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.

Mercy Corps has been operating in Ethiopia since 2004, working in rural, peri-urban, and urban areas in five regional states – Somali, Oromia, Afar, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples, Amhara – and the capital city of Addis Ababa. We engage in both development and humanitarian work and seek to integrate approaches, programs, and geographies as much as possible.  Our partners include government, academic institutions, development and private sector actors, civil societies, and communities.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps works in Dollo Ado and Gode field offices in the Somali region to improve the livelihoods, economic opportunities, and food security for refugees and host communities through this WFP-funded award. Mercy Corps engages people in socio-economic activities through user groups acknowledging their capacities, thus improving the quality of their lives and building their resilience for possible shocks in the future, while contributing to self-reliance in the long term. Mercy Corps interventions focus on strengthening market systems, diversifying livelihoods and income, and improving resilience capacities by promoting financial, livestock, and crop market activities.

General Position Summary

NRM and Climate Services Officer is required to manage livelihood program in promoting participatory NRM and climate service early warning.  This position requires someone who understands the role of culture and local communities in managing climate-based information, NRM, and has deep experience in facilitating participatory early warning forums to develop plans to strengthen the community’s resilience against drought and floods.

Essential Job Responsibilities

 Strategy & Vision

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.

 Program Management

• Conduct initial assessments to determine local climate information communication and decision-making structures.
• Conduct climate vulnerability and capacity assessment to understand vulnerability in communities, identify potential hazards and identify the need for climate information.
•  Develop a deep understanding of the natural resource management approaches established by Mercy Corps, in particular focusing on the importance of utilizing communal structures for climate information forecasting advisory development and dissemination and decision-making.
• Support identification and systematic inclusion of key DRM stakeholders at local and regional levels in all relevant activities and processes.
• Develop and implement a strategy for the Just PSP Participatory Scenario Planning forum, which would include traditional and scientific climate information and enable communities to pre-empt and prepare for drought and floods.
• Integrate strategy with overall market systems strategy for the program in the area
• Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity, and capacity building into all activities as appropriate.
• Ensure program implementation is on time, target, and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts.
• Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.

 Influence & Representation

•  Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with Agriculture offices, NMA leaders, partners, local governments, and other stakeholders.
•  Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and programmatic obligations are met.

   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 toward 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.

Knowledge and Experience

Describe three to five specific expectations in terms of qualifications, education, or skills that are requirements for this position.

• BSc in DRM, Natural Resource Management or other related field or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• With at least 3 years of practical experience in climate change adaptation and projects and community early warning systems
• Experience in conducting CVCA and implementing community-based adaptation programs through participatory scenario planning approaches Scenario Planning, specific experience in Somali Region is a benefit
• Fluency in Somali is required

Success Factors

The successful candidate is adaptive, innovative, and has an anthropological mindset; s/he is able to work independently while striving to integrate activities to fulfill larger program goals.

All interested candidates are encouraged to apply for the position advertised.  All applications submitted to the Mercy Corps office or electronically include a CV, three references, and all relevant official documents. Applications will not be returned and will not be retained for future recruitment efforts.  To ensure fairness all applicant’s personal inquiries are not permitted