PROJECT COORDINATOR- MARKET SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT (Internal Only)
Location: Addis Ababa
Organization: Mercy Corps
Deadline: Feb 24, 2025
Job Description
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.
Mercy Corps has been operating in Ethiopia since 2004. In partnership with civil society organizations, academic institutions, private sector, and the government, Mercy Corps Ethiopia has reached more than five million Ethiopians with interventions to save lives and build secure livelihoods. Our programs emphasize market-driven solutions, reinforce social bonds, and help communities build resilience to the impacts of climate change.
Currently in six regional states – Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, and South Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR), and in Dire Dawa Administration and the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa – Mercy Corps Ethiopia is driven by the mission to contribute the emergence of a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous Ethiopia which is inclusive of youth and women. Our strategic directions focus in promoting inclusive and dynamic markets; promoting peace and social cohesion through strengthening formal/informal governance structures and citizen engagement; improved natural resource governance; and integrated humanitarian response.
Program / Department Summary
Empowering Families, Enriching Lives: Scaling LIWAY’s Childcare Models for Two-Generational ECD is a two-year project (September 2024 – August 2026) in Addis Ababa, funded by the Conrad Hilton Foundation. This initiative is dedicated to improving early childhood development (ECD) while fostering economic empowerment by addressing systemic gaps in childcare access and workforce participation. By implementing scalable and evidence-based childcare solutions, the project aims to create sustainable and market-driven models that enhance the well-being of vulnerable families, particularly internally displaced people, refugees, and host communities.
The project focuses on expanding access to affordable, high-quality childcare by establishing new childcare centers and upgrading existing ones in underserved areas. These centers will provide a safe and nurturing environment where children receive essential care, nutrition, and early learning opportunities that promote cognitive, emotional, and social development. By reducing the childcare burden on women, the project enables them to engage in education, skills training, and employment, ultimately increasing household income and economic stability. Recognizing the interconnected nature of childcare and workforce participation, the project integrates childcare support into labor market interventions, ensuring women and youth have better access to job opportunities, vocational training, and entrepreneurship programs.
A key component of the project is its commitment to evidence-based policy advocacy. By conducting rigorous research on childcare needs, economic impacts, and best practices, the project generates valuable data that informs decision-making at both local and national levels. This research supports the development of policies that institutionalize childcare as a fundamental service, ensuring financial accessibility, regulatory improvements, and greater private sector involvement in childcare provision. The project also strengthens partnerships with government agencies, private sector actors, and development organizations to drive systemic reforms and promote sustainable childcare solutions.
Utilizing a Market Systems Development (MSD) approach, the project catalyzes market-based solutions that create jobs and increase incomes for women, youth, and displaced communities. It enhances job matching services, supports technology-driven employment solutions, and fosters collaboration with employers to integrate childcare support into workforce strategies. By building the capacity of childcare providers, offering financial incentives, and linking childcare services with employment initiatives, the project ensures long-term sustainability and scalability.
General Position Summary
The Project Coordinator will lead the implementation of these interventions, ensuring seamless integration between childcare and labor market initiatives. Working closely with LIWAY’s MSD Advisors, MSD Specialists, and the MERL Advisor, the coordinator will oversee research, policy engagement, and private sector collaboration to achieve meaningful and lasting impact. Through this holistic approach, the project aspires to break cycles of poverty, empower women, strengthen families, and create thriving communities where children receive a strong foundation for lifelong success and caregivers have the resources to participate fully in economic and social life.
Position Description
Location: Addis Ababa
Position Status: Full-time
Salary Level: (Refer to Country Salary Guidelines)
Current Team Member: No
Safeguarding Risk Level: Low
Essential Job Responsibilities
STRATEGY & VISION
• Identify opportunities to enhance early childhood development (ECD) and economic empowerment through innovative, market-driven approaches.
• Foster an environment where diverse perspectives are encouraged to drive creative solutions for systemic childcare and labor market challenges.
• Set strategic priorities by aligning actions and resources to achieve project objectives, ensuring integration with national and local development agendas.
• Develop and implement activities that mobilize financial and technical resources, advocate for greater stakeholder support and investment in sustainable childcare models and workforce development.
TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP & IMPLEMENTATION
• Lead the design, execution, and adaptive management of labor market interventions integrating childcare solutions and workforce development.
