Job Opportunity At Mercy Corps- Market Development Officer

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About US:

Mercy Corps is an International NGO that exists to alleviate poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. Mercy Corps has been fully registered in Uganda as an operational NGO. Currently Mercy Corps has an office in Kampala and is implementing Food Security programs which comprise of Water and Sanitation, Livelihood and Agriculture and Conflict Mitigation Management Program in North and North Eastern Uganda. We implement programs in the northern districts of Pader, Kitgum, Agago, Lamwo, Kaabong, Abim and Kotido with funding from USAID, USDA, Walmart Foundation, SDC, DFID as well as other private donations.

Job Summary: The Market Development Officer will be tasked with the following responsibilities including implementing all aspects of the market systems development component of the district and lower level DYNAMIC program. S/he will be required to apply a wide variety of market development tools and approaches in order to catalyze innovative services and facilitate linkages between market actors in the assigned program areas.

Key Duties and Responsibilities: 

Strategy & Vision

• Gather and analyze relevant market information for the purpose of accurate and confident decision-making in determining program strategy and selection of potential partners.
• Participate in assessments in the target geographic areas to assess current situation, economic opportunities and resources, needs and potential programs as well as challenges.
• Identify value-addition opportunities that strengthen economic opportunities, especially for young women and rural youth, in the livestock and agriculture sectors as identified by local and national government as well as independent market studies and needs assessments.
• Support in setting direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.

Program Management

• Introduce program to relevant stakeholders including local business owners, local representatives and community members.
• Work in close coordination with technical specialists and local partners, plan, implement and monitor market development activities.
• Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to established vulnerability criteria.
• Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts.
• Fulfill Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
• Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.
• Work closely with supervisor to capture data for measuring output and impact of the program; and to ensure accurate and timely flow of information from the field. Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Prepare and submit timely weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports that will be indicative of program progress during implementation. Respond to queries if and when necessary.
• Maintain proper filing system.

Team Management

• Support team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• 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.

Influence & Representation

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.

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: 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.

Accountability to Beneficiaries:

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to 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.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The ideal candidate for the Mercy Corps Market Development Officer job opportunity should a Bachelor’s Degree in business, agribusiness, economics or other relevant field 
• Three years of practical experience in the private sector or related industry.
• Good understanding of business and knowledge of private sector
• Knowledge of the agricultural sectors highly desirable.
• Excellent (English) verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong computer literacy with a full knowledge of office applications.
• Good negotiation skills and high tolerance for uncertainty
• Demonstrated flexibility, creativity and enthusiasm as well as a willingness to learn and to be continually adaptive within a dynamic and often self-directed working environment mandatory.
• Willingness to spend much time in the field and work closely with program target groups.
• Ability and or willingness to ride motorcycle is an added advantage.
• The successful candidate will be one with a coherent sense of strategy to prioritize and guide activities, context sensitive and open to criticism and constantly step back from details to look for bigger picture
• He or she is persistent; able to deal with rejection/failure (trial and error) and motivated and enthusiastic

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and interested candidates should send their E-mail applications including a cover letter clearly stating the salary requirements, updated CV (with three professional referees), and copies of academic qualifications/certificates addressed to the Senior HR and Legal Manager, Mercy Corps Uganda to: ug-mcjobs@mercycorps.org

Deadline: 27^th July 2018

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