Consultant – Global Crisis Analytics – Remote

Background

About Mercy Corps

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. Now, and for the future.

Program/ Department Summary

Mercy Corps’ Crisis Analytics teams aggregate and analyze data to improve decision making and access in complex crises. The teams support our programming in Syria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan and other locations. The teams directly contribute to data-driven decision making by layering information from primary sources, open sources and responders’ programmatic data, where it is analyzed by subject matter experts and data scientists. This analysis is grounded in Mercy Corps’ status as an operational NGO, keeping products constructive and relevant.

Typical products and services range from informal briefings to weekly products, contributions to risk assessments, in-depth assessment of the political economy of a defined geography, deep-dives on specific thematics, etc., ranging in themes from conflict to market systems to governance, in line with programmatic needs.

Purpose / Project Description:

This consultant will support the development and expansion of Global Crisis Analytics (CA). This consultancy will play a key role in establishing new country-based CA teams. The consultancy is also intended to maximize the potential impact of CA products, by providing necessary support to CA teams’ analytical processes and workflows as required.

Consultant Objectives:

This consultancy will ensure the impactful expansion of Crisis Analytics and enhance Crisis Analytics’ impact at country and HQ-levels. The Global CA consultant will play a key role in developing rigorous analytical processes and effective products for new and existing CA teams.

Consultant Activities:

The Consultant will principally engage in and provide support to the following key areas Global CA workflows:

• The set up and growth of new CA teams
  • Help define internal and external information gaps, guaranteeing CA products added value.
  • Ensure new teams develop products that support the priorities and aims of Mercy Corps’ country teams’ programs.
  • Support CA teams’ operational needs, including recruitment.
• Actively support established CA teams in developing their products as required and directed.
  • Provide strategic advice to country teams to improve analytical processes, workflows and identify opportunities for added value.
• Support in scoping and assessing the feasibility of new CA endeavors, including proposed CA country and regional teams.
• Helping shape and review Global CA research and projects.
• Engage and work closely with internal and external stakeholders.

Consultant Deliverables:

• Support the set up and development of new CA teams
  • Assist with start-up activities, including management structures, identifying prospective team members, policies and quality assurance.
  • Help the generation of effective analytical insights and products, strengthening the CA teams’ ability to add value to field program.
• Provide support to established CA country teams.
  • Helping translate CA team strategies into effective products, workflows and processes.
  • Undertake reviews of CA country-based teams’ operations and outputs as directed, supplying recommendations to them.
• Assist in the creation of Global CA projects and reports, as well as peer reviewing products as necessary.

Timeframe / Schedule:

Start – Early September

Duration – 4 months, with 10-12 billable days per month.

The Consultant will report to:

Senior Director, Crisis Analytics

Consultant will work closely with:

Senior Advisor, Crisis Analytics; CA Team Leaders; Data for Impact Advisor; HLR Teams**Experience & Skills:**

• MA/S or equivalent in international development, political or social science management, journalism, research or other relevant fields;
• At least 10 years’ experience in demonstrated context analysis, ideally including prior experience producing analysis and research for the humanitarian community working in fragile, crisis-affected countries and regions.
• Exceptional research design and analytical conceptualization skills, including project management.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated understanding of the donor environment and experience with international institutional donors.
• Proven negotiation, communication, organization, prioritization and relationship building skills.

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 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.