Agronomy Specialist

Job Description

Position: Agronomy Specialist

Duty Station: Dollo Ado

Position Status: Full-time

Open position:  1

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 operating in Ethiopia since 2004, working in rural, peri-urban, and urban areas in five regional states - Somali, Oromia, Afar, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples, Amhara - and the capital city of Addis Ababa. We engage in both development and humanitarian work, and seek to integrate approaches, programs, and geographies as much as possible. Our partners include government, academic institutions, development and private sector actors, civil societies, and communities. 

Program / Department Summary

The Position

The immediate objective of the Agronomy Specialist is to lead

Essential Job Responsibilities

  CARM DESIGN, ADAPTATION AND ROLLOUT 

• Provided technical facilitation support in the area of responsibilities for crops related activities to ensure the planned activists are implemented timely and with required deliverable quality.
• Facilitate and coordinates crops assessment, organizing validation workshops and stakeholder platforms/events in in collaboration with other specialists and Coordinators across the sectors.
• Facilitate capacity building efforts for crops system approaches to be effective, and identification of the crop market system opportunities/constraints through conducting continues system analysis, develop approaches/modalities to support the establishment and/or expansion of the high potential small and medium scale on crop market areas focused on last mile service delivery, access to agricultural inputs,
• Facilities the development of short-term and long -term strategies and its implementation linkages creation on agriculture development (i.e., training providers, technology providers, inputs suppliers, producers, traders, processors, cooperatives and other related) to improve outreaches in the target community;
• Engage in regular field visits to assess the activities implementation progress, give technical advises/mentor, and provide feedback(s) for further improvement.
• Closely work with supervisor and M&E team during the development of monitoring
• tools/measuring indicators, milestones development, and monitoring/ reporting of output and outcome in his/her area assigned.
• Ensures the program properly captures, documented and updated relevant information in crop production activities.
• In collaboration with other sectors, work to build and maintain close relationships with key government partners and local implementers;
• Represent Mercy Corps professionally in cluster areas as to bring credit and to maintain its humanitarian and development mission;
• Compile and submit regular updates/reports (weekly, monthly, and quarterly); and
• Other duties as assigned.

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 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

• 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 programs.

 GEDSI (GENDER, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION)

• Coordinate with GEDSI Technical Team Improve gender-responsiveness of program /Project MEAL system.

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.

Job Requirement

Knowledge and Experience

·        Minimum of bachelor’s degree in the areas of plant science, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, Agribusiness, and other related subjects.

·        Minimum of 3 - 5 years’ experience in private sector and/or NGOs working focused on MSD (Facilitation and providing technical supports), agribusiness and/or financial services.

·        Good understanding on the Markets4Poor approach and Markets development facilitation including coaching, relationship building, communicating, entrepreneurialism/business understanding and innovating.

·        Experiences in supporting privet sector lead business enterprises in pastoral/ agro-pastoral settings, providing business development supports, industries (public and private), institutions and stakeholders.

·        Knowledge of participatory analyses, action and results processing.

·        Experience/exposures to the location/region he/she applied for.

·        Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.

·        Knowing one of the local languages

Success Factors

The successful Community Accountability officer will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, demonstrated attention to detail, will be committed to working long hours, and with Mercy Corps stakeholders regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, abilities or gender. S/he will be highly motivated, and capable to work without direct supervision.

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.