AGRONOMY SPECIALIST

About Mercy Corps Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, and 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 Summary Mercy Corps is currently implementing a WFP funded "Climate-proofing Food Security in Ethiopia"; drought-prone lowland areas of Dollo ada and Dollo Bay woredas. The program is designed to revitalize local food systems, ensuring they are robust, sustainable, and capable of supporting the nutritional and economic needs of both refugee and host community populations. It integrates agricultural enhancement, financial inclusion, market connectivity, and livelihood augmentation to foster resilience and improve nutritional outcomes. The initiative transforms water scarcity and inadequate infrastructure into opportunities, providing irrigated land, modernizing practices, and training in climate smart agriculture and business acumen.

General Position Summary The Agronomy Specialist contributes to the planning and implementation of all measures related to agricultural development under this project. The role provides technical advice on best agronomic practices, soil & water management, irrigation development, flood control, and water user association organization & training. The specialist promotes high value crop production, coordinates irrigated farm demonstration sites following the Farmer Field School approach, and ensures beneficiaries adopt improved agronomic techniques and technologies.

Essential Job Responsibilities Strategy & Vision

• Advise on the cultivation of food crops, vegetables, fruit trees and fodder crops.
• Design and assist in implementing demonstration plots for innovative agricultural crops & agronomic practices.
• Provide technical support to post harvest handling and marketing of local agricultural products.
• Assist local communities in setting up water user groups (associations).
• Participate in supervision of works and acceptance of works related to irrigation scheme development.
• Contribute to the elaboration of environmental and social impact assessments for the individual measures to be implemented.
• Ensure that the project is implemented according to the plan.
• Collaborate with project staff, provide technical support, and liaise with staff of relevant government partners and research organizations.
• Actively participate in regular planning, monitoring and evaluation of project progress.
• Ensure voluntary farmers & beneficiaries are targeted in the implementation of activities.
• Coordinate and run training on improved agronomic practices in collaboration with the Project coordinator & other staff.
• Undertake periodic assessment and participatory evaluation of various crop varieties based on farmers' criteria.
• Give training on climate smart agriculture for project beneficiaries, including sensitizing of climate change and its adaptation.
• Involve relevant government department staff at various levels in the implementation of the project and inform them of progress.
• Monitor and document the project progress, lessons, good experience and impact with community representatives.
• Submit weekly/bi weekly, monthly, quarterly and six month reports to the Project Manager.
• Work closely with the program team and partners to adhere to humanitarian principles, Mercy Corps' gender policies, Do No Harm principles and beneficiary accountability standards.

Program 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 communities, woreda level authorities, other humanitarian and development organizations, and local partners, including representing Mercy Corps at local coordination meetings as assigned.
• Represent Mercy Corps professionally in the responsibility areas to bring credit and maintain its humanitarian and development mission.

Team Management

• Build effective relationships with program teams implementing production, marketing, diversified economic opportunities, 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.

Finance & Compliance Management Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming. Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.

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 All team members commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• 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.
• Act professionally and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in country venues.

Accountability Reports Directly to: The Agri Coordinator
Technically Reports to: The Project Manager
Works Directly With: The Project implementation team.

Knowledge And Experience

• BSc in Agronomy, Irrigation Agronomy, Plant Sciences, Crop sciences, Arid land agriculture, Extension & other related disciplines.
• At least five years of practical work experience in the field of irrigation agriculture (focus on small scale irrigation would be an asset).
• Good experience in rural development particularly in diversified livelihood and participatory research approaches.
• Practical experience of working on community empowerment, business development, capacity building and natural resource management.
• Experience of project planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation.

Success Factors

• Fluent in English and Somali languages (capable in all basic skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing).
• Business minded, entrepreneurial, adaptive, curious, great problem solving skills, unafraid to ask questions, and results motivated.
• Flexible and tolerant, able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures.
• Excellent communication, facilitation and networking skills with a wide range of private, partner and NGO sector actors.
• Computer literate especially in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

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 . click apply for full job details