Project Coordinator - Inclusive Market Systems

About DRC   
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a humanitarian, non-governmental and non-profit organization, founded in 1956, that works in more than 35 countries around the world. DRC is one of the largest protection actors in Kenya, actively coordinating and advocating for improving the protective environment for refugees and host communities.  DRC implements Protection monitoring, Child Protection and GBV prevention and response programmes in its areas of operation to address protection issues faced by displaced and non-displaced at-risk groups and individuals. The programme also aims to identify and build synergies with DRC´s Economic Recovery sector to facilitate durable solutions and Humanitarian Disarmament & Peace Building activities to enhance to respond to the needs of communities affected by acute crisis as well as those in protracted displacement situations.

Overall purpose of the role:  
DRC Kenya is looking for an experienced Inclusive Market Systems Coordinator who will provide targeted and high-quality strategic guidance, capacity strengthening and technical leadership to DRC Kenya’s Market Systems and Economic Recovery portfolio, with the aim of promoting and reinforcing DRC Kenya and its local partners’ leadership and expertise in building self-reliance and resilience for conflict-, climate- and displacement-affected populations in Kenya and the wider region. 

A specific focus for the Inclusive Markets Systems Coordinator will be related to the use of Market Systems Approaches (MSA) to improve access to essential goods, services and livelihood opportunities for displacement-affected populations by leveraging local actors and systems. In particular, they will support of developing DRC’s growing portfolio of modern, decent and sustainable (waged and self-employed) livelihoods programs. They will be working in environments where interventions may need to continue to address immediate needs whilst working towards and/or protecting development gains. 

Due to the nature of displacement in the region, the Coordinator will need to be able to adapt to working creatively within thin, nascent and distorted systems. They will seek to promote the use of holistic intervention strategies utilizing a combination of market-based programming and market systems development interventions in parallel to navigate the nexus challenges of working in fragile contexts. 

Whilst the primary focus will seek to support economic recovery objectives around income-generation, financial inclusion and business development, a secondary focus for the role will be to support the development of integrated programming across DRC’s core sectors of intervention (including with Humanitarian Disarmament & Peacebuilding (HDP), DRR/Climate Change and Protection) acknowledging that working within systems will require a cross-sectoral approach in many instances.

This role will be on the frontier of driving MSA within DRC in the region and candidates must be comfortable with working through this transition and adapting, as required, to navigate organisational constraints whilst attempting to showcase the potential of new ways of working. 

The Inclusive Markets Systems Coordinator reports to the Head of Programmes and works in close collaboration with the Regional Office Technical Team, including across DRC’s core sectors, such as Environment and Climate Adaptation, Protection and HDP, as well as DRC’s platforms Emergency, Root Causes and Durable Solutions. 

This position is a national position with regional coverage. This position is open for national and international candidates with preference given to candidates from the region. Applicants with additional experience outside of the aid sector that can support their application and requirements are encouraged to apply.

Duties & Responsibilities:
Technical Design and Strategy

• Provide technical advice and quality assurance to the DRC Kenya team on application of Market Systems Approaches methodology and principles across the programme lifecycle including proposal design, sector selection, market systems analysis, intervention design and planning (sequencing, layering, integrating), partner identification and engagement strategy, facilitation, MEAL using theories of change and results chains, and adaptive management techniques. 
• Lead the country team and DRC Kenya’s local partners in the planning and design of participatory Market Systems Approaches (including in support to basic needs, in close collaboration with the Emergency Coordinator) to deliver high-quality, needs-based, contextually-appropriate Economic Recovery programming on behalf of IDPS or refugees and their host communities.   
• Collaborate closely with other technical leads within DRC Kenya as well as counterparts across the EAGL region (notably Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding, Protection, Climate Change / Environment, etc.) to explore options and maximise opportunities for integrated programming.
• Contribute to the further strategic and programmatic development of DRC’s Economic Recovery portfolio in DRC Kenya,  and across DRC’s Response Framework (Responding to Emergency; Solutions to Displacement; Addressing Root Causes) to facilitate nexus programming through local actors and systems. This includes further defining DRC Kenya’s strategic niche in building the self-reliance of conflict- and displacement-affected populations in ASAL counties and urban areas through advanced and integrated livelihoods and financial inclusion interventions.

