South Sudan: Livelihoods Specialists

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps began programming in Sudan in 1985, and has been operating in states of what is now South Sudan since 2005; operations have continued since the independence of South Sudan in 2011. We have been working to meet people’s immediate needs, and with communities, to build local capacity and promote economic development, especially with the eruption of violence in December 2013. Mercy Corps South Sudan’s priority areas are food security and livelihoods (focusing on cash assistance, market-based solutions in agriculture and economic development), WASH and Education. Mercy Corps has been implementing projects which combine agricultural, economic development, WASH, and other humanitarian interventions to tackle the convulsive crises affecting vulnerable communities. Mercy Corps has worked to build relationships with local government and other actors, which has enhanced our understanding of local contexts and the multiple stakeholders involved.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Livelihoods Specialist will be responsible for livelihoods, agriculture and/or markets programming, S/he will provide technical leadership, coordinate with implementation staff and consortium members under the Mercy Corps proposed Livelihoods, Vulnerability, and Resilience Program (LVRP). S/he will set the direction, provide technical expertise, and supervise implementation of livelihood activities. The Livelihoods Specialist has a key role in ensuring program quality, reporting and consortium coordination. S/he will work closely with the M&E Manager and Officer(s) to collect and analyze M&E data regarding livelihoods, and make conclusive recommendations to ensure that livelihoods considerations are reflected in implementation. Candidate flexibility and a wide range of livelihood interventions experience are highly valued.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Strategy and Vision

• Provide program support, coordination, supervision and monitoring designed to meet program objectives
• Contribute to the strategic planning process and provide regular updates.
• Assist with development, design and proposal writing for related programming.

Program Technical Support

• Lead, coordinate and supervise all agriculture, markets and other livelihoods program activities. This includes providing technical direction, developing work plans, monitoring implementation and impact, ensuring that program deliverables are completed, supervising implementation staff and managing program budget.
• Develop monitoring systems jointly with the M&E officer and provide regular internal reports on program activities and donor reports. Ensure capitalization of activities and lessons learned.
• Conduct surveys, need assessments, data and information collection for the development of on-going and future proposals.
• Work closely with local partners and develop strategies to promote their organizational development and capacity-building.
• Ensure effective and transparent use of financial resources in compliance with Mercy Corps and donors policies and procedures.
• Understand and follow Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards.
• Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy and Do No Harm

Representation and Coordination

• Liaise with local officials, consortium members, international and local NGOs and civil society organizations, local religious leaders and other community members to ensure support for and acceptance of Mercy Corps’ LVRP.
• Maintain close relationship with other humanitarian and development organizations, human right organizations, and local partners.
• Participate in local coordination mechanisms.

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, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

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:

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO:** Chief of Party

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH:** Program Managers, consortium members’ staff, TSU members, Desk Officer and others.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• BA/S or equivalent in relevant field such as agriculture or rural development
• 5-7 years of agriculture/markets/livelihoods experience in emergency contexts
• Strong technical background in a broad range of livelihoods and early economic recovery interventions
• Demonstrated capacity in technical support and coordination
• Demonstrated experience and abilities in donor and host government representation at field level, in capacity building of local staff and local government, in negotiation, and monitoring
• Effective multi-tasking, organizational capacity, prioritization skills are necessary
• English (written and spoken) is required
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members is essential

SUCCESS FACTORS:

A successful candidate will have a strong technical background and will have demonstrated working on similar projects in the past. S/he will have the capacity to deliver and meet deadlines, be conscientious, with an excellent sense of judgment and have an ability to foster solid working relationships with communities, GOs, INGOs, and NGOs and other stakeholders. S/he will have an ability to work simultaneously on multiple tasks with strong computer literacy and exceptional organizational skills.

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

The position will be based in Juba, South Sudan and is unaccompanied. Juba is the capital city of South Sudan with a significant international community presence. While most basic items and services are fairly available in Juba, living conditions are generally basic in South Sudan. In Juba Mercy Corps has a compound with individual one-bedroom apartments and this position will be provided one apartment. The climate is very hot, humid and dusty. Medical facilities are basic, and tropical diseases including malaria are endemic.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps’ policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Apply here: https://app.jobvite.com/j?cj=oI182fwD&s=ReliefWeb