Mercy
Corps AgriFin Accelerate Program
Program
Summary: The
AgriFin Accelerate program will operate in three African countries (Kenya,
Tanzania and possibly Zambia) utilizing a market ecosystem approach, working
with carefully selected partners to build sustainable models, where farm and
crop management tools and financial services are "bundled" in
affordable, unified platforms on mobile phone channels to promote mass
commercial uptake and usage.
We
work with farmers, banks, mobile network operators, MFIs, research institutes
and other ecosystem players in well-defined partnerships to sustainably bundle
services, leveraging the offer and outreach of all partners, while increasing
the range of services, access points and value for farmers.
The
program works with partners to identify, prototype, test and scale successful
mobile-enabled services for smallholders, with a key focus on expanding access
to financial services, using a rapid iteration approach to product development
and client-centric design techniques.
We are
presently looking for a committed and dynamic individual to take up the
position of a Communications
Officer
General Position Summary: The Communications Officer (CO) will have an in-depth experience in communications, including written, online and social media, along with a working knowledge of communication theory, marketing, dissemination approaches and proposal development preferably in the context of economic development, mobile financial services, technology and/or agriculture.
A
working understanding of data management and analysis would be
preferable.
The CO
will report to the Director of Strategic Learning and will be principally
responsible for
1)
supporting the implementation of a communications strategy and work plan for
the program, including event planning;
2)
supporting program work related to all publications including research, blogs,
case studies and e-newsletters;
3)
coordinating with the monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) of the program
to ensure broad communication of program learning, including consultants
deployed for certain written assignments;
4)
supporting communication planning, dissemination and implementation
activities.
The CO
will work internally to create communications strategies to promote
productivity and effective teamwork, as well as excellent coordination of
relationships with program partners.
Externally,
the CO will assist the Director of Strategic Learning and the Director of the
Program to communicate with the media and other interested parties to announce
initiatives and results to build market awareness and use of program learnings
and maintain a positive image of Mercy Corps and the program.
Essential Job Functions
Communication
and Public Relations:
- Support
the implementation of the program communications plan to capture lessons
learned and to effectively engage with program donor and stakeholders to
share access to program learning externally through multiple channels.
- Continuously
liaise with the Director of Strategic Learning and program managers to
ensure even communications across initiatives and to meet deadlines for
blogs and other written and on-line communications.
- Coordinate
delivery of high quality, consistent and relevant content that is both
engaging and stimulating for the program's online community.
- Assist
the Program Data and Information Manager to coordinate and monitor
research consultants to meet deadlines and efficiently work with partners
and Program Team staff on monitoring and evaluation outputs.
- Work
with the Program Team to write, edit, assemble, and ensure timely
submission of internal and external reports.
Documentation and Communications:
- Collaborate
with the Program Data and Information Manager to ensure the continuous
development and ongoing maintenance of the program website. He/she should
also support on content selection, editing, updates and improvements on
the AgriFin website
- Take
photos and videos of field activities for publishing online or in case
studies and program evaluation reports.
- Write
and coordinate development of blog posts about the program and publish
online.
- With
the relevant Program Team members establish and maintain traffic of our
Facebook, Twitter & You Tube accounts developing and maintaining a
"voice" for the program's online community.
- Maintain
overall program library, as well as global publications and best practices
for reference of the program, donors, stakeholders, and Mercy Corps
staff.
- Oversee
the preparation, printing and dissemination of documents, including
liaising with authors, printers and graphic designers in support of the
Program Data and Information Manager.
- Support
preparation of reports on M&E findings, as required, working closely
with Director of Strategic Learning. .
Liaison with External Parties:
- In
collaboration with the Program Data and Information Manager respond to the
wide variety of information requests from stakeholders in the project
area, including the media.
- Assist
with the work of short-term consultants and research firms, facilitating
their access to the information they require and provide other forms of
research assistance when required.
- Support
in event planning and country launches of research reports and project
engagements with partners of the program
- Participate
in external and internal missions and facilitate team members’ and donor’s
access to program learnings under the direction of the Director of
Strategic Learning.
- Understand
donor and Mercy Corps’ policies, procedures, branding rules and
regulations to assist in communicating learnings across a community of
practitioners in the digital finance services sector.
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 expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning
activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.
Accountability: Mercy Corps team members are expected to
support all efforts towards 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.