Capacity Strengthening of DRC staff and local partners

• Identify technical and/or programmatic gaps and provide training, mentoring and capacity building as required, and specifically for DRC Kenya partners on the front line of programme delivery. 
• Build capacity of partners and relevant DRC staff (including Operations staff) on their role in facilitating the application of MSA in programming to design advanced and modern marked-based program models for livelihoods, financial inclusion and food security interventions. This will include providing support / capacity building on:
• appropriate proposal design, 
• sector selection and participatory market systems analysis (appropriately selected for Response Framework e.g. EMMA for emergency response vs in-depth market systems analysis for durable solutions vs PCMA for crisis preparedness and resilience building / informing EPRPs)
• modality due diligence and selection, intervention co-design and planning (sequencing, layering, integrating)  
• Work collaboratively with Global Technical Support, HoP and HoSS to identify organisational readiness priorities to facilitate uptake of MSA 

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Design and monitor economic recovery and livelihoods interventions for DRC Kenya, particularly including indicators for MSD and ways of measuring and tracking system level changes that are relevant for DRC’s target communities.
• Technical monitoring of DRC and partner project implementation and hands on guidance about how to adapt their programming to the changing context and emerging risks and opportunities.
• Ensure learning is captured and disseminated effectively across DRC and partner teams, both successes and failures and feedback from beneficiaries and other key stakeholders
• Quality assurance & compliance: follow up and report on the implementation of project level M&E commitments as well as compliance with DRC’s minimum standards for Economic Recovery programming.

Partnership development and oversight

• ToR development, selection and line management of technical consultancies and service providers for delivery of livelihoods and financial access project components for DRC Kenya, in compliance with DRC Kenya and donor regulations.
• Exploration and development of new partnerships with local NGOs, private sector service providers and research organizations that can add value to DRC’s portfolio of existing and planned programmes in the inclusive markets sector.
• Advise on opportunities and risks with respect to achieving programme outcomes through local actors engagement strategies e.g. direct delivery vs. partnership vs. facilitation

Experience and technical competencies:  

• Professional technical experience evidencing and demonstrating ability to deliver against the above-mentioned responsibilities:
• Minimum of 8 years international or regional field experience with well recognized humanitarian and/or development organisations, and demonstrable experience working on Economic Recovery programming in contexts of forced displacement.
• Previous experience in non-humanitarian or development role using similar technical expertise welcomed to support innovation in DRC
• Experience and demonstrated expertise in market systems programming in fragile contexts with evidence of conducting market systems analysis
• Strong knowledge of livelihoods programming (including urban livelihoods, SME start-up and scale-up, and modern agriculture/livestock-based livelihoods) and/or proven ability to apply MSA methodology from other sectors e.g. WASH, Shelter, Energy to livelihoods programming using a market systems approach
• Relevant practitioner knowledge of and experience with financial inclusion and at least three of the other specific areas of focus listed above. 
• Familiarity applying facilitation techniques and innovative business/financing models to local actor engagement 
• Experience of working in Kenya and the wider Horn of Africa, and strong knowledge of livelihoods zones across the region. 
• Familiarity with DRC’s other core sector of intervention, in particular Protection and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (HDP) will be a plus.  
• Experience delivering targeted and high-quality technical training and capacity building, including in remote management settings.
• Substantial experience in both a technical advisory role and with hands-on programme management and implementation across the project/programme cycle.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills
• Proposal development skills
• Excellent organisational skills, ability to determine priorities and attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal and coordination skills, including working with different groups, partners and nationalities.

Education

• Bachelors in Social Sciences, Economics, Development Studies or other relevant field

Language: 

• English – excellent written and verbal skills
• Swahili – excellent verbal skills

Key stakeholders: (Internal and External)

• DRC Kenya team – notably Head of Programmes, Programme Development & Quality Manager, M&E Coordinator plus relevant Area Managers 
• Regional Office – particularly Emergency, Economic Recovery and Resilience Coordinators
• Global Economic Recovery Team, PIBE team

About you:  
In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:  

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.   
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.   
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.   
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.   
• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.   

Conditions  

• Contract: One-year contract with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance. Salary and other conditions are offered in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment. 
• Availability: March, 2025
• Duty station: Country Office. Nairobi

Application and CV:  
Only motivated applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications, sent together with a CV, will be considered.  
DRC only accepts applications sent via our online-application form on www.drc.ngo under Vacancies. Please remember to upload both a letter of application and your CV and do not attach any written recommendations.  
Please submit your application and CV in English no later than 3rd February, 2025

Gender Equality: DRC is committed to achieving gender parity in staffing at all levels.  In light of this, Female candidates and those from minority groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Equal Opportunities: DRC is an equal opportunity employer.  We value diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all employees.  We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, disability status, religion, ethnic origin, color, race, marital status or other protected characteristics.  
DRC’s capacity to ensure the protection of and assistance to refugees, IDP’s and other persons of concern depends on the ability of our staff to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. DRC conducts thorough and comprehensive background checks as part of the recruitment process. Visit drc.ngo to read more about what we do to secure robust safeguarding mechanisms. 
If you have questions or are facing problems with the online application process, please visit drc.ngo/jobsupport