Description

Position Description Department: West and Central Africa Region Location: Remote; any location of Mercy Corps Africa operations preferably in West and Central Africa Employee Type: Full-time; Regular Contract: Fixed-Term, Open Reporting To: West and Central Africa TRaQ Director

Supervisory Responsibility None

Budget Management Responsibility None

Position Summary Mercy Corps’ operations in West & Central Africa region consist of 9 countries including Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Central African Republic. This is a thriving and growing region with programming that covers all of Mercy Corps’ strategic pillars including food security, economic opportunities, water security, and peace and good governance. Mercy Corps’ programs in West Africa are undergoing both momentous humanitarian crises and significant development challenges that offer the opportunity to empower people to survive through crises, build better lives and transform their communities for good. Mercy Corps’ Technical Resources and Quality (TRaQ) unit is a key part of the Program Support Department. Regional TRaQ subject-matter experts help set agency strategy and provide consultation – from assessment and design through project implementation and results measurement – to field offices throughout the region. TRaQ team members lead research, foster organizational learning, represent Mercy Corps to external audiences, and develop partnerships. The TRaQ team is also integral to global business development and revenue. The Peace and Governance Advisor position focuses on providing technical support to Mercy Corps field teams in Peace and Conflict as well as Governance and Partnerships. The support includes program design and development, network and partnership development, representation at key sector forums and events, helping to monitor and improve program quality and relevance, staying current 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. The advisor position sits within the regional TRaQ team but will work with Global Peace and Conflict and Partnerships and Governance Advisors. The spirit of this position is based on acknowledging the intersection of these teams and will be instrumental in bringing strategic and programmatic guidance to the collaboration efforts between them.

Essential Responsibilities PROGRAM AND PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT ● Working with the New Initiative team, technically lead select region-wide, multi-country strategic peace and governance proposal opportunities● Contribute writing and reviewing elements of peace and governance proposals and concept notes for funding from donors including foundations, corporations and US, European, and UN agencies. ● Work with the evidence and learning and the Crisis Analysis teams to gather/analyze data and complete assessments to determine community needs and priorities and Mercy Corps’ competitive advantage for funding in the peace and governance space. ● Work with programs, country/regional teams, in particular the Senior Director: Peace and Governance programs – Africa and technical teams on prepositioning and development of strategies that respond to regional conflict and stability needs. ● Work with other TRaQ members on the design and support of multi-sectoral programs that integrate broader agency goals such as resilience, food security, and youth development, with peace and governance outcomes.● Keep up to date on relevant regional peace building, stabilization and climate security-related strategies being developed or applied by significant governmental, academic, and non-profit groups. Work with Mercy Corps to determine how the region can best work with and/or influence such materials.● Cultivate and nurture donor relationships and strategic partnerships that positively impact Mercy Corps’ ability to influence program strategies and proposal design, as well as strategic partnerships that result in stronger and impactful program development efforts. PROGRAM QUALITY
● Participate as an active, integrated member of the team providing technical support to a portfolio of programs especially those working on Peace and Governance across West and Central Africa. ● Work with program leadership, and the Senior Director: Peace and Governance programs: Africa to help maintain standards of program delivery that apply agency priorities and comply with relevant regulations and requirements. ● Build capacity with Mercy Corps staff and partners to better design and implement peace and governance programs.● Contribute to programs technical review, leading in identifying program quality needs and share practical recommendations. Support program, country, and/or regional leaders to problem solve. ● Help set strategies and execute plans to address agency-wide program quality needs together with the Regional TRaQ Director. STRATEGY, LEARNING, AND IMPACT● Work with program teams to identify learning opportunities, and establish systems for effective evidence and learning that informs Mercy Corps regional Evidence and Learning Agendas● Work with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team and program/country teams to ensure that monitoring and evaluation is practical and reflects best practices.● Contribute to region-wide initiatives such as the research agenda around Peace and Governance priority topics. ● In collaboration with program leaders and MEL leaders, support assessments; write case studies, learning documents, short articles, and blogs; and develop internal and external dissemination plans for all products.● Nurture partnerships with universities, research institutions, and other organizations in the West and Central Africa region to produce case studies, assessments, and other learning documentation, as well as enhance program quality.● Work with the global Peace and Governance TRaQ team, and the Senior Director: Peace and Governance programs: Africa to develop and cultivate a sustainable community of practice to support cross-regional learning and localized peace and governance expertise POLICY, ADVOCACY, AND REPRESENTATION● Represent Mercy Corps at academic events, conferences, media forums, and other events; contribute to thought leadership in area of expertise. ● Identify and nurture strategic partnerships with other organizations and institutions.● Contribute to the development and implementation of the peace and governance objectives of the West and Central Africa advocacy strategy, working with regional leadership and the Policy and Advocacy team. ● Present concepts and ideas to donors, partners, and peer organizations that influence them to drive innovation and positive change.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities The Advisor will demonstrate experience managing programs, further enhancing their ability to adjust technical theories to meet real world complexities. The Advisor should have the proven ability to influence donors, partners, and peer organizations toward innovative programs and best practices. Through experience managing technical aspects of large or complex proposals, the individual will be able to advise and coach other Mercy Corps staff on how to adjust their methodology. The Advisor must take a lead role in building and maintaining external relationships as well as demonstrating the drive and initiative to contribute to internal team efforts. The Advisor must provide technical support in a way that shares power and values the contributions of those with whom they work. All TRaQ positions require 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.

Required Education and Experience ● Bachelor’s degree required. M.A, M.S., M.Sc., or equivalent in a field related to peacebuilding, conflict/security studies, good governance, or other relevant technical areas is preferred. ● 5+ years of experience providing increasingly proficient technical support in the relevant field of expertise that includes:○