Mercy Corps is hiring a
Location: Any MC Office Location
Position Status: Full Time, Temporary (Budgeted as a 10-Month Position)
Salary Level: US: Minimum Starting salary for this role will be $76,000 to $84,000 commensurate on experience, based on local benchmark for candidates outside of the United States
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 Strategy Realization Unit (SRU) ensures that Mercy Corps has the strategies and vision that will enable it to be a world-class, cutting edge humanitarian and development organization creating transformational change in the world. The Strategy Realization Unit’s goal is to drive forward the agency’s 10 year strategy - Pathway to Possibility - providing a unifying vision while also enabling teams to be adaptive. The underlying intention is to create clarity and focus to enhance decision-making at all levels and locations of the organization.
The Strategy Realization Unit is accountable to Mercy Corps leadership, starting at the Executive Team level, but also works closely with leadership across the organization, including Regional Directors, Country Directors, HQ Function Leads, etc.
This position builds upon the work that we initiated over the past nine months to build alignment around an agency definition for localization and our key areas of work. Through that process, we were able to deeply integrate localization into the agency strategy process, articulate a commitment area on being locally-led, and mobilize the global team around a shared learning agenda. Critically, we also reached agreement around 4 key priority workstreams for localization efforts at Mercy Corps:
As we move into the next phase of our localization efforts – from visioning to learning and planning – it’s critical that we support our teams that are already engaging in these four localization workstreams and want to do more. Moreover, it’s vital that we have dedicated resources to ensure that localization is integrated into our strategy realization process so that our subsequent organizational shifts we make further – rather than detract – from our localization vision.
The Localization Senior Advisor will be responsible for leading efforts to move forward with our vision statement for localization as well as leading on our organizational commitment to localization as reflected in our newly launched strategy, Pathway to Possibility (www.mercycorps.org/pathway).
They will be a key member of the Strategy Realization Unit and will be responsible, in collaboration with others, for shaping, defining, and, ultimately, helping to deliver on that strategy. They must have the mindset, skills, and experience to push the needle on localization within our own organization and contribute meaningfully to dialogue within the sector, helping Mercy Corps emerge as a leader in this space.
Building on their facilitation, program management and / or operational expertise and leadership experience, they are an effective communicator both verbally and in writing - as well as a good listener, able to understand different perspectives and are open to feedback. They are equally strong conveners and facilitators with the ability to meaningfully engage leaders and their teams in inclusive processes designed to shape the agency’s strategic direction.
INTERNAL LEARNING AND SUPPORT TO TEAMS
Continue/ expand localization workshops to foster connections and leverage promising practices across the organization for the four localization workstreams
Establish and nurture communities of practice around localization priorities to help practitioners move forward
Create and roll out toolkits, guidance, and tipsheets for country teams
Develop and share case studies and lessons learned in a formalized, systematic way - internally and possibly externally
INTERNAL LEADERSHIP, FACILITATION, AND COORDINATION (SIMILAR)
Integrate and apply lessons learned into design of operational initiatives, business support function shifts, organizational structure, etc.
Help mainstream localization into on-going agency conversations, development of sub-strategies, department plans, etc.
Through engagement and consultation with other departments and key stakeholders and with support from SRU leadership, contribute to the development of a set of recommendations for the structure and resources needed in the medium term to drive global coordination on localization at Mercy Corps.
EXTERNAL REPRESENTATION, INFLUENCE, AND EVIDENCE
Deliberately link Mercy Corps’ internal learning agenda / outcomes with Technical Support Unit (TSU) and / or Research & Learning Team research objectives to contribute meaningfully to emerging evidence base around localization
Lead efforts to harmonize advocacy/ influence messaging and key policy ‘asks’ related to localization
Represent Mercy Corps in industry level working groups, roundtables, consultations, etc on localization, relevant donor reforms, etc.
Supervisory Responsibility
External consultants contracted for this work
Reports Directly To: Director, Gender, Diversity, & Inclusion within the SRU
Works Directly With: Fellow SRU team members, Localization Core Group (GDI Director, Director of Strategy Realization, SRU Assistant Project Officer)
Coordinates With: Additional stakeholders from different geographies and levels of the agency will be identified to engage in participatory consultation processes and / or lead elements of the road mapping process described above.
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 5 years of experience in localization-related work (e.g. partnerships, equity and inclusion work, elevating localized talent, etc.)
BA (or equivalent) 5+ years experience in a relevant field is preferred
Familiarity with / fluency in industry-wide conversations and discussions around localization, decolonizing aid, the shifting role of INGOs, etc.
Ability to represent Mercy Corps and our vision in industry the / sector working groups, consultations, etc.
Ability to present complex ideas to audiences at different elevations of the organization – including senior leadership
Excellent facilitation skills and demonstrated ability to lead meetings, workshops, and/ or trainings
Experience navigating or leading cross-departmental efforts across multiple geographies
Strong analytical and writing skills and ability to produce case studies, toolkits, and other learning materials/ products for internal and external audiences
Experience working in multiple country contexts at relatively senior levels; familiarity with both barriers and opportunities around localization
In-depth practical experience in at least two of our localization workstreams
A successful Localization Senior Advisor will have knowledge of the INGO sector; excellent facilitation, interpersonal, and analytical skills; possess a sustained lens of cultural humility while staying abreast of the latest thinking and best practice on localization. This person will have an understanding of the reality INGO practitioners face in advancing localization with respect to both INGO operations and programming, experience building alignment across a global organization, coordinating and collating knowledge and learning from diverse individuals and teams, and experience advancing inclusive organizational change efforts. The Senior Advisor will lead by example with cultural humility, a learning mindset, and desire to center the perspectives of those most impacted by the work.
The position is based in any Mercy Corps location and it requires up to 10% 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.
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 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.
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**.** 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.
As a safeguarding measure, Mercy Corps screens all potential US-Based employees. Any offers of employment or continued employment are dependent on the successful completion of the screens which include, but are not limited to our Background Check and Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme processes,
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.
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
Mercy Corps has determined that, in an effort to protect the health, safety, and well-being of all Mercy Corps employees working in the United States, all U.S.-based employees must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, regardless of prior COVID-19 infection status.
This policy will be revised as needed to comply with federal, state, and local requirements, and to respond to changing guidance from public health authorities.
For new employees this requirement goes into effect within 10 business days of employment. Team members that travel are expected to comply with host-country requirements, including vaccinations. Failure to comply may impact your employment. Proof of vaccination or exemption must be provided.