Market System Development (MSD) Team Lead at Mercy Corps

Market System Development (MSD) Team Lead

Employer: Mercy Corps

Employment: Full-Time | Contract

Place of Work: Addis Ababa - Ethiopia

Posted date: 1 week ago

Deadline: Submission date is over

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 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. With the launch of Mercy Corps Global Strategy, Pathway to Possibility, the country office is poised to operationalize its three-year strategy with a vision 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. In Ethiopia, our strategy focuses in the four outcome areas: 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 six regional states – Afar, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Amhara and South Ethiopia. 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 Ethiopia empowers people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good.

About Livelihoods Improvement for Women and Youth (LIWAY)

The Livelihoods Improvement for Women and Youth (LIWAY) is a nine-year programme (July 2017 to June 2026) funded by the Embassy of Sweden and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The program aims to contribute to sustainable poverty reduction and social stability in Addis Ababa by increasing incomes through improved wage and self-employment opportunities, primarily for poor women and youth. LIWAY has the objective of increasing incomes of 257,000 poor people in Addis Ababa, of which at least 128,500 (50%) are women (young and adult) and 192,750 (75%) are youth (female and male).

LIWAY stands out for its focus on enhancing economic opportunities for women and youth, two of the most vulnerable groups in Ethiopia. To do so, it applies a Market Systems Development (MSD) approach that involves identifying the root causes of market failure that disadvantage or exclude poor women and youth from wage and self-employment opportunities and identify private companies and public institutions with the incentive and ability to deliver change. The program works in four interrelated market systems (Labour, Micro and Small Enterprises-MSE, Medium and Large Enterprises-MLE, and Skills) that were selected based on their relevance to the target group of poor women and youth, the opportunity for positive impact, and the feasibility of interventions. These four systems are interconnected and together contribute to structural transformation.

While the program is running through June 30,2026 under the Netherlands Embassy funding, additional Sweden funding for a second phase of LIWAY is anticipated to be secured in early 2025, for an extension period of four years ending in December 2028. The aim of the extension phase is to broaden and scale the impact of LIWAY. By building on the existing learning, relationships, and the core competence of the Market Systems Development approach, the programme will be able to address key cross-cutting issues (conflict and climate) in implementation. LIWAY II will be more effective in its intervention in Addis Ababa as well as bring solutions and processes to young people in growing secondary cities, that will support in addressing the impacts of climate change and the needs of young people, particularly Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in growing urban areas. The programme is implemented by a consortium of partners comprised of Mercy Corps and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation.

LIWAY II aims to create additional employment opportunities and income for 143,000 women and youth in regional cities and Addis Ababa. The targets are composed of poor women and youth (15 to 35 years old). The overall impact of LIWAY, including the period of extension, will be 400,000 women (50%) and young people (75%) to find or sustain jobs.

General Position Summary

The Team Lead is responsible for overall management and implementation of LIWAY’s priority sectors, including any upcoming additional funds (and corresponding staff) in line with the program approach and priorities. The Team Lead will ensure harmonization between this work and that of other partners within the overall approach and direction of the LI-WAY program, and the strategy of Mercy Corps Ethiopia. He/she is responsible for the roll out of technical strategies, providing guidance on program planning and implementation using Market Systems Development Approach, ensuring effective implementation of all activities and being proactive to address challenges, monitor and analyze the program environment and progress, applicable monitoring and evaluation and risk management tools and advice on timely adjustments using adaptive management strategies and corrective measures as necessary.

The TEAM LEAD is responsible for the strategic planning and overall management of the program and reports to the Deputy Program Manager.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy and Vision (10%)

• 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.
• Lead regular sector and program strategy review process in collaboration with senior management of the consortium partners as well as with internal/ external technical consultants.

Program Management (30%)

• Establish the work plan, activities, targets, budget, standards for measuring progress and results and determine the processes, tools, and methodologies to be used to ensure effective and efficient program implementation and operations.
• Oversee partnership formation and co-creation processes for each pipeline intervention including MOUs & contracts and ongoing program management and administration of team.
• Ensure gender integration and mainstreaming are incorporated into mission level strategic and annual planning efforts.
• Monitor progress and identify risks for timely action and early resolution.
• Ensure full compliance with Mercy Corps rules and regulations and policies on financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and follow-up on audit recommendations.
• Ensure timely donor and government reporting and any other additional reporting
• Responsible for financial management of the program and financial reporting.
• Actively support knowledge building, sharing, and applying in the program.
• Closely engage with wide range of public and private actors like businesses or financial service providers (Digital service providers, start-up Businesses, Labor associations, Training institutions, Addis Ababa City Mayor offices and relevant city level bureaus) in establishing partnership and managing relationships on regular basis
• Ability to plan own work, manage conflicting priorities and work under pressure of tight and conflicting deadlines.
• Very good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations.

Technical Leadership (20%)

• Develop and oversee implementation of the Technical Unit and partner capacity building strategy that promotes a culture of learning through systematic analysis and reflection of program data.
• Closely work with the MRM team to guide the Intervention Leads on measuring results and system level
• Work closely with team members and partners, to support capacity-building and gender integration into the programs.

Team management (40%)

• Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Very strong leadership capacities to guide a multicultural team in difficult circumstances.
• Lead the identification of program issues, challenges and risks, appropriate recommendations and implement them.
• Mentor and coach team members as they perform their duties.

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.

Supervisory Responsibility: Manage the LIWAY Intervention Leads.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Deputy Program Manager (Line Manager)

Works Directly With: LIWAY Program Manager, LIWAY core technical team, MC Regional Finance coordinator, MC HQ program officer/s, Mercy Corps senior leadership team members.

Minimum Qualification and Transferable Skills

• BA degree in Business, Business Administration, Economics, finance and development, agricultural economics, Business Management or related social science fields.
• At least 5 years of work experience, preferably in MSD programs, especially output and input services, urban/Rural labor market, business development services, technical skills training, agricultural/non- agricultural value chains, inclusive financial services, product & strategy development.
• Managerial and supervisory experience and demonstrated partnership management skills are preferred.
• Previous work experience in the private sector, including financial sector, and international development organization is an advantage.
• Understanding of Markets Systems Development Approach (MSD) approach is needed.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently to Mercy Corps project sites and field locations, including traveling to insecure environments, is required.

Success Factors

Excellent demonstrated intercultural, interpersonal and negotiation skills, strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Excellent communication, facilitation, partnerships, and networking skills with a wide range of private, partner and NGO-sector actors. Business-minded, entrepreneurial, adaptive, curious, with great problem-solving skills, unafraid to ask questions, and results-motivated.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and requires to closely work with SNV-based LIWAY team members including the need to physically locate at the SNV office as required.

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, programme 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. 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 e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.