PROJECT OFFICER

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.

Position Title Project Officer

Duty Station Dollo Ado

Open Position 2

Program / Department Summary Mercy Corps is currently implementing a WFP funded "Climate proofing Food security in Ethiopia's Drought prone lowland Areas of Dollo Ado and Dollo Bay woredas." This ambitious program is designed to revitalize the local food systems, ensuring they are robust, sustainable, and capable of supporting the nutritional and economic needs of both refugee and host community populations. By integrating a variety of support mechanisms-ranging from agricultural enhancement to financial inclusion, market connectivity, and livelihood augmentation-the intervention is meticulously crafted to foster resilience and improve nutritional outcomes. The project's vision extends beyond immediate aid, aiming for long term development and self reliance. By providing access to irrigated land, modernizing agricultural practices through solar pumps and regenerative techniques, and offering quality seeds, inputs, and training in climate smart agriculture, the project seeks to unlock the full potential of local agriculture.

General Position Summary The project officer will be based in Dollo Ado and Dollo Bay woredas and will work under the direction and guidance of the Woreda Program Coordinator and field team. The PO will be responsible for the planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the Enabling Food Systems Transformation and IFTIIN program activities at the community level. He/she bridges the link between the project field team and the communities and local government representatives, engaging in community/institutional capacity building activities. In collaboration with local level government stakeholders, community members, the PO is responsible for the day to day planning and implementation of project activities at the community level.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Create a conducive environment for smallholder farmers to access predictable markets for agricultural inputs and produce.
• Facilitate access to financial services through the formation of VSLA and cooperatives and link them to formal financial institutions to benefit both host and refugee communities.
• Work with woreda Agriculture and Natural Resources Office in the target area to create mass awareness to induce behavioral change to improve diversification and consumption of nutritious food.
• Facilitate woreda level stakeholders' coordination meetings and joint monitoring and follow up events.
• Take part in assessments and data collection when required.
• Provide activity, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
• Represent Mercy Corps in the woreda of his/her assignment.
• Ensure adequate consultation and participation of kebele and village/community level stakeholders, ensuring active participation of women.
• With support of the field technical team, provide expertise and advice for community institutions/organizations on gender mainstreaming and gender equality.
• Facilitate community meetings, discussions, dialogues among others on the management of the programme at the community level.
• Support and facilitate community/institutional capacity building activities.
• Act as an active member of the project team by identifying and exploring opportunities to improve project implementation and guarantee its sustainability.

Strategy & Vision

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.

Program Management

• Coordinate, participate, and facilitate assessments, activity planning, coordination meetings and workshops with stakeholders.
• Provide systematic technical support to woreda Agriculture and Natural Resources Office to ensure quality and impactful implementation of all integrated smallholders resilience and livelihood support.
• Work with woreda Agriculture and Natural Resources Office to improve agriculture extension service to increase agricultural production and productivity.
• Facilitate market linkages between aggregators, agriculture input suppliers, and smallholder farmers.
• Facilitate woreda and kebele level activities such as beneficiaries' selection and profiling, extension service provision, capacity building trainings and meetings events, market linkage events, financial inclusion activities.
• Provide work plan and corresponding activity report about the activities.
• Regularly visit field activities to assess progress and provide formal and informal feedback.

Team Management

• Develop the capacity of the community facilitators and enumerators, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
• Assist community facilitators with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.

Finance & Compliance Management

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.

Influence & Representation Represent Mercy Corps in front of partners, communities and stakeholders and in coordination meetings.

GEDSI (GENDER, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION)

• Adherence to gender minimum standards.
• Ensure GESI issues are properly reflected during program management.
• Support the organization's commitment to age and gender inclusive team building processes.
• Increase commitment to gender equality, diversity and social inclusion.

Supervisory Responsibility Line manage the Field facilitators. Report directly to the Woreda Program Coordinator. Technical line report to the PM. Work directly with the GEDSI, MEL and program team.

Accountability 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.

Knowledge And Experience

• BSc in NRM, Agriculture, Forestry, rural development, Development studies, Cooperative Management, Agriculture Economics or related field.
• Knowledge of cooperatives management, smallholder support, soil and water conservation, landscape management, financial inclusion and livelihood development.
• Three years work experience in cooperatives development, agriculture, NRM and livelihood development in similar organizations.
• Prior experience working with pastoralist communities in Ethiopia, especially in the Somali region.
• Effective verbal and written communication, multi tasking, organizational, prioritization skills.
• Ability to work comfortably, effectively and creatively in areas of variable security.

Success Factors He/she must be a tolerant and flexible individual who is able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures with high commitment to learn and change. He/she must be able to speak at least one of the local languages of the community in target and knows the culture of the community.

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.

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.
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