Description
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 โ helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Over the past eight years, Mercy Corps has established a reputation for quality and timely data and analysis through its network of Crisis Analysis teams. Through Crisis Analysis, Mercy Corps has carved out a niche among evidence and information providers in the humanitarian and development space, owing to the granularity, reactivity and holistic approach of products, which focus on some of the most hard-to-reach, data-poor and complex contexts requiring assistance. This is underpinned by Mercy Corpsโ status as an operational INGO, which ensures that analysis products are practicable and relevant for humanitarian actors. From its beginnings in 2014 with the creation of the Syria Humanitarian Access team (Syria HAT), Crisis Analysis at Mercy Corps has grown to its current network of nearly 50 team members in eight countries in all four regions of agency operations, with a dedicated Global Crisis Analysis (GCA) HQ-level support and advisory team.
Mercy Corps has been working in Haiti since 2010, and currently focuses on providing economic opportunities and promoting financial inclusion, empowering women and young people, supporting social cohesion and good governance, and preparing and responding to periodic natural disasters. Information has long been a challenge for many responders in Haiti: there is a general lack of timely, high-quality analysis that meets the intersecting needs of emergency, early recovery, resilience and development actors.
Purpose / Project Description:
Mercy Corps is looking to explore establishing a dedicated Crisis Analysis capacity for Haiti, embedded within the Mercy Corps Haiti response, to both support internal strategic objectives, as well as benefit the wider humanitarian and development community. To support the potential set-up of a Crisis Analysis team in Haiti, a Consultant analyst will lead exploring the possible scope of such a team. They will also produce a first proof-of-concept qualitative analysis output. The Consultant will work closely with the Mercy Corps Haiti country team, and the Global Crisis Analysis team.
The Consultant is expected to bring a comprehensive knowledge of the humanitarian and development sector in Haiti, and will be responsible for developing a proposed suite of analysis products that will support emergency, early recovery, resilience and development actors. They will leverage their understanding of the dynamics of the complex crisis in Haiti to produce an initial timely, high-quality analysis report on a theme selected in coordination with the Haiti country team. The Consultant will be able to meaningfully engage with the Mercy Corps programs teams and external stakeholders, with the aim to improve the ability of Mercy Corps and the wider humanitarian and development community to make effective strategic decisions and operate with impact.
Consultant Objectives:
โ Identify the potential entry points, specific value-add, possible operational models and initial scope of a Crisis Analysis team in Haiti, in view of the broader risks and opportunities for Mercy Corps Haiti, as well as the existing data and analysis landscape.
โ Produce a qualitative analytical thematic output on the Haiti context, defining appropriate content based on Mercy Corps Haiti programmatic and strategic priorities.
Consultant Activities:
The Consultant will:
โ Conduct a desk review of Mercy Corps Haiti programmatic / strategic materials
โ Carry out KIIs with internal and external stakeholders
โ Work closely with the Mercy Corps Haiti team, including workshopping with key internal stakeholders, to identify and prioritise the information, data and analysis needs of the team and the programmatic, operational, strategic and influence objectives that Crisis Analysis could support
โ Produce a high quality, time-sensitive, data-driven analysis product to support programmatic and strategic decision-making in Haiti, leveraging an excellent understanding of the humanitarian / development information and analysis space in Haiti
โ Map the information and analysis landscape in Haiti and coordination structures for information sharing and influence
โ Conduct a stakeholder mapping and analysis to better understand the information needs of other actors that Crisis Analysis could support
โ Based on information gathered, outline options for team operational model and potential products, including an analysis agenda for future activities
โ Support the risk assessment process for the proposed Crisis Analysis team
Consultant Deliverables:
โ Post-desk review workplan, scoping report proposal, and outline of a thematic analytical output
โ A final scoping document including but not limited to:
โ Mapping of the humanitarian information, data and analysis space in Haiti
โ Stakeholder mapping / analysis
โ Analysis strategy outlining the problem statement, value proposition and modalities for informing audiences
โ Proposed team operational model(s), informed in part by risk assessment led by Mercy Corps Haiti security team
โ Proposed suite of Crisis Analysis products and services
โ Options for: funding models, team personnel, partnerships/collaborations
โ Recommendations/action plan for Mercy Corps Haiti relating to team setup
โ Presentation of scoping to Mercy Corps Haiti and Global Crisis Analysis teams, and other relevant stakeholders
โ A thematic qualitative analytical output, with the scope and theme defined in coordination with the Mercy Corps Haiti and Global Crisis Analysis teams
Timeframe / Schedule:
โ Estimated timeframe of 6-10 weeks full-time; with 2-4 weeks in-country
โ Start date: 1 December 2023
The Consultant will report to: Senior Director for Global Crisis Analysis
Consultant will work closely with: Country Director Mercy Corps Haiti, Mercy Corps Haiti Programs / Security team; Mercy Corps Regional Program / Security team; Global Crisis Analysis team
Required Experience & Skills:
โ 5-10 years experience in relevant roles including humanitarian analysis, humanitarian consulting, research projects, donor relations;
โ Excellent analytical, writing and briefing skills, with a focus on management, structure, functional mapping;
โ Excellent understanding of the humanitarian analysis field and information requirements of aid actors;
โ Strong verbal and written communication skills;
โ MA/S or equivalent in international development, political or social science management, journalism, research or other relevant fields;
โ Knowledge and experience working on the Haiti context, pre-existing network of contacts preferred;
โ Proficiency in French and English;
โ Experience with international institutional donors preferred.
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 worldโs 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.