Market Systems Advisor (Non-Agriculture)

Mercy Corps is an international, non-governmental humanitarian relief and development agency that exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. Mercy Corps works in more than 40 countries, and has been present in Nepal since 2005. In Nepal, Mercy Corps works to build the absorptive, adaptive, and transformative potential of vulnerable individuals and communities across the country. Through a systems-based approach to market development, financial services access, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and youth engagement, Mercy Corps builds resilience among target communities.

Mercy Corps invites applications from all interested and potential Nepali candidates for the following position:

Market Systems Advisor (Non-Agriculture) – 1, Kathmandu (60%) with frequent travel to program field offices (40%)

Please refer to nepal.mercycorps.org for the full position description.

“Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision, and we encourage people from all backgrounds, especially women and members of disadvantaged groups to apply. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer”.

Interested candidates are requested to submit cover letter and Mercy Corps Application Form available at http://nepal.mercycorps.org by COB August 2, 2016 to the address below: 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further selection process. Telephone enquiries will not be entertained.

Attn: Human Resources Department

[Please mention the title of the Position on the subject line of the e-mail while applying]

Email to: np-jobs@mercycorps.org

JOB DESCRIPTIONS 

Position Title: Market Systems Advisor (Non-Agriculture) 

Duty Station: Kathmandu (60%) with frequent travel to program field offices (40%)

Position Category:  Full-time AND  Regular

Salary Level:  Level 6

Current Employee:  N/A

BACKGROUND:

Mercy Corps is an international, non-governmental humanitarian relief and development agency that exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. Mercy Corps works in more than 40 countries, and has been present in Nepal since 2005. In Nepal, Mercy Corps works to build the absorptive, adaptive, and transformative potential of vulnerable individuals and communities across the country. Through a systems-based approach to market development, financial services access, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and youth engagement, Mercy Corps builds resilience among target communities.

PROGRAM /DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps Nepal as the prime organization has been implementing a five year program - “Promoting Agriculture, Health and Alternative Livelihood” (PAHAL) funded by USAID. PAHAL seeks to strengthen livelihoods, improve nutritional status and increase the capacity of vulnerable households to mitigate, adapt to and recover from shocks and stresses in communities with deep poverty and high rates of malnutrition in critical zones of the Mid-Western and Far-Western Regions of Nepal. The goal of the PAHAL program is: Vulnerable populations in the middle and high hills of Far Western and Mid-Western Nepal are food secure. The target area of the program covers 14 districts in the Mid-West and Far-West regions of Nepal. The Mid-West region comprises of 7 districts; Surkhet, Dailekh, Pyuthan, Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan and Jajarkot while the Far-West region comprises of Dadeldhura, Doti, Accham, Baitadi, Bajhang, Bajura and Darchula districts.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY: 

As part of the Kathmandu-based Technical Support Unit (TSU) the Market Systems Advisor (Non-Agriculture) will work directly with the Chief of Party (CoP) and Deputy Chief of Party (DCoP) on the implementation of a five-year, multi-million dollar USAID/Food for Peace and USAID/Nepal-funded Development Food Assistance Program (DFAP), tentatively titled by USAID as the “Community Resilience Program,” actively working in 14 districts across the Far- and Mid-West development regions of Nepal.

The advisor key responsibility will be to design the thematic project activities, budget and intervention strategies and ensure that the quality of deliverables as targeted are met.  He/she will provide a facilitative, systems-led approach to exploring the nexus between unemployment and under-employment (especially that of youth), technical/vocational skills available and required, alternative training options and their quality and the absorptive capacity and developing needs of the labor market. The advisor will also explore and seek to strengthen the linkages between the target population, the job market and training opportunities, seeking to determine responsiveness, relevance, access and quality. The advisor will also work closely with relevant team members under the Agriculture Markets to ensure inter linkages and support modality is established. This approach will inform and support the design, implementation and ongoing analysis of the overriding approach to the alternative livelihoods component of the program that will require close coordination with all thematic consortium partners including Mercy Corps thematic and cross cutting Technical advisors. S/He will oversee a number of areas, including new approaches to training, including in-service courses, internships, work-study, apprenticeships, and use of ICT, etc. Development of appropriate curriculum and innovative training methods to provide the skills for new entrants into commercial business will be a key outcome. It is important that all curricula developed by the project be gender sensitive and socially inclusive to appropriately transfer relevant knowledge to a variety of audiences. Furthermore, provide technical support to stakeholders and partners in the sub-sectors. As Alternative Market Development focal person, the advisor will take the responsibility of building capacity in relevant component to PAHAL program staff including consortium partners and local NGO partners as and when required. The advisor will also represent PAHAL in the thematic or relevant areas of work. 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Strategy Formulation and Program Development

