Private Partnership Officer

Job Description

  • Position Title: Private Partnership  Officer
  • Number of Vacancy: 1
  • Duty Station: Al Mukalla, Hadramout, Yemen
  • Position Category:  Full-time 1    AND   Regular 1    
  • Duration of Assignment: 8.5 months (contingent to donor approval) 
  • Deadline: 24 June 2025

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.

Program / Department Summary:

Mercy Corps Yemen is continuing its FCDO-funded Fresh Horizons pilot project, which applies and tests an inclusive, climate-resilient Market Systems Development (MSD) approach within the fisheries sector in Yemen’s Aden and Hadramout Governorates. The pilot works with local market actors to sustainably increase income and food security for fishing households and communities.
The next phase of Fresh Horizons will build on the pilot’s successes through a 9-month continuation phase focused on strengthening the supply and use of cold chain equipment. Increased access to cold chain technology will reduce waste, improve profits, and open new urban markets. This will provide improved livelihood opportunities for vulnerable households and actors across the fisheries sector - ultimately increasing food access and improving household food security.

General Position Summary:

The Private Partnerships Officer will support the Fresh Horizons Phase II project’s engagement with private sector actors critical to the sustainable uptake of cold chain equipment and services. Based in Hadramout and reporting to the Deputy Project Manager, the Officer will coordinate with vendors, technicians, microfinance institutions (MFIs), and cooperatives to ensure that small-scale fishers and traders can access affordable, appropriate, and well-supported cold chain solutions. This role focuses on facilitating relationships, monitoring service quality, supporting the rollout of leasing and warranty pilots, and linking market actors to project participants. The Officer will work closely with the MEL and training teams to ensure that private sector engagement contributes to improved livelihoods and market access for vulnerable households.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

  • Identify and regularly engage private sector actors relevant to cold chain access, including equipment vendors, technicians, and MFIs.
  • Facilitate linkages between vendors and cooperatives or traders during procurement, training, and service delivery.
  • Support the implementation and monitoring of vendor-led business models such as warranty schemes and bundled maintenance services.
  • Coordinate the rollout of leasing and asset financing options in collaboration with business development service (BDS) providers.
  • Conduct field follow-ups with vendors and traders to assess service satisfaction, pricing, and quality assurance.
  • Track private sector participation in project activities and report on access barriers, market feedback, and emerging opportunities.
  • Support MEL efforts to monitor private sector engagement outcomes, including access, inclusion, and uptake metrics.
  • Promote equitable access to services, especially for women, youth, and traders transitioning from humanitarian assistance.
  • Document lessons and contribute to learning products related to vendor engagement and blended finance models.
  • 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 participants and fellow team members. 
  • Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g. Integrity Hotline and other options. 
  • If relevant, briefing or training any external personnel such as when working with service contractors or subaward partners. 
  • 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 participants and fellow team members. 
  • Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g. Integrity Hotline and other options. 

Supervisory Responsibility:

Accountability 

  • Reports Directly To: Deputy Project Manager
  • Works Directly With: Vendors, MFIs, Business Training Project Officer, Cooperative Project Officer, MEL Officer, Finance and Procurement teams

Knowledge and Experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree in business administration, economics, supply chain, or a related field.
  • Minimum 3–5 years of experience working with private sector actors, MSMEs, cooperatives, or livelihoods/fisheries programming.
  • Experience supporting service delivery, market linkages, or business development in a fragile context is preferred.
  • Familiarity with leasing, microfinance, or asset financing is an advantage.
  • Strong interpersonal, negotiation, and coordination skills.
  • Comfortable working with diverse stakeholders and facilitating inclusive access to market services.
  • Fluency in Arabic required; working proficiency in English preferred.

Success Factors:

The successful candidate will be a relationship-builder with a practical understanding of local markets and vendor dynamics. They will demonstrate strong initiative, communication, and problem-solving skills, and the ability to translate technical models into accessible support for small traders. The Officer will work collaboratively across project components and bring an inclusive mindset to ensure that the private sector solutions benefit the most vulnerable. Responsiveness, field presence, and operational agility will be essential to success in this role.

Team Efficiency 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. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work. 
We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together. 

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. By applying for this role an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or trafficking policy. 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 e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline (integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).

الصون و الأخلاق

ميرسي كور تلتزم بضمان المعاملة اللائقة واحترام جميع الأفراد اللذين نتواصل معهم من خلال عملنا, سواء كانوا أعضاء الفريق أو أعضاء المجتمع أو المشاركين في البرامج أو غيرهم.  نحن ملتزمون بالمبادئ الرئيسية المتعلقة بمنع الاستغلال والإساءة الجنسية التي وضعها الأمين العام للأمم المتحدة واللجنة الدائمة للتنسيق بين الوكالات الإنسانية (IASC)، وقد وقعنا على نظام الإفصاح المتبادل بين الجهات الفاعلة في حالة السلوك الغير اللائق. عند التقديم لهذا الدور، يؤكد المتقدم أنه لم ينتهك في السابق سياسة السلوك الجنسي، والاستغلال والإساءة جنسية، صون الأطفال، أو الاتجار بالبشر لأي جهة عمل. ميرسي كور لن تتسامح مع إساءة معاملة الأطفال أو الاستغلال الجنسي أو الإساءة أو التحرش من قبل أو بسبب أعضاء فريقنا. كجزء من التزامنا تجاه توفير بيئة عمل آمنة وشاملة, من المتوقع أن يتصرف أعضاء الفريق بطريقة مهنية, تحترم القوانين والعادات المحلية. والالتزام بسياسات وقيم مدونة قواعد السلوك الخاصة بمنظمة ميرسي كور في جميع الأوقات. كما يتطلب من جميع أعضاء الفريق إكمال دورات التعليم الإلكتروني الإلزامية لقواعد السلوك عند التوظيف وذلك بشكل سنوي.
كمتقدم للوظيفة، إذا كنت قد شهدت أو تعرضت لأي نوع من أنواع السلوك الجنسي الغير لائق خلال عملية التوظيف، يرجى الإبلاغ عن ذلك إلى خط النزاهة في منظمة ميرسي كور (integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).

Living Conditions

The position is based in Al Mukalla, Hadramout, and it requires travel to Aden to support the project's activities.

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. 

Accountability To Participants

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our participants and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging participant communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Important Notice: 

Mercy Corps never charges candidates any fees at any stage of the recruitment process. If you are asked to make a payment for a job opportunity claiming to be from Mercy Corps, it is a scam.
All official communication from Mercy Corps will come from an example@mercycorps.org email address. We do not contact candidates via Gmail, Yahoo, WhatsApp, or other unofficial channels.
If you receive a suspicious job offer, please report it to us immediately.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should: 

  • Use the below link to apply for the position following the right application process. 
  • Send their application in English language, filling all required information and attach a copy of their CV.
  • We highly encourage female candidates to apply. 
  • Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Link

https://recruiting2.ultipro.com/MER1024MERCY/JobBoard/720e8f11-04f2-4c64-9966-8b027314e706/Opportunity/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=83fdf893-ce0a-4634-a40e-234a93f656ac