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, and 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: Program Manager
Duty Station: Addis Ababa
Open Position: 1
Program / Department Summary
The Ethiopia-Netherlands Seed Partnership (ENSP) is a bilateral programme between Ethiopia and the Netherlands in international trade and development cooperation. The goal of the proposed extended programme ENSP+ is to ensure the delivery of quality seed of new, improved, and adapted varieties to one million farming households across the country for food security, nutrition, and resilience to shocks and stresses. ENSP+ will be implemented in Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR Afar, Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambelia Somali regions, which are more prone to shocks and stresses. Once conditions allow, activities will commence in Tigray as well.
The program will have four components that are Private sector development, Innovation & empowerment, Responding to seed insecurity, and Enabling seed sector transformation. Mercy Corps Ethiopia will be leading the third component of the program that mainly deals with Responding to seed insecurity. The ESNP + programme will be implemented over four years period from 2023-2027.
General Position Summary
The ENSP+ Program Manager is responsible for the overall management of ENSP + program. He/she responsible for providing strategic and technical guidance, provide guidance on programme planning and implementation, ensure effective implementation of all activities and quick response to challenges, monitor and analyze the program environment and progress, using applicable monitoring and evaluation and risk management tools and advise on timely adjustments and corrective measures as necessary. Additionally, he/she is in charge of representing the program during all phases of execution, including participation in consortium engagements.
The Program Manager is responsible for the strategic planning and overall management of the program and reports to the Director of Programs, with dotted line technical/programmatic reporting to the Chief of Party of the Resilience in Pastoral Areas (RiPA) program who provides overall guidance and supervision.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy and vision
- Work closely with the Country Director, DOP, RIPA COP and other senior program team members to implement the ENSP + program vision and strategy.
- Lead the development of the ENSP+ detailed implementation strategy.
- Ensure all ENSP+ team members have a clear understanding of the program strategy and their role in contributing towards its delivery.
- Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are considered.
Program management
- In coordination with Mercy Corps’ country leadership team and program team members, lead the management, administration and closeout of program. Ensure implementation is on time, target and budget.
- Lead assessments and analysis across all target locations (including needs, Context analysis/ CAT, seed security assessments), drawing on external technical expertise as needed.
- Lead the process of developing partnership frameworks to support program implementation, partner agreements and ensure partner capacity building.
- Work with partners (including ENSP+ consortium members, government sector offices at different levels and locations, private sector actors, community representatives) in a flexible and creative to achieve the best possible results for all segments of the targeted communities.
- Coordinate, manage and motivate program teams across all implementation locations, ensuring they have clear objectives / individual work plans as part of performance management, and receive meaningful feedback on their performance.
- Mentor program team members (program and M&E) reporting directly to this position, ensuring their ability to manage across programs in each of the target geographies.
- Ensure that the program is managed adaptively, through periodic reflection exercises and use of MEL data.
- Submit high quality reports to donor and stakeholders.
- Monitor work and targets closely to ensure that programs are able to provide maximum benefit to our beneficiaries within program timeframes.
- Work closely with team and partners ensuring we adhere to humanitarian principles, Mercy Corps’ gender policies, Do No Harm principles and beneficiary accountability standards.
- Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities.
- Fulfill Mercy Corps Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
Proposal development
- Cultivate and nurture donor relationships and strategic partnerships that positively impact Mercy Corps ability to influence program strategies and proposal design, as well as strategic partnerships that result in stronger and impactful program development efforts.
- Help to identify new funding opportunities for agricultural/seed programs.
- Support the design of new proposals working on agriculture/seed programs including participating in design workshops.
- Support writing/review of concept notes and proposals.
- Work closely with field teams to influence their engagement and support of program pre-positioning, development and implementation.
Team Building and Management
- Lead and manage recruitment and training of all team members working in the portfolio.
- Oversee the documentation and filing systems for all programs in the portfolio and ensure that information is organized according to the reporting and auditing needs. Ensure required levels of confidentiality.
- Work closely with the country team’s security focal point to develop and maintain systems that ensure the safety and security of the team in all aspects of its work.
- Lead the identification of program issues, challenges and risks, with in the team and lead appropriate recommendations and implements them.
- Develop the capacity of the program team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
- Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback
- Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
Finance and Operations Management
- Ensure compliance with donor, consortium lead and Mercy Corps’ regulations related to programming and operations.
- With support of the Operations Manager, ensure adequate operational systems are in place to provide for programs implementation.
- Ensure proper logistics, administration, human resources and transport needs of the programs are conducted within Mercy Corps policy.
- Manage program budgets as the primary budget holder.