The following are key areas in which the Market Systems Advisor (Non-Agriculture) will focus: 

• Take the lead in design of thematic program intervention and technical backstopping in close coordination with the TSU, supervisor and program staff
• Assist in customizing interventions for each institution’s specific situation and needs and ensure that such assistance will be guided by the demand for skills, thus ensuring alignment of skill enhancement with specific labor market needs and self employment opportunities. Particular attention will be paid to ensuring that the resilience capacities of the system actors and beneficiaries are built.
• Plan and work closely with partners and stakeholders (public and private) engaged in this sector to meet the objectives under enhancing alternative livelihood opportunities for youth to generate income.
• Work with recognized Technical Vocational and Education Training Centers aimed at specific employment opportunities for youth – both male and female. 
• Closely coordinate with TSU, project staff and local partners working to define the real labor and skill needs of the public and private sector and to define the necessary career skills for the vocational graduates, as well as clarify the roles of the various market system actors. 
• Ensure close collaboration in particular with the Financial Services Coordinator to facilitate linkages between access to finance and business skills/plan development and potential job/business creation or expansion.
• Work closely with consortium partners in areas where there are inter dependency and linkages along thematic activities. One of the key responsibility will be ensure that thematic activities under alternative markets are interlinked with agriculture markets wherever relevant.
• Relevant Event/Training design, delivery and technical support to relevant projects/project staff and consortium and partner staff as required.
• Take lessons learned and best practices from other Mercy Corps and partner programs and approaches to inform program design and intervention, in turn feeding back the program’s lessons learned and best practices into better MC country program design.
• Serve as PAHAL program focal point, advisor and support for other MC alternative markets/TVET programming or interventions.
• Provide technical supervision to Alternative Market Development Officers at regional level and those staff assigned to participate in alternative livelihoods or markets interventions on permanent or temporary basis, as instructed by the DCoP.

Representation:

• Liaise with and represent program to local, national or regional stakeholders, donor representatives, government officials, other humanitarian or development actors and others as requested by senior management. 
• Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events in the field, in close coordination with the CoP, DCoP and Country Director. 
• Ensure close coordination and information sharing with consortium partners, sub-grantees, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs. 
• Establish and maintain relationships with communities and local government. 

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: 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: Responsible for Technical oversight and program quality to regional officers as and when required. Also, contribute from the technical side on the annual review to be performed by team leaders of these technical officers.

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO:  Deputy Chief of Party

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Deputy Chief of Party, Chief of Party, Director of Programs, Kathmandu- and regional-based TSU members, M&E Manager, other related program managers in-country, and Mercy Corps Global Technical Support Unit (TSU) team members as required.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: 

• Minimum of a Masters’ degree in Economic or social and human sciences, international development or another relevant field is required; 
• Minimum of 3-5 years’ experience program/project management, including focus on youth and workforce development is required.
• Demonstrated experience addressing youth employment through market systems development led approach with private and public sector organizations is highly preferred. 
• Demonstrated ability to work in complex environments under tight deadlines. Previous experience is highly preferred. 
• Strong organizational and logistical skills with demonstrated experience in strategic planning and ability to work independently are required. 
• Strong understanding of issues affecting youth employment and dynamics involved
• Good writing and computer skills, including preliminary research and information gathering from the internet, MS Word, Excel and Power Point preparation is required. 
• Familiarity with USAID rules and regulations, preferred. 
• Fluency in written and spoken English required
• Effective writing and organizational skills to prepare reports, complete analyses and make presentations. 

SUCCESS FACTORS:

The successful Market Systems Advisor (Non-Agriculture) will combine exceptional management skills and experience in building and maintaining donor and partner relationships. S/he will have an ability to think creatively about improving food security, community development and resilience. The advisor will have proven experience with cross-cultural team and capacity building, individual staff development and strong mentoring skills. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail as well as strategic vision are essential. 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 and verbal communication a priority in all situations.