Regional Market Systems and Economic Opportunities Advisor - MENAE

Description

Location: MENAE Offices (Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine) or UK, Netherlands with the right to work in these countries

Employee Type: Full-time, Regular, MENAE National or MCE Domestic,

Department Summary

Mercy Corps implements a variety of programming throughout the Middle East, North Africa and Europe in response to the diverse humanitarian and long-term development needs of the region. Mercy Corps has ongoing programs in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Ukraine and Palestine. Mercy Corps is committed to delivering high quality, high impact programming that reaches communities or individuals in need, wherever they are.

To deliver on P2P, Mercy Corps recently changed its global program department structure, including the establishment of a Technical Resources and Quality (TRaQ) Unit which aims to deliver measurable impact, leads agency thinking in key technical and program management areas, and ensures quality programing while maintaining agency visibility with key audiences. The TRAQ is responsible for leading and supporting assessments, integrating learning, program design and country level studies; providing technical support to country offices; helping the global agency set technical strategies; building strategic partnerships, and representation and coordination with other development, government and private sector actors.

General Position Summary

Mercy Corps has a growing portfolio of Market Systems and Economic Opportunities programs in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. The Economic Opportunities and Market System Advisor will support country teams in the region grow their capacity to design, deliver and learn from a portfolio of high quality and impactful economic recovery and market systems development (MSD) programs. Their support includes program design and development, network and partnership development, representation at key sector fora and events, helping to monitor and improve program quality and relevance, staying abreast on industry innovation and best practices, writing competitive proposals for submission to donors, delivering training, and disseminating information to internal and external partners. The advisor will also participate in matrixed teams, share and build the capacity of others, and help integrate their technical areas with others. They will bring expertise in economic programming to the role, but also be a skilled connector, leveraging technical knowledge in specific sectors/themes from across the regional and the global TRaQ team.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Lead new business opportunities for MSD programs in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe
• Lead on the Economic Opportunity Vision and Strategy for the MENAE Region
• Develop strategy documents and capacity briefs at country and regional level to advance Mercy Corps’ Economic Opportunities positioning in the region
• Facilitate technical inputs from the TRaQ team related to MSD and Economic opportunities, such as in Financial Inclusion, Youth Employment, and Agriculture on program design

PROGRAM AND PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT

• Lead/write/oversee review of proposals and concept notes for funding from donors including foundations, corporations, and US, European, and UN agencies.
• In partnership with country program teams, gather/analyze data and complete and/or manage market assessments to determine program needs and priorities and Mercy Corps’ competitive advantage for funding, including potential to evolve and scale existing programs focused on economic recovery and development using market systems approaches.
• Strategize with country/regional teams, global TRAQ, and regional Senior Business Development Advisor on prepositioning for strategic funding opportunities that advance country strategies
• Mobilize resources from other TRAQ teams to effectively design multi-sectoral, integrated programs that encompass elements of broader agency goals such as food and water security, and focus on Mercy Corps distinctives, such as resilience, MSD for Employment (MSD4E), financial inclusion, job tech particularly for youth.
• Work with regional leadership to identify and pursue multi-country and regional programs that advance the Economic Opportunities outcomes envisioned in the regional strategy.
• Keep up to date on relevant strategies being developed or applied by significant governmental, academic, and non-profit groups. Work with Mercy Corps to determine how the agency can best work with and/or influence such materials.

PROGRAM QUALITY

• Engage as an active, integrated member of the regional team providing technical support to a portfolio of programs across development, humanitarian, and triple nexus contexts.
• Advise on effective interventions in the areas of economic recovery, financial inclusion, and youth employment, applying integrated principles where relevant and using integrated approaches.
• Ensure maintaining standards of program delivery that apply agency priorities and comply with relevant regulations and requirements.
• Manage MC’s pool of technical experts and consultants that can serve as an additional resource to be deployed for program support.
• Harness agency-wide learning and structures to help country and regional teams gather, refine, and disseminate tools such as training presentations and manuals, teaching notes, best practices and lessons learned, program examples, and monitoring and evaluation tools.
• Build program staff capacity to better design and implement programs that advance economic opportunity outcomes using an MSD approach, through mentorship and training in collaboration with various TRaQ and program team members. Core focus areas for applying MSD principles include: youth employment, financial Inclusion, and economic recovery.

LEARNING AND IMPACT

• Support MSD Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) activities for priority MSD programmes, including design and execution of internal and external evaluations to measure impact with economic opportunity-driven activities is practical and reflects best practices. This may include identifying MEL priorities for building economic recovery into humanitarian portfolios using market systems principles as well as identifying key changes for MEL systems to monitor through private sector partners and measure change in MSD interventions.
• Contribute to the development and execution of the MENA/E region’s Evidence and Learning Agenda as it pertains to research and learning around economic opportunity sub-sectors, as well as to agency-wide opportunities to advance thought leadership.
• Provide in-country and remote training and support for Mercy Corps staff, partners, and others.
• Support new and ongoing programs with best practice advice and assistance on assessment, implementation, research, and evaluation needs.
• Oversee and guide assessments; write and review case studies, learning documents, short articles, and blogs.

Influence & Representation

• Represent Mercy Corps’ work at key networks, forums academic events, conferences, media, and other events; contribute to thought leadership in area of expertise.
• Identify and nurture strategic partnerships with other organizations and institutions, with a focus on local organizations advancing economic recovery and develop outcomes in the places Mercy Corps works.
• Contribute to a strong and regularly updated network of technical experts and consultants that can serve as an additional resource to be deployed for program support.
• Build relationships with donors and potential partners to advance MSD programs in the region

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES

• 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

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward 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.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Budget Management Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Regional Technical Director, Middle East, North Africa and Europe

Works Directly With: Deputy Regional Director, Regional Technical team, Regional Evidence and Learning team, Country Directors, Director of Programs, Program Managers, Global Economic Opportunity Teams

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant field preferred.
• 5 to 7+ years of experience in international development work and or relevant private sector experience, with a minimum of three years in a program management or technical advisor role, including proposal design.
• Minimum of 3-4 years of experience in technical work related to technical focus areas within Economic Opportunities (Financial Inclusion, Youth Employment) - including experience with program design, private sector partnership building, business modeling, technical advising, and/or learning and research.
• Experience working in the MENA and Europe required. Experience working in fragile contexts and humanitarian settings preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, in working with wide range of stakeholders across various countries, cultures and languages, including coordination and communication skills.
• Strong writing skills required.
• Strong presentation and representation skills required.
• Fluency in oral and written English required; Arabic or Ukrainian/Russian knowledge is preferred.

Success Factors

The technical advisor will demonstrate a winning track record in program development, and bring flexibility, creativity, and enthusiasm to every project they undertake. The individual must have exceptional writing skills and the ability to multi-task, set priorities, pay attention to detail, and work under tight deadlines within complex team environments. The regional advisor must take an active role in building and maintaining external relationships as well as demonstrating the drive and initiative to contribute to internal team efforts. The individual must learn quickly how to provide technical data and support in the most efficient and effective form possible for each unique field team and environment. The role requires strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills, and a level of emotional intelligence proficiency that quickly builds and maintains productive relationships across teams. Being aware and sensitive to international development issues and diverse cultures is critical.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is a national position base in one of MC offices in Europe or the MENAE region where feasible and it requires up 30% travel across Middle East, North Africa and Europe, including to insecure environments.

Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision.  Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

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.

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, reach their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborate to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity 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 based on 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).