Senior Financial Inclusion Specialist

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 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.

Mercy Corps utilizes Markets Systems Development Approach (MSD) approach to contribute to sustainable poverty reduction and social stability.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps is implementing thirty-six months, ‘Resilience and incomes for smallholders in Ethiopia through digital financial services’ project (RAISE-DFS), funded by Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA). RAISE-DFS will catalyze a transformation in Sharia-compliant and digital financial services in the lowlands of Ethiopia. In doing so, RAISE-DFS will achieve the project overall objective to improve the lives of 181,000 people (28,750 households) in Somali and Afar Regions and in East/West Hararghe Zones of Oromia Region, through increased incomes and enhanced resilience to drought and other shocks.

The program has three outcomes: Outcome I) Financial institutions (FIs) develop the systems and capacities to deliver inclusive and resilient sharia-compliant and digital financial services. Outcome II) Rural HHs and market actors in agriculture value chains use appropriate and affordable credit and savings products and services. Outcome III) Rural HHs have the means, skills, and confidence to access, use and benefit from DFS and Sharia-compliant services.

General Position Summary

The Financial Inclusion Specialist will support implementation of high-quality financial inclusion through capacity-building for teams, conducting market assessments and designing interventions and building relationships with key market actors from the private sector and government. The Specialist will also be involved in designing Intervention Concept notes (ICN) that have financial inclusion, and helping to ensure robust M&E, working with our MEL team. S/he will also play a role in representing Mercy Corps’ financial inclusion work externally, through building relationships with key partners and participating in relevant coordination and learning events.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy and Vision

• Support the development and execution of the RAISE-DFS project detailed implementation plan.
• Support and ensure all RAISE-DFS team members have a clear understanding of the program strategy and their role in contributing towards its delivery.

Coordination and Collaboration

• Enhance strategic partnership with stakeholders and partners to advocate, promote and advance organizational issues, priorities, interests and competencies for a successful program and program delivery.
• Collaborate with clients, partners, and stakeholders to link and harmonize approaches and to promote common interests and achievement of results.

Program Management

• Support the development of work plan, activities, targets, budget, standards for measuring progress and results and determine the processes, tools, and methodologies to be used to ensure effective and efficient program implementation and operations.
• Provide technical support (50%) to integrate DFS & financial inclusion into the RiPA program.
• Conduct high quality market system assessments in financial services, providing the foundation for program design.
• Design interventions Concept notes for MSD programs, using tools such as Results Chains and ‘Who Does, Who Pays?’ matrices.
• Lead the establishment, expansion, and digitization of Village Saving and Loan Associations (VSLAs) under RIPA project.
• Ensure gender integration and mainstreaming are incorporated into financial inclusions interventions.
• Monitor progress and identify risks for timely action and early resolution.
• Responsible for the full compliance with Mercy Corps rules and regulations and policies on financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and follow-up on audit recommendations.
•  Actively support knowledge building, sharing, and applying in the program.
• Submission of high-quality reports for financial inclusion programming to the Program Manager and other relevant Mercy Corps Ethiopia team members.
• Closely work with wide range of financial service providers (MFIs, Banks, VSLA groups) in establishing partnership and managing relationship on regular basis

Teamwork

• Ability to plan own work, manage conflicting priorities and work under pressure of tight and conflicting deadlines.
• Work closely with team members and partners, to support capacity-building and gender integration into the programs.
• Very good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations.
• Very strong leadership capacities to guide a multi-cultural team in difficult circumstances.
• Lead the identification of program issues, challenges and risks, appropriate recommendations and implements them.
• Mentor and coach team members as they perform their duties.

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.

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: RAISE-DFS Programs Manager

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: RAISE-DFS team in Addis Ababa, Oromia, Somali, and Afar; RIPA Teams; Operations and Finance Teams.

Supervisory Responsibility: None

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 programs.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies. 

• B.A degree in Business, Economics, Development Studies, Program Management, or related Social Science fields.
• At least 5 years work experience in program management and coordination, preferably in financial inclusion, digital financial services (DFS), product & strategy development; Islamic finance, financial literacy programs, and community awareness campaigns.
• Previous work experience in the financial sector and international development organization is an advantage.
• Familiar with all aspects of the relevant market systems including key actors, micro-financial institutions (MFIs), banks,
• Understanding of Markets Systems Development (MSD) approach.
• Familiarity with Village Saving and Loan Association (VSLA) methodology and practices is advantageous.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently to Mercy Corps project sites and field locations, including traveling to insecure environments, is required.
• Fluency in English and Amharic is required.

Success Factors

A successful candidate will have a demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively with team members of varied work styles, follow procedures, and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving. S/he will have a proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results, understand the larger picture while remaining focused on the details, work within a complex security and political situation and to follow strict security protocols. A willingness to relocate for short-term as necessary within coverage regions, based on programmatic needs, work independently and as part of a team are essential Computer literate especially in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

All interested candidates are encouraged to apply for the position advertised. All applications should be submitted to the Mercy Corps office/through e-mail that includes a CV, three references, and all relevant official documents. Applications will not be returned and will not be retained for future recruitment efforts. In order to ensure fairness to all applicant’s personal inquiries are not permitted.

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: June 03, 2024, please send non-returnable applications and credentials to one of the following addresses: et-recruitment@mercycorps.org

Note: Please make sure that you mention the position title in the subject line of your email application.