Project Officer

Youth Impact Labs East Africa; Asir Province; On-site; SAR 149,000 - 225,000; Full time

Job summary

A global humanitarian organization in Asir Province, Saudi Arabia, seeks a Project Officer to oversee community engagement projects aimed at enhancing food security and financial inclusion. The role requires effective collaboration with local stakeholders, and experience in cooperative management and agriculture is essential. Successful candidates will drive community initiatives, ensuring sustainability and gender equality throughout project activities. Strong communication skills are a must, as you will represent the organization in community forums.

Benefits

Opportunities for professional growth

Inclusive work environment

Support for continued learning

Qualifications

• Minimum three years of experience in cooperatives development and livelihood programs.
• Experience working with pastoralist communities, especially in Ethiopia.
• Ability to work under variable security conditions.

Responsibilities

• Plan and implement community-based project activities.
• Facilitate access to financial services and market linkages.
• Conduct stakeholder coordination meetings.

Skills

Cooperative management

Community engagement

Financial inclusion

Effective communication

Problem-solving skills

Education

BSc in NRM, Agriculture, or related field

Job description

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster and hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action and help people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Position Title

Project Officer

Duty Station

Dollo Ado

Open Position

2

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps is currently implementing a WFP funded “Climate‑proofing Food Security in Ethiopia’s Drought‑prone lowland areas of Dollo Ado and Dollo Bay woredas.” This ambitious program is designed to revitalize the local food systems, ensuring they are robust, sustainable, and capable of supporting the nutritional and economic needs of both refugee and host communities. By integrating a variety of support mechanisms—from agricultural enhancement to financial inclusion, market connectivity, and livelihood augmentation—the intervention is meticulously crafted to foster resilience and improve nutritional outcomes.

Beneficiaries will receive support and be encouraged to form cooperatives, engage in savings and loan associations, and tap into micro‑finance opportunities, weaving a strong fabric of communal support and financial empowerment. The project’s vision extends beyond immediate aid, setting sights on long‑term development and self‑reliance. It seeks to transform challenges such as water scarcity and inadequate infrastructure into opportunities, providing access to irrigated land and modernizing agricultural practices through solar pumps and regenerative techniques. Training in climate‑smart agriculture and business acumen will equip households with the knowledge and skills necessary for sustainable farming practices.

General Position Summary

The project officers will be based in Dollo Ado & Dollo Bay woredas and work under the direction and guidance of the Woreda Program Coordinator and field team. The PO will be responsible for the planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the Enabling Food Systems Transformation and IFTIIN program activities at the community level.

He/she bridges the link between the project field team and the communities and local government representatives and engages in community/institutional capacity‑building activities. In collaboration with local level government stakeholders and community members, the PO is responsible for the day‑to‑day planning and implementation of project activities at community level.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Create a conducive environment for smallholder farmers to access predictable markets for agricultural inputs and produce.
• Facilitate access to financial services through the formation of VSLA and cooperatives and link them to formal financial institutions to benefit both host and refugee communities.
• Work with Woreda Agriculture and Natural Resources Office in the target area to create mass awareness to induce behavioral change to improve diversification and consumption of nutritious food.
• Facilitate woreda‑level stakeholders’ coordination meetings and joint monitoring and follow‑up events.
• Participate in assessments and data collection when required.
• Provide activity, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
• Represent Mercy Corps in the woreda of assignment.
• Ensure adequate consultation and participation of kebele and village/community level stakeholders, ensuring active participation of women.
• With support of the field technical team, provide expertise and advice for community institutions/organizations on gender mainstreaming and gender equality.
• Facilitate community meetings, discussions, dialogues among others on the management of the programme at the community level.
• Support and facilitate community/institutional capacity‑building activities.
• Act as an active member of the project team by identifying and exploring opportunities to improve project implementation and guarantee its sustainability.

Strategy & Vision

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.

Program Management

• Coordinate, participate in, and facilitate assessments, activity planning, coordination meetings, and workshops with stakeholders.
• Provide systematic technical support to Woreda Agriculture and Natural Resources Office to ensure quality and impactful implementation of all integrated smallholders resilience and livelihood support.
• Work with Woreda Agriculture and Natural Resources Office to improve agriculture extension service to increase agricultural production and productivity.
• Facilitate market linkages between aggregators, agriculture‑input suppliers, and smallholder farmers.
• Facilitate woreda and kebele‑level activities such as beneficiaries’ selection and profiling, extension service provision, capacity‑building trainings and meetings/events, market linkage events, and financial inclusion activities.
• Provide work plans and corresponding activity reports about the activities.
• Regularly visit field activities to assess progress and provide formal and informal feedback.

Team Management

• Develop the capacity of the community facilitators and enumerators, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
• Assist community facilitators with information, tools and resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one‑on‑ones and performance reviews.

Finance & Compliance Management

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.

Influence & Representation

Represent Mercy Corps in front of partners, communities, stakeholders, and in coordination meetings.

GEDSI (Gender, Equality, Diversity and Social Inclusion)

• Adhere to gender minimum standards.
• Ensure GESI issues are properly reflected during program management.
• Support the organization’s commitment to age and gender inclusive team‑building processes.
• Increase commitment to Gender Equality, Diversity and Social Inclusion.

Supervisory Responsibility

Line‑manage the field facilitators.

Accountability

• Reports directly to the Woreda Program Coordinator.
• Technical line reports to the PM.
• Works directly with GEDSI, MEL and program team.
• Team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and international standards guiding international relief and development work.
• Committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of field projects.

Knowledge And Experience

• BSc in NRM, Agriculture, Forestry, Rural Development, Development Studies, Cooperative Management, Agricultural Economics or related field.
• Knowledge of cooperatives management, smallholder support, soil and water conservation, landscape management, financial inclusion and livelihood development.
• Three years of work experience in cooperatives development, agriculture, NRM and livelihood development in similar organizations.
• Prior experience working with pastoralist communities, in Ethiopia especially in the Somali region.
• Effective verbal and written communication, multi‑tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.
• Ability to work comfortably, effectively and creatively in areas of variable security.

Success Factors

Must be a tolerant and flexible individual who can work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures with high commitment to learning and change. Must speak at least one of the local languages of the community in target and be familiar with the community culture.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, all team members are empowered 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 on the basis of 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—including 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 working environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e‑learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Application Information

All qualified individuals are invited to apply for the advertised position. All applications, including a CV, three references, and all applicable official papers, must be sent electronically.

Only candidates that are short‑listed will be acknowledged and called for interviews.

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer promoting gender, equity and diversity. Qualified female and young candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to empower women and youth.

Deadline for All Applications

17 October 2025 / 4:00 PM