Supervisory
Responsibility: None
Reports
Directly To: Director,
Strategic Learning
Works
Directly With: Program
Data and Information Manager, Technical teams, Country Managers, Digital Farmer
Capability Lab Manager
Knowledge
and Experience:
- Minimum
BA/S or equivalent in journalism, public relations, communications,
marketing, international development, social sciences;
- Minimum
three years’ relevant working experience required; preference for
experience in private sector in marketing, advertising, event planning,
research assistance or public relations firm.
- Excellent
oral, writing and presentation skills with relevant experience writing and
disseminating formal reports, case studies, blogs, newsletters, and
articles;
- Working
knowledge of mobile technology, international development issues and
agriculture
- Excellent
interpersonal and cross-cultural communications skills.
- Strong
sensitivity to cultural, religious and gender issues.
- Willing
to undertake regular field visits and interact with different
stakeholders;
- Well
organized and detail oriented;
- A
self-starter, with demonstrated ability to work successfully in a team,
ideally in an international context;
- Full
proficiency with MS Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
required, and publishing software (MS Publisher, Adobe InDesign, etc.)
preferred;
- Fluency
in English required;
- Enjoys
working in teams inside a dynamic customer-centric organization;
- Sense
of humor.
Success Factors: The
successful candidate will possess expertise in communications, journalism,
research, event planning and web-based information management.
She/he
will have demonstrated experience with professional applications to web
presentation and content and the production of multi-media work including
impact stories, audio and video editing.
The
most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork
and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make
effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.
We are presently looking for a committed and dynamic individual to take up the position of a Technology Product Manager
General Position Summary: The Technology Product Manager (TPM) will provide technical support and direction related to technology on all technical assistance and partner engagement with AgriFin Accelerate program partners across all three countries, including banks, MFIs, insurance companies, mobile-network operators, and agribusinesses.
The
TPM will assist with new digitally-enabled product development and delivery
designed to enhance the financial inclusion of small-holder farmers in Kenya,
Tanzania, and Zambia.
These
products can include both information and technical services, with a major
focus on financial services including payment systems, digitally-enabled
insurance, savings and lending.
Working
under the direct supervision of the Deputy Program Director and closely with
the Program Director, Country Managers, and Monitoring, Evaluation &
Learning Manager, the TPM will tailor program assistance to the needs of each
Agrifin Accelerate partner engagement with a strong focus on technology-based
partners.
The
TPM will identify innovative technology companies providing services in the SHF
arena and work to understand their models, incorporate them into program work
as feasible and to provide leading technology partners with specialized support
to foster their growth and expansion.
The
TPM will engage with partners to develop program strategies and partner roadmaps,
ensuring their specific needs are met; identify and support external
consultants as needed; and work with the Digital Farmer Capability Hub manager
to support the development of applicable capacity building plans across the
program partners.
Essential
Job Functions:
Program
Implementation:
- Lead
program learning in best practices and innovation in technology to ensure
that the full program team across all countries are informed and working
optimally.
- Support
the external learning and communications agendas around innovations for
partners and ecosystem players.
- Conduct
ongoing desk review of global best practice as well as ongoing learning
meetings with program stakeholders related to the use of technology,
working in coordination with country managers.
- Prepare
field reports, social media postings and blogs for mass communication
regarding the technological aspects of the program.
- Take
the lead in identifying potential partners in the technology arena,
working with strategic partner Dalberg to complete due diligence on
partners to identify institutional strengths, weaknesses and capacity for
program implementation and ultimate scale.
- Lead
in identifying technology partners to qualify for additional technical
support, including sponsored cohorts at relevant accelerator facilities,
designed to increase technology partner internal capacity, institutional
development and access to resources to support growth.
Support for Financial Products, Services and Channel
Development:
- Engage
in the development of all partner relationships and product roadmaps
related to technology.
- Provide
technical support to these engagements across all program countries,
liaising directly with the Deputy Program and Country directors.
- Lead
design sessions which drawing on rapid product iteration approaches and
support Country Managers to identify technical consultants as needed in
this area and provide support and oversight for consultants as required.
- Provide
direct capacity building for partners as feasible.
- Assist
in the development of technology partner business and work plans as
needed, reviewing research, operational manuals, product and technology
specifications and financial statements to do so.
- Work
with program partners to design interface of systems and design pilot project
to test usability, value proposition and business cases and identify
additional areas where partners require support, assisting in finding
solutions when possible.
