Systems Lead: SME Productivity and Competitiveness

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 is a recognized global leader in Market Systems Development (MSD) where we apply a systemic, inclusive approach to catalyse sustainable improvements in markets that benefit vulnerable groups—particularly women and youth. Resilience building is an agency priority and involves using a systems-based approach that builds on proven solutions, accesses new ideas and information, and integrates multiple sectors and partnerships to strengthen food and water security, economic opportunities, and climate change adaptation. Southern Africa continues to experience recurrent environmental, economic and social shocks affecting the wellbeing of its communities and undermining development investments. Mercy Corps will continue to contribute to the well-being of rural and urban communities by building household capacities and strengthening systems and institutions.

The Program / Department / Team (Program / Department Summary)
The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA)-funded Building Enterprise Development and Employment Creation program (BEDEC) aims to increase the productivity and competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the agricultural sector, thereby driving income growth and productive employment in the Zambian economy. BEDEC will target over 100,000 SMEs, with a particular focus on women and youth. Specifically, BEDEC supports SMEs in becoming more productive and competitive by improving their access to key services for smallholder farmers, youth, and women. The program promotes SME growth to enhance employment opportunities and strengthens enabling environments and institutional capacity for SMEs within Zambia’s economy. BEDEC employs a strong and rigorous market systems development approach, playing a key facilitation role to drive scale, sustainability, and impact.
General Position Summary

The Systems Lead for SME productivity and Competitive will provide technical leadership and expertise to the unlocking key services and business models for SME’s in reaching at scale smallholder farmers, women and youth through BEDEC. The Systems lead is an innovative and bold leader who will play a critical role in the design, implementation, and management of the program’s technical strategy and specific activities in relation to key services delivered through SMEs to women, youth and other smallholder farmers in close collaboration with local, national, and international partners and stakeholders. The performance of this role will be determined by the opportunities created to expand, link and innovate on key system functions that are critical into women and youth to particular and engage in key markets. The Systems lead will also play a critical role in developing all interventions should lead to increased SME productivity and competitiveness particularly for women and Youth through robust analysis and assessment, intervention designs, results chains and measurements and overall implementation strategies in the first year of the program. The systems lead will also manage and supervise technical specialist
Essential Responsibilities
PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION AND QUALITY – SME productivity and competitiveness.
●Provide technical leadership and direction to program staff, participants, and diverse partners, including government, civil society organizations, communities, and households.
●Ensure high-quality program design for technical areas on SME productivity and competitiveness, develop client-centered and market-driven approaches to deliver measurable impact, and ensure technical and operational excellence in the execution of program activities and services.
●Take leadership in identifying, addressing, and adapting to program quality needs and gaps as they arise. Collaborate with other senior technical staff to problem solve.
●Supervise and/or review the work of technical consultants.

PROGRAM AND TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP
●Oversee activities that are responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards, and strategic plan.
●Explore ways to increase women’s, girls, and boys’ participation in all aspects of SME productivity and competitiveness in agricultural markets.
●Proactively pursue partnerships with private sector and civil society actors to increase opportunities in SMEs in Agricultural markets in ways that create productive employment especially in rural markets that benefit SMEs, Women and Youth participants. Support increased private sector investment in target areas through solicitation, co-creations etc.
●Work in close collaboration with the Systems lead for Inclusion, Gender and Youth Advisor, Enabling Environment lead and MEL to expand SME opportunities through market expansion and introduction of new private sector driven income opportunities in key selected SME engagement in Agricultural value chains
●Provide training and support for BEDEC staff and partners on market systems for employment
●Integrate locally driven approaches, gender sensitivity, and capacity building into all activities, as appropriate. Certify all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and program participant accountability standards.
●Ensure program strategies and activities represent global good practice for market development and resilience programming.
●Engage with relevant government agencies to improve rules, regulations, and infrastructure to support improved rural market systems.

LEARNING AND IMPACT
●Work with the BEDEC Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team to ensure that monitoring and evaluation aligns with program objectives, captures technical learning, and incorporates learning into program adjustments.
●Lead market and labor/wage market assessments and other assessments and surveys that may be deemed fit and develop learning products, such as case studies and short articles. Contribute to dissemination of learning products among program stakeholders.

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION
●As needed, represent Mercy Corps at program, government, donor, NGO, or other relevant events, in close coordination with BEDEC leadership.
●Coordinate activities with consortium partners, subgrantees, local government, and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs.
●Work in close collaboration with the global employment team to spread learning across programs and countries.
Supervisory Responsibility
Required to supervise team of technical specialist staff at Lusaka and at the provincial level.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: BEDEC Deputy Team Leader
Works Directly With: The BEDEC Team, HQ Technical Support Unit, implementing partners
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.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

Degree in Business management, Marketing, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Agricultural Economics or related field (master’s degree preferred)
5+ years of experience of increasingly proficient management and/or technical support in MSD programming, with at least SMEs in agricultural markets experience in a well-reputed MSD project.
Proven experience assessing markets and working with private sector partners with a strong market systems development approach and familiar to DCED requirements in programming.
SME programming experience preferred particularly in Agricultural markets
Strong ability to understand and manage multiple stakeholders and complex relationships at multiple levels of the organization.
Willingness and ability to travel / knowledge of context (as needed)
A proven proactive approach to work and self-driven leadership.
Fluency in English is required, with strong written and oral communication skills.
Fluency in local languages preferred Demonstrated ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders including national and subnational government, donors, donor-funded programs, private sector actors, and civil society organizations.
Familiarity with SIDA rules, regulations, and requirements preferred

Success Factors
The successful Systems Lead for SME Competitiveness will combine deep technical skills and experience collaborating with and supporting a variety of partners from the public and private sectors with strong market systems experience. Must be flexible, creative, innovative and enthusiastic about inclusive economic growth and resilience strengthening. Candidates must be self-starters who are able to manage competing priorities, learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results. They will also have proven experience working with cross-cultural teams and partner capacity building. 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.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Lusaka, Zambia and requires up to 40% travel by road and air to field offices in often insecure environments.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members 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, whether 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 work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.