Temporary Cash & Voucher Assistance Advisor – Northern Triangle Strategic Response

This remote position may be based in the US or any country in The Americas region where Mercy Corps operates.

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. Our mission is to alleviate poverty, suffering, and oppression and work to build secure, productive, and just communities in over 40 countries around the world. Empowering people with bold solutions to help them become drivers of their economic well-being and become major players in their economy is a cornerstone to our strategy. 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.

As we are preparing a response to the crisis in the Northern Triangle (Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador), we are looking for an individual who can help us define and support our cash-based response in that region.

Program Summary

Mercy Corps’ operations in The Americas are focused in the countries of Bahamas, Haiti, Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela, US Territory Puerto Rico and The Pacific Northwest. Mercy Corps has been operating in Guatemala for over 15 years, and is known for innovative programming around cash, market-based livelihoods, and violence prevention among others. Mercy Corps Guatemala’s current programs build on our long experience in the highlands region. Our national office recently relocated from Guatemala City to Coban, Alta Verapaz. The Coban office allows us to draw on strong program leaders and support teams (finance, operations, human resources etc) who are representative of the communities where we work. As we are developing our strategy for the broader Northern Triangle, we envision cash programming to be at the forefront of our response, and set the stage for longer-term economic development.

General Position Summary

The short-term advisory position will support the definition of Mercy Corps’ strategic cash response. Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, assessment of needs in the region, the potential for leveraging technology to increase impact and efficiency, and the identification of critical partnerships. These steps will help define a strong program design that encompasses an immediate cash response and lays the foundation for longer-term economic development. The position will be working closely with the Cash Technical Support Unit and reports to the Guatemala Country Representative.

Essential Job Responsibilities

TECHNICAL SUPPORT & PROGRAM QUALITY

• Lead the design and implementation of a thorough feasibility assessment of the potential for CVA in the Northern Triangle, including a review of the available secondary data and assessments, field-based data collection, and partnership consultations.
• Map current basic needs responses and potential collaboration opportunities,
• Work with other members of the program design team to scope and design a comprehensive response to basic needs for the Northern Triangle
• Work in close collaboration with the digital landscape assessment consultant to map potential payment mechanisms across the selected regions and fully integrate technology in the response
• Identify potential partners for Mercy Corps’ response and lead discussions on potential collaborative delivery / consortia proposals.
• Develop the capacity of in-country staff working on CVA interventions to ensure that capacity is properly institutionalized and teams are prepared for potential programming opportunities.
• Where appropriate coordinate with Mercy Corps programs in other regions/countries with strategic linkages to these programs regarding cash and protection issues as well as sharing lessons learned – for example our Venezuela and Colombia responses

POLICY, ADVOCACY, & REPRESENTATION

• In coordination with country team, lead engagement with the CWG (where applicable) and peer agencies to assess opportunities for harmonization and collaboration across assessment and programming tools.
• Establish regular communication with other INGOs, local NGOs, relevant UN agencies, donors and government working groups on CVA interventions.
• Work with the Regional and HQ Program teams in identifying additional opportunities for medium-term and longer-term programming involving market-driven programming.

SECURITY

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve – we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO PARTNERS

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our partners and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging participant communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Guatemala Country Representative

Works Directly With: Guatemala country team members, Americas Regional Director**,** Regional Program Team, Regional and Technical Support Unit,T4D, Regional HLR representative, and additional headquarters-based support departments 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

• Bachelor’s degree required. M.A, M.S., M.Sc., or equivalent experience or above in a relevant technical field is required;
• 3 to 5 years working in relief and development, preferably in emergency program management, including cash transfer and in kind distribution.
• 1-3 years’ experience providing technical support in CVA programming
• Previous experience managing cash transfer programming and knowledge of e-transfer mechanisms, emergency market assessments and analysis,(including EMMA, RAM etc) ;
• Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving;
• Experience designing and establishing new programmes.
• Experience working with market assessments
• Previous experience building capacity of staff and local partners
• Ability to effectively represent Mercy Corps and its interests to key stakeholders;
• Great verbal and written English skills required, along with multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.
• Superb written and verbal communications skills
• Demonstrated success working effectively and respectfully with host country government, private sector, INGO, NGO partners and other stakeholders in complex environments.
• Familiarity with USAID requirements is an asset.
• Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment;
• Previous experience in one of the Northern Triangle countries an asset;
• Fluency in English and Spanish is required

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This is a remote position based in the United States or anywhere in The Americas region where Mercy Corps operates and may require travel to Guatemala (restrictions permitting).

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/temporary assignment to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws and customs, and adhere to MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

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 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

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.

Safeguarding & Ethics

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. 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. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.