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SENIOR GOVERNANCE ADVISOR
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps has been present in Ethiopia since 2004 working to drive bold and transformative ideas, working closely with government, the private sector and civil society actors to build a more resilient country, ensuring that programs are responsive to and influenced by participants and stakeholders. Our vision is to enhance the resilience of climate and conflict-affected communities through market systems development for improved livelihoods, access to food, and safe and clean water to thrive in the face of crises. Our strategy focuses on the four outcome areas of: 1) Economically marginalized populations have improved and diversified livelihoods, income, and assets; 2) Pastoralists, farmers, and households have access to sustainably produced, safe, nutritious food; 3) Social cohesion and inclusive governance processes are built in crisis-affected communities; and 4) People have equitable, sustained access to clean water and sanitation for domestic and productive use. Currently we operate in the regional states of Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Sidama, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray and Addis Ababa city administration working with a diverse base of donors that includes United States Agency for International Development (USAID), European Union, GAC, Hilton Foundation, United Nations (UN), JOA, Sweden, EKN, and other foundations.
Position:- SENIOR GOVERNANCE ADVISOR
Location:- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Position Status: Full Time
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps has been present in Ethiopia since 2004 working to drive bold and transformative ideas, working closely with government, the private sector and civil society actors to build a more resilient country, ensuring that programs are responsive to and influenced by participants and stakeholders. Our vision is to enhance the resilience of climate and conflict-affected communities through market systems development for improved livelihoods, access to food, and safe and clean water to thrive in the face of crises. Our strategy focuses on the four outcome areas of: 1) Economically marginalized populations have improved and diversified livelihoods, income, and assets; 2) Pastoralists, farmers, and households have access to sustainably produced, safe, nutritious food; 3) Social cohesion and inclusive governance processes are built in crisis-affected communities; and 4) People have equitable, sustained access to clean water and sanitation for domestic and productive use. Currently we operate in the regional states of Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Sidama, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray and Addis Ababa city administration working with a diverse base of donors that includes United States Agency for International Development (USAID), European Union, GAC, Hilton Foundation, United Nations (UN), JOA, Sweden, EKN, and other foundations.
Mercy Corps is seeking a dynamic and passionate Senior Governance Advisor to lead our governance approaches across the different components of the USAID-funded multi-year Resilience in Pastoral Areas Activity (RIPA) - North (RIPA-North). RIPA-North started in February 2020 and is currently scheduled to end in August 2025, but with the strong possibility of follow-on funding. RIPA-North takes a systems approach to improve the resilience capacities of households, markets and governance institutions across 22 woredas in the Somali, Afar and Oromia regions. The activity integrates four technical components and a 'crisis modifier' intervention which is aimed at protecting development gains against shocks and stresses. The components include: 1) Improved Disaster Risk Management (DRM) systems and capacity; 2) Diversified and sustainable economic opportunities for people Transitioning out of Pastoralism (ToPs) particularly youth and women; 3) Intensified and sustained pastoral and agro-pastoral production and marketing; 4) Improved and sustained nutrition and hygiene practices; and 5) Crisis modifier. The RIPA North CoP will be responsible for overall management of the activity including consortium partnerships and relationships with a wide range of stakeholders at different levels including close collaboration and coordination with RIPA South.
General Position Summary
The Senior Governance Advisor position is responsible for setting the strategy for governance approaches across the different thematic areas of RIPA-North, in particular related to government and community disaster risk management (DRM) and natural resource management (NRM) and government nutrition services. The Senior Governance Advisor will play a key role in providing capacity building, expert technical support, oversight, and monitoring of governance activities. The Senior Governance Advisor will be responsible for developing and implementing the Governance activities in coordination with the three regional government stakeholders including project staff. This is a 20-month position, so the focus will be on building the capacity of government stakeholders. Activities will include developing and rolling out a comprehensive program strategy to build the operational and technical capacity of local implementing partners, engage government and increase coordination among formal and informal stakeholders, and mobilize communities to undertake collective action.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy and vision
Join to apply for the SENIOR GOVERNANCE ADVISOR role at Youth Impact Labs East Africa
Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features.
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps has been present in Ethiopia since 2004 working to drive bold and transformative ideas, working closely with government, the private sector and civil society actors to build a more resilient country, ensuring that programs are responsive to and influenced by participants and stakeholders. Our vision is to enhance the resilience of climate and conflict-affected communities through market systems development for improved livelihoods, access to food, and safe and clean water to thrive in the face of crises. Our strategy focuses on the four outcome areas of: 1) Economically marginalized populations have improved and diversified livelihoods, income, and assets; 2) Pastoralists, farmers, and households have access to sustainably produced, safe, nutritious food; 3) Social cohesion and inclusive governance processes are built in crisis-affected communities; and 4) People have equitable, sustained access to clean water and sanitation for domestic and productive use. Currently we operate in the regional states of Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Sidama, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray and Addis Ababa city administration working with a diverse base of donors that includes United States Agency for International Development (USAID), European Union, GAC, Hilton Foundation, United Nations (UN), JOA, Sweden, EKN, and other foundations.
