About the Organization
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 present in Ethiopia since 2004 working to drive bold and transformative ideas, working closely with government, the private sector and civil society actors to build a more resilient country, ensuring that programs are responsive to and influenced by participants and stakeholders. Our vision is to enhance the resilience of climate and conflict-affected communities through market systems development for improved livelihoods, access to food, and safe and clean water to thrive in the face of crises.
Our strategy focuses on the four outcome areas of: 1) Economically marginalized populations have improved and diversified livelihoods, income, and assets; 2) Pastoralists, farmers, and households have access to sustainably produced, safe, nutritious food; 3) Social cohesion and inclusive governance processes are built in crisis-affected communities; and 4) People have equitable, sustained access to clean water and sanitation for domestic and productive use.
Currently we operate in the regional states of Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Sidama, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray and Addis Ababa city administration working with a diverse base of donors that includes the U.S. Department of State, the European Union (EU), the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the United Nations (UN), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN), Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA), and a range of other institutional and private foundations.
Job Summary
The Border Security Programme (BSP) is an FCDO-funded regional programme designed to disrupt organised immigration crime (OIC) and contribute to safer borders and safer communities. The programme works through four mutually reinforcing outcome areas: evidence and analysis; stronger law-enforcement capability; community engagement, reporting and early warning; and witness support and protection.
In Ethiopia, BSP is implemented as a dedicated country component aligned with the regional programme, Ethiopian law and institutions, Government of Ethiopia priorities, and the realities of selected border and migration corridors. Mercy Corps works with relevant government institutions at federal, regional and local levels, consortium partners, Ethiopian civil-society and specialist partners, communities and other stakeholders to strengthen existing systems and locally grounded responses rather than establish parallel structures. Programme implementation is evidence-led, conflict-sensitive, rights-respecting and adaptive to changing border, migration and operational dynamics.
The Area Coordinator provides senior field-level leadership, coordination and oversight for BSP-Ethiopia activities managed from Bahir Dar. Reporting to the Ethiopia Country Lead – BSP, the Coordinator translates approved country strategy and workplans into disciplined field implementation and serves as the principal day-to-day programme coordination point for the assigned field area. The role ensures activities are coherent, timely, properly prepared and implemented in close coordination with government counterparts, implementing partners, communities and BSP technical and support teams.
The Coordinator brings together programme, partner, finance, procurement, security, MRELA and operational inputs required for field delivery; directly supervises assigned field staff; monitors implementation quality, progress and resource needs; and escalates material risks or strategic issues. The position operates within the regional BSP management framework, with major strategic or sensitive decisions escalated through the Ethiopia Country Lead to BSP leadership in partnership with the Mercy Corps Ethiopia Country Office.
Key Responsibilities
Field Programme Leadership and Integrated Delivery
Lead day-to-day implementation of approved BSP-Ethiopia workplans in the assigned field area, ensuring timely, quality delivery within approved scope, budget and Mercy Corps and donor requirements.
Translate country workplans into practical field implementation plans, maintaining a rolling activity calendar and coordinating government, partner, finance, procurement, operations, security and MRELA readiness before activities proceed.
Track implementation progress, deliverables, dependencies and bottlenecks; coordinate corrective action and escalate material delays, risks or scope changes to the Ethiopia Country Lead.
Coordinate field-level sequencing across BSP's four outcome areas, working with outcome leads and partners to maintain clear roles, information flow and operational dependencies while respecting specialist technical authority.
Maintain disciplined implementation documentation and ensure agreed decisions, commitments and follow-up actions are assigned and tracked to completion.
Government, Partner and Community Engagement
Maintain constructive working relationships with relevant Amhara Region regional, zonal, woreda/local and sector institutions connected to approved BSP implementation in the assigned field area.
Coordinate field implementation with authorised government counterparts and facilitate timely communication and follow-up between field authorities and Addis-based BSP leadership.
Coordinate closely with Ethiopian implementing partners on joint workplanning, activity preparation, delivery, problem-solving and progress review against agreed roles and workplans.
Support meaningful and respectful participation of communities and local partners, recognising local power dynamics, conflict sensitivities, protection risks and the need for clear communication about programme scope and commitments.
Team Leadership and Field Coordination
Provide direct supervision, performance management and day-to-day leadership to assigned field programme staff, setting clear priorities, providing coaching and supporting staff development.
Maintain an effective field coordination rhythm across programme, Finance, MRELA, Security, Operations and other relevant functions around activities, risks, resource needs and follow-up actions.
Promote a collaborative and accountable team culture, ensuring decisions remain within delegated authority and sensitive, high-risk or strategic matters are escalated through the appropriate management or technical line.
Budget, Operations and Field Readiness
Contribute to field budget planning, forecasts, activity costing and budget-versus-actual review with the Finance Officer, Finance and Subaward Specialist and country programme team.
Ensure procurement, logistics, transport, payments and other operational requirements are identified sufficiently in advance and coordinated through established Mercy Corps systems and controls.
Promote value for money, responsible use of programme resources and appropriate documentation while supporting timely implementation.
Do not make unapproved financial, contractual, procurement or partner commitments; escalate requirements outside delegated authority to the relevant functional owner.
MRELA, CARM, Learning and Reporting
Work with the MRELA Advisor and MRELA & CARM Senior Officer to ensure field teams and partners maintain required monitoring evidence, Progress Marker information, activity documentation and reporting inputs.
Support monitoring and approved evidence activities, review implementation evidence and field observations, and contribute to quarterly reflection, learning and practical adaptation.
Ensure field teams and partners support accessible CARM processes and protect confidentiality; sensitive safeguarding, ethics, fraud or other protected complaints must be routed through established Mercy Corps mechanisms and handled on a need-to-know basis.
Provide timely and accurate field information for programme reports, management updates, learning products and implementation trackers.
Risk, Security, Conflict Sensitivity and Safeguarding
Monitor political, security, conflict, access and institutional developments affecting implementation and promptly share material changes with the Security and Risk Coordinator, Country Lead and relevant technical functions.
Coordinate activity planning and field movement with BSP and Mercy Corps Ethiopia security structures and ensure field teams comply with agreed security, access, communications and contingency measures.
Integrate conflict sensitivity, Do No Harm, safeguarding, gender equality and social inclusion, human-rights considerations and participant protection into field planning and implementation.
Identify and escalate security, safeguarding, legal, reputational, compliance or programme-integrity concerns through established Mercy Corps channels and support agreed mitigation actions.
Representation and Coordination
Serve as the principal Mercy Corps BSP representative for routine field implementation matters in the Bahir Dar field area, within delegated authority and agreed programme messaging.
Represent BSP professionally in relevant regional/local coordination meetings and partner engagements and provide concise field updates to country leadership and technical teams.
Do not independently commit Mercy Corps on programme scope, funding, subawards, donor positions or politically sensitive matters; consult or escalate such issues to the appropriate country or regional authority.
Safeguarding Responsibilities
Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of part...