Mercy Corps is hiring a
Location: Edinburg, or London UK, The Hague, NLPosition Status: Full-time, Temporary
Duration: 5 months - starting as soon as possible
Salary: Edinburgh: circa 45.5K; London: circa 53K; The Hague: circa 52K
Candidates must have the right to work in the UK or NL at the time of appointment.
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.
The Program / Department / Team
This STA is part of the Humanitarian Capacity subteam of the Humanitarian Leadership and Response (HLR) team. As an agency, Mercy Corps works to achieve real and lasting impact in the world’s toughest humanitarian emergencies. We save lives and help people live with dignity in crises of all kinds. At the same time, we create the conditions to pivot to innovative and transformative recovery quickly and effectively. We work wherever local capacity is overwhelmed; connecting people to the opportunities they need to strengthen their community in recovery. Whether it is a sudden shock or a slowly emerging crisis, whether the threat is natural or political, no matter how complex the environment, Mercy Corps is committed to bold, rapid, needs-driven assistance. Mercy Corps supports a response that is market driven and leverages the capacities of both traditional and non-traditional aid partners—and ultimately gives people the ability to make their own decisions and secure their own lives and livelihoods.
The HLR team supports humanitarian action through the work of four subteams: Humanitarian Response, Humanitarian Capacity, Crisis Analytics, and Global Safety and Security. Each team contributes, both within their area of expertise as well as through cross-team collaboration, to the delivery of the overarching HLR Humanitarian Response Approach as part of Mercy Corps ten-year Pathway to Possibility vision.
Our crisis analytics teams aggregate and analyze data to improve decision-making and access in complex crises. The teams directly contribute to data-driven decision-making by layering information gathered directly, from open sources and from responders’ programmatic data, and subjecting it to analysis by multi-disciplinary teams. This analysis is grounded in Mercy Corps’ status as an operational NGO, keeping our products constructive and relevant for humanitarian responders and donors within a given crisis.
The Position
The Manager for Crisis Analytics is a key member of the Humanitarian Leadership and Response (HLR) team. They support the quality growth, uptake and impact of Mercy Corps crisis analysis across the organization and wider humanitarian ecosystem.
Working under the guidance of the Interim Senior Director for Crisis Analytics (SDCA), the Crisis Analytics Manager will focus their expertise in three broad areas of engagement: active support to established, and set-up of new, field analysis teams; development and implementation of improved editorial, duty of care, and quality standards for research and analysis; and analytic content generation at global/regional level.
At the direction of the SDCA and/or Vice-President for Humanitarian Leadership and Response (VP/HLR), the Crisis Analytics Manager will be expected to regularly provide direct support to field programs. This role is an accomplished manager who is comfortable starting and leading analysis teams in varied contexts at short notice. This may be in support of a new humanitarian emergency response, or in times of transition (in the context or the team) for existing CA teams.
To this end, the Crisis Analytics Manager can expect to spend the majority of their time providing strategic advice to Country Directors/Directors of Programmes, as well as having line management and budgetary responsibility for analysis platforms within field programmes.
In order to do this, the Crisis Analytics Manager will work with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. Principal among these are: country-level analysis teams; Regional Directors; Country Directors; Global Security; Programme Operations; Technical Support; Policy and Advocacy.
In supporting established and new field analysis capabilities, under the guidance of the SDCA, the Crisis Analytics Manager will have full responsibility for start-up activities, beginning with gathering and interpreting information needs from the country management team and, where applicable, donor(s). Based on this, the Crisis Analytics Manager will develop and put in place management structures, policies, and recruit staff members. The Crisis Analytics Manager will retain management/oversight until team leaders are fully onboarded, then transition to providing ongoing governance and quality assurance – all in consultation and coordination with country and regional teams.
In developing robust but responsive editorial, quality and duty of care standards and policies, the Crisis Analytics Manager will be expected to work with a wide range of internal stakeholders across the global organization, as well as draw on external resources. S/he will also lead on operationalizing the policies and standards arising from this process at field level.
In addition, the Crisis Analytics Manager will act as a focal point for developing, writing and promulgating analysis products addressing global or regional issues. This high-level analysis will seek to synergize and promote cross organizational insights, and provide a resource for relevant country management teams as well as supporting Global Mercy Corps initiatives. In undertaking this work, s/he would be expected to work with members of the global organization’s Senior Leadership as well as colleagues in the Technical Support Unit and Policy and Advocacy teams.
Essential Responsibilities
STRATEGY AND VISION
INFLUENCE AND REPRESENTATION
CRISIS ANALYSIS LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT
LEARNING AND IMPACT
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Interim Senior Director, Crisis Analytics
Works Directly With: Vice-President for Humanitarian Leadership & Response and the wider HLR team, Country Leadership, Regional Directors, Advocacy, Research, Learning and Communications Teams, and other team members as needed.
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
Success Factors
The successful candidate must be a self-starter who brings flexibility, creativity, and enthusiasm to every project s/he undertakes. The candidate must have proven experience with program start up, implementation and learning of a few different types of projects. S/he is an excellent writer and communicator, has a proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results. Multi tasking with proven ability to manage competing priorities, follow procedures, and meet tight deadlines is required. The Crisis Analytics Manager must take an active role in building and maintaining relationships as well as demonstrating the drive and initiative to contribute to team efforts. It is essential the candidate is able to work closely with a diverse team of individuals in varied cultural, political, and religious environments doing intense and dynamic work. S/he will be able to influence and advocate with limited authority and work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders. S/he is proactive in seeking engagement and feedback.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The preferred position location is in Edinburgh, London or The Hague and requires regular travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in individual housing and staff will have access to good medical services and the living situation is of a high standard.
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