About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
The Program Summary
Mercy Corps’ Ukraine crisis response seeks to meet the humanitarian needs of vulnerable Ukrainians and other conflict-affected people where they are: displaced inside Ukraine, refugees in Poland, Romania, and Moldova, or trapped behind frontlines. We aim to reach 500,000 vulnerable people with multi-purpose cash assistance, in-kind humanitarian support, and protection services across four countries. Almost all our impact will be delivered in partnership: with Ukrainian, Polish, Romanian and Moldovan civil society organizations through a granting program that matches humanitarian action with capacity strengthening, and with peer international NGOs through a consortium in Ukraine.
In the initial response to the war in Ukraine, Mercy Corps is focused on the emergency delivery of aid to the affected populations, primarily through Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) and in-kind food and non-food assistance. Mercy Corps will continue this life saving assistance for as long as it is needed but acknowledges that recovery and resilience requires access to steady income alongside functioning markets. Therefore, alongside ongoing emergency activities, Mercy Corps will launch early recovery activities, that will contribute to stabilization of livelihoods and improved resilience for IDPs and conflict-affected individuals. In line with direct investments to support self-employment opportunities, SME and agriculture sectors, this pilot will work as an adaptive response mechanism and will adapt programming according to ongoing analysis of the context and potentially changing needs.
The Position
Self-Employment Coordinator is responsible for implementation of micro-business grants component in support of self-employment opportunities for IDPs residing in Dnipropetrovsk oblast of Ukraine. He/She will coordinate the process of supporting micro business initiatives by IDPs, including vetting and selection initial business ideas, disbursement, monitoring and follow-up of the assistance provided and evaluation of the impact on the programme participants. He/She at the same time should promote Mercy Corps values through various entry points in the project and preserve staff moral and enthusiasm for the project work.
Essential Responsibilities
- Under the leadership of the Project Manager, ensure smooth implementation of the Self-Employment support component of the project.
- Initiate information dissemination and outreach activities to ensure active participation of the beneficiaries in the programme.
- Lead the selection process of the micro-business grants and provide vetting and selection of the business ideas.
- Identify the training needs of the project participants and engage in needs-based capacity building interventions.
- Ensure that vulnerable groups of populations, seeking for self-employment opportunities, are included in project support schemes.
- Prepare and execute grant agreements with micro-business grants recipients, control utilization of the funds as per signed the agreements.
- Undertake regular monitoring of the funded micro-businesses and provide ongoing support to the programme beneficiaries.
- Organize filing system for the micro-business grants component and ensure supporting documentation is in place.
- Coordinate the implementation of the project activities related with micro-business grants activities designated to the local implementing partner organization.
- Liaise with local authorities as necessary.
- Maintain good working relations within Mercy Corps and other organizations in the area of responsibility.
- Perform other tasks as requested by the project management.
Supervisory Responsibility
Line Manages: Senior Self-Employment Support Officers
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Project Manager – Resilience Pilot
Works Directly With: Area Manager – Dnipro, Crisis Analytics Team, Partnerships Manager, Agriculture Coordinator, SME Support Coordinator.
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.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
- Advanced university degree in economics, public/business administration, or another related field.
- Knowledge of resilience, early recovery and livelihoods interventions in Ukrainian context, good understanding of possible durable solutions for conflict-affected population.
- At least 7 years of overall working experience, at least 3 years of work experience within an international humanitarian/development organization.
- Experience in managing multi-functional teams.
- Proven experience in working with IDPs and conflict-affected population.
- Proven experience in management of grant-making programs and elaboration and implementation of the project tools and systems.
- Good communication, presentation and reporting skills.
- Practical understanding of the needs of IDPs and vulnerable population to engage in self-employment activities.
- Full working proficiency in both oral and written English, Ukrainian and Russian (equally important).
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs.
- Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work.
- Small business / micro-finance / budget management qualification will be an advantage.
- Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.
- Ukrainian citizenship.
Success Factors
To be successful in this role we expect you to have: a comprehensive understanding of the needs of IDPs and the conflict-affected population in Ukraine and possible solutions. Practical understanding of the needs and concerns of private sector in Ukraine. Proven experience in livelihoods, economic recovery and resilience programming; Proven ability to lead the team and supervise implementing partner organizations.
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 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 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.