• Experience working in the INGOs, and local Civil Society Organizations is highly desirable. 

• Language Requirement – Very good standard of oral and written English and Amharic.

Accountability to Participants, Beneficiaries and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our project 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.

 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.

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 to the execution)

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

 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 Ethiopia. He/she will be an excellent communicator, multi-tasker, and able to work in ambiguous situations. He/she has a strong understanding of peacebuilding processes. He/she will have a good understanding of the roles that different data technologies play in high-quality MEL and how different datasets should be leveraged to provide information specifically needed for decision-making in different Ethiopian contexts. The successful candidate will be focused on implementing conflict sensitivity programing and equipped with the tools and know-how in integrating conflict sensitivity in the projects and activities.

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.

How to apply:

• Register using the following link CLICK HERE

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: 17 Jauary 2024/ 4:00 PM