Program / Department

Mercy Corps has a significant depth of experience throughout the Horn of Africa, including an operational presence in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia. Within the Horn of Africa, Mercy Corps’ strategic focus is on dryland communities and programming in these areas include governance, social cohesion, market systems development, climate change adaptation interventions, among others. Through our work across diverse program activities, Mercy Corps supports the establishment and cultivation of resilient livelihoods. The organization is implementing the Regional Livestock Program (RLP) in the ASAL areas of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.  RLP works to ensure pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in the target trade corridors have more climate resilient, inclusive and sustainable livelihoods.

RLP is hiring an experienced Market System Development (MSD) specialist. The successful candidate will have a relevant track record and experience in implementation of MSD approach-based program in the livestock value chains. The MSD specialist must have technical expertise in the area of partnership management, private sector engagements, system change facilitation, ability to tackle new and complex livestock market system challenges to deliver sustainable benefits for livestock market actors in RLP program target areas.  MSD Specialist will provide technical support and system change facilitations within Afamadow animal trade corridor and Wajir Camel milk corridor in Kenya.

General Position Summary

The MSD specialist is responsible for providing technical support working under the supervision of RLP Kenya Program Manager and in conjunction with corridor coordinators and other RLP program teams. They will be responsible for assisting the trade corridor coordinators in the co-development and implementation of Corridor activities by providing guidance and support as necessary to other team members in implementing RLP’s private sector engagement and investment activities. They will be responsible for assessing the existing capacity and incentives of livestock trade enterprises in the target areas including their capacity building needs and propose actions to build their market system development and system change capacities. Under the guidance of the program manager & deputy director of RLP/technical   lead, MSD specialist will provide technical support for the livestock market actors, design and lead market system assessments and research regarding service delivery, product appropriateness, institutional arrangements, markets for financial services, accessibility of services and new opportunities and models, among other responsibilities. They will be the primary relationship holder with all private sector partners. They will also identify or facilitate the formation of relevant industry associations that increase voice and participation by livestock relevant MSMEs.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, implementing and overseeing of MSD activities in RLP key  thematic areas including animal health service, feed/fodder, livestock trade and camel milk value chain.
• Provide technical backstopping and facilitation support regarding MSD for livestock and livestock related activities in the program target areas.
• In collaboration with RLP trade corridor coordinator, Program Manager, Officers, and regional technical team, organize training, linkage creation events and workshops in the respective trade Corridors.
• Identify learnings and successes for documentation and sharing of MSD/PSE best practices.
• Identify and support markets-related research activities, lead stakeholder and technical knowledge sharing events, and liaise with relevant stakeholder networks, and local partners/institutions in close collaboration with program team.
• Facilitate the creation of partnerships between private sector actors, including attracting and incentivizing the public and private sector to invest in RLP initiatives and interventions in collaboration with the program investment managers.
• Support market actors to stimulate new opportunities, effectively mitigate risks and adapt to changing contexts, which requires increasing the capacity of industry associations to represent their members and offer market information, advocacy, expanded networks and training opportunities.
• Coordinate with the RLP Deputy Director, Women’s Economic Empowerment Advisor and Investment Manager to design and lead access to finance and market interventions that reach or benefit target populations.
• Facilitate research into relevant private sector-facing opportunities and trends to identify opportunities for interventions that grow the private sector in the livestock value chain.
• Liaise with the Results Measurement (RM) team on the development of appropriately tailored research tools, Intervention Performance Tracking (IPTS) system and methods for the collection and collation of relevant intervention information from the field.

INTERVENTION MANAGEMENT WITHIN THE TRADE CORRIDOR

• In Collaboration with RLP Trade Corridor Coordinators and RLP Program manager, contribute intervention strategies and implementation procedures in a participatory manner with key stakeholders.
• Support development of operational plans and budgets, ensuring sequencing, layering and integration of livestock market system improvement interventions across borders.
• Support on development of products and campaigns to promote private sector-led investments in the RLP interventions.
• Work on the identification of innovative ways/opportunities to support Market system development activities and transform the innovative ideas into action through facilitating and creating an enabling environment for exchange of information within the RLP teams and actors across the corridors.
• Assist the implementation and results measurement teams in developing relevant grant agreements, MoUs, ToRs and any other administrative requirements for the interventions.
• Identify opportunities for cross-border learning and conduct regular field visits to ensure proper implementation of activities.
• Remain up to date of developments in the relevant sectors/markets/commodity and livestock value chains.
• Work with the RLP Monitoring Results Measurement (MRM) senior officer/specialist to design appropriate tools for monitoring the progress of interventions within the various market sectors. Also liaise with the MRM on conduction of impact assessments for ongoing program interventions
• Support RLP team to refine and adapt the intervention strategies considering participant and changing needs and opportunities, within the overall program.
• Help identify private sector failures and pressure points for addressing these; help identify ways to render a given market more functional and efficient, in a manner that will benefit the program targets.
• Identify priority areas for interventions that will change as opportunities pass or are realized and new ones emerge.

SAFEGUARDING

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options

SECURITY MANAGEMENT

• 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.

MONITORING & RESULT MEASUREMENT(MRM)

• Work closely with the program MRM team members to ensure that RLP teams working within the Corridor feed into M&E systems and processes and that data is collected, analyzed, and used to inform ongoing adaptation of program strategies and delivery approaches.
• Work with Country & Regional level MRM team to assess and analyze impact and adaptively manage the program to meet results.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES AND PARTNERS

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and partners 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.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values always and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibility

• TBD

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Kenya manager for the Regional Livestock Programme.

Works Directly with: Afmadow and Wajir camel milk Corridor coordinators, NRM officer, MEL/MRM team members, WEE advisor, RLP Investment manager, RLP Compliance & Finance team members and other program team members.

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in animal science, Agricultural Science, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Business Administration, Marketing and/or related field; master’s degree on the same is an added advantage. Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
• A minimum of 3-4 years of experience in implementing MSD program, entrepreneurship, private sector engagement, or investment/incubation interventions. Experience working with the private sector or enterprises development is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience working, partnering with, and brokering PPPs or B2B partnerships with private businesses of diverse sizes including national and multi-national firms. Experience with business planning and analysis is a plus.
• Report writing, ability to analyze institutions and needs, facilitation skills, ability to identify problems and alert other staff is required.
• Experience in coordinating multiple activities, developing synergies and creating opportunities for collaboration.
• Understanding of pastoral production system, pastoral area business and its management.
• Demonstrated proficiency with the MS Office software (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint) required.
• Persuasive written and oral communication in English, including report writing, competency in a relevant local language (Somali-preferred) is essential.

Success Factors

• Fluency in English and local language of the target area.
• Business minded, entrepreneurial, curious, great problem-solving skills, unafraid to ask questions, and results motivated.
• Excellent communication, presentation, facilitation, and networking skills with a wide range of actors across geographical areas.
• Ability to enhance social cohesion and female empowerment, among others. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written / verbal communication a priority in all situations.