- Exercise sound judgment to ensure projects’ expenses are reasonable, allocable and prudent. Ensure all projects’ funds are spent in accordance with donor rules and regulations. Work with Director of Programs to forecast expenditure surpluses and deficits to enable adjustments.
- Strictly follow Mercy Corps’ Fraud and Prevention guidelines.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
- Ensure that program teams are continually gathering and digesting operating environment data and activity reports, and that teams are holding frequent activity review sessions to continually re-examine the relevance and impact of their programming.
- Coordinate and share information with the Team Lead to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are being achieved. Advise on suggested improvements, as required.
- Ensure program teams have community complaint and feedback mechanisms in place and that complaints and feedback being received are responded to within a timely manner.
policy, advocacy, Representation
- Represent Mercy Corps at related events and contribute to thought leadership on seed system in Ethiopia and globally.
- Identify and nurture strategic partnerships with other organizations and institutions working on seed systems.
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.
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
The program manager will be responsible to directly supervise program team members based in Addis Ababa that are ENSP+ MEL specialist and Seed system officer.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: I) Director of Programs (Line Manager); ii) Chief of Party (Technical / Programmatic)
Works Directly With: ENSP+ National and field office team RIPA Component 3 Teams; Program heads, Operations, HR and Finance Teams.
Job Requirements
Knowledge and Experience
- Master’s degree or equivalent in a field related Agriculture, Rural development, Agricultural economics, Agri business, Cooperative business management or any other relevant field
- Minimum of 5 years’ work experience with NGO and/or profit-making agribusiness working with vulnerable, marginalized communities
- Proven experience in applying market-based approaches to increase access to agricultural inputs including collaborating with private sector national and international actors to achieve sustainable and scalable solutions for hard-to-reach communities.
- Proven experience supporting innovative agricultural value chain development through market system approach with specific focus on seed system strengthening.
- Strong experience working in emergency and conflict sensitive situations and locations.
- Demonstrated success building, managing and leading a team of professionals in a fast-paced challenging environment with high standards for success.
- Strong writing, communication, organization, prioritization and negotiating skills.
- Excellent and proven coordination and representation experience is needed, especially in building and maintaining strong/productive relations with implementing and strategic partner agencies and government agencies.
- Excellent MEL, data analytics and quantitative skills are strongly preferred.
- Strong financial management experience required.
- Strong project management experience required.
- Willingness and ability to travel frequently to Mercy Corps project sites and field locations, including traveling to insecure environments, is required.
- Fluency in English is required.
Success Factors
The successful candidate will possess excellent leadership skills, with the ability to maintain a broad perspective. He/she will undertake innovative and creative approaches, be agile in the conceptualization of new program ideas, and will be well versed in strategic thinking and planning – including openness to test new ways to work with private sector actors. 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, and able to 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 national staff team-members; be a strategic thinker, have strong skills in design monitoring and evaluation of development programs and maintain a sense of humor.
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 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.”
DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: October 20, 2023, 4:00 PM
Applicants must fill out their information through the link:
Position Title: Protection Officer
Duty Station: Melka Soda/Southern Oromia
Open Position: 1
Position Status: Immediately (Maternity Cover)
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.
Program / Department Summary
The position holder shall oversee technical quality implementation and delivery of the standalone Child Protection and GBV related activities and mainstreaming of Gender and protection in all focus area of the EHF multisectoral project in the assigned Woreda. The position holder will mainly responsible the daily implementation; and consultation with government agencies, humanitarian actors and community members to identify Children, GBV and protection risks and to develop possible strategies to mitigate protection risks and to strengthen response and prevention capacity of various actors. In addition, the position holder is also responsible to provide capacity building trainings on different protection topics including basic protection principles, GBV and CP case management, prevention, and response mechanisms, PSEA and safeguarding to government line bureaus, community representatives, community volunteers, and other humanitarian actors. S/He will be responsible for day-to-day activity implementation in the Women and Girls Safe Spaces and Child friendly Spaces and community-based sensitizations. S/He will also be responsible for documentation of GBV and Child Protection related activities, compile reports (weekly, and monthly); as well as represent Mercy Corps in protection and GBV related coordination forums such as Zonal and Woreda levels protection, CP/GBV cluster, PSEA Network and so on.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy & Vision
- Collaborate and work closely with the project team members for effective integration of GBV and Child Protection issues in all project activities.
- Collaborate with local authorities and other development and humanitarian actors’ to effectively identify GBV and Child Protection risks in the area and to come up with risk mitigation and response strategies.
- Able to learn and update his/ her information or knowledge to adapt the changing situation and context.
Program Management
- Coordinate and facilitate proper implementation of GBV and Child Protection related activities of the project.
