Program Enterprise Development Graduate Internships at Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps, a global humanitarian organization, are hiring a Graduate Interns - Enterprise Development –RANGE Program in Maralal, Isiolo and Marsabit.

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 / Department Summary

RANGE seeks to strengthen the resilience of communities in the Arid- and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) of northern Kenya through natural resource management, livestock market engagement, governance, advocacy and adaptive learning. The program will contribute to sustainable economic and social development in a well-managed landscape.

General Position Summary

The Graduate Intern - Enterprise Development will support the County Coordinator in identifying, engaging, and coordinating private sector partners and entrepreneurs to advance the RANGE Program's Market Systems Development (MSD) objectives. The intern will contribute to business and partnership analysis, monitor partnership implementation and performance, strengthen collaboration among market actors and county stakeholders, and support documentation, learning, and knowledge management. This role provides practical experience in private sector engagement, partnership management, strengthening market systems, and data-driven decision-making while contributing to sustainable livelihood and resilience outcomes in the target counties.

As a Graduate Intern, you will receive valuable exposure to development programming, collaborate with diverse stakeholders, and play a meaningful role in driving sustainable livelihood and resilience outcomes in the target counties. This role is ideal for graduates looking to build practical skills, strengthen their professional profile, and make a positive impact in communities.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Support private sector engagement and partnership development by identifying, profiling, and engaging potential private sector partners, entrepreneurs, and market actors through market scans, stakeholder mapping, and business outreach aligned with the RANGE Program objectives.
• Conduct business and partnership analysis by reviewing business opportunities, undertaking basic financial and market analysis, assessing partnership proposals, and providing evidence-based insights to support partnership selection and investment decisions.
• Support partnership implementation and performance monitoring by tracking work plans, milestones, budgets, and deliverables; collecting and analyzing performance data; and preparing progress reports and recommendations to support adaptive management.
• Strengthen coordination and market linkages by facilitating collaboration among private sector partners, county governments, Local Implementing Partners (LIPs), community institutions, and other stakeholders to enhance market systems, leverage resources, and maximize program impact.
• Promote innovation, learning, and knowledge management by identifying emerging business opportunities and innovative solutions, documenting lessons learned and success stories and supporting learning events and knowledge products that enhance program visibility and sustainability.

 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 Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries 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.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values always and in all in-country venues.

Safeguarding

• 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: None

Accountability:
Reports Directly To: RANGE County Coordinators – Samburu, Isiolo and Marsabit
Works Directly With: RANGE Program Officers and Private Partners in the Counties

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Entrepreneurship, Economics, Agribusiness, Commerce, Finance, Marketing, Development Studies or another related field.
• Graduated within twelve (12) months or Awaiting graduation, completed course work
• Demonstrated interest in private sector development, market systems development (MSD) approach, enterprise development, entrepreneurship, or economic empowerment.
• Strong entrepreneurial mindset with knowledge of business management and enterprise development.
• Good business, market, and financial analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data and provide practical recommendations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Proficiency in English and Swahili; knowledge of local languages in any of the 3 counties is an added advantage.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and effectively within a diverse team environment.
• Interpersonal, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships.
• Demonstrate a strong learning orientation and growth mindset.

Success Factors

The Graduate Intern - Program Enterprise Development will have the ability to work effectively with Mercy Corps program target participants and partners. The Graduate Intern will demonstrate cultural sensitivity and appropriate flexibility to work cooperatively with team members and partner organizations.

Living Conditions/Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Samburu, Marsabit & Isiolo Counties and requires up to 50% travel to support programming activities, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Hence, housing for this role is individual housing.

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

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.

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