Organisation: Mercy Corps
Project Name: USAID Growth Health and Governance (GHG) Project
Mercy
Corps is an international non-profit organization which implements
high-quality, analytical development programmes in very difficult places. Mercy
Corps has been operating in Uganda since 2006. It has and continues to
implement programs in Acholi and Karamoja sub regions. Mercy Corps is taking a
community-led, market driven approach to address poverty and food insecurity
needs through interventions that get to the root causes and contributing
factors of economic vulnerability. Donors include the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID), the European Commission (EC), United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC).
Mercy
Corps implements a market-development focused 5-year USAID/Food for
Peace-funded program working in the northern half of Karamoja, and are in
search of Health Facility Support Officers for Abim District with support to
Kaabong District. The project, called Growth Health and Governance (GHG) 2012-2017,
aims to support the immediate needs of program beneficiaries while promoting
long-term development by spurring systemic improvements in key economic sectors
of northern Karamoja. Mercy Corps plans
to expand its GHG livestock activities to identify and pilot key interventions
that have the potential to improve the productivity and competitiveness of
Karamoja’s livestock producers – including cattle for meat and dairy, goats and
sheep.
Job Summary: The Agricultural Economist will actively participate
in the daily implementation of the development programming through supporting
key stakeholders to ensure the desired outcomes and targeted behaviours are
achieved at household level. The Agricultural
Economist (AgE) will support livestock producers to improve their household
incomes through improved livestock production with clearly defined cost benefit
analysis. The AgE will provide training and assistance directly to targeted
livestock farmers and entrepreneurs to help them assess the profitability of new
potential activities, including agrovets models, animal feed manufacturers,
CAHWs services, livestock traders, feedlots/backyard fatteners, among others.
The AgE will also work with these farmers/entrepreneurs to track their actual
profitability using standard cost/benefit modelling. The intermediate goals are
to increase livestock productivity and household income to improve nutrition
and reduce poverty. To achieve this, the AgE will focus on cost benefit
analysis of livestock sales, animal feeding, livestock production and health,
farm business management, dairy production and small scale preservation, and
meat production through backyard fattening at the community level. Through
increased productivity and marketability of healthy and fat animals, smallholder
farmers will be able to increase their competitiveness, income and household
nutrition levels.
The
position’s three success factors include;
- The ability to push forward market-driven
approaches at all stages of programming, - Identify the best alternatives and advise
producers on how to improve profitability by conducting cost benefit
analysis of possible interventions - Her/his passion to drive results, make
critical decisions and produce scheduled outputs at deadline and to the
expected quality.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
1. In collaboration with
team members and supervisor:
- Provides financial forecasts for livestock
production and business activities, and then assist beneficiaries and
staff to monitor actual profitability levels. - Work closely with the GHG livestock team to
identify and pilot interventions in a way that maximizes productivity and
competitiveness of small-scale livestock producers and accurately captures
production and economic data - Determine which activities are the most
profitable or productive for the family, and then give directions and
advice to producers to make refinements that further improve profitability
and productivity. - The job holder will make calculations and
economic forecasts of various aspects of livestock production that can be
used by policy makers, private sector, and other stakeholders to more
effectively develop Karamoja’s livestock sector. - Support businesses, farmers and youth groups
to plan for, develop, and monitor the performance of new livestock-related
businesses, such as feed block manufacture, silage production, milk
distribution, and fattening activities. - Work closely with livestock health companies
and service providers to address livestock health issues that improve
productivity through creating commercially viable businesses. - Assist businesses, farmers and youth groups
to conduct cost benefit analysis so as to show the viability of the
business to demonstrate use of local agro-resources; crop and garden
bi-products, mineral blocks and industrial bi-products to improve animal
body condition and add value to marketable livestock. - Keenly monitor intervention activities and
collect beneficiary qualitative and quantitative information, document
success stories and maintain proper records and filling systems; - Prepare and submit periodic work plans and
activity reports to the project manager; - Apply a gender and youth lens to activities
in the program cycle; - Guide government, private sector,
associations and unions on the economic implications of livestock policy
options;
2. Partnership
Management:
- Identify, assess and develop networks and
strategies for potential private, banks, public and civil society sector
partnership with GHG program - Build and strengthen productive working
relationships with community, sub-county and district level leaders and
soliciting their participation in all activities where appropriate - Carry out on-site field visits regularly to
monitor progress of activities and provide strategic measures for progress
to maximize the programmes’ economic and social impacts to the community - Work in liaison with team leader(s) and Mercy
Corps technical staff in order to bring synergy among different components
of the project
3. Monitoring and
Evaluation:
- Create a dynamic program environment that
promotes inquiry; - Take primary responsibility for
sector-focused data gathering; - Establish procedures and guidelines to
monitor and evaluate the progress and impact of economic development
support work including setting and measuring benchmarks along results chains; - Keenly analyze project implementation
strategies to identify constraints to program success and provide timely
recommendations; - Develop tools to simplify data gathering and
reporting and ensure teams gather and report necessary data, including
maintaining Podio entries for mapping progress with partners; - Prepare data analyses to be used in quarterly
strategic reviews, annual reports, and a midterm evaluation. - Provide data in support of team’s submission
of timely monthly and quarterly reports that will be indicative of program
progress during implementation. - Work closely with Monitoring, Evaluation,
Learning and Information Officers (MELIOs) to ensure accurate and timely
flow of information from the field into database and for preparation of
communication reports
- Carry out research projects on specific
subjects critical to team success and recommend hiring of external
support, where necessary; - Where needed, support external evaluations by
research partners;
5. Communication and
Publication:
- Actively contribute data, analysis and
write-ups to regular organizational publications and reports; - Work closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation,
Learning and Communication Manager to develop publishable communication
material about GHG; - Author occasional papers for wider
distribution;
- Conduct himself/herself both professionally
and personally in such a manner that brings credit to Mercy Corps and to
not jeopardize its humanitarian mission; - Perform any other duties as assigned by the
line manager.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The ideal candidate for the USAID Project
vacancy should hold a degree in Agricultural Economics with major focus on
livestock - A minimum of five years’ experience in
livestock production or marketing activities especially in a rural or
pastoral community. - Working knowledge of Uganda’s economy and
business environment, particularly in the context of rural development and
Karamoja. - Demonstrated ability to interact effectively
with a wide range of partners; private sector, banks, government and civil
society; - Demonstrable quantitative skills, including
familiarity with database management and analysis - Proven skills in networking, assessing
information needs and developing appropriate tools - Proven skills in team work, holding community
consultations and organizational development - Excellent reporting, communication and
representation skills - This opportunity requires a result oriented
and self-motivated individual capable of taking on complex challenges that can make a real
difference in people’s lives. - Willingness to work in the field with
livestock producers, community animal health workers, kraal leaders,
businesses in the value chain and communities; - Good spoken and written English. Fluency in
Ngakarimojong and Ethurr is an advantage
All
suitably qualified and interested candidates should send their E-mail
applications including a cover letter clearly stating the salary requirements,
updated CV (with three professional referees), and copies of academic
qualifications/certificates to the Human Resource Manager, Kampala Head Office
on 4th Floor Embassy Plaza, Plot 1188-1190 Ggaba Road. The E-mail applications
with cover letter should be sent to: mcjobs@ug.mercycorps.org
Deadline: 5th February
2016
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