- Provide trainings for Mercy Corps, government staff and other service providers in the areas on GBV and CP case management and PSS, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, interagency standing committee guideline/IASC/ on Gender Based Violence /GBV/, GBV and CP basic concepts, GBV and CP referral and coordination mechanism and so on.
- Lead the process of capacity building to Women and Social Affairs office and other service providers of CP, GBV and psychosocial support providers on case management and MHPSS.
- Conduct Safety Audit, protection risk assessment, analysis and share the information to service providers and CP and GBV protection clusters.
- Conduct GBV and CP service mapping and coordinate with service providers to strengthen service provision and to support vulnerable children and GBV survivors to have timely and multi- sector response services as required.
- Lead the process of strengthen the GBV and CP coordination mechanism in the area.
- Lead the community level awareness raising sessions on GBV, CP and protection related issues.
- Provide awareness to community members on basic protection principles, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) trainings, Mercy Corps safeguarding principles and reporting mechanism.
- Organize review meetings and other periodic meetings with community members, government representatives and other humanitarian actors on the GBV, CP and protection concerns in relation to the project.
- Ensure that the GBV and CP referral and psychosocial support related activities are properly implemented at the local level in collaboration with women and social affairs office.
- Participate in humanitarian coordination forums and platforms which focuses on GBV, CP and protection issues.
- Provide on job training for the safe space facilitators, protection officers and community volunteers in GBV, CP and protection related activities.
- Lead the process of dignity kit and UASC material distribution for affected community members (women and girls)
- In place and lead the process of WGSS and CFS activities in the selected areas.
- Provide guidance and training on the unstructured and structured safe space interventions, like positive parental sessions, Adolescent girls programing, information dissemination, skill building and other sessions.
- Participate in capacity building trainings and workshops which focuses on gender, CP, GBV and protection issues.
- Make sure to provide appropriate support to the FO in implementation of gender equality, diversity, and equality (GDI) priorities.
- Coordinate and prepare weekly and monthly reports on GBV and CP, and protection related services and submit to relevant staff including the protection adviser at the country office.
Team Management
- Supports and liaise with all project team and provide a capacity building on protection mainstreaming and other on the job training and capacity building.
- Make sure to coordinate with other humanitarian actors in the areas and provide support to make sure to integrate basic GBV, CP and protection principles during service delivery.
- Coordinate with humanitarian actors and conduct periodic GBV, CP and protection risk assessment, Safety Audit and develop a joint strategy.
- Coordinate with the health team and counsellors and make sure that MHPSS services are properly provided to the community who needs that support and document the information properly!
- Supervise the Protection Advisor, Protection Officers, safe space facilitators and community volunteers of GBV, CP and protection work.
Finance & Compliance Management
N/A
Influence & Representation
- Represent Mercy Corps in different GBV, CP and protection related platforms (Zonal and Woreda) levels and communicate what Mercy Corps is doing regarding GBV, CP and protection and share lesson from other agencies as well.
- Provide timely training and orientation to safe space facilitators and community volunteers and make sure that they convey messages clearly to the community.
- Coordinate with safe space facilitators, community volunteers and other community structures in the area to provide information to community member on available services for GBV, CP survivors and other protection issues.
- Creates and maintain relationship with local authorities and other service providers for effective service provision on GBV, CP and protection issues.
- Always upholds the image and values of Mercy Corps,
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.
Accountability to Beneficiaries
- Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants 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.
- Mercy Corps team members are expected to implement community accountability reporting Mechanism (CARM) effectively.
- Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
Supervisory Responsibility
The Protection Advisor is responsible to provide technical support to the Protection Specialist, to all Protection officers, community volunteers and social workers to be able to properly integrate protection principles during day-to-day activity implementation; as well as responsible to provide a capacity building training.
Accountability
- Reports directly to: Field Program Manager
- Technical report to: Protection Advisor
Job Requirements
Knowledge and Experience
- BA degree in Gender and social development, Sociology, Psychology, Social work, or other similar social science field of studies
- Minimum two years’ work experience in GBV, Child Protection and Protection related roles (Experience working in NGO is an advantage)
Success Factors
- Skill in direct counselling and psychosocial service provision to Vulnerable children, GBV survivors and other trauma affected community members.
- Ability and willingness to frequently travel to project areas.
- Good training facilitation skill
- Fluent in communicating in English (knowing local language is a value add)
- Good interpersonal and communication skills
- Experience in closely working with regional and Woreda government offices.
- Excellent coordination skill
- Communication skill, good human relations
- Firm belief in teamwork, gender equality and social inclusion
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
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 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.
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: 12 October 2023/ 4:00 PM