Rangeland Management Specialist | Warder, Somali Region

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. In partnership with civil society organizations, academic institutions, private sector, and the government, Mercy Corps Ethiopia has reached more than five million Ethiopians with interventions to save lives and build secure livelihoods. Our programs emphasize market-driven solutions, reinforce social bonds, and help communities build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Currently in six regional states – Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, and South Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR), and in Dire Dawa Administration and the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa – Mercy Corps Ethiopia is driven by the mission to contribute the emergence of a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous Ethiopia which is inclusive of youth and women. Our strategic directions focus in promoting inclusive and dynamic markets; promoting peace and social cohesion through strengthening formal/informal governance structures and citizen engagement; improved natural resource governance; and integrated humanitarian response.

Position Title: Rangeland Management Specialist

Duty Station: Warder, Somali Region

Open Position: 1

Safeguarding Risk Level: Medium

Programme / Department

Mercy Corps has a significant depth of experience throughout the Horn of Africa, including an operational presence in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Within the Horn of Africa, Mercy Corps’ strategic focus is on dryland communities and programming in these areas include governance, social cohesion, market systems development, climate change adaptation interventions, among others. Through our work across a diversity of program activities, Mercy Corps supports the establishment and cultivation of resilient livelihoods.

About Regional Livestock Program (RLP)

Mercy Corps has a significant depth of experience throughout the Horn of Africa, including an operational presence in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Somaliland. Within the Horn of Africa, Mercy Corps’ strategic focus is on dryland communities and programming in these areas include governance, social cohesion, market systems development, climate change adaptation interventions, among others. Through our work across a diversity of program activities, Mercy Corps supports the establishment and cultivation of resilient livelihoods.

The Regional Livestock Programme (RLP) is a collaborative effort led by implementing partners Helvetas, IGAD, and Mercy Corps. Its aim is to address the challenges that render smallholder and medium-scale market actors uncompetitive and highly susceptible to economic and environmental shocks. The program is designed based on the insights gained from the experience of implementing partners and a year-long analysis of regional livestock trade dynamics and livestock market systems in the pastoralist and agro-pastoralist ASAL regions of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.

Phase I's overall objective is to enable pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in target trade corridors to have more climate-resilient, inclusive, and sustainable livelihoods. The emphasis is on increasing production and productivity of poor agro-pastoralist and pastoralist households, with a particular focus on peri-urban and rural women engaged in the livestock sector and youth. The program also aims to enhance domestic markets and trade while leveraging opportunities for regional integration, competitiveness, and cross-border collaboration along the targeted trade corridors. w, and for the future.

General Position Summary

The Rangeland Management specialist, working under the supervision of Ethiopia RLP Program Manager in conjunction with Rangeland Management Specialist and other Tog Wajaale & Galkayo livestock trade corridor RLP program team, as well as other relevant stakeholders.

He/She will work with relevant stakeholders leading participatory rangeland management activities within the target corridor (Galkayo Corridor). The specialist will work with program technical and leadership team to develop and maintain partnerships with community, government departments, civil society, and private sector to strengthen the PRM and NRM system. S/he will be the primary relationship holder with all rangeland management related activities in the field. S/He will also coordinate with RLP team to organize training events, identify learnings and successes for documentation and sharing PRM best practices, support development or adaptation of tools and guidance documents, identify and support rangeland development and research activities, contribute stakeholder and technical knowledge sharing events, and liaising with relevant local stakeholder networks, and local partners/institutions. 

S/he will be the primary relationship holder with all target communities and private sector partners within the corridor. S/He will also identify or facilitate the formation of inclusive rangeland management committees (RMC) in the target areas and increase the voice and participation of these committees including engaging women and youth. S/He will also coordinate with RLP Program Manager (PM), Galkayo/Togwajale livestock Corridor coordinators, RLP deputy director, PSEI specialists to organize training events, identify learnings and successes for documentation and sharing livestock sector community resilience and best practices, support development or adaptation of tools and guidance documents, identify and support markets-related research activities, lead stakeholder and technical knowledge sharing events, and liaising with relevant stakeholder networks, and local partners/institutions. 

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY AND VISION

• Co-develop and contribute implementation of the Galkayo livestock trade corridor development strategy, Galkayo Corridor PRM plan& implementation providing support as necessary to other program team members in implementing the RLP’s strategy for leveraging community and private sector involvement within the corridor, especially RLPs Long term Outcome 1: Livestock producers have improved sustainable production, productivity, and competitiveness
• Drive the creation of strong partnerships between target community, private sector actors, public sector including attracting and incentivizing the public and private sector to invest in RLP initiatives and interventions.
• Liaise with the Results Measurement (MRM) team on the development of appropriately tailored research and data collection tools and methods for the collection and collation of relevant intervention information from the field.
• Ensure that cross-cutting aspects of GESI and youth are included in the design of program activities across components.

