Senior SME Support Officer – Lviv / Головний/а фахівець/чиня з підтримки малого та середнього бізнесу – Львів

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact. 

The Position (General Position Summary)

Sr. SME Support Officer is engaged in implementation of SME support component of the project in Lviv, Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts of Ukraine. He/She will support the process of creation of employment opportunities for IDPs and conflict-affected population through supporting SME sector, including selection of the SME beneficiaries, disbursement, monitoring and follow-up of the business grants, feasibility assessments of the business plans and evaluation of the economic impact of the funded initiatives. He/She at the same time should promote Mercy Corps values through various entry points in the project and preserve staff moral and enthusiasm for the project work.

Essential Responsibilities

• Support smooth implementation of the SME support component of the project;
• Support information dissemination and outreach activities to ensure active participation of the beneficiaries in the programme;
• Participate in the selection process of the SME support grants and provide feasibility assessments as required;
• Support identification of the most appropriate projects by SMEs that are able to restore their activities and retain/create jobs;
• Support preparation of the grant agreements with the partner SMEs, ensure proper monitoring and follow-up of the funds utilization by partner SMEs;
• Undertake regular monitoring of the funded SMEs and provide ongoing support to the programme beneficiaries;
• Maintain filing system for the employment creation component and ensure supporting documentation is in place;
• Maintain good working relations within Mercy Corps and other organizations in the area of responsibility;
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibility

Project Officers and Assistants

Accountability

Reports Directly To: SME Support Coordinator

Works Directly With: Resilience Pilot Project implementation team

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

• University degree in economics, public/business administration, or other related field;
• Knowledge of resilience, early recovery and livelihoods interventions in Ukrainian context, good understanding of possible durable solutions for conflict-affected population;
• At least 5 years of overall working experience, at least 2 years of work experience within an international humanitarian/development organization;
• Proven experience in working with IDPs and conflict-affected population;
• Good communication, presentation and reporting skills;
• Practical understanding of the needs and concerns of the SME sector;
• Full working proficiency in both oral and written English, Ukrainian and Russian (equally important);
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs;
• Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work;
• Small business / micro-finance / budget management qualification will be an advantage;
• Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.

Success Factors

To be successful in this role we expect you to have: a comprehensive understanding of the needs of IDPs and the conflict-affected population in Ukraine and possible solutions. Practical understanding of the needs and concerns of private sector in Ukraine. Proven experience in livelihoods, economic recovery and resilience programming.

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 and 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 the 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 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.

Please follow the link to apply: https://recruiting2.ultipro.com/MER1024MERCY/JobBoard/7a14d810-d41a-4542-9b9c-ba39a563b91a/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=15b5bd7e-cc23-4f5f-950e-eb32e530f6f8