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. We help people overcome poverty and conflict. Working with communities, we leverage local logic to help people transform their lives. To grow more food, earn higher incomes and ultimately advocate for their needs. We see global challenges as an invitation to pioneer innovative, sustainable solutions. During our 34-year history, our work has improved more than 170 million lives in more than 115 countries around the world. Mercy Corps Ethiopia invites motivated and qualified candidates to apply for the following vacant position.

Position Title:   Market System Development (MSD) Coordinator

 Duty Station:  Jijiga/ Dire Dawa

 Position Status: 3 month, Full-Time

 Open Position:  one

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps has been present in Ethiopia since 2004 and acts on behalf of people who have become disenfranchised and poor. We stand with Ethiopia to find and access opportunities, and to be part of lasting and meaningful transformation in the country. Mercy Corps seeks to be influential with government and development actors towards a more resilient country where poverty is tackled through the eyes of those who understand it best. This translates into ensuring that the population is financially stable, healthy & nourished, educated & informed and that natural resources are accessible, shared, and utilized sustainably.

Mercy Corps is implementing a five year, Feed the Future USAID funded Resilience in Pastoral Areas y (RiPA North) focused on: stimulating increased production, productivity, and marketing through more competitive livestock and livestock products markets; increasing communities’ resilience; improving alternative livelihood options through essential skills transfer; improving food security and nutrition, and contributing to the wider knowledge on pastoral development.  The program is operating in Afar, Somali, and Oromia regions.

Mercy Corps is looking for a strong  Market System Development(MSD) Coordinator who will have the responsibility to support technical teams in targeting, monitoring of activities, performance checking, and outcome monitoring.

 GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Market Systems Development(MSD) Coordinator is responsible for coordinating RiPA Component 2 (Diversified and Sustainable Economic Opportunities for People transitioning Out of Pastoralism) and Component 3 (Intensified and Sustained Pastoral and Agro-Pastoral Production and Marketing). He/she will be a key member of the Market Systems Development unit. The MSD Team uses a market-systems, community-led approach to stimulate economic growth creating wealth and jobs for the poorest while maximizing investment from the private and public sectors. The MSD team is composed of technical expertise in the areas of employment, input/output markets, post-harvest technologies, and financial services. Its main sectors include livestock and livestock products, agriculture, energy, financial services, light industry, and labor/employment.

 ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

●                 Oversee  and coordinate field level MSD team and activities to ensure quality and timely                  delivery of planned activities;

●                 Provide technical leadership to field team in planning, organizing, implementing, monitoring,   reporting, and evaluation of RiPA MSD focused activities( i.e. Pastoral/Agro-pastoral production/marketing and Diversified economic opportunity component related activities)

●                 Advises the Cluster Program Manager related to MSD related activities and supports to ensure better RiPA overall implementation in the cluster.

●                 Manages the entire MSD portfolio for the cluster and is ultimately responsible for the delivery of its mandate to the teams, projects, and management of the cluster.

●                 Manage relationships with relevant government stakeholders, public and private partners  including key actors (inputs suppliers, producers, information service providers, and other relevant actors or service providers) in the target area for better support markets and functions;

●                 Facilitate private sector engagement in his/her respective responsibility in the  region by bringing innovative ideas and initiatives to the MSD team;

●                 Work closely with all RiPA component team members to  ensure activity integration to better achieve overall RiPA goal;

●                 Contributes to the key monitoring and measuring indicators, milestones, and plans in close collaboration with MSD and M&E team, and solely responsible for monitoring and reporting all output, outcome, and impact indicators for respective market system component(s);

●                 Ensures the program captures and responds to up-to-date information about market developments within respective market systems;

●                 Represent Mercy Corps professionally in the responsibility areas  as to bring credit and to maintain its humanitarian and development mission;

●                 Other duties as assigned.

REPRESENTATION AND COORDINATION

●                 Liaise with local government officials, local NGOs and civil society organizations, local religious leaders, and other notables to ensure support for and acceptance of Mercy Corps programs.

●                 Maintain close working relationships with donors, other humanitarian and development organizations, and local partners, including representing Mercy Corps at local coordination meetings as assigned.

●                 Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

Team management

●                 Build effective relationships with 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.

●                 Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and    formally

●                 Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

●                 Support hiring and orientation of team members with a focus on MSD

●                 Play a program leadership role for financial inclusion or energy-specific programming.

Knowledge and Experience

●                 Experience in the private sector is strongly preferred

●                 Bachelor’s degree in agribusiness, economics, business administration or other related fields, or commensurate private sector or field experience is required

●                 Minimum of 3 years experience in the private sector or working with other agencies in market systems facilitation, agribusiness, or financial services

●                 Ability and willingness to drive motorcycles are greatly preferred.

SUCCESS FACTORS:

●                 Fluent in English, Fluent in at least two of the following languages: Somali, Afaan Oromo, and/or Amharic (capable in all three a strong benefit)

●                 Business-minded, entrepreneurial, curious, great problem-solving skills, unafraid to ask questions, and results motivated.

●                 Excellent communication, facilitation, and networking skills with a wide range of actors across geographical areas

●                 Computer literate especially in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)