- Engage
with program technology partners to ensure that adequate marketing
strategies and resources are in place, including go to market plan, market
entry & scaling, customer acquisition branding, incentive &
commission structures, advertising and risk mitigation strategies.
- Support
the initiative to identify alternative data sources to drive the
development and expansion of products and services, including conducting
research, identifying and selecting prospective data partners and framing
and implementing pilot tests of alternative data with partners maintaining
integrity and confidentiality of all information.
Technical Support for Market Assessments, Monitoring, Evaluation
and Learning:
- Work
with country managers to structure and implement market assessments to
drive meaningful financial product and service development, with a special
focus on incorporating supporting technologies and relevant companies such
as payment platforms, MNOs and messaging services.
- Ensure
that market assessments focus on the “pain points” of small holder farmers
related to technology adoption to guide product and service development to
overcome the barriers for the small holder farmers so they can increase
their access, usage and utility of services.
- Ensure
that research targets leading and alternative technology companies to
provide services to smallholder farmers.
- Support
the work of the Digital Farmer Capability Lab Manager in all efforts to
develop capability building materials for SHF related to the delivery and
adoption of digitally-enabled financial services and channels, ensuring
the highest standards of technical information are incorporated.
Program Representation and Stakeholder Engagement:
- Serve
as a representative for the program in matters related to
technology-related services for SHF.
- Proactively
engage with program stakeholders to inform coordination and collaboration,
including payment platforms, specialized data processors, technology hubs,
accelerator programs, technical messaging platforms, mobile network
operators and others.
- Actively
support program planning and reporting efforts related to technology-related
service delivery for SHF.
- Provide
partnership recommendations with existing technology companies.
- Ensure
that programming works within Mercy Corps’ M4P rubric.
- Assist
the program in developing and supporting partner inception and subsequent
design workshops related to technology, supporting around mapping design
processes and defining roles, responsibilities and budgets related to
technology.
- Provide
technical leadership within the team in the technology sector, including
regular trips to the radial offices to support Country Managers and
Program Officers to build their capacity in the sector.
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 expect all team members to commit
5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as
themselves.
Accountability
to Beneficiaries: Mercy
Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards 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.
Supervisory
Responsibility:
Direct
supervision of: N/A
Reports
Directly To: Program
Director
Works
Directly With: Technical
teams, Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Manager, Digital Farmer Capability Lab
Manager, Communications Manager, Finance staff.
Knowledge and Experience:
- BA/S
or equivalent in information technology, engineering or related field of
study preferred
- 5
years’ experience in relevant technology implementation, including 2 years
in a senior management position
- Minimum
2 years’ experience in digitally-enabled financial services
- Strong
understanding of the technology and mobile-for-development sectors in
emerging markets, with understanding of and experience with improving
technology-enabled services for smallholder farmers a plus
- Evaluating
and building partnerships
- Product
Management or Business Analyst experience
- Experience
with product and service design preferred
- Strong
written and oral communication skills in English, including report development,
writing and editing
- Experience
in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia preferred
Success Factors:
The
ideal candidate will have a strong curiosity for understanding and working
effectively within the three diverse countries which Agrifin Accelerate operates.
S/he
will be an excellent communicator, multi-tasker, and able to work in ambiguous
situations.
S/he
will be a tolerant and flexible individual able to work in difficult and
stressful environments and follow procedures demonstrating cultural sensitivity
with diverse stakeholders.
S/he
will be a team-player with a positive attitude toward problem solving and
conflict resolution. Commitment to learning, open communications, impeccable
professional standards of ethics and ability to manage successful partner
relationships are essential.
The
successful candidate will be focused on team-building and open collaboration;
be a strategic thinker and maintain a sense of humor.
The
TPM must be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field offices and
project sites.
The
most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork
and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make
effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.
How to Apply
Interested candidates who meet the above required qualifications and experience should submit a cover letter, detailed curriculum vitae (CV) listing three professional referees (including a recent supervisor) to afa-hr@mercycorps.org on or before Friday 11th March by 4.00pm.
The
email subject line must clearly show the job title.
Applications
without the right subject heading will be automatically disqualified.
Please
do not attach any certificates.
(Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We will only get in touch with shortlisted candidates)
NB: Mercy Corps AgriFin Accelerate Program does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process
