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 (Program / Department Summary)

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 selfreliance.

Our strategic directions focus on promoting strong communities and governance, peace and social cohesion and
environmentally sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
The USAID Informal Livelihoods Advancement Activity (Iqlaa) is a five-year USAID-funded program that aims to support
Jordan's Home Based Businesses and Micro and Small Enterprises to grow, transform, and become resilient to future shocks.
The Iqlaa approach will explore new ways of doing business and improving access to finance, markets, and services. The program focuses on four sectors: agriculture, hospitality and tourism, manufacturing, and services, with special attention to technology development and implementation. Iqlaa infuses a gender, youth, and social inclusion lens throughout all its interventions.
Through research and adaptive, collaborative learning, Iqlaa will identify opportunities, incentives, and market constraints that facilitate or restrict formalization and growth. Based on the findings, Iqlaa will implement best practices in enterprise strengthening, inclusive job creation, and financial sector development within a market systems development (MSD) framework, leveraging innovative behavioral change methodologies to facilitate long-term, sustainable changes in the MSEs ecosystem in Jordan.
Implementing Organizations: Mercy Corps (Lead Implementer), Andersen for Legal and Tax Consultancy (Andersen), Dalberg Design (Dalberg), Expectation State, Middle East Investment Initiative (MEII), Migrate-Jordan (Migrate), Q-Perspective, and American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan (AmCham).

Illustrative Iqlaa Interventions:
● Grants: Iqlaa will extend grants to market actors for formalization, start-up funding, business growth, innovation
and scale, and technology integration. Grant schemes are updated annually.
● Increased business linkages and access to markets for MSEs through aggregators and lead firms.
● Supporting MSEs through incubators and accelerators.
● E-Commerce support to build e-commerce knowledge and skills and establish online stores.
● Business mentorship for MSEs through Mercy Corps’ MicroMentor.
● Business and financial management capacity-building programs and software adoption services.
● Legal and formalization advisory services.
● Support for MSEs owned by people living with disabilities for better access to markets.
● Enhancing Public-Private Dialogue around priority issues faced by MSEs.

The Position (General Position Summary)
Reporting to the MSE Development Lead, the MSE Support Specialist will support in designing, leading, and implementing the activities within the Iqlaa Micro & Small Enterprises Development Component, which supports MSEs’ increased access to business opportunities (R2). Mainly, the MSE Support Specialist will focus on providing technical and financial support to
MSEs across Iqlaa’s target sectors, in line with the Iqlaa Cooperative Agreement, the approved annual work plans, and the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plan. The MSE Support Specialist will work with training providers, incubators,
BDS providers, and other market actors to conceptualize and deliver on interventions that support the fulfillment of Subresult 2.1 “Increased MSE managerial and technical capacities”; Sub-result 2.2. “Increased MSE business linkages” all of which support Sub-result 2.3 “Increased MSE access to formalization”. To that end, the MSE Support Specialist will work with the outreach offices, and the grants team to assure an impactful, sustainable, and scalable support framework for MSEs. The MSE Support Specialist will assist the MSE Development Lead in managing the activities implemented through the Iqlaa consortium partners to ensure the scalable delivery of the MSE component's activities and interventions.