Position:- SENIOR GOVERNANCE ADVISOR
Location:- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Position Status: Full Time
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps has been present in Ethiopia since 2004 working to drive bold and transformative ideas, working closely with government, the private sector and civil society actors to build a more resilient country, ensuring that programs are responsive to and influenced by participants and stakeholders. Our vision is to enhance the resilience of climate and conflict-affected communities through market systems development for improved livelihoods, access to food, and safe and clean water to thrive in the face of crises. Our strategy focuses on the four outcome areas of: 1) Economically marginalized populations have improved and diversified livelihoods, income, and assets; 2) Pastoralists, farmers, and households have access to sustainably produced, safe, nutritious food; 3) Social cohesion and inclusive governance processes are built in crisis-affected communities; and 4) People have equitable, sustained access to clean water and sanitation for domestic and productive use. Currently we operate in the regional states of Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Sidama, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray and Addis Ababa city administration working with a diverse base of donors that includes United States Agency for International Development (USAID), European Union, GAC, Hilton Foundation, United Nations (UN), JOA, Sweden, EKN, and other foundations.
Mercy Corps is seeking a dynamic and passionate Senior Governance Advisor to lead our governance approaches across the different components of the USAID-funded multi-year Resilience in Pastoral Areas Activity (RIPA) - North (RIPA-North). RIPA-North started in February 2020 and is currently scheduled to end in August 2025, but with the strong possibility of follow-on funding. RIPA-North takes a systems approach to improve the resilience capacities of households, markets and governance institutions across 22 woredas in the Somali, Afar and Oromia regions. The activity integrates four technical components and a 'crisis modifier' intervention which is aimed at protecting development gains against shocks and stresses. The components include: 1) Improved Disaster Risk Management (DRM) systems and capacity; 2) Diversified and sustainable economic opportunities for people Transitioning out of Pastoralism (ToPs) particularly youth and women; 3) Intensified and sustained pastoral and agro-pastoral production and marketing; 4) Improved and sustained nutrition and hygiene practices; and 5) Crisis modifier. The RIPA North CoP will be responsible for overall management of the activity including consortium partnerships and relationships with a wide range of stakeholders at different levels including close collaboration and coordination with RIPA South.
General Position Summary
The Senior Governance Advisor position is responsible for setting the strategy for governance approaches across the different thematic areas of RIPA-North, in particular related to government and community disaster risk management (DRM) and natural resource management (NRM) and government nutrition services. The Senior Governance Advisor will play a key role in providing capacity building, expert technical support, oversight, and monitoring of governance activities. The Senior Governance Advisor will be responsible for developing and implementing the Governance activities in coordination with the three regional government stakeholders including project staff. This is a 20-month position, so the focus will be on building the capacity of government stakeholders. Activities will include developing and rolling out a comprehensive program strategy to build the operational and technical capacity of local implementing partners, engage government and increase coordination among formal and informal stakeholders, and mobilize communities to undertake collective action.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy and vision
- Develop a strategy for influencing government institutions to invest in community DRM and rangeland management plans.
- Develop a strategy and roadmap for government ownership and financing of climate information services.
- Review the sustainability prospects of key community governance institutions (e.g., DRM Councils and Rangeland Councils) and develop a strategy for improving sustainability.
- Collaborate with component teams and field teams in day-to-day and ongoing coordination with regional government officials and community structures on program delivery, coordinated activities, joint planning, capacity strengthening strategies and activities, and measurement.
- Support integration of cross-cutting aspects of the program such as gender equality, peace building and social cohesion, youth, climate adaptation, and resilience into country-level institutional strengthening strategy.
- Support RIPA field teams in the socialization of the program with local and country Government stakeholders, traditional leaders, local civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders, to ensure support for and acceptance of RIPA programs, and pursue necessary approvals and collaboration as required.
- Lead implementation of country-level context and government capacity assessment processes, including managing staff or consultants, coordinating across Mercy Corps/CARE and consortium partner teams, and/or joint mapping of formal and informal governance structures with key stakeholders.
- Prepare regular country context updates including analysis of governance planning and budgeting cycles and political windows of opportunity and advise how these may affect the implementation of the RIPA North activities in the country.
- Refine and implement regional-contextual strategies for community mobilization and engagement in governance processes.
- Work with the RIPA component Leads and CoP to develop and/or refine, to strengthen community mobilization, civil society strengthening, or the capacity of government officials in community engagement skills, including facilitation, consultation, negotiation, and participatory planning and budgeting.
- Mentor participating officials in good governance skills, including planning and conducting regular awareness-raising and consultative meetings with government and communities on issues related to DRM, NRM, Gender and Nutrition planning.
- Support the Institutionalization of Learning Systems Strengthening in providing strategy and direction for country-level program implementation. Maintain a monitoring system to measure the overall performance of the governance system of the field office.
- Design and facilitate community and government learning events to review progress, highlight challenges and identify solutions.
- Contribute country-level information on complementary activities by partners and collaborating agencies to support program coordination at the household and community levels.
- Convene and facilitate meetings between governance structures at different levels and across geographies to promote communication and collaboration within and between government authorities.
- Leads governance knowledge management-related activities with CO and field offices including documentation.
- In coordination with the collaboration, Learning and Accountability (CLA) team, support documentation of information regarding governance practices and outcomes.
- With input from the Mercy Corps CLA team, produce written reports on program activities, capturing the impacts of activities.
- Participate in the agency-wide governance practitioners learning exchange network.
- Proactively ensures networking and sharing of lessons from CARE and Mercy Corps programs with strategic governance and other stakeholders including government.
- Ensures the communication of governance concepts within the organization, with partners and other stakeholders. . click apply for full job details
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