About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.
The Program / Department Summary
Mercy Corps has been operating in Jordan since 2003. In partnership with civil society organizations, the private sector, and the government, Mercy Corps Jordan has reached more than 3.4 million Jordanians and displaced populations in the country. Working throughout the country, Mercy Corps is driven by the mission to contribute to the emergence of a peaceful, resilient and prosperous Jordan which is inclusive of youth and women. We seek to build a future for Jordan in which all people feel secure, believe in the communities and institutions around them, and are on a sustainable path toward economic self-reliance. Our strategic directions focus on promoting strong communities and governance, peace and social cohesion, and environmentally sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
The Informal Livelihoods Advancement Activity (Iqlaa) is a five-year USAID-funded program that aims to support Jordan's micro and small enterprises (MSEs) to grow, transform, and become resilient to future shocks. Mercy Corps leads on the implementation of Iqlaa and weaves together technical expertise from a robust set of national, regional, and international partners including Andersen for Legal and Tax Consultancy (Andersen), Dalberg Design (Dalberg), Expectation State, Middle East Investment Initiative (MEII), Migrate- Jordan (Migrate), Q-Perspective, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan (AmCham).
General Position Summary
Reporting to the Market Systems Development (MSD) Director, the MSD Specialist will oversee the facilitation and implementation of intervention activities with Iqlaa’s private and public sector partners across agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, and services sectors in all governorates. She/he will also be responsible for facilitating market assessments and/or research to be undertaken under the sub-sectors and interrelated sectors, engaging in stakeholder analysis and identification, designing interventions, monitoring, following up, sharing findings, and compiling timely reports to be shared internally, with implementation members and stakeholders. The MSD Specialist will supervise and coordinate the technical work of a team of MSD Officers. She/he will work closely with Iqlaa’s other MSD team members, as well as with Program Quality and Learning, Communication, and the leads of the various activities within the program. She/he should be driven by a desire to foster genuine collaboration and bring about tangible changes and results.
Essential Responsibilities
The MSD Specialist has a critical role in the development of the Market Systems Development portfolio. In coordination with the MSD Director, she/he will be responsible to deliver in the following areas:
TECHNICAL
• Understand and apply the MSD approach to development and design and manage interventions in line with its principles.
• Actively contribute to the overall implementation of activities within the MSD intervention portfolio, while also assessing market trends and their impact on implementation.
• Design, formulate and implement interventions with a wide mix of market actors to create growth opportunities for MSEs in Jordan.
• Negotiate the terms of partnerships with potential partners, and draft concept notes and partnership agreements.
• Support an outsourced Market Systems Assessment, with guidance from the MSD Technical Director and action the implementation of recommended interventions.
• Provide feedback on consultancy reports, ensuring their alignment with project requirements and quality standards.
• Provide backstop support when needed, particularly in gathering market research, intelligence, assessments and feasibility studies, and supporting the MSD Technical Director to develop program implementation strategies.
• Serve as the primary point of contact with partners and build long-term working relationships with Iqlaa consortium partners, private and public sector organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Apply a gender, youth, and inclusion lens to all program activities.
TEAM MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION
• Manage or support the recruitment, supervision and coaching of team members.
• Lead or support staff training and capacity building measures.
• Support the MSD Technical Director in ongoing program management and administration of the project team as well as consultants.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback via regular performance discussions and strong performance management protocols with direct reports.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Coordinate with other MSD and Iqlaa team members to participate in the Market Systems Assessment.
• Support in the integration of the MSD component across other sectors and ensure the Iqlaa MSD component is well communicated across teams.
PROGRAM MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING
• Coordinate with Program Quality and Learning Director to ensure that stakeholder mapping templates, assessment data, and other key information (e.g. meeting notes, draft analysis) are integrated in Iqlaa data systems and learning processes.
• Ensure that robust monitoring and evaluation, quality data collection and analysis systems are in place, adhered to and used as a decision-making tool. In collaboration with the PQL team, develop result chains, monitoring and measurement plans for effective intervention measurement and monitoring.
• Work closely with the CLA Manager to ensure appropriate attention to program learning and integration of lessons learned.
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 the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our field projects.
SAFEGAURDING RESPONSIBILITIES
• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Market Systems Development Director
Supervisory Responsibility: MSD Officers
Works Directly With: Market Systems Development Director, Deputy Chief (s) of Party, Technical Leads, PQL, Communications and other relevant staff members.
Minimum Qualification
● BSc/BA in international development, business management, economics, or a related field is desired. A Master’s degree is a plus.
● Preferably more than five years of work experience.
● Demonstrated experience in team management, including supervision, coaching, performance management, or a proven capability and interest in managerial responsibilities.
● Familiarity with the issues affecting the micro and small enterprises in Jordan.
● Creative and problem-solving skills that contribute to new and innovative ideas.
● Excellent communication skills, coordination, facilitation, and networking skills with a wide range of private-sector, Government, and NGO-sector actors
● Proven capacity to produce high-quality concept notes and reports in English and Arabic for internal and external stakeholders.
Success Factors
A successful candidate will have a demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with team members and other stakeholders of varied work styles and cultures, follow procedures and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem-solving. This position requires thinking creatively and critically about changing norms that lead to greater opportunities for economic growth at household, community, and institutional levels. S/he will have a proven ability to learn quickly, multi-task, prioritize, take initiative, and be accountable for results. The most successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in quickly evolving and changing environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Amman, Jordan.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable, and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills to be collectively stronger and have a sustained global impact. We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination based on race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status, or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. By applying for this role an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or trafficking policy. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis. As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([Click to show email]).
الصون و الأخلاق