Consultant – Rapid Institutional Crisis Response – Remote

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 — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

The humanitarian data landscape is currently less than the sum of its parts. Much of what are described as humanitarian data-driven platforms, simply present data in a more convenient way. The smaller, though growing, number of initiatives that do generate genuine insights from data are disparate, separated by sector and limited in access. Early stage crisis response is often hampered by the need to collect, aggregate, and analyze information at short notice, resulting in slower response times, misallocated resources, and missed opportunities. Once a response is underway, the lack of systemic, routinely updated data means that critical aid decisions are delayed, made with limited information, or not made at all.

Mercy Corps believes that by leveraging big data tools such as AWS there is an opportunity to demonstrate the way forward in overcoming these challenges, and that it can be done while significantly reducing the time lag for humanitarian response to new crises. Earlier intervention means a reduced cost to donors, and reduced suffering for those affected. It means a quicker recovery, as there is less resorting to negative coping mechanisms by those affected.

The desired solution is an integrated platform that provides the following features:

1. Data collection, aggregation, inventory, and indexing to the local level.
2. Gap Analysis & Needs Assessment Generation
3. Data Creation & Predictive Analysis
4. Key Actor Identification

Purpose / Project Description:

Mercy Corps is currently implementing an initiative to explore uses of cloud computing in humanitarian aid. The Crisis Analytics team has identified a key use case to support Early Warning and pre-crisis planning efforts within the humanitarian community of practice. The Rapid Institutional Crisis Response platform will bring together disparate data sources and predictive models to provide a clear picture of data gaps, identify key collaborators for data collection, and generate custom needs assessments to support primary data collection. The pilot project implemented in 2021-2022 will focus on emerging crises in the Sahel region.

Mercy Corps is looking to hire a fixed/short term consultant to support the following Phase 0 activities:

• Product specification
• Initial resource estimates
• Data sources inventory
• Stakeholders register and initial user interviews

Consultant Activities:

Working closely with Mercy Corps Crisis Analytics and Technology for Development (T4D) team members, the consultant will:

Phase 0:

• Provide product specification including:
  • Validating platform concept
  • Define (conceptually) key platform components and subcomponents
• Estimating initial resources required for full platform execution (time, cost, personnel)
• Inventory key data sources and catalog existing predictive models
• Develop a stakeholders register including potential partners

The output of Phase 0 will be:

• Report on platform definition including:
  1. Data sources & models inventory
  2. Stakeholders register
  3. Resource estimates
  4. Review of risks & opportunities

Consultant Deliverables:

Phase 0:

1. Kickoff scope review meeting held & work plan developed
2. Phase 0 final report
3. Phase 0-1 decision point meeting

The Consultant will report to:

• Senior Crisis Analytics Advisor

The Consultant will work closely with:

• Data For Impact Advisor

Required Experience & Skills:

• **5-10 years of experience in relevant technical field (required)
• Experience working in developing contexts is a significant asset

• Demonstrated experience in the following:

• Quantitative analysis in a humanitarian context

• Use or development of predictive analytics models

• Understanding or development of needs analyses in humanitarian contexts

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.