Program Engagement Consultant – MNO 1 Full Time NEW

Project/Consultancy Title: Program Engagement Consultant-MNO 1

Project Location(s): Regional, Ethiopia

Finance Department Code: KE17- 23777

Grant: WCS, MNO Gates

Dates: 1st May 2026 – 31st October 2026

Background:

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.

AgriFin Digital Farmer II currently represents a $12 million, four-year program working in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Nigeria, with potential to expand to other markets (Uganda+). In partnership with Bayer Foundation, ADF 2 seeks to support the expansion of digitally-enabled services to 5 million smallholder farmers, delivered by growing ecosystems of diverse service providers and building farmer income, productivity, and resilience by 50% while reaching 40% women.

Ethiopia MNO Gender Innovation Facility: The BMGF’s Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Team has enlisted AgriFin to spearhead an innovation facility in Ethiopia. This initiative prioritizes expertise in gender-focused livelihoods development, the digital economy, and technology. The primary objective revolves around providing technical assistance to Ethiopia’s two mobile network operators (MNOs) while ensuring equal access to innovation funding. The targeted focus aims to drive advancements that particularly benefit low-income women in the digital economy. The WEE fund’s potential applications span diverse areas, including research, capacity building, business support, product innovation, content development, income generation, job creation, and the creation of digital tools, all aimed at empowering low-income women across multiple sectors. The grant’s implementation places a strong emphasis on fostering active collaboration and co-design with MNOs to develop innovative digital products tailored specifically for low-income women.

Purpose / Project Description:

The objective of this engagement is to address the digital divide by supporting a gender-led Innovation facility that will co-finance projects with leading global mobile network operators (MNOs) to build inclusive, digitally-enabled products and services for low-income women in Ethiopia. The project aims to improve livelihoods, digital skills, meaningful digital inclusion, agency, and economic opportunities for women.

Consultant Activities:

As part of this engagement, the consultant will engage with the Agrifin team across the following key activities:

• Support strong partner relationships, project plans, and product roadmaps.

• Assist and, in some cases, lead the development of partner business and work plans, reviewing existing marketing plans, business processes, operational manuals, product and technology specifications, and financial statements to do so.

• Perform tasks based on project plans, those agreed with ADF II management, and those assigned to program management.

• Monitor project progress, with regular oversight of technical consultants or third-party providers, and resolve, or assist in resolving issues, under the direction of ADF II management

• Prepare project progress reports and status updates.

• Conduct due diligence on prospective partners, compile required legal documents, and share reports on the same.

• Keep up to date with the Ethiopian agri/fintech ecosystems and participate in ongoing learning meetings with program stakeholders related to program focus areas, working in coordination with technical team managers.

• Assist the program in identifying technical consultants as needed, in preparing terms of reference and scopes of work, and provide support and oversight for consultants as required.

• Contribute to the ADF II learning agenda and track partner impact metrics as and when required.

• Support the Ethiopian Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in developing and submitting proposals to leverage the BMGF Innovation Fund

• Provide technical assistance and support the MNOS in designing and piloting approved proposal concepts

• Assist internal and external partners in generating key learnings and collecting impact and reach data for the donors

Consultant Deliverables:

The consultant will work to produce the following deliverables, in close collaboration with AgriFin’s DCSA Director:

Consultant Deliverables:

The consultant will work to produce the following deliverables:

1. Partner Prospecting and Project Development: Continue to support partner identification efforts and project development, including participating in due diligence exercises, populating partner proposals, and participating in pipeline update meetings. A monthly report accounting for activities done, meetings attended, back-to-office reports, and time sheets. Some of the prospective partners include two of Ethiopia’s MNO’s.

2. Project implementation and partner relationship management: Support the implementation of identified projects, including kick-off meetings, ideation workshops, internal update meetings, and regular updates with the partner and vendors to ensure project success. A monthly report accounting for activities outlined and a time sheet. This is for all approved projects, including BMGF MNO and ADF II.

3. Project and program learning and reporting: Support when required, end-of-project and program

reporting, including documenting lessons learnt and achievements of projects under the advisory of the consultant, support program learning initiatives, both internal and external, where scheduled. A monthly report specifying support provided to the project and program reporting, and timesheet. This will also include support for research activities under the ongoing initiative funded by the Gates Foundation, MNO, and ADF II.

Timeframe / Schedule:

The Timeframe will be between 1st May 2026 – 31st October 2026

The Consultant will report to:

Task Manager is DCSA Director, Elias Nure

Program Director, Sieka Gatabaki, final sign-off on deliverables and invoices.

The Consultant will work closely with:

Mercy Corps AgriFin’s Technical Team

Required Experience & Skills:

1. A bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, or a related field, a master’s degree preferred
2. Minimum three years working for a bank, MNO, non-governmental organization, or a reputable international or national organization preferred.
3. Experience with mobile money, financial services, and/or technology for development, preferred.
4. Working knowledge of the Ethiopian Sector in mobile money, financial services, and/or technology for development.
5. Excellent Computer, verbal, and written communication skills, including report development, writing, and editing.
6. Excellent interpersonal skills.
7. Highly proactive and self-disciplined.
8. Experience and ability to work in a multicultural, multinational team
9. Experience with monitoring and evaluation of projects
10. Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills.
11. Demonstrated experience in project management skills.
12. Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines, and work independently and cooperatively with team members.

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 are 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
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 based on 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 team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our field projects. Team members are expected to conduct themselves professionally and respect local laws, customs, and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.