Senior Agriculture Officer (Dnipro/Kyiv/Mykolaiv)

Programme & Policy

Overview

Support implementation of agricultural support activities in Ukraine

You have:

• University degree in agriculture, economics, public/business administration, or other related field;
• Good knowledge of agriculture sector in Ukraine and current needs.
• Proven experience of working with small and medium farmers, supporting value-added agriculture production and interventions to strengthen competitive agriculture value chains.
• At least 5 years of overall working experience, at least 2 years of work experience within an international humanitarian/development organization.
• 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.
• Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work.
• Budget management qualification will be an advantage.
• Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.

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 Agriculture Officer is responsible for supporting implementation of agriculture support activities of UASP. He/She will work with subsistence, small and medium farmers with the purpose to restore/expand agriculture activities, thus increasing incomes, improving productivity and competitiveness. Senior Agriculture Officer will participate in selection of the program participants for agriculture support, disbursement, monitoring and follow-up of agriculture grants, feasibility assessments of the agro-business plans and with support from MEL department evaluation of the economic impact of the funded initiatives. 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

• Support smooth implementation of the Agriculture support component of the program.
• Engage in information dissemination and outreach activities to ensure active participation of the program participants in the program.
• Participate in the selection process of the agriculture support grants and provide feasibility assessments as required.
• Identify the most appropriate grant applications from household-level subsistence farmers within the designated areas.
• Identify the most appropriate grant applications from small and medium farmers, that will engage vulnerable households and subsistence farmers in their income generation schemes within the designated areas.
• Identify the training needs of the program participants and engage in needs-based capacity development interventions.
• Support the strategic definition of new areas of intervention according to the changing context and needs.
• Support preparation of the grant agreements with the program participants and partner agro-businesses; Ensure proper monitoring and follow-up of the funds utilization by program participants.
• Support Mercy Corps MEL team in regular monitoring of the funded agriculture initiatives and provide ongoing support to the program participants.
• Maintain the filing system for the agriculture support component and ensure supporting documentation is in place.
• Collaborate closely with relevant local partner organizations in terms of program implementation activities.
• Maintain good working relations within Mercy Corps and other organizations in the area of responsibility.
• Adhere 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: 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;
• Good knowledge of agriculture sector in Ukraine and current needs.
• Proven experience of working with small and medium farmers, supporting value-added agriculture production and interventions to strengthen competitive agriculture value chains.
• At least 5 years of overall working experience, at least 2 years of work experience within an international humanitarian/development organization.
• 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.
• Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work.
• Budget management qualification will be an advantage.

• Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.

  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. By applying for this role an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or trafficking policy. 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]).

“Mercy Corps collects your personal data for the purposes of managing Mercy Corps recruitment related activities as well as for organizational planning purposes globally. Consequently, Mercy Corps may use your personal data in relation to the evaluation and selection of applicants including, for example, setting up and conducting interviews and tests, evaluating and assessing the results thereto and as is otherwise needed in the recruitment processes including the final recruitment.

Mercy Corps is an international organization consisting of multiple affiliated companies in various countries. Mercy Corps has international sites and uses resources located throughout the world. Your data may be held on secure platforms globally, including outside of the EU. All personal data whether relating to recruitment or employment, is held on a secure platform and system which is subject to regular testing and audit. Unless stated in the job description that the post involves other organizations with which the information will be shared as part of the recruitment process, your personal data will only be shared with third parties where consent is given.

Mercy Corps participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (the “Scheme”) (www.schr.info/the-misconduct-disclosure-scheme). Accordingly, we request information from a job applicant’s previous employer(s) about any investigations which found that the applicant committed sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents of misconduct under investigation when the applicant left employment. By applying, you confirm your consent to Mercy Corps collecting your prior employment history under the Scheme as part of the application process. Your data will be stored for up to four years.”

Please note, this position is subject to donor funding.

Only pre-selected candidates will be contacted for an interview.

People with disabilities and veteran status are welcome to apply.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: mercycorps.org/careers/national