Technical specialist of the UASP Agriculture Support 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

The Agriculture Technical Specialist works closely with UASP Project Director and the program implementation team. Under the direct supervision of Senior Agriculture Advisor, overall plays crucial role in ensuring sustainable and productive agricultural practices, promoting food security and recovery of household level subsistence farmers, as well as small and medium farming enterprises. He/She is responsible for providing expertise and guidance in agricultural practices, technology and sustainable methods to support recovery efforts of Ukrainian farmers and agriculture sector in general. He/She will work with subsistence, small and medium farmers with the purpose of restoring/expand agriculture activities, thus increasing incomes, improving productivity and competitiveness. One of the key responsibilities of the Agriculture Technical Specialist will be to advise the program management on the best use of the available grant support aimed to help farmers to adapt their agribusinesses to the new reality they face. The Agriculture Technical Specialist will be part of the field activities, including vetting of the program participants for agriculture support and provision of technical assistance to the farmers. He/She at the same time should promote Mercy Corps values through various entry points in the project 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

• Provide regular assessment of the needs, as well as opportunities to support household level subsistence farmers, as well as small and medium-sized commercially oriented farming enterprises.
• Analyze current challenges and trends within agricultural value chain of fruits and vegetables growing, poultry, honey production and other sectors that are creating market opportunities for smallholder subsistence farmers.
• Provide evidence-based recommendations to UASP management that can be used to steer Mercy Corps’ agriculture programmatic interventions over both the short- and long-term perspectives, thus informing future programs and donor submissions.
• Support Senior Agriculture Advisor in gathering/analyzing data and completion of assessments to determine community needs and priorities and inform the program design and adaptations.
• Support in identification of the most appropriate projects by small and medium farmers, that will engage vulnerable households and subsistence farmers in their income generation schemes.
• Support in identification of the training needs of the project participants and engage in needs-based capacity building interventions.
• Provide advice to UASP management to address challenges related to crop production, soil health, pest management, implementing effective irrigation methods, access to machinery services, etc.
• Research, analyze data and develop innovative solutions to improve agricultural productivity for household level subsistence farmers, as well as small and medium scale farming enterprises.
• Collaborate with other experts, government agencies, agriculture extension service providers, farmers associations, processors, agrarian universities, etc.
• 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.
• Perform other tasks as requested by the project management.

 Supervisory Responsibility

N/A

 Accountability

Reports Directly To: Senior Agriculture Advisor

Works Directly With: Resilience Program Lead, UASP Project Director, Senior Agriculture Manager, UASP implementation team, PAQ 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 or other closely related field.
• 5-10 years of experience in the Ukrainian agriculture sector or in countries with a similar context.
• Good knowledge of agriculture sector in Ukraine and current needs.
• Demonstrated experience with market analysis and systems assessments and additional analytical tools (e.g. Value chain analysis, Market mapping, etc.).
• Proven experience of working with small and medium farmers, supporting value-added agriculture production and interventions to strengthen competitive agriculture value chains.
• Solid understanding of supporting systems for agriculture (e.g., finance, inputs, transportation, processing, logistics), ideally including experience working within one or more of these functions.
• 5-10 years overall working experience. Experience of working with an international humanitarian/development organization is an asset.
• 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.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet hard deadlines.

 Success Factors

To be successful in this role we expect you to have:a comprehensive understanding of the needs of agriculture sector in Ukraine in the current crisis and possible solutions. Practical understanding of the competitive value chains in Ukraine and the ways to strengthen them. 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 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.

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.