The $41 million USAID Food for Peace Activity (Apolou) and the $5 million USAID Resilience Challenge Fund (RCF) Activity support agriculturalists, agro-pastoralists, and pastoralist households living across the districts of Amudat, Kotido, Kaabong, Karenga, and Moroto in Karamoja.
Apolou is implemented by a consortium of actors led by Mercy Corps, including Save the Children, Whave Solutions, four local partners (KAPDA, NARWOA and Riam Riam), TUNADO, FIDA Uganda, Strong Minds and Tufts University’s Feinstein International Centre (FIC). Apolou’s goal is to “improve the overall food and nutrition security of vulnerable households in Kaabong, Kotido, Moroto and Amudat districts within the Karamoja region,” and has major 4 objectives as follows:
• Inclusive and effective governance contributes to food and nutrition security
• Adolescent girls, Pregnant and Lactating Women, and Children under 5 are nutritionally secure
• Reduced incidences of WASH related diseases
• Improved livelihoods and income support household food security
The RCF program works in the districts of Kaabong and Amudat, with the goal to “Improve the veterinary governance and increase public and private investment in disease prevention, surveillance, control and response systems to strengthen productive assets for improved resilience in Karamoja.” RCF has the following objectives:
• Increased domestic resource allocation into animal health services in Karamoja
• Central and local government develop animal health services capacity-strengthening plan for the Karamoja region
• Disease control plan for economically prioritized diseases (PPR and FMD) developed and implemented
• Private sector animal health development strategy developed and rolled out
General Position Summary
The Livestock officer will be at the forefront of implementation the Animal Health for Resilience Activity within the broader Apolou Activity. And work in close collaboration with the Apolou Activity livestock team and the broader Apolou teams, government stakeholders especially the district veterinary offices and Ministry of Agriculture Animal industry and fisheries, USAID and other implementing partners in Karamoja. The position will have the responsibility to Improve veterinary governance and increased public and private investment in disease prevention, surveillance, control and response systems to strengthen productive assets for improved resilience in Karamoja. .

Essential Job Responsibilities
• In partnership with the Government of Uganda at national and district levels, the position will participate the design and implementation of a 1-2 cost-effective livestock disease surveillance, monitoring and response systems.
• Livestock officer will participate in the development and operationalization of active and passive livestock disease surveillance, Livestock Early Warning System LEWs and response mechanisms in Kaabong and Amudat districts
• Participate in desk review and interview experts in public animal health systems to capture lessons learned and recommendations. With this information and in close consultation with district officials, Propose and co create different models such as an event- and indicator- based surveillance, and community-based surveillance systems in Kaabong and Amudat
• Pilot disease surveillance/response systems including overseeing the completion of a cost-benefit analysis of different models.
• Officer will work in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF)- DVOs at the district level to prepare and endorse an animal health services capacity-strengthening plan for the Karamoja region.
• Coordinate with other program Livestock, Livelihoods and Apolou teams to support activity integration and information sharing within Apolou and other similar programs.
• Work directly with government and CBO organizations that conduct animal health and disease outbreak response in Karamoja.
• Organize, participate and support in meetings and workshops to support strengthening of veterinary epidemiology capacities
Team Management
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Liaise with other team members to ensure consortium is integrated in approach, on-scope, on-time and on-budget.
Finance & Compliance Management
• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to Livestock Activities
• Develop team budgets, ensure adherence to MC Uganda Field Finance Manual and Field Procurement Manual for all livestock activities
Influence & Representation
• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with key private sector gatekeepers
• Represent Mercy Corps’ approach at key government, coordination and advocacy platforms.
Organizational Learning
• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.
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 beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
• Sensitise communities on Apolou’s CARM system and encourage them to share feedback through the promoted channels
Other:
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission
• Other duties as assigned
Accountability
Reports Directly to: Animal Health Manager
Works Directly with: Livestock and Livelihoods teams, other Sector Teams Save the Children and Whave teams within the Apolou Consortium

Knowledge and Experience
• A Master’s Degree or equivalent in Water and Sanitation or related studies.
• At least 5 years’ experience in WASH specific programming with at least 3 of the years in WASH programming implementation in development programs contexts, and preferably knowledge/understanding of Karamoja.
• Demonstrated understanding of water and sanitation access challenges in Uganda required
• Combination of WASH programs implementation and advisory experience desirable
• Experience in community behavior change, preferably with an understanding of the facilitative approach to development;
• Experience from working in Consortium and implementation partners preferred
• Superb English verbal and written communication and presentation skills required;
• Ability to communicate with donors, private sector and civil society partners and host government representatives;
• Demonstrated flexibility, creativity and enthusiasm as well as a willingness to learn and to be continually adaptive within a dynamic and often self-directed working environment is mandatory;
• Self-starter, with strong capacity for critical thinking and problem solving;
• Ability to focus on day-to-day tasks at hand while also working towards longer-term objectives with an understanding that these will change continuously;
• Demonstrated capacity to generate and to translate innovative ideas into practical development approaches as well as marketable investment proposals and concepts;
• Willingness to travel frequently and extensively in remote areas with basic services

Success Factors
The success of the WASH Advisor will combine strong technical, program management skills with excellent coordination and communication skills. S/he will have an ability to advise Apolou partners and Mercy Corps on WASH aspects, while respecting Partners’ objectives and ways of implementing. S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams and capacity building, individual staff development, and strong mentoring skills. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail are essential. 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 positions are based in Kaabong and Amudat and require travel to other locations in Karamoja The region is secure with access to most basic amenities.
Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all locations.