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Description
Position Title: Deputy Program Manager- LIWAY II (Livelihoods Improvement for Women and Youth)
Duty Station: Addis Ababa
Open Position: 1
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.
About Livelihoods Improvement for Women and Youth (LIWAY)
The Livelihoods Improvement for Women and Youth (LIWAY) is a nine-year programme (July 2017 to June 2026) funded by the Embassy of Sweden and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The program aims to contribute to sustainable poverty reduction and social stability in Addis Ababa by increasing incomes through improved wage and self-employment opportunities, primarily for poor women and youth. LIWAY has the objective of increasing incomes of 257,000 poor people in Addis Ababa, of which at least 128,500 (50%) are women (young and adult) and 192,750 (75%) are youth (female and male).
LIWAY stands out for its focus on enhancing economic opportunities for women and youth, two of the most vulnerable groups in Ethiopia. To do so, it applies a Market Systems Development (MSD) approach that involves identifying the root causes of market failure that disadvantage or exclude poor women and youth from wage and self-employment opportunities and identify private companies and public institutions with the incentive and ability to deliver change. The program works in four interrelated market systems (Labour, Micro and Small Enterprises-MSE, Medium and Large Enterprises-MLE, and Skills) that were selected based on their relevance to the target group of poor women and youth, the opportunity for positive impact, and the feasibility of interventions. These four systems are interconnected and together contribute to structural transformation.
While the program is running through June 30,2026 under the Netherlands Embassy funding, additional Sweden funding for a second phase of LIWAY is anticipated to be secured in early 2025, for an extension period of four years ending in December 2028. The aim of the extension phase is to broaden and scale the impact of LIWAY. By building on the existing learning, relationships, and the core competence of the Market Systems Development approach, the programme will be able to address key cross-cutting issues (conflict and climate) in implementation. LIWAY II will be more effective in its intervention in Addis Ababa as well as bring solutions and processes to young people in growing secondary cities, that will support in addressing the impacts of climate change and the needs of young people, particularly Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in growing urban areas. The programme is implemented by a consortium of partners comprised of Mercy Corps and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation.
LIWAY II aims to create additional employment opportunities and income for 143,000 women and youth in regional cities and Addis Ababa. The targets are composed of poor women and youth (15 to 35 years old). The overall impact of LIWAY, including the period of extension, will be 400,000 women (50%) and young people (75%) to find or sustain jobs.
General Position Summary
The Deputy Program Manager (DPM) is a key member of the Program Management Team within LIWAY providing strategic leadership and guidance on the overall implementation management of the program. Working closely with the Program Manager, the position holder is responsible for ensuring the technical quality of program delivery using the Market Systems Development approach. It also plays the role of developing and maintaining effective strategic partnerships with various new and existing LIWAY partners for the successful delivery of the program. In addition to overall LIWAY leadership, the DPM is responsible for internal Mercy Corps accountability.
Essential Job Responsibilities
STRATEGY & VISION (20%)
- Closely collaborate with the PM to provide overall leadership and technical guidance to the LIWAY Program.
- Co-lead the market diagnosis and design of the LIWAY II intervention areas to ensure alignment with the program goal and objectives.
- Develop and sustain strategic partnership with key stakeholders including relevant government agencies, implementing partners and program participants for the effective and smooth delivery of the LIWAY Program.
- Design and implement MSD capacity strengthening and facilitation strategy, supporting programs’ ability to consistently and effectively apply the MSD approaches and principles in program delivery. Provide ongoing mentorship to teams on the same.
- Closely work with the PM and Monitoring and Results Measurement Advisor to provide effective leadership of the LIWAY program that aligns well with the donor budget, program approach, and anticipated results (target reach, system level change).
- Advise Mercy Corps senior management and senior national government officials on the direction, strategies and technical issues of the program and lead discussion on innovative solutions.
COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION (30%)
External:
- Build strategic partnership with stakeholders and partners to advocate, promote and advance organizational issues, priorities, interests and competencies for a successful program and program delivery.
