An Excellent Opportunity for ...
PROJECT OFFICER (AGRICULTURE MARKET DEVELOPMENT)
(Advancing Community Empowerment – ACE Project)
(Vacancy Announcement No. MC-VA-240720)
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: Tuesday, 11 Aug 2020 (Before 5:00pm)
*Only short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.
Duty Station : Hpa-an, Kayin State OR Loikaw, Kayah State with frequent travel to nearby townships of implementation in Shan/Kayah and/or Mon/Kayin Myanmar
Number of Opening(s) : 2
PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:
Mercy Corps is a global humanitarian organization empowering people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. Operating in Myanmar since 2008, Mercy Corps works to build responsive governance, inclusive economic development, and equal rights that support peace and prosperity. Mercy Corps currently works in ten states in Myanmar, connecting market development, financial inclusion, disaster risk management and climate change resilience, and governance through a facilitative partnership approach.
Mercy Corps is a partner on a recently awarded Advancing Community Empowerment (ACE) project. It will lead activities on peacebuilding and reconciliation interventions, market-driven livelihoods and private sector engagement, and DRM.
Advancing Community Empowerment (ACE) project
The Advancing Community Empowerment (ACE) project, supported by the US Agency for International Development/Burma, aims to support communities in their empowerment processes by reducing vulnerabilities, promoting community participation in decision making, and strengthening mechanisms for more responsive and accountable local governance. ACE is a five-year, $48 million project funded by USAID and implemented by Pact in partnership with Community Partners International, Mercy Corps, and Save the Children. The project will also partner with a range of local and regional organizations to address a variety of community needs and development priorities in the region.
ACE will work to foster integrated, inclusive, and sustainable service provision to underserved communities in areas of Southeastern Myanmar. Beginning with community-identified needs and solutions, the project takes a systems approach that constructively engages the demand and supply sides of service delivery, focusing on health, education, livelihoods, water/sanitation/hygiene (WASH), and disaster risk management.
Project partners will provide technical support for skills-building and institutional strengthening to nurture relationships and explore cooperation within and between communities, service providers, and decision makers. ACE promotes a locally driven shift, where possible, from humanitarian assistance toward a strategic approach that can channel community voices and priorities towards improved, integrated service delivery and contribute to conditions for inclusive peace and development.
GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:
The Project Officer (PO) represents Mercy Corps and the program and ensures that all beneficiaries and partners understand the program’s purpose and implementation methodologies. As such (s)he will be the primary program interface with farmers, partners, and other stakeholders operating at the village and township level.
The PO’s primary responsibility is to ensure that field program activities are implemented according to plans. Planned activities may involve, but are not limited to data collection, monitoring, market linkages, information sharing, coordination with partners, and etc. With all program partners, both private and public sector, the PO will facilitate implementation of activities via these partners rather than through direct program implementation.
The private sector plays a key role in market development projects. Potential private sector actors with which the program may engage include agricultural input suppliers (seed, fertilizers, pesticides, etc.), financial service providers, wholesale and retail marketers, transport companies, information and business advisory service providers, aggregators, and other postharvest actors.
Disaster Risks Management (DRM) is also one of the key components of ACE being undertaking by Mercy Corps, PO will work with DRM coordinator and departments concerned.
The PO will work closely with senior program staff to review and update intervention results chains on a regular basis to ensure that intervention results are in line with impact and outcome objectives as market dynamics change.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
Leadership Management
- Manage and monitor partners’ activities at field level
- Represent Mercy Corps and the project in the field with local communities, partners, private sector companies, and authorities
Technical
- Mobilize local communities for project activities
- Develop workplans with partners and Intervention Managers
- Support in facilitating and organizing training/ workshop event
Monitoring and Evaluation
- Work with M&E team and Intervention Managers to create indicators, monitor progress, and analyze results
- Make proactive suggestions for improving project performance
- Provide support to visits by Mercy Corps staff, consultants, researchers, donors, etc.
Other
- Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps
- Represent and uphold principles of inclusion, conflict sensitivity, learning and adaptation, flexibility, and gender equality in all work functions
- Monitor safety and security developments in project locations and ensure project activities comply with security and sensitivity procedures
- Other duties as assigned.
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 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
- Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: None
ACCOUNTABILITY
REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Intervention Manager (Agriculture & Market System Development)
WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Senior Program Manager, Program Manager, Intervention Managers, DRM Coordinator, Senior MEL Officer and Other Project Officers.