Провідний фахівець\чиня із питань підтримки сільского господарства (Service Providers)

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 the Agriculture Service Providers Manager, the Senior Agriculture Officer will play a key role in implementing the Support to Agricultural Service Providers component under UASP. This position will support the oversight of the solicitation of applications, evaluation of proposals, timely procurement, and distribution of equipment to selected service providers, as well as addressing the legal and consultancy needs of farmers. The Officer will work closely with Mercy Corps' procurement department to initiate relevant tenders and manage the necessary documentation, ensuring a smooth procurement process. He/She should at the same time 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 to implementation of the Support to Agricultural Service Providers component.
• Engage in development of a competitive process for soliciting and evaluating applications from agricultural service providers.
• Collaborate with Mercy Corps' procurement department to prepare requests for initiation of relevant tenders.
• In close collaboration with Procurement department verify procurement documents to ensure compliance with Mercy Corps' policies and procedures.
• Oversee and control the delivery of equipment to selected service providers, ensuring timely and efficient distribution.
• Assist Mercy Corps MEL team in developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation plans to track the progress and impact of the support provided.
• Maintain accurate records of all program-related activities and when needed prepare regular reports under Support to Agricultural Service Providers component.
• Collaborate with the local partner organisation to integrate needs-based legal and financial consultancy services into the program.
• Ensure farmers have access to consultations on legal questions, tax, accounting, access to financing, land ownership and taxation, and government subsidies.
• Establish and maintain relationships with non-profit organizations, and other key stakeholders relevant to this component.
• Work closely with agricultural service providers, such as soil testing institutes, food safety laboratories, veterinary service providers, agricultural universities, crop protection institutions, irrigation associations, etc.
• Support in identification of opportunities for systemic and sustainable provision of extension services for farmers.
• Support in identification of potential partnerships with additional local NGOs and stakeholders to expand the reach of consultancy services in future programming.
• 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 Service Providers Manager

Works Directly With: Project Director, Sr. Agriculture Advisor, UASP team, Procurement team, Finance, Operations, 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

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of overall working experience, at least 2 years of work experience within an international humanitarian/development organization
• Strong understanding of the agricultural sector in Ukraine, including the challenges and opportunities faced by service providers and farmers.
• Ability to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including non-profit organizations, and agricultural service providers.
• Excellent communication, presentation and reporting skills.
• Full working proficiency in both oral and written English, Ukrainian and Russian (equally important).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs.
• Budget management qualification will be an advantage.
• Familiarity with the procurement processes is 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 deep understanding of the agricultural sector's needs and the specific challenges faced by agriculture service providers in Ukraine. You should have demonstrated experience in agricultural development interventions and basic understanding in procurement processes, including initiating tenders, verifying documents, and overseeing the delivery of equipment. Additionally, you should possess strong technical skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including respective agriculture service providers and non-profit organizations.

 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 ( Відправити резюме ).

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.