The off-farm enterprise specialist supports the productivity and sales of off-farm income generating activities. They work with relevant institutions for PSNP Households to have increased income from self and wage employment. Guides activities to promote the use of improved and appropriate skills, technology, and information services. Strengthens capacity of local partner staff that support PSNP off-farm enterprises. S/he also supports market system assessment, off farm enterprises capacity assessment, capacity building support to program targeted agribusinesses, including technical advice, mentorship and coaching; and facilitating linkages to support services for improved coverage and outreach. The Off-farm enterprise specialist will closely work with inclusive value chain specialist, on-farm enterprise specialist and financial inclusion specialist and closely coordinate with the field level technical team.

 Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Enhance strategic partnership with stakeholders and partners to advocate, promote and advance organizational issues, priorities, interests and competencies for a successful programme and program delivery.

• Collaborate with clients, partners, and stakeholders to link and harmonize approaches and to promote common interests and achievement of results.

Program Management

• Support the development of 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.

• Conduct high quality market system assessments in financial services, providing the foundation for program design.

• Design interventions Concept notes for MSD programs, using tools such as Results Chains and ‘Who Does, Who Pays?’ matrices.

• Supports the expansion of the high potential markets for off-farm activities in target areas that could enhance the livelihood of PSNP households.

• Facilitate capacity building interventions for community based economic organizations in organizational management and governance, business skills, IGA, climate adaptation, graduation and others as required;

• Identify and support establish/strengthen new/existing Business Development Services providers.

• Collaborate with TVETs and other potential training centers to introduce market driven, appropriate and contextualized training programs.

• Capacity building of the key institutions in labor market assessment, work preparation and placement

• Ensure gender integration and mainstreaming are incorporated into off-farm interventions.

• Monitor progress and identify risks for timely action and early resolution.

• Responsible for the full compliance with Mercy Corps rules and regulations and policies on financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and follow-up on audit recommendations.

• Actively support knowledge building, sharing, and applying in the program.

• Submission of high-quality program reports to the Livelihoods Team Lead and other relevant Mercy Corps Ethiopia team members.

Team Work

• Ability to plan own work, manage conflicting priorities and work under pressure of tight and conflicting deadlines.

• Work closely with team members and partners, to support capacity-building and gender integration into the programs.

• Very good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations.

• Very strong leadership capacities to guide a multicultural team in difficult circumstances.

• Support the identification of program issues, challenges and risks, appropriate recommendations and implements them.

Influence & Representation

• Make sure to coordinate with government, development, and humanitarian actors to enhance productivity of on-farm activities.

• Represent Mercy Corps in various platforms, networks, and coordination forums that focus on agriculture..

• Always upholds the image and values of Mercy Corps.

Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Social Inclusion)

• Be a thought partner in the recruitment of diverse teams and promoting inclusive and safe work environments including supporting early career team members to fulfill their professional goals.

• Lead by example to promote a gender-equal and inclusive workplace culture in day-to-day interaction with team members, partners, and program participants.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: None

ACCOUNTABILITY

·           Reports Directly to: Program Coordinator ( Head of Office)

·           Technical Reporting line: Livelihoods Team Lead

·           Closely work with: HRA program team, HRA consortium partners, MEL team, Finance team, Operations team, private sector partners, and government stakeholders.

 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.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, and other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in designing, monitoring, and evaluating our field projects.

Knowledge and Experience

 BA degree in Economics, Business Administration, Marketing Agricultural Economics, or related Social Science fields.

At least 4 years work experience in agricultural value chain development, agricultural marketing, local economic development, business development and entrepreneurship interventions/programs.

Experience on increasing off-farm productivity including collaborating with private sector national and international actors to achieve sustainable and scalable solutions for hard-to-reach communities (preferably experience in working with the PSNP program).

Understanding of Markets Systems Development (MSD) approach.

Very good written and verbal communication skills in English.

Fluency in the local language is required.