MSE Support Specialist

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 / Department / Team

Mercy Corps has been operating in Jordan since 2003. In partnership with civil society organizations, the private sector, and the government, Mercy Corps Jordan has reached more than 3.4 million Jordanians and displaced populations in the country. Working throughout Jordan, Mercy Corps is driven by the mission to contribute to the emergence of a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous Jordan which is inclusive of youth and women. We seek to build a future for Jordan in which all people feel secure, believe in the goodness of communities and institutions around them, and are on a sustainable path toward economic self-reliance. Our strategic directions focus on promoting strong communities and governance, peace and social cohesion and environmentally sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

The Informal Livelihoods Advancement Activity (Iqlaaع) is a USAID-funded, five-year activity aimed at facilitating the recovery of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Jordan, following the COVID-19 crisis and its considerable negative impact on the Jordanian economy. Targeting both the formal and informal economic sectors, efforts will focus on increasing MSE access to local finance and safety net measures. There will be a focus on adopting a multi-dimensional approach to build the economy’s self-reliance and improve its productivity and growth, including the major contributing industries in the local economy: agriculture, services, manufacturing, and tourism.

Mercy Corps’ approach to Iqlaaع integrates direct assistance with market systems development (MSD) interventions to support MSEs along the full journey from recovery to growth and resilience. Grounded in evidence-based, adaptive, and inclusive support, Jordan’s MSEs can emerge from the COVID-19 crisis stronger and more resilient, transformed with new approaches to business and improved access to finance, markets, and services. Understanding that women, youth, and people living with disabilities (PLWD) face unique constraints to starting up and leading resilient MSEs, Mercy Corps design will infuse a Gender, Youth and Social Inclusion (GYSI) lens throughout all interventions. Mercy Corps approach is committed to supporting MSEs build back, formalize, and grow, emphasizing systems-level change, equitable opportunities, and a dignified work environment for all women, men, and youth, and PLWD in Jordan.

The Position

Reporting to the MSE Development lead, the MSE Support Specialist will support in designing, leading and implementing the activities within the Iqlaaع MSE Component. Mainly, the Specialist will focus on providing direct capacity building, financial support, and technical support to MSEs, in line with the Iqlaaع Cooperative Agreement, the approved annual work plans and the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plan. The Specialist will coordinate with training providers, incubators, BDS providers, the Iqlaaع outreach offices, and the grants team to assure an impactful, sustainable, and scalable support framework to MSEs.

The Specialist will support the Component Lead in combining technical assistance and services for MSEs across Iqlaaع’s target sectors to fulfill its goals and objectives. The MSE Component activities will include activities that strengthen the enabling environment for MSEs, and activities related to providing direct capacity building, financial support, technical support, and market linkages to MSEs. On the demand side, the MSE Support Specialist will interact with various market actors, including lead firms, to identify opportunities for MSEs to grow. The MSE Component will engage lead firms and BSPs through results-based grants from Iqlaaع’s Innovation Fund and other related funds, based on identified KPIs such as number of MSEs formalized or increases in MSE revenue. The MSE Support Specialist will support the MSE Development Lead in managing the activities implemented through the Iqlaaع consortium partners, and coordinate with market stakeholders and project partners, to provide a scalable delivery of the MSE Component’s activities and interventions.

Essential Responsibilities

• Work closely with the MSE Development Lead in the oversight of the Iqlaaع MSE Development Component’s activities, to fulfill Iqlaaع’s goals and objectives.
• Supporting in the implementation of the MSE Component activities and efficiently adhere to schedules, targets, and budget requirements.
• Using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts and providing support in identifying and implementing mechanisms for targeted research to inform program design and implementation. This includes, but is not limited to:

1. Linking lead firms with MSEs that face restrictive barriers to entry.
2. Assisting in the developing of the aggregation model and aggregators.
3. Enhancing MSE uptake of digital tools while supporting ecosystem actors to digitize services for MSEs.
4. Linking MSEs with Business Development Support (BDS) providers by fostering between them a sustainable relationship, and helping MSE owners recognize the value of BDS.
5. Providing improvements to aggregators’ capacity to support MSEs on the demand side.
6. Improving MSE access to social capital through mentorship as a catalyst for growth and enabling them to form connections with resources including finance, skills training, and social networks.
7. Supporting entrepreneurship for target groups with high unemployment, such as women with professional and academic degrees.
8. Disseminate guidance and information about incentives to MSEs through diverse channels, including social media.
9. Work to shape an MSE ecosystem that rewards formalization through eased administrative and financial burdens (from the public sector) and access to suppliers or buyers that engage only with formal enterprises (in the private sector).

