Mercy Corps Gender and Training Specialist Job in Thika Kenya

Mercy Corps works amid disasters, conflicts, chronic poverty and instability to unleash the potential of people who can win against impossible odds. Since 1979, Mercy Corps has provided $1 billion in assistance to people in 82 nations. 

Supported by headquarters offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, the agency's unified global programs employ 3,500 staff worldwide and reach 9 million people in more than 40 countries. 

Over the last five years, more than 90 percent of the agency's resources have been allocated directly to programs that help people in need.

The Yes Youth Can (YYC) initiative is a complimentary program funded by the USAID and was designed to empower Kenya’s youth population in areas recovering from the post-election violence in 2007/8, through building capacity of youth groups and organizations to engage with markets, governments and communities, and to pursue their legitimate needs and interests more effectively in a way that builds positive inter-ethnic networks. 

Mercy Corps manages two regional awards, the Rift-Valley Program which is based in Eldoret, and the Central Program which is based in Thika. 

It also manages the YYC National Program which works with youth through partner agencies in six provinces of Kenya.

Mercy Corp is seeking to recruit a Program Specialist - Economic Empowerment reporting to the Chief of Party. 

The position is based in Thika.
   
General Position Summary
 

Program Specialist Economic Empowerment is a senior level position with Mercy Corps Kenya. It will be primarily responsible for providing leadership of the Economic Empowerment component of the Yes Youth Can (YYC). 

The USAID-funded project to genuinely empower youth in Kenya to develop themselves for greater voice in national and local reforms and to create new opportunities for livelihoods that meet the aspirations of young Kenyans. 

The program will support youth in achieving positive change in three major areas: 

(1) increased work skills/employment; 

(2) increased citizenship/civic engagement, and 

(3) increased inter-ethnic engagement. 

It is expected that activities will include youth-driven mobilization initiatives that benefit communities and promote citizenship; creation of opportunities for life and employment skills; and initiatives to bring together youth of different ethnicities.

The Program Specialist Economic Empowerment will work closely with the Chief of Party to implement the current YYC Central regional programs’ economic empowerment component.

Essential Job Functions

• Member of the YYC Central Program leadership team in partnership with Chief of Party and Country Director;
• Direct and indirect supervision of economic empowerment technical program, other MC officers and youth trainers
• Provide technical insight and advice for economic empowerment programming, including job skills and employment activities, combining experience with practical on-the-ground identification of opportunities and constraints;
• Provide technical leadership in value chain/market analysis to identify opportunities for improved economic opportunities for young people and other beneficiaries
• Provide technical leadership and management of the Community Managed Microfinance (Village Savings & Loans) component across the YYC Program.
• Provide technical and management leadership of YYC regional business grants
• Management and mentorship of local program staff and other partners namely the youth county boards, gradually transferring skills and capacities;
• Work with program staff on an ongoing basis to ensure smooth planning, preparation, implementation, and joint monitoring and evaluation of program activities and achievements towards program goals.
• Facilitate deliberate linkage of YYC regionals’ economic empowerment mandate to YYC National’s various economic empowerment mandate namely youth SACCOs, business grants, entrepreneurship training among others.
• Participate in the YYC programs’ strategic development and way forward process
• Provide training and  mentorship to MC staff on economic empowerment and related strategies and applications
• Represent Mercy Corps in related thematic working groups within the country
• Engage with Government of Kenya national and County Government departments on economic development initiatives in conjunction with the Chief of Party.
• Represent Mercy Corps in donor-driven forums/meetings in conjunction with the Chief of Party and Country Director.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Post graduate degree (or compensatory long-term work experience) in the social sciences, business administration, economics/economic development, or international development;
• Minimum of 5years’ experience in international development;
• Technical expertise in youth economic empowerment, general livelihoods and economic development
• Experience managing youth, micro-enterprise, community microfinance, job skills/employment, civic engagement, agricultural value-chains, program design and program M&E
• History of working effectively and respectfully with host government, NGOs, contractors and other partners;
• Ability to effectively convey programmatic goals, enlist partnerships, and work with a range of program and external stakeholders;
• Fluency in Kiswahili

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit to a field posting. 

Staff are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

To Apply:
 

Interested candidates who meet the requirements of the above position should submit an application including a cover letter, detailed CV listing three professional references (including your current/latest supervisor), and expected remuneration by 4.00p.m. 12th April, 2013 to hrkenya@ke.mercycorps.org.  

Your email should bear the title “ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT SPECIALIST”.  

Applications without this subject heading will be disqualified. Please do not attach any certificates. 

We regret that only short-listed candidates will be contacted

You are invited to read more about Mercy Corps in our website www.mercycorps.org.