About Mercy Corps:
Mercy Corps is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization operating in the sectors of Emergency Response, Sustainable Peace and Development, and Economic and Markets Development. Mercy Corps currently has programs in the Regions of Afar, Somali, Oromiya, Addis Ababa and SNNP, and works through the principles of Accountability, Participation and Peaceful Change. Mercy Corps employs a community-led, market-driven approach as it works with partners at the community, government, private, and research institution levels. Mercy Corps Ethiopia invites motivated and qualified candidates to apply for the following vacant position.
POSITION: Livestock and Range Land Management Specialist
OPEN POSITION: 1 (One)
DUTY STATION: Dire Dawa
PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:
Mercy Corps is an implementing partner under Catholic Relief Services for a USAID Food For Peace-funded Development Food Security Activity (DFSA) for Ethiopia, which intends to improve food access and incomes through agriculture and other livelihoods initiatives; enhance natural resource and environment management; combat under nutrition, especially for children under two and pregnant and lactating women; and mitigate disaster impact through early warning and community preparedness activities. The DFSA is intended to build resilience in populations vulnerable to chronic hunger and repeated hunger crises, and to reduce their future need for ongoing or emergency food assistance. The DFSA is a 5-year program commenced in October 2016.
POSITION SUMMARY:
Mercy Corps seeks a Livestock and Rangeland Management Specialist for the five-year DFSA Program. This position will be based in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. The Specialist will report directly to the Senior Livestock and Rangeland Management Advisor and work to support resilience building in pastoral and agro-pastoral sectors, including livelihood development, market system development, animal health, and rangeland management. The Specialist will also support climate-adaptive disaster risk reduction planning and management.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
Strategy and Vision
Support to:
· Develop and strengthen understanding of current livestock management, animal health, animal feeding, livestock marketing, and rangeland management in the context of current climatic, cultural, social, economic and environmental conditions and change forecasts in the Horn of Africa in general, and Eastern Ethiopia in particular;
· Develop understanding of relevant market systems and sectors including livestock (including honey and poultry) production and trade, animal nutrition, animal health inputs and services, dairy production and trade, production and trade with livestock industry by-products such as skins and hides as well as all relevant actors (public and private) participating in those market systems.
· Facilitate inclusive market systems, with emphasis on the inclusion of women and youth, using participatory approaches, coaching, relationship-building, communications, entrepreneurism, and innovative business development;
· Analyze production and trade of animal feed and fodder and current rangeland management practices, including pasture and water management as these relate to the livestock industry, agricultural production opportunities and challenges, social and legal environment and practices as it relates to public lands management as well as all relevant actors (public and private) participating directly or indirectly in rangeland management.
Program Implementation
· Implementation of DFSA in pastoral and agro-pastoral livestock systems in Ethiopia;
· Work closely with and provide technical support for DFSA implementation partners in areas of livestock and rangeland management;
· Collect lessons learned from existing livestock sector improvement initiatives, livestock sector competitiveness and rangeland management; and use these to innovate in ways that strengthen and leverage current practice;
· Actively engage in the identification, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and reporting of program activities with a view to livestock and rangeland management development;
· Liaise with all programs, stakeholders and actors in the livestock market systems and rangeland management;
· Contribute to the monitoring of key monitoring and measuring indicators, milestones and plans in close collaboration with supervisor and M&E team, and lead the effort in reporting all output, outcome and impact indicators for the livestock and rangeland management development;
· Support in ensuring the program captures and responds to up-to-date information on livestock production and marketing as well as rangeland management within respective market systems and regional and global best practices.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
· Bachelor’s degree in one of the following subjects: Rangeland Ecology and Management, Veterinary Medicine, Animal Husbandry, Animal Science, Ecosystem Science and Management, Agricultural Economics;
· Five years of experience in livestock production and rangeland management in pastoral and agro-pastoral systems of Ethiopia;
· Experience in working with livestock and rangeland management industry (public and private) actors and institutional stakeholders;
· Demonstrated program implementation and training capabilities;
· Knowledge of USAID and USG grant regulations, procedures and reporting requirements is preferred;
· Knowledge of participatory analyses, action and results processes;
· Experience in the region is required; previous experience in arid and semi-arid parts of Ethiopia is preferred;
· Advanced professional proficiency in English, Amharic, and Afan Oromo is required. Proficiency in Somali language is a bonus;
Travel within the project areas is required. SUCCESS FACTORS:
The successful candidate will have exceptional verbal and written communication skills, and be a strong trainer and facilitator. The candidate must be comfortable working in a dynamic environment with shifting needs and priorities, have the ability to work collaboratively with partners, and have a strong network of experts and institutions to draw upon as needed.