• Ensure interventions align with ECD best practices, particularly through a two-generational approach that benefits both children and caregivers.
• Develop and track key performance indicators (KPIs), milestones, and measurement frameworks to monitor impact.
• Conduct market assessments to refine workforce development activities, ensuring alignment with emerging employment trends and private sector needs.
• Identify and address systemic barriers to employment, particularly for women with young children, by advocating for affordable, high-quality childcare services.
• Support policy advocacy efforts to integrate childcare into employment, gender equality, and social protection policies.
PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION & STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
• Manage the implementation of workforce development strategies that facilitate employment access and career advancement for women and youth.
• Facilitate linkages between childcare service providers, job seekers, employers, and workforce training programs, ensuring inclusive economic participation.
• Strengthen private sector engagement by fostering partnerships to scale market-driven childcare solutions and job creation initiatives.
• Develop strategies to connect technology providers with job matching services, enhancing employment access for underserved communities.
• Oversee relationships with childcare centers, implementing partners, and government agencies, ensuring interventions effectively address systemic challenges.
• Conduct labor market system analyses to assess employment trends and identify barriers affecting women, youth, and displaced communities.
• Support the establishment and enhancement of affordable, high-quality childcare centers, ensuring they serve as hubs for child development and parental workforce participation.
TEAM MANAGEMENT
• Strengthen the capacity of project staff, community facilitators, and enumerators by providing training, technical support, and professional development opportunities.
• Promote teamwork and knowledge-sharing to enhance project efficiency and impact.
FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT
• Ensure all program activities comply with donor guidelines and Mercy Corps’ financial, operational, and ethical standards.
• Maintain transparency and accountability in resource management, ensuring that funds are used effectively to achieve project goals.
• Monitor financial transactions and reporting to align with project budgets and donor requirements.
INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION
• Act as a key representative of Mercy Corps and the project, engaging with government agencies, private sector partners, donors, and community stakeholders.
• Advocate for policy reforms and strategic investments that institutionalize affordable childcare and workforce inclusion as critical components of economic development.
• Participate in coordination meetings, conferences, and networking events to share project insights, promote collaboration, and influence systemic change.
GEDSI (GENDER, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION)
• Adherence of gender minimum standards
• Allocate budget for GEDSI related activities and staff capacity building on GEDSI
• Make sure GEDSI issues are properly reflected during program management
• Support the organization’s commitment to age and gender inclusive team building process
• Promote an inclusive and equitable workplace culture
• Support Staff Capacity Building on Increase staff knowledge of GEDSI
• Ensure that gender, equality, diversity, and social inclusion (GEDSI) principles are embedded in all aspects of project implementation.
• Promote inclusive childcare and workforce development strategies that empower women, youth, and marginalized groups.
• Support the creation of gender-sensitive work environments and policies that enhance equal access to economic opportunities.
• Strengthen the organization’s commitment to building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities being served.
Supervisory Responsibility
No
Accountability
Reports Directly To: LIWAY Team Lead
Technical Line Report To: LIWAY Team Lead
Works Directly With: LIWAY MSD Advisors and Specialists and MERL Advisor
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.
Knowledge and Experience
• Strong understanding of Market Systems Development (MSD), Early Childhood Development (ECD), and workforce development.
• Familiarity with labor market systems, job matching platforms, childcare service providers, and employment service ecosystems.
• Proven experience in stakeholder engagement, particularly in public-private partnerships for childcare and workforce integration.
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Economics, Business Administration, Market Systems Development, Early Childhood Development, Project management or a related field, or equivalent private sector experience.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in market systems facilitation, labor market development, Private Sector engagement, childcare-supported workforce programs, or economic empowerment initiatives.
• Strong analytical, strategic planning, and project management skills.
• Ability to lead market-driven interventions that create sustainable employment opportunities and childcare solutions.
• Fluency in English and Amharic (additional local languages are an asset).
• Entrepreneurial mindset, with strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Experience working collaboratively with diverse teams in dynamic, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Strong networking, communication, and facilitation skills to engage with diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent presentation, reporting, and negotiation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint), mobile data collection and visualization and familiarity with data analysis tools.
• He/ She must be a tolerant and flexible individual who is able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures with high commitment to learning and change.
• He/she must be able to speak at least one of the local languages of the community in target and know the culture of the community.