• Work seamlessly with other components and teams including the research, innovation, PaQ, GYSI and MSD teams to maximize synergies within Iqlaa components for optimized results and targets.

1. Supporting the Research Team in reviewing TORs to ensure the MSE lens is represented accurately and appropriately, along with data collection and analysis, and familiarizing oneself with relevant findings to implement research-based recommendations throughout the MSE Component.
2. Collaborating with the Innovation Team to ensure that the processes and the initiatives of MSE ecosystem development are innovative and impactful, while also reviewing relevant documentation and providing in-field support
3. Effectively using Performance and Quality (PaQ) assurance tools and materials, and complying with all quality, monitoring and evaluation standards, including those related to proper documentation and file keeping
4. Collaborating with the Market Systems Development (MSD) Team to ensure that implemented activities and approaches are following an MSD approach when possible and applicable.
5. Gender, Youth, Social inclusion (GYSI): Working closely with the Inclusion Lead to ensure that all implemented activities are complying with inclusion standards for women, youth and persons living with disabilities, as well as to fulfill GYSI related targets.

• Contributing to weekly, quarterly, and annual progress reports in addition to assisting in the development of annual work plans.
• Supporting the development of required scopes and procurement documents (RFAs, RFPs, etc.)
• Ensuring adherence to Mercy Corps PM@MC minimum standards within the component.
• Contributing towards the development of communication materials (including presentations, success stories, etc.).
• Ensuring the proper implementation and modeling of safeguarding policies and procedures with regards to all interactions with team members, partners, and Iqlaaع’s participants.
• Integrate gender and youth inclusion, ensuring the component is sensitive and responsive to different opportunities and barriers faced by women and youth.

Personnel Management

• Train and support team members on donor compliance, report writing, project monitoring, record keeping, and grants management; AND
• Collaborate with the people team to promote staff access to high quality learning opportunities, with a special emphasis on national team member development.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Support in overseeing the monitoring and evaluation of the component activities in close coordination with the M&E Senior Coordinator and Iqlaa consortium partners, including monitoring, data collection, analysis, and report writing, AND
• Support in the M&E data reporting and work closely with the Communication Director to accurately report on M&E data collected from the field so it is clearly reflected in the project reports.

Financial and Compliance Management

• Support in the management of MSE component budget.
• Ensure compliance with USAID and Mercy Corps regulations; AND

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Iqlaaع’s MSE Development Lead

Works Directly With: Chief of Party, Deputy COP, Iqlaaع’s MSE Development Lead, MSE Support Coordinators, and Officers

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, and 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

• BA/Sc or equivalent experience in economics, social or political science, the management or public administration, international development, or other relevant fields to economic growth programming. Applicants with other academic track records who bring a strong track record of work (including at least 3 years of relevant economic growth programming experience) may also be considered.
• A minimum of 6 – 8 years of experience in a related field.
• At least 1 – 2 years of experience in managing donor-funded programs.
• Technical experience in economic development focusing on micro and small enterprise development and systems approaches highly preferred.
• Successful track working in donor-funded technical assistance programs, with a strong preference for past USAID-funded project management experience. This includes experience in (sub) grants management, management of consultants, and procurement, among others.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with multiple stakeholders (including public sector, private sector at both grass-root and corporate levels, and civil society). Knowledge of the Jordanian context and key Jordanian stakeholders, as well as work experience in the Jordanian context, is strongly preferred.
• Fluent verbal and written communication skills in Arabic and excellent verbal and written English is required.

Competencies

Action-oriented, Delegation Responsibility, Planning and Prioritization Skills, Problem Solving Skills, Results Oriented, Innovation and Creativity, and Multi-tasking skills.

Success Factors

A successful candidate will have a demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively with team members and other stakeholders of varied work styles and cultures, follow procedures, and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving. This position requires an ability to think creatively about changing norms that lead to greater opportunities for economic growth at household, community, and institutional levels. S/he will have a proven ability to learn quickly, multi-task, prioritize, take initiative, and be accountable for results, understand the larger picture while remaining focused on the details, problem solving, work within a complex and sensitive setting and to follow laws and security protocols. The most successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Amman, Jordan, and it requires up to 30% travel to support other governates.

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 a 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 the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. 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 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.

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