Jobs
Mercy Corps Job in Nigeria for a Program Officer (Feed the Future Program)
Since 1979, Mercy Corps has helped people grappling with the toughest
hardships survive — and then thrive. That’s the heart of our approach:
We help communities turn crisis into opportunity. Throughout our
history, Mercy Corps has demonstrated innovation, timeliness and the ability to adapt quickly to changing realities.
Job Title: Program Officer (Feed the Future Program)
Duty Station: Abuja, FCT, Nigeria (with periodic travels to other sites as may be required)
GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:
Under the supervision of the Project officer -Income Generation and
Team Lead, the Program Officer provides day-to-day oversight of all
aspects of program implementation and its wide range of activities. S/he
will make sure that all activities are delivered according to the
workplan and implementation strategies. Successful candidate will be
able to trouble shoot and provide any necessary support. Program Officer
will be responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with
project implementation partners, the private sector and other project
stakeholders, so as to ensure transparent beneficiary targeting, smooth
and timely implementation of all project activities. S/he is an
effective communicator, dedicated to community development, willing to
travel to the field and is able to work with a diverse team to achieve
common objectives.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
- Support micro-entrepreneurs on product development and identification of target markets.
- Work closely with civil society project partners in providing
support to community market research committees to conduct periodic
market research.
- Support the identification of opportunities for partnership with
public and private sector organizations for community economic
development.
- Work closely with civil society partners to ensure technical
compliance and monitor work of CSO related to Mercy Corp’s deliverables.
- Provide support to individuals and groups in communities to transact using mobile platforms
- Provide assistant to rural micro-entrepreneurs to develop viable business plans.
- Evaluate market research results and make recommendations to the stakeholders.
- Identify market opportunities along community value chains.
- Act as liaison between community business organizations, local
business owners, business associations, relevant government offices etc.
- Support the monitoring of public and private sector partners to ensure compliance to partnership agreement.
- Support civil society project partners in the implementation of safe space program for adolescent girls.
- Support civil society and other project partners in the
implementation of vocational skills program for women and youths in
project sites.
- Support civil society partners in conducting business improvement clinics to micro-entrepreneurs.
- Work closely with local branches of partner financial institutions to ensure compliance to agreement.
- Facilitate micro-entrepreneurs to participate in trade shows periodically.
Operations and Management
- Ensure the smooth flow of routine project operations in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.
- Ensure effective and transparent use of financial resources in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.
Representation and Coordination
- Liaise with private sector actors, local government officials, local
NGOs and civil society organizations, local religious leaders and other
notable stakeholders to ensure support for and acceptance of Mercy
Corps’ programs.
- Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a
manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its
humanitarian and development mission.
- Maintain close working relationships with donors, other humanitarian
and development organizations, and local partners (banks, training
institutes, insurance companies, and microfinance institutions),
including representing Mercy Corps at local coordination meetings as
assigned by supervisor.
- Other duties as assigned.
Security
- Ensure that program is implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security management priorities.
Organizational Learning
As part of Mercy Corps’ agency-wide Organizational Learning
Initiative, all team members are responsible for spending 5% of their
work time in formal and/or non-formal professional learning activities.
Accountability to Beneficiaries
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts
towards 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.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Not applicable
REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Project Manager - Income Generation and Livelihood Team Lead based at Mercy Corps Nigeria.
WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Mercy Corps Nigeria team, civil society organizations, Catholic Relief Services team and CCFN team.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
- B. Sc. Business administration, finance, economics, agribusiness,
agricultural economics, or related field plus 5 years post graduate
experience.
- Proven experience in rural enterprise development
- Fluency in English required, including report development, writing
and editing. Fluency in Hausa Language is a strong requirement for this
position.
- Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet
deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members is required
- Candidate must be willing to work and travel in very rural
communities in FCT, and northern Nigeria and out of station as may be
required.
- Proven experience in community mobilization for economic development.
- Knowledge of micro-finance and financial Inclusion principles and practices
- Experience in business planning and market development.
- Good understanding of northern Nigeria economic, cultural and political environment.
- Proven knowledge of international best practices of household
economic strengthening for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and OVC
caregivers.
- Experience in market driven economic development, Savings and
Internal Lending Community (SILC) or Village Savings and Loans
Associations (VSLA) and value chain development.
SUCCESS FACTORS:
A successful candidate will have strong diplomacy skills in working
with a team with different backgrounds, abilities, and technical
knowledge and will have contextual knowledge of Northern Nigeria. S/he
will use effective communication and team-building techniques; have
excellent organizational and strong interpersonal skills and display an
even temperament and good sense of humour.
How to Apply
Interested candidates are encouraged to submit CV and Cover Letter, addressing the position requirements to
[email protected].
All applications must include the position title in the subject line.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
We are an equal opportunity organization and we encourage women to apply to these positions.
Applications Deadline: 8th September 2016.