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.

Mercy Corps has been present in Ethiopia since 2004 working to drive bold and transformative ideas, working closely with government, the private sector and civil society actors to build a more resilient country, ensuring that programs are responsive to and influenced by participants and stakeholders. With the launch of Mercy Corps Global Strategy, Pathway to Possibility, the country office is poised to operationalize its three-year strategy with a vision to enhance the resilience of climate- and conflict-affected communities through market systems development for improved livelihoods, access to food, and safe and clean water to thrive in the face of crises. In Ethiopia, our strategy focuses in the four outcome areas: 1) Economically marginalized populations have improved and diversified livelihoods, income, and assets; 2) Pastoralists, farmers, and households have access to sustainably produced, safe, nutritious food; 3) Social cohesion and inclusive governance processes are built in crisis-affected communities; and 4) People have equitable, sustained access to clean water and sanitation for domestic and productive use. Currently, we operate in six regional states – Afar, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Amhara and South Ethiopia. Working with a diverse base of donors that includes United States Agency for International Development (USAID), European Union, GAC, Hilton Foundation, United Nations (UN), JOA, Sweden, EKN, and other foundations, Mercy Corps Ethiopia empowers people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. 

Position Title: Technical Advisor seed sector system in fragile context

Duty Station: Addis Ababa (with frequent travels to Afar, Somali, Tigray, and other regions)

Open Position:  1

Safeguarding Risk Level: Medium

Program / Department Summary

The Ethiopia Seed Partnership Plus (ESP+) is a bilateral program between Ethiopia and the Netherlands in international trade and development cooperation. The goal of the proposed extended program ESP+ is to ensure the delivery of quality seed of new, improved, and adapted varieties to one million farming household across the country for food security, nutrition, and resilience to shocks and stresses. ESP+ will be implemented in Tigray, Oromia, Afar, Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambela, and Somali regions, which are more prone to shocks and stresses. Once conditions allow, activities will commence in Amhara as well. The program will have four components that are Private sector development, Innovation &empowerment, responding to seed insecurity, and Enabling seed sector transformation. Mercy Corps Ethiopia will be leading the third component of the program that mainly deals with Responding to seed insecurity. The ESP+ program will be implemented over four years period from 2024-2027.

General Position Summary

Senior Seed System Advisor in Fragile Context is responsible for overall technical support and guidance in areas of seed insecurity response in shocks and stress areas. The candidate will have deep knowledge of the Seed Systems and seed value chains, particularly in fragile and/or conflict-affected areas. S/he is part of the technical team implementing all proposed activities in guiding the regional seed insecurity response coordinators to strengthen the seed systems in general, and seed marketing systems in particular, such as seed business development, financial management and seed governance in the fragile context. The candidate will also have experience in partnership engagements, seed marketing assessment and designing effective and efficient seed distribution models. The senior seed system adviser will report to the Program Manager.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Actively participate in planning, implementing with program teams, monitoring, and reporting
• Conduct/lead seed market systems analysis and design seed market system to ensure seed insecurity response.
• Support local seed producers in developing business plan, marketing opportunities, facilitate local seed business with local demands, B2B networking, seed fair events.
• Participate, support, and lead the seed security systems analysis, analyze data, and draft reports with the program teams.
• Provide technical capacity building on seed business and financial managements, seed business governance particularly for local seed business.
• Assess key critical gaps, design, and implement smart local subsidies for local seed producers in collaboration with interested humanitarian and development partners to rehabilitate the seed systems, and co-create financial risk facilities.
• Assess the status of seed regulation in the targeted fragile regions, design intervention to strengthen the regulation systems, and conduct consultative workshops in collaboration with pertinent partners.
• Facilitate workshops, and professional advisory to a range of seed market actors including research centers, seed producers, seed processors, seed distributors to produce and avail seeds adapted to the needs of the local farmers.
• Strongly work with humanitarian aid to ensure that seed emergency aid should not disturb the seed marketing systems.
• Organize and facilitate forums to discuss seed regulations issues affecting the performance of seed market development in fragile context and draw lessons and design strategy to improve the performance of seed regulation.
• Support and lead seed business development for promoting seed entrepreneurship amongst women and youth to ensure gender- and market-responsive seed systems interventions and extension approaches.
• Regularly update the progress of the intervention, narrate field trips, outputs and action items of training and workshop events, monthly/quarterly/bi-annually/annual reports
• Technically support technical regional seed insecurity response coordinators, MEAL specialist, Program Manager and Programs Director
• Collect, compile, analyze seed marketing data and draw lessons.

GEDSI (GENDER, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION)

• Adherence of gender minimum standards
• Allocate budget for GESI related activities and staff capacity building on GESI
• Make sure GESI issues are properly reflected during program management!
• Support the organization’s commitment to age and gender inclusive team building process
• Promote an inclusive and equitable workplace culture
• Support Staff Capacity Building on Increase staff knowledge of GEDSI

Supervisory Responsibility

Technically support the regional seed insecurity response coordinator based at Mekele, Jigjiga and Semera on seed systems in general and seed marketing systems in particular

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Program Manager

Technical Line Report To: Program Manager

Works Directly With: Program manager, technical specialist, MEAL specialist

Knowledge and Experience/ Minimum qualifications

• Should have a minimum of Master of Art/science in agricultural economics, agribusiness management, cooperative and business/financial management, and business management.
• Should have a minimum of 8 years of working experience mainly related to seed systems in general and seed marketing systems in particular.
• At least 4 years of experience in NGO, project management, and humanitarian organizations in the areas of seed systems and seed marketing systems.
• Very good experience in seed system assessment, seed business plan development, financial management and business governance, and resource mobilization through partnership to ensure joint efforts toward resilient seed insecurity response.
• Very good knowledge about the Ethiopian farming systems in general and the Seed Systems in particular, such as seed insecurity response in fragile areas
• Very good experience on last mile seed distribution model for both seed emergency aid and seed producers to ensure resilient seed marketing systems.
• Have a good concept and experience of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus for joint action to achieve collection outcomes, and to ensure a resilient response to seed insecurity.
• Very good experience in seed actors mapping, analysis, engagement, and management
• Very good experience in organizing multi-stakeholder workshops in areas of assessing seed policy/ proclamation/regulation gaps, and design strategy for a collaborative effort to ensure the enabling environment, particularly in fragile areas.
• Very good quality communication skills, analytical skills, proactive to changing environments/situations, systemic and critical thinking abilities, and capable of shouldering multiple assignments under stressful conditions.
• Fluency in English, and Amharic language. Regional working languages are a plus.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, 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.

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 so that we can be collectively stronger and have 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 on the basis of 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. 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 elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

All qualified individuals are invited to apply for the advertised position. All applications, including a CV, three references, and all applicable official papers, must be sent electronically.

Only candidates that are short-listed will be acknowledged and called for interviews.

“Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer promoting gender, equity and    diversity. Qualified female and young candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to empower women and youth.”

DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: November 30 / 4:00 PM