Essential Responsibilities
● Work closely with the MSE Development Lead in the oversight of the Iqlaa MSE Development Component’s
activities, to fulfill Iqlaa’s goals and objectives.
● Support the implementation of the MSE Component activities and efficiently adhere to schedules, targets, and
budget requirements.
● Utilize measures, strategies, actions, and effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts and provide support
in identifying and implementing mechanisms for targeted research to inform program design and
implementation. This includes, but is not limited to:
o Create market linkage between supported MSEs and “lead firms”, allowing MSEs to overcome restrictive
barriers to market entry.
o Support the implementation of the “aggregation model” to enable MSEs to work collaboratively, and access
market mediators and aggregators.
o Enhance MSE’s ability to adopt digital tools and technologies.
o Identify service providers who present a strong value proposition for MSEs and enable these providers to
customize their digital services to better fit the needs of MSEs.
o Create sustainable linkages and foster healthy relationships between MSEs and Business Development
Support (BDS) providers, while helping MSEs owners recognize the value of BDS.
o Providing improvements to aggregators’ capacity to support MSEs on the demand side.
o Improve 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.
o Drive the entrepreneurial spirit within target groups with a high unemployment rate, such as women with
professional and academic degrees.
o Support Iqlaa’s efforts to build a business environment that rewards MSEs formalization, including
facilitating access to formal business deals and contracts.
● Support the development of required scopes and procurement/solicitation documents (RFAs, RFPs, etc.) to fulfill
the needs of the Component’s work plan; and as delegated by the COP and/or DCOP/Programs take part in their
evaluations per the set processes.
● Support in managing Iqlaa sub-grants, while adhering to the USAID and Mercy Corps standards and regulations
including:
o Collecting all sub-grant documents
o Supporting the Lead in drafting the sub-grant agreements, including defining SMART milestones and
budgets.
o Following up with the sub-grantees and ensuring the delivery of the set milestones/deliverables and that
the targets are met.
o Managing sub-grantee payment and advance requests to ensure timely liquidation of the awarded grants;
and supporting the Lead to manage the grants’ projections tracker to result in the agreed-to burn rate.
● Work seamlessly with other components and teams including the research, Outreach, Access to Finance (A2F),
Performance, Quality and Learning (PQL), Communications, and GYSI teams to maximize synergies within Iqlaa
components for optimized results and targets. Assuring the following:
o Support Iqlaa’s Research team in data collection and analysis and in reviewing TORs; to ensure that the
interests of MSE are represented accurately and appropriately.
o Utilize and apply Iqlaa's research findings as well as other relevant research to implement evidence-based
recommendations for the MSE component.
o Use PQL assurance tools and materials effectively, to fully comply with all quality and monitoring and
evaluation standards, including those related to proper documentation and file keeping.
o Oversee the monitoring and evaluation of the component activities in close coordination with the M&E
team and consortium partners, including monitoring, data collection, analysis, and report writing in line
with the M&E standard procedures as set by the Iqlaa PQL team.
o Gender, Youth, Social Inclusion (GYSI): Work closely with the Inclusion Lead to ensure that all implemented
activities are compliant with inclusion standards ensuring the component is sensitive and responsive to
different opportunities and barriers faced by women and youth, as well as to fulfill GYSI-related targets,
o Support the Outreach team to train and apply Iqlaa’s Assessment & Segmentation Tool and any other tools
that will be used with the MSEs/HBBs.
o Work with the Outreach team to ensure the successful implementation of grants and activities that target
the MSEs across the central governorates, while ensuring their compliance with USAID regulations.
o Support the Outreach team in addressing the challenges and issues that might arise during the outreach
process and while the MSEs and HBBs are receiving the services, and assist in developing initiatives and
implementation to turn these challenges into opportunities.
o Work closely with the Access to Finance team to support the development of interventions that support
the business financial service providers and the financial institutes that work with MSEs and integrate the
A2F component into the current MSEs initiatives and activities.
o Identify potential success stories and other communications-worthy achievements to convey to the
Communications team.
● Take a leading role in the development of weekly, quarterly, and annual progress reports in addition to assisting
in the development of annual work plans.
● Ensure adherence to Mercy Corps PM@MC minimum standards within the component, including Community
Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM).
● Contribute towards the development of communication materials (including presentations, success stories,
etc.).
● Ensure the proper implementation and modeling of safeguarding policies and procedures with regards to all
interactions with team members, partners, and Iqlaa’s participants.

Personnel Management
● Train and support team members on MSEs support strategies and practices, 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
● Oversee the monitoring and evaluation of the component activities in close coordination with the M&E team
and consortium partners, including monitoring, data collection, analysis, and report writing in line with the M&E
standard procedures as set by the Iqlaa ع PQL team.
● Support the Outreach team and consortium partners when needed on Iqlaa ع ’s Assessment & Segmentation
Tool and any other tools that will be used with the MSEs/HBBs.
● 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
● Provide needed input for the development of the MSE component budget for each intervention and activity
including TORs and RFAs, including setting the budget projections and reviewing them before submission to the MSE
Development lead , per the set procedures.
● Ensure compliance with USAID and Mercy Corps regulations.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Iqlaa’s MSE Development Lead
Works Directly With: Chief of Party, DCOP/Programs, DCOP/Operations & Finance, Iqlaa’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, 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 in economics, social or political science, 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 in the above-mentioned fields (including at least 3 years of relevant economic growth
programming experience) may also be considered.
● A minimum of 5 to 8 years of overall experience in working in donor-funded programs, with knowledge of the
Jordanian context and key Jordanian stakeholders, as well as work experience in the Jordanian context, is strongly
preferred.
● Hands-on technical experience in economic development focusing on micro and small enterprise development and
systems approaches highly preferred.
● 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).
● Fluent verbal and written communication skills in Arabic and excellent verbal and written English is required.

Competencies
Action-oriented, Analytical Thinking, 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 governorates.

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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