Consultant - Climate Change Communications - Remote

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 just finalized its new 10-year strategy:  Pathway to Possibility (P2P).  Highlights from the strategy are summarized in Top Five Takeaways, while this Strategy Summary Map is a simplified visual representation of the strategy and is accompanied by this Narrative Description.  A key element of P2P is the ‘Climate Smart’ commitment, with the aim of enhancing our impact on and in the face of the climate crisis. Mercy Corps recently created the position of Chief Climate Officer to help drive this agenda and to help raise the awareness and understanding of climate change within the context of our work.

Purpose and Objectives:

The purpose of this consultancy is to improve communications assets and processes in support of the climate smart commitment.  The consultant will work with the Chief Climate Officer and Technical Support Unit Senior Director for Environment to conceptualize a set of recurring internal communications efforts aimed at building awareness and understanding of and excitement for our climate change program activities, and the range of initiatives that contribute to our climate change commitment under Mercy Corps’ 10-year strategy Pathway to Possibility.

Consultant Activities:

The Consultant will:

1. Design the structure for and manage messaging as well as logistics for the first quarterly global live discussion on climate change and changemakers
2. Design a template and process for an accompanying newsletter, produce the first version, and recommend content approaches for subsequent issues
3. Develop concrete recommendations for effective ongoing internal communication on the P2P climate change commitment in consultation with the internal comms team
4. Source, edit and design the first Global Sustainability Report
5. Update the set of climate and environment technical approach documents
6. Develop concise  and compelling summaries of new programs in our climate portfolio
7. Develop options for building a climate community of practice around different levels of effort
8. Partner with the CCO to develop regular, effective communication to the broader climate team and agency at large

Consultant Deliverables:

The Consultant will deliver:

• An internal communications plan for regular climate change initiative updates, knowledge exchange and program examples
• A template/process for the quarterly newsletter (or equivalent) and structure for a quarterly live event
• The first version of the newsletter
• A final version of the sustainability report, in collaboration with the Global Environmental Sustainability Manager
• A set of updated technical approach documents, in collaboration with the TSU team
• A template for program stories and an initial set of stories from the current portfolio
• A climate community of practice strategy for uniting “climate champions” across the Mercy Corps network, and providing them with mentoring and knowledge sharing opportunities.

Timeframe / Schedule:

September – December 2022 Precise timelines and LOE for each deliverable to be agreed in consultation with the consultant.

The Consultant will report to:

Chief Climate Officer

TSU Senior Director, Environment

The Consultant will work closely with:

TSU Environment team, Environmental Sustainability Manager, Corporate and Foundations team, Global Marketing and Internal Communications team

Required Experience & Skills:

• 5-10 years of experience in internal and external communication strategy and execution
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (Communications, Environmental Studies)
• Experience writing about climate issues a plus
• Track record of internal communications success at a large mission-driven organization,.
• Track record of working across a global organizational landscape.
• Demonstrated ability to design (or work with creative consultants) dynamic document templates
• Excellent writing/editing skills; ability to “translate” technical language into compelling content for wide-ranging audiences.
• Experience with digital media and social networking technologies and working knowledge of online content management.
• Proven experience maintaining a high level of confidentiality and professional conduct.
• Proven ability to prioritize multiple competing and changing priorities, requests, tasks, and deadlines.

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
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 team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging 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 at all times and in all in-country venues.