Cash and Voucher Specialist Full Time NEW

Program / Department Summary

The USAID-funded Highland Resilience Activity (HRA) – will contribute to the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) 5’s “Big Push” initiative and has the overarching goal of strengthening resilience among vulnerable households in Ethiopia’s Highlands, resulting in 120,000 PSNP households reaching the graduation threshold. HRA will support these households in moving above the graduation threshold and to where they no longer require social safety net programming for household food security and have the capabilities and assets to withstand regular and predictable shocks. HRA Crisis Modifier interventions for Amhara Region in Bugna Woreda, is a response for the drought impacts and designed to protect the HRA development gains and the livelihood assets of the PSNP HHs. HRA Crisis Modifier intervention will be temporarily implemented for six months from February to July 2025.

General Position Summary

HRA Crisis Modifier Cash and voucher specialist will provide management oversight to the Crisis modifier project and coordinate with the field-based HRA Regional Program Coordinator (immediate supervisor) in the day-to-day management of the cash transfer and voucher-based commodity distribution. The key responsibility is to provide overall technical leadership on effective cash and voucher implementation that supports the PSNP HHs to effectively engaged in livestock and agricultural production. Key responsibilities include leading the cash and voucher assistance overall management, initiate cash transfer modality and agreement with the financial service providers, initiate agreement with inputs suppliers and actors, ensure the timely cash transfer and agricultural inputs distributions, coordinate and lead the beneficiary targeting process, and a facilitation role that market actors to provide proposed agricultural inputs to targeted PSNP HHs on timely bases. He/she will support the post distribution monitoring in collaboration with the MEL team, The cash and voucher specialist is responsible for overall cash and voucher management of the project and reports to HRA North wello, Zonal Program Coordinator.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Program planning and Implementation

• Lead the planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of cash transfer and Agricultural inputs delivery through voucher and off farm activities in the project.
• Ensuring that cash assistance is delivered to targeted beneficiaries as per predetermined targeting criteria.
• Lead beneficiary identification, selection and independent or joint verification processes as per jointly set criteria to ensure impartiality, in coordination with project team members, local authorities and communities.
• Facilitate and monitor the proper distribution and documentation of cash payments and agricultural inputs to beneficiaries.
• Ensure programs are implemented according to established timelines and standards.
• Actively participate in Rapid Assessments, market assessments, capacity assessment of Cooperative, unions, Agro-dealer, pullet growers, Financial Service Providers and other digital cash transfer.
• Ensure that the program resources are implemented in a transparent and accountable manner and handed over or completed in a way that promotes local capacities and sustainable operations.
• Keep record of all required documents related to cash and voucher program, beneficiary selection, distribution and post distribution monitoring.
• Ensure mainstreaming of MC Ethiopia’s cross-cutting issues of gender equity, Child Safeguarding.
• Work closely with the Zonal program coordinator, Regional Program Coordinator, MC technical team based in Woldiya, and other Local Implementing partner staffs based in Bugna woreda to implement the market-based livelihood recovery through the cash and voucher system and strategy.
• Ensure all the Crisis modifier team members and partners to have a clear understanding on the cash and voucher implementation approach and strategy.
• Participate in woreda and zone coordination meetings and ensure documentation and delivery of action points.
• Perform other functions as requested by the immediate supervisor.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Reporting

• Adhere to program learning systems and strengthen the effort to document the impact of the livelihood recovery activities.
• Prepare quarterly and monthly plans, aligned with the project plan under cash and voucher programming targets.
• Facilitate regular context monitoring to support updating and adapting activities for the greatest impact.
• Regularly provide communication on cash and voucher status to zonal and regional coordinators; provide regular updates on context, project progress, effectiveness of project approaches, and partnerships.
• Contribute to and guide learning visits and assessments to understand the cash and voucher implementation approaches and modalities, results, in line with the quick recovery of the PSNP HHs.
• Closely work with the Zonal program coordinator and MEL team to continuously monitor, ensure implementation quality, and support the learning development process.
• Ensure the cash and voucher program targets and approach are being met, by implementing activities in accordance with the agreed work plans and timelines, and report discrepancies and changes to the Regional Program coordinator.
• Ensure timely and quality delivery of weekly, monthly and quarterly project reports internally to Zonal Program coordinator and MEL team.

Coordination and Collaboration

• Work closely with Mercy Corps technical team members, financial service providers (FSPs), On farm specialist, key stakeholders, and community representatives to ensure effective program implementation.
• Participate in relevant Woreda level coordination meetings and represent Mercy Corps as required.
• Closely work with Kebeles structures and support the local committees organized to facilitate the targeting and ensure the right HHs received the targeted commodity and cash.
• Ensures Kebele administration, Development Agents, and beneficiary communities are actively engaged in program monitoring that HHs used the cash for the intended purpose and applied the right extension for improved agricultural production.
• Foster strong relationships with local authorities, community leaders, and other partners.

GEDSI (GENDER, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION)

• Adherence of gender minimum standards
• 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
• Coordinate with GEDSI Technical Team Improve gender-responsiveness of program /Project MEAL system
• Increased commitment to Gender Equality Diversity and Social inclusion

Accountability

Reports Directly To: HRA North Wello, Zonal Program Coordinator

Technical Line Report To: NA

Works Directly With, Regional Program Coordinator and Governance Technical Lead.

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.