INTERVENTION MANAGEMENT WITHIN THE GALKAYO LIVESTOCK CORRIDOR

• Develop detailed intervention and implementation procedures in a participatory manner with key stakeholders.
• Support development of operational plans and budgets in collaboration with Ethiopia RLP manager, ensuring sequencing, layering and integration of interventions on both sides of the Galkayo corridor.
• Updating and supervising results measurement aspects of the intervention activities including establishing baselines, indicators, and results in collaboration with Result measurement team.
• Collaborate collecting baseline, midline and endline data related to interventions targeted for study or implementation by the project.
• Conduct stakeholder mapping, stakeholder capacity measurement and stakeholder analysis within the Galkayo Corridor and identify and establish contact with potential target participants and other market actors.
• Contribute development of a representative working group and support development of Corridor Upgrading & Investment plans in collaboration with Galkayo TCC .
• Lead the participatory rangeland management (PRM) process to support multi-purpose rangeland management plans, as well as to strengthen customary institutions such as Rangeland management Councils/sub-councils in the target corridors.
• Assess the inclusiveness and effectiveness of management and governance structures of customary institutions and provide capacity building support, including institutional strengthening, gender equity, and skills development.
• Within target corridor, ensure the appropriate communication of clear intervention guidelines, expected outcomes, timeframe and workplan to all relevant parties.
• In collaboration with PM, deputy director and Livestock TCC Assist in developing relevant grant agreements, MoUs, ToRs and any other administrative requirements for participatory rangeland management interventions.
• Identify opportunities for cross-border learning and conduct regular field visits to ensure proper implementation of activities.
• Refine and adapt the intervention strategies in light of participant and stakeholder requests and changing needs and opportunities, within the overall program.
• Lead concepts note development to refine and adapt the intervention strategies in light of community and stakeholder requests and changing needs and opportunities, within the overall program.
• Identify priority areas for interventions that will change as opportunities pass or are realized and new ones emerge.

 REPRESENTATION WORK

• Support to co-ordination, collaboration and representation of the organization & RLP program with local partners and stakeholders at Galkayo Corridor level
• Liaise with RLP Somalia team to enhance corridor influence and advocacy agenda, engaging with local and national institutions, as well as private sector actors, to drive livestock market systems discussions, development, and implementation.
• Manage and update stakeholder management plan and ensure stakeholders at local level are up to date in each stage of project implementation.

SECURITY MANAGEMENT

• Work closely and assist RLP country manager and country security focal point to develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of RLP operation.
• Ensure that programs are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security and local context dynamics.

MONITORING & EVALUATION (M&E) AND REPORTING

• Work with the RLP Monitoring Results Measurement (MRM) team to design appropriate tools for monitoring the progress of interventions within the various target communities and market actors. Also liaise with the MRM on the conduct of impact assessments for ongoing program.

• Work with country-level Program managers, MRM team & Livestock Trade Corridor Coordinators to assess and analyze impact and adaptively manage the programme to meet results.

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.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AND PARTNERS

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and partners 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 projects.

Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibility

• Not applicable

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Ethiopia Program Manager for the Regional Livestock Programme

Works Directly with: Galkayo/Togwajaale Livestock Trade Corridor Coordinators, Somalia RLP manager, Rangeland management Specialist, RLP deputy director, MEL/MRM team members, other team members at Galkayo and Tog Wajaale corridor.

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field, such as Community Development, Livestock production, Development studies, Dry-land Agriculture, Rangeland or another related field preferred.
• Good knowledge & experience of common shocks and stresses, natural resource/rangeland management, feed and fodder, animal health systems in Ethiopia lowland areas specifically Somali region
• At least 4 years of technical and practical work experience in one of the required fields
• Experience working with pastoral societies and understanding of pastoral production system, the role of cross border livestock sector in the economic and social interconnectedness aspect.
• Understanding local customary institutions, private and public sector engagement, gender issues and complex social decision-making structures / conflicts.
• Experience and proven track record in rural development and participatory methods (including participatory rangeland process and plans).
• Experience in implementing rangeland management, particularly supporting traditional institutions to manage rangelands.
• Experience coordinating multiple activities, developing synergies and creating opportunities for collaboration.
• Demonstrated commitment to local capacity building and the ability to engage local stakeholders in project design and implementation.
• The position requires a candidate with excellent communication skills, a relationship builder and
• Demonstrated proficiency with the MS Office software (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint) required.
• Persuasive written and oral communication in English, including report writing; competency in a relevant local language (Somali) are beneficial.
• Experience of working in Somali region of Ethiopia is preferred.
• Qualified female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Success Factors

The Rangeland management Specialist will have exceptional business engagement and partnership skills, as well as the ability to strengthen the capacity of local stakeholders. In addition to technical rangeland and community engagement expertise, s/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams.  S/he will be conversant in a diversity of cross-cutting technical themes, including market system development, water market system, governance, climate change, social cohesion and women empowerment, among others. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written / verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This position will be based in Warder, Somali region and will cover all the Galkayo trade corridor coverage areas. Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values always and in all in-country venues.

Ongoing Learning

This project will be adaptive based on learning and evidence emerging from program interventions and research.

Additionally, 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 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, 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.

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: May 12 / 4:00 PM