INTERNAL/EXTERNAL VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mercy Corps is an international humanitarian organization operating Water and Sanitation, Economic Development, Livelihoods, Capacity Building, Emergency Response, Health and Nutrition and similar sectors in the regions of Somali, Oromiya, Addis Ababa and SNNPR. Mercy Corps works with communities, public, and private sectors to implement appropriate relief, recovery and development interventions.
POSITION: Financial service output Deputy Leader
OPEN POSITION: One
DUTY STATION: Gode, Somali Region
POSITION SUMMARY:
The FS DOL immediate objective is to develop a clear and comprehensive picture of the Financial Service context, opportunities and constraints for her/his respective Cluster and area of work and communicate this to the Jijiga-based Financial service output Leader and Cluster Program Manager. S/he must familiarize themselves and project partners in the cluster with the Concept Note (CN) activity development, approval and reporting processes, and ensure MFSMS CNs originated by project officers in the cluster are efficiently supported and approved by the Jijiga-based Financial Service output Leader and Cluster programme Manager.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
• Develops their own deep understanding and mastery of ‘economic and market systems strengthening facilitation’ including coaching, relationship building, communicating, entrepreneurialism/business understanding and innovating;
• Becomes intimately familiar with all aspects of the relevant market systems the project is targeting including key actors ( VSLAs, SACCOs, MFIs, Banks, inputs suppliers, producers, traders, employer, information service providers, warehouses, transporters, financiers, intermediary and terminal markets); governance frameworks (formal and informal); and all support markets and functions;
• Ensures all project MORE field staff including POs and support staff have a clear understanding of the project’s FS objectives, approach and tactics, and their critical roles in delivering, managing and/or supporting the achievement and delivery of those objectives and tactics;
• Trains project staff, and stakeholders, as appropriate in the relevant MORE objectives, approach and tactics;
• Be able to work with both ‘bottom of the pyramid’ and larger financial service providers to adapt, develop and pilot innovative, inclusive financial products that enhance the risk management and productive capacities of underserved rural and urban households. This will include credit products, savings, insurance and new payment mechanisms
• Designs, conducts, measures and documents assessments of micro-financial services market, in particularly for inputs and outputs of markets ( production, technologies, services & information)
• Supports, trains and advises all project officers/ partners in the Concept Note and Activity Reporting formats and processes;
• Responsible for the overall quality of all MFSMS work developed, implemented and reported on for her/his respective cluster;
• Ensures CNs and resultant Activity Reports are developed to the appropriate standard
• Participates in all monthly FS Leadership meetings, as well as convenes and chairs monthly Cluster-level coordination and quality control meetings; and participates in all monthly Cluster-level Consortium coordination meetings convened by the CPM;
• Proposes and facilitates intra- and inter-cluster exchange visits, as well as exchange and exposure visits elsewhere as appropriate;
• Responsible for ensuring FS reporting, learning and knowledge management for her/his cluster is to the highest possible standards;
• Strengthens private sector development in Ethiopia by bringing new ideas and initiatives to the FS team and overall project and country program;
• Provides leadership to the FS team and ensures effective design, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of market systems strengthening initiatives;
• Coordinates and ensures excellent quality for the designs, execution, measurement and documentation of assessments of targeted markets;
• Develops key monitoring and measuring indicators, milestones and plans in close collaboration with supervisor and M&E team, and solely responsible for monitoring and reporting all output, outcome and impact indicators for respective market system(s);
• Ensures the program captures and responds to up-to-date information about market developments within respective market systems and global best practices for market systems strengthening.
• Mentors Mercy Corps and consortium partners staff in the market systems strengthening approach;
• Develops and implements work plans to achieve project’s objectives;
• Conducts her/himself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission;
• Other duties as assigned.
• Experience in private sector is strongly and Micro financial services preferred
• Bachelor degree in agribusiness, economics, business administration or other related field, or commensurate private sector or field experience is required
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in private sector or working with other agencies in market systems facilitation, agribusiness or financial services
• Ability and willingness to drive motorcycles greatly preferred.
SUCCESS FACTORS:
• Fluent in English, Fluent in at least one of the two following languages: Somali, -, 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)