Consultant - Market Systems Development (MSD) Capacity Strengthening - RLP Program Team, Africa

Project / Consultancy Title: Market Systems Development (MSD) Capacity Strengthening through Targeted Coaching and Technical Support for the RLP Program Team.

Project Location(s): Remote and Travel to Ethiopia, Kenya and Somali.

Timeline & Estimated LOE: Up to 40 days spread out over four (4) months. Estimated start date: March 15, 2026.

Risk Level: Level 3: Frequent contact with participants, direct contact with children, access to sensitive data, and/or high level of accountability. Level 2: Some contact with participants; unplanned non-direct contact with children. Level 1: Likely to have no contact with participants or sensitive data.

Background: 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. Mercy Corps has been implementing market approach-based livestock program in Horn of Africa (HOA) for over a decade.

The Program / Department / Team: The Regional Livestock Programme (RLP) is a 12‑year programme designed to leverage growing consumer demand for animal source foods (ASF) and the associated rise in livestock production and trade in ASAL economies. RLP aims to increase incomes of agro‑pastoralist and pastoralist households and economically empower peri‑urban and rural women and youths engaged in the livestock sector across the semi‑arid and arid lands (ASALs) of Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia.

Purpose / Project Description: The Regional Livestock Program (RLP) is designed to implement through a market systems development (MSD), facilitative approach to achieve sustainable and inclusive changes within the livestock sector and relevant sub‑sectors. Effective management and successful implementation of this approach requires strong technical capacity within the program team. In particular, the program team must possess solid skills and competencies in market systems development principles, diagnosis of critical systemic constraints, strategic intervention design, facilitation and negotiations skills and the ability to adapt theory into contextual realities.

Consultant Objectives: The objective of this consultancy is to strengthen the technical capacity of the Regional Livestock Program (RLP) team in the application of the Market Systems Development (MSD) approach. Specifically, the consultant will support the program team to build a strong, practical understanding of MSD principles, including market systems analysis, identification of systemic constraints, intervention design, and facilitation strategies, with the aim of improving the quality and sustainability of RLP interventions.

Activities of the Consultant:

• Phase I: Portfolio Review and Capacity Needs Assessment – Hybrid/TBD.
• Develop Team MSD Capacity Building Approach/Strategies – Remote.
• Selection and Analysis of Targeted Interventions – On‑site.
• Phase II: Delivery of Targeted MSD Training – TBD.
• Phase III: Provision of Focused Coaching Support – Remote.
• Strengthening Facilitation and Adaptive Management Skills – Remote.

Consultant Deliverables:

• Phase I report (draft for review + final).
• Phase II report (draft for review + final).
• Phase III/Final report (draft for review + final).

Safeguarding Responsibilities: Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.

Timeframe / Schedule: The consultancy will cover a period of up to 40 days over four months, beginning March 15, 2026.

Required Experience & Skills: Demonstrated experience in remote support and coaching early and mid‑career team members from diverse backgrounds. This includes demonstrated experience diagnosing capacity gaps within teams and an approach to prioritizing skills building.

Apply Through Mercy Corps website: Interested candidates will upload the following documents: One page cover letter stating interest in the consultancy and summarizing qualifications or similar experiences, Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume including relevant work experience, work locations, as well as academic history and post‑graduate skills training information, Professional references that will be used to follow up details shared in the CV/Resume.

Team Engagement and Effectiveness: Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.

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.