Program Officer

Description

General Position Summary

The Program Officer will support the planning, implementation, and monitoring of activities under the IFSLS program, aimed at enhancing financial inclusion for actors in Somalia’s livestock value chain. The Program Officer will work closely with financial institutions, microfinance providers, and other stakeholders to address constraints related to product development, capacity building, gender equity, and financial literacy. The role requires strong coordination, communication, and organizational skills to ensure the successful delivery of program activities that focus on improving access to financial services for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), producer groups, women, and youth in the livestock sector. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a transformative program that supports financial inclusion and economic growth in Somalia’s livestock sector. The successful candidate will help ensure the smooth execution of the IFSLS program, empowering MSMEs and underserved communities to access and benefit from tailored financial products and services.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

Program Implementation & Coordination:

1. • Assist in planning and coordinating the day-to-day activities of the IFSLS program, ensuring timely implementation of project components.
   • Collaborate with partner financial institutions (IBS Bank and KIMS Microfinance) to ensure activities are aligned with project goals and timelines.
   • Organize and facilitate workshops, training sessions, and meetings with stakeholders, including MSMEs, producer groups, financial institutions, and community organizations.

Product Development Support:

1. • Support the Program Manager and Business Development Advisor in the development of new financial products tailored to MSMEs in the livestock value chain.
   • Assist in the coordination of product pilot testing, including identifying pilot areas, tracking progress, and gathering feedback for product improvement.

Capacity Building & Technical Assistance:

1. • Help in the development and delivery of capacity-building activities for financial institutions to improve their ability to offer inclusive financial products.
   • Assist in organizing training sessions on risk management, operational processes, financial literacy, and business development for partner institutions and MSMEs.

Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E):

1. • Support the monitoring and evaluation of program activities by collecting data, tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), and documenting lessons learned.
   • Assist in conducting impact assessments, particularly focused on women, youth, and marginalized groups, to measure the effectiveness of financial products and services.
   • Ensure regular reporting to the Program Manager and donors, highlighting progress, challenges, and areas for improvement.

Gender & Social Inclusion:

1. • Work with the team to integrate gender equity and social inclusion across all program activities, ensuring that women and youth have equitable access to financial products and services.
   • Assist in organizing community outreach and awareness campaigns to promote financial literacy and participation among women, youth, and other marginalized groups.

Stakeholder Engagement:

1. • Maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including financial institutions, MSMEs, community leaders, and government agencies.
   • Facilitate regular communication and coordination between the project team and external partners to ensure alignment and collaboration on project goals.

Digital Financial Services:

1. • Support efforts to strengthen digital financial services for partner institutions, such as mobile banking platforms and agent banking models.
   • Assist in organizing training and capacity-building sessions focused on digital financial inclusion, particularly targeting rural areas and underserved populations.

Outreach & Communication:

1. • Support the development of program communication materials, including reports, presentations, and success stories, to share program achievements with stakeholders and donors.
   • Assist in organizing exchange events, market fairs, and community outreach efforts to promote financial services and strengthen linkages between MSMEs and financial institutions.

Security

• Work closely with the country team’s security focal point to ensure communication strategy and products promote and maintain the safety and security of all team members.
• Ensure that communication activities are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security.
• Adhere to Mercy Corps’ safe communication policy and other safeguarding principles with respect to communication.

Organizational Learning 

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities they serve, we empower all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Program Participants

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our field projects.

Qualifications & Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in program coordination, project management, or a similar role within development programs, preferably related to financial inclusion, livelihoods, or MSME support.
• Strong understanding of microfinance, MSMEs, and the livestock value chain in Somalia or similar contexts.
• Experience in supporting program implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and stakeholder engagement.
• Familiarity with gender equity, social inclusion, and financial literacy programs.
• Strong organizational and coordination skills with attention to detail and an ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders.
• Fluency in English is required; knowledge of Somali is an asset.

Competencies:

• Proven ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated experience in program management and the ability to meet deadlines and manage competing priorities.
• Cultural sensitivity and commitment to advancing gender and social inclusion in development programs.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and data collection tools for program monitoring and reporting.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Program Manager

Works Directly With: Business Development Advisor, Country MEAL Manager, GEDSI Coordinator, Knowledge Management and Learning Coordinator, Program Communication Leads, Program Team Leads, Field Officers and other relevant Mercy Corps Somalia staff

Success Factors

The successful Communication and Reporting Specialist candidate will have the ability to work independently, take initiative in tasks and self-learning, and be proactive in communications and the development of professional relationships. Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority. Should be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment with demonstrated sensitivity to the people and issues in Somalia and the region. A sense of humor, a team mentality, and a positive nature are highly desirable.

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. We strongly encourage qualified female candidates to apply

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 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 the Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.