Leading specialist of the UASP program department in Mercy Corps

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 in Ukraine. Ukraine’s vital agricultural sector has been heavily impacted by the ongoing war, including for the predominant smallholder producers, leaving producers to salvage harvests, find new markets for their products, and plan for future growing seasons amidst uncertainty and incomplete information.

Since November 2023, with support from HGBF, Mercy Corps has been implementing “Ukraine Agricultural Support Program” (UASP), which aims to recover and protect livelihoods, increase economic stability and self-sufficiency, and facilitate early recovery for household level subsistence farmers and small farming businesses in targeted areas in Ukraine. Support includes grants to farmers designed to support them in adapting their agribusinesses to the new reality they face. Therefore, Mercy Corps helps to increase economic stability and self-sufficiency, and facilitate early recovery for smallholder subsistence farmers, small and medium sized farming enterprises in 13 oblasts of Ukraine, out of which 8 in eastern, northern and southern oblasts (Sumy, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Mykolaiv and Kherson) will be a priority area.

 The Position

Under the direct supervision of Agriculture Coordinator, the Senior Program Officer is responsible for providing comprehensive support in the implementation of the program. This includes but not limited in overseeing the proper management of contractual documentation, assisting in budgetary control for financial assistance expenditures, and reviewing business plans and related documentation under the UASP. S/he will be responsible for preparation and management of agreements with program farmers (including subsistence, small, and medium-sized). This role ensures that all documents are of high quality and properly signed, prepares and initiates payment documents for grant disbursement, and monitors the proper utilization of grant funds (including receiving and verification respective reports from program participants). The Senior Program Officer will also provide support in assessment of the business ideas from farmers as needed, ensuring that all aspects of the program are in alignment with Mercy Corps’ goals. S/he at the same time should promote Mercy Corps values through various entry points in theproject and preserve staff moral and enthusiasm for the project work.

Essential Responsibilities

Safeguarding Responsibilities

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

 Main Responsibilities

• Ensure the accurate and timely preparation, review, and execution of contractual documentation related to the program.
• Draft and prepare agreements with program farmers, ensuring that all terms and conditions are clear and in line with program objectives.
• Evaluate business plans submitted by program participants for viability, feasibility, and alignment with program objectives.
• Prepare and initiate payment documents for grant disbursement, ensuring timely and accurate processing of funds.
• Work closely with local partner organization team specifically engaged in documentation process and permanent support provision with capacity development, ensuring prompt and timely signing grant agreements.
• Ensure all documents related to agreements and payments are of high quality and comply with organizational standards.
• Monitor and control the utilization of grants by program participants, ensuring compliance with grant agreements and effective use of resources.
• Review and verify reports of grant utilization from farmers, providing feedback and ensuring accurate documentation of expenditures.
• Maintain a systematic record-keeping system for all contractual documents and associated correspondence.
• Work closely with the Agriculture Coordinator and other team members to ensure proper and quality documentation process under each agricultural program component.
• Assist in information dissemination and outreach activities to engage program participants effectively.
• Engage (as needed) in vetting of applications, field assessment visits to program participants and support in identification of relevant business ideas from farmers.
• Prepare and provide regular report on UASP activities to Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster.
• Maintain good working relations within Mercy Corps and other organizations in the area of responsibility.
• Adherence to all MC policies and procedures as outlined in MC policies and procedure manuals.
• Conduct themselves both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
• Performother tasks as requested by the project management.

Supervisory Responsibility

N/A

 Accountability

Reports Directly To: Agriculture Coordinator

Works Directly With: Ukraine Agricultural Support Program (UASP) implementation team

 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

• University degree in agriculture, economics, public/business administration, or other related field.
• Proven experience in contract management, budgetary control, and business plan evaluation.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to assess complex financial and business documents.
• At least 5 years of overall working experience, and at least 2 years of work experience within an international humanitarian/development organization.
• Good understanding of agriculture sector in Ukraine.
• Strong attention to detail, with excellent document handling and organizational skills.
• Good communication, presentation and reporting skills.
• Full working proficiency in both oral and written English, Ukrainian and Russian (equally important).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs.
• Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.

 Success Factors

To be successful in this role we expect you to have: meticulous attention to detail, robust analytical skills, and effective communication and collaboration with stakeholders. Strong multi-tasking, organizational, prioritization skills are necessary. Accuracy and attention to details are necessary; a comprehensive understanding of the needs of agriculture sector in Ukraine in the current crisis and possible solutions. Proven experience in agriculture, livelihoods, economic recovery and resilience programming.

 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 teammembers. 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.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]).

 Please note, this position is subject to donor funding.

Тільки попередньо відібрані кандидати будуть запрошені на співбесіду.

Ласкаво запрошуємо осіб з інвалідністю та ветеранів відгукнутись на цю посаду.

Mercy Corps створило робоче місце для працевлаштування осіб з інвалідністю та ветеранів, та належні умови праці для цієї вакансії, але це не обмежує коло осіб, які можуть подаватись на цю вакансію.