Consultancy - Climate and Water Research Analyst - Remote

Description

Background: ​​​Crisis Analysis supports Mercy Corps programs throughout the region in four key areas: programs, strategy, advocacy, and security. Since 2015, Crisis Analysis – Syria (CA–SYR) has been supporting Mercy Corps Syria, the broader response, and international donors by analyzing tightly woven aspects that are crucial to understanding Syria's conflict legacy, current status quo, and future trajectory to paint a detailed picture of the reality of Syrian communities. ​​CA–SYR focuses on humanitarian and security strategic analysis, both individual incidents and trends, present and forecasted, and then links this with its respective impact on the local population. CA–SYR therefore monitors social media, communicates with partners, validates data through primary sources, and interfaces with relevant international organizations to gather and collate relevant conflict, access, and stakeholder information. CA–SYR also serves as a real-time information hub; vets potential partners; assesses programmatic, partner, and operational risk; identifies and maps stakeholders; and maintains a mapped database displaying program locations, the locations of commodities and their values, and disaggregates this data by donor and risk threshold. 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. Purpose / Project Description: ​​​As Syria’s protracted crisis continues to be multi-dimensional, highly localized, and significantly complex, the need for geographic-specific primary data is a necessity. Humanitarian needs continue to be acute throughout the country, due to their sheer size and complex interconnected systems. Building on experience, Mercy Corps, thus, aims to further contribute to better information and analysis of these geographies throughout the country for evidence-based planning, targeting, and monitoring of humanitarian and recovery interventions. ​​CA–SYR contributes to this goal by covering six main themes. These themes include geopolitics, political economics of survival, post-conflict challenges to governance and stability, social identity and ideology, proliferation, the impacts of negative coping mechanisms, and lastly, climate, crisis, and local adaptation. CA–SYR has been granted funding to deliver water-related quantitative and qualitative analysis deliverables. The Climate and Water Research Consultant will be a member of CA–SYR and will drive the production of a variety of bespoke, context-driven qualitative analytical reports that are relevant to water in Syria. These reports cover a wide variety of topics, ranging from the geopolitics of water to the consequences of drought and pollution, presenting the findings of these reports to external stakeholders if needed. In general, the Consultant will be a proficient all-source analyst and manager with a wealth of experience and knowledge regarding Syria's climate and water-related issues. Consultant Objectives:

• Lead on the timely composition of two analytical products over a span of four months, focused on water-related topics in northeast Syria.
  • Support on developing terms of reference (eg., research and analysis plans) for upcoming deliverables.
    • In coordination with the Climate and Water Research Lead Consultant and other CA–SYR staff, conduct desk reviews and collection of relevant secondary data.
      • In tandem with the Climate and Water Research Lead Consultant and other CA–SYR staff, support and develop relevant data collection tools specific to discrete deliverables.
        • Coordinate with the Climate and Water Research Lead Consultant, Field Coordinator and Deputy Field Coordinator to ensure the dissemination of research tools and data processing.
          • Under the supervision of the Climate and Water Research Lead Consultant, draft narrative sections of reports and support the Climate and Water Research Lead Consultant in data visualization, finalization and dissemination of products. Consultant Activities: The Consultant will:
            • Support the Climate and Water Research Lead Consultant in coordinating with CA–SYR’s Lead Analyst to align team effort with project plans, program objectives, and strategic goals, and ensure project progress and implementation are punctual and accurate.
              • Support data analysis and report production in coordination with the Climate and Water Research Lead Consultant, Lead Analyst, field coordinator/deputy field coordinator, and other research consultant(s).
                • As necessary, update data collection plans with the field coordinator and deputy field coordinator for specific projects.
                  • Perform other tasks identified by the Climate and Water Research Lead Consultant. Consultant Deliverables: The Consultant will: