Economic Advisor – Nafoore Program

Location: Nouakchott, Mauritania
Position Status: Full-time, Regular

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.

Program Summary

The USAID Nafoore Activity aims to increase the resilience capacities of vulnerable Mauritanian youth to resist radicalization and recruitment by violent extremist organizations. These groups exploit weak governance, fragile social climates, and disaffected youth to spread extremist ideologies and recruit fighters. Through targeted interventions, Nafoore is working to create economic opportunities for youth while fostering inclusion and addressing the systemic challenges that hinder their growth. Interventions revolve around two specific objectives: 1) enhance technical and vocational skills for youth in growth sectors, and 2) facilitate the identification sustainable Economic opportunities for participating youth in their areas of interest.

The Position

The Economic Advisor will provide technical leadership, strategic guidance, and support to ensure the successful implementation of activities under Objective 1 ‘Increase Youth Economic Potential’ of the USAID Nafoore Activity. The Advisor will focus on designing and delivering impactful economic empowerment initiatives for youth while leveraging partnerships, innovative solutions, and regional best practices to drive meaningful outcomes.

Essential Responsibilities

Program Design and Development
• Lead the design of innovative approaches to enhance youth technical and vocational skills in growth sectors.
• Working closely with the program teams, conduct comprehensive economic analysis and research on jobs, growth, and economic development in Mauritania.
• Working closely with program teams, identify economic trends and sectors offering sustainable employment opportunities for youth.
• Collaborate with Mercy Corps’ regional and global teams to integrate market-driven and resilience-based strategies.

Partnership and Resource Mobilization
• Build and nurture relationships with private sector actors, government entities, and vocational training institutions to foster collaborative efforts.
• Identify funding opportunities and contribute to the development of proposals to secure additional resources for youth economic empowerment.

Program Quality and Capacity Building
• Support the effective delivery of training programs and capacity-building workshops for youth, aligned with labor market demands.
• Ensure program activities adhere to Mercy Corps’ quality standards and compliance requirements.
• Providing mentoring, training, and technical capacity strengthening to project teams, project partners, and other project stakeholders focusing on youth economic empowerment and local
market development.

Learning and Impact Measurement
• Work with Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) teams to ensure data collection and analysis reflect program achievements and areas for improvement.
• Contributing to the preparation of project reports and other project deliverables from a technical standpoint
• Document and share best practices and success stories to demonstrate program impact and support scaling efforts.

Representation and Advocacy
• Represent the Nafoore Program in forums, conferences, and strategic discussions to promote youth economic inclusion and resilience.
• Advocate for policies and partnerships that enhance youth access to economic opportunities in Mauritania.

Safeguarding and Ethics
• Uphold Mercy Corps’ commitment to safeguarding and ethical standards by ensuring all activities prioritize the dignity and well-being of participants.
• Actively integrate safeguarding measures into program design and implementation.

Minimum Qualifications & Transferable Skills
• Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Business Administration, Development Studies, or a related field. A Master’s degree is preferred.
• 6+ years of experience in economic development, vocational training, or private sector engagement.
• Proven experience in program design, implementation, and partnership development, particularly in youth economic empowerment.
• Knowledge of the Mauritanian socio-economic context and challenges facing youth.
• Familiarity with key USAID policies and technical guidance such as, but not limited to: Economic Growth Policy, Private Sector Engagement Policy, Local Systems Framework, Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with fluency in French and English required, Arabic is considered an advantage.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will bring technical expertise in economic development, flexibility, and a collaborative spirit. They will excel at building partnerships and designing innovative solutions to
address youth unemployment and vulnerability. Sensitivity to the cultural and political context of Mauritania is essential, alongside a commitment to Mercy Corps’ values and safeguarding standards.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This position is based in Nouakchott and may require travel within Mauritania.

Ongoing Learning

Mercy Corps empowers team members to dedicate 5% of their time to personal and professional growth activities.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

We are committed to enriching our organization with individuals of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps does not tolerate discrimination on any basis.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps ensures respect and dignity for all participants and team members. Misconduct of any kind will not be tolerated.