- Coordinate and collaborate with clients, partners, and stakeholders to link and harmonize approaches and to promote common interests and achievement of results.
Internal:
- Provide direction and guidance to LIWAY program team(s)/responsible parties on market systems development approach, innovative labor market and related solutions, targeting women and youth job seekers.
- Advise the Country Offices on new proposal development which have components Labor Market, Skills development Market, Micro, Small, Medium and Large Enterprise systems,
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT (30%)
- Collaborate closely with the Program Manager to divide responsibilities, providing support on various programmatic decisions and initiatives.
- Provide specific technical inputs and capacity building across interventions and program management life cycle.
- Lead the development and implementation concept notes ensuring intentional cross-component integration and alignment with project goals and objectives.
- Coordinate the design and routine update of detailed annual work plans and ensure these are used by the team appropriately to monitor progress towards completion and achievement of program objectives.
- Provide technical expertise in market systems development and ensure that designed interventions adhere to industry best practices and standards and that technical support is provided to implementation teams.
- Provides strategic oversight of the complementarity of the various intervention areas to ensure synergy and greater impact.
- Follow up on the timely completion of designed interventions within approved budgets.
- Closely work with the Monitoring and Results Measurement Advisor to guide the team in regularly monitoring, measuring and reporting results. Adapt interventions based on monitoring results, as required.
- Ensure that KPIs for program operations are met, and work closely with other functions to achieve project milestones.
- Manage events and relationships that include facilitating government, donor, and other high level official visits to project partners.
- Manage the timely and quality delivery of donor and Government of Ethiopia reports.
- Work with the PM to organize periodic Project Steering Committee meetings.
TEAM MANAGEMENT (10%)
- Develop the capacity of the team particularly focusing on the MSD approach, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
- Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
- Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one-on-ones and performance reviews.
- Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT (10%)
- Ensure compliance with donors and Mercy Corps regulations related to the LIWAY Program.
- Lead budget planning, monitoring, and reporting to ensure that project activities are executed within approved budgets as required by the PM.
- Ensure proper project management by ensuring that all planned expenditures are on track in strict compliance with the agreed budget lines and donor financial regulations.
- Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.
INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION
- Act as the focal point for Mercy Corps Ethiopia in matters related to the implementation of the LIWAY Program.
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
Supervisory Responsibility: Manage the Mercy Corps Team Lead for the LIWAY Program.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Market Systems Development Director
Works Directly With: Mercy Corps MEL Teams, LIWAY Program implementation team, Operations and Finance as well as SNV based Program Manager, Monitoring and Results Measurement Advisor, and Women Economic Empowerment Advisor.
Minimum Qualification and Transferable Skills
- Must hold at least a bachelor’s degree in economics, Agricultural Economics; Demography, Statistics, Business management, or any other relevant
- At least 5 years of leading market systems development interventions.
- Progressive experience and proven record of achievements in designing and implementing a market systems development program.
- Strong strategic thinker, with demonstrable capacity to translate concepts into action.
- Demonstrated experience leading diverse teams towards a common vision.
- Proven experience assessing markets and working with private sector actors.
- Strong verbal and written communications and organizational skills in English, including proposal and report development, writing and editing.
- Proven track record in staff and stakeholder training and capacity building, as well as coaching and mentoring.
- Strong organizational and management skills, including previous experience managing staff and teams.
- Must be fluent both local language and
Success Factors
Excellent demonstrated intercultural, interpersonal and negotiation skills, strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Excellent communication, facilitation, partnerships, and networking skills with a wide range of private, partner and NGO-sector actors. Business-minded, entrepreneurial, adaptive, curious, with great problem-solving skills, unafraid to ask questions, and results-motivated.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and requires to closely work with SNV-based LIWAY team members including the need to physically locate at the SNV office as required.
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, programme 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. 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.
How To Apply
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: April 17 2025 / 4:00 PM