Partnerships & Context Analyst at Mercy Corps

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.

The Program Summary

Mercy Corps’ Ukraine crisis response seeks to meet the humanitarian needs of vulnerable Ukrainians and other conflict-affected people where they are: displaced inside Ukraine, refugees in Poland, Romania, and Moldova, or trapped behind frontlines. We aim to reach 500,000 vulnerable people with multi-purpose cash assistance, in-kind humanitarian support, and protection services across four countries.

Almost all our impact will be delivered in partnership with Ukrainian, Polish, Romanian, and Moldovan civil society organisations through a granting program that matches humanitarian action with capacity strengthening, and with peer international NGOs through a consortium in Ukraine.

Mercy Corps is responding to the Ukraine crisis with large-scale consortium programming with a focus on Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA). The Consortium is a partnership between four international humanitarian aid agencies to model and deliver innovative, effective cash and other humanitarian assistance programs to support people affected by the Ukraine crisis within Ukraine.

Mercy Corps’ Crisis Analysis teams aggregate and analyse data to improve decision making and access

in complex crises. The teams support our programming in Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon, Democratic Republic of Congo, 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 analysed 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 themes, etc., ranging in themes from conflict to market systems to governance, in line with programmatic needs.

In response to the complex humanitarian situation in Ukraine as well as the regional implications of this crisis, Mercy Corps has established a Ukraine Crisis Analysis team. The Ukraine Crisis Analysis team helps Mercy Corps make programmatic and operational decisions, based on analysis of humanitarian

needs and access. The team will also provide insight into the regional economic and social impacts of the crisis, as well as the impact on humanitarian operations in contexts that are particularly vulnerable to the economic effects of the crisis.

The Position

The Context & Networks Analyst will support the Ukraine Crisis Analysis team by conducting multisector research, with a particular emphasis on enabling Mercy Corps to manage the risks associated with operating in Ukraine. S/he will do this by drafting vetting and area assessments, as well as authenticating the research and information forming analysis on this highly dynamic context, improving the response team’s agility, and enabling them to make strategic decisions and minimise operational risks. The Context & Networks Analyst will play a key role in supporting the team by providing critical administrative support.

The Context & Networks Analyst will also be responsible for the smooth and efficient operation of the Ukraine Crisis Analysis team functioning as an accurate and real-time information hub for the wider response. They will do so by supporting the design and implementation of vetting assessments of potential partners, as well as undertaking assessments of programmatic, partner, and operational risks. S/he will build and develop a knowledge repository on the programming landscapes and partners in Ukraine.

Essential Responsibilities

EDD Research and Analysis

• Design and undertake assessments of potential partners, programmes, areas of operation, and operational risks.
• Expand Ukraine Crisis Analysis Team’s analytical capacity and networks by maintaining communication and establishing new contacts among Ukraine’s government, international agencies, civil society, think tank, and humanitarian actors.
• Inform programmatic and operational decision-making by supporting the production of insightful and concise Ukraine Crisis Analytics reports.
• Work closely with the Ukraine Crisis Analysis Analysts to deliver and draft regular enhanced due diligence analytical products/reports that meet the current and future information needs of identified audiences as directed.
• Develop and maintain a database on the programming landscapes and partners in Ukraine.
• Coordinate with allocated programme teams and wider response to understand their information needs and provide timely and relevant advice.
• Identify new areas of focus based on the understanding of audience needs.
• Collaborate throughout the analytical process with all colleagues in the team. Data and Information Verification
• Ensure that all Ukraine Crisis Analysis products are accurate by reviewing and fact-checking all products in a timely manner, with a high attention to detail.
• Layer non-traditional tools and information sources with established data sets to verify products and to generate insights within a dynamic environment.
• Communicate factual errors identified in a professional and concise manner to the team.
• Identify and support the development of inter-organisational relationships to facilitate access

to third-party data sources.

• Coordinate with field researchers to ensure data collection is efficient to the team’s requirements and suitably disaggregated.

Administrative Support

• Undertake various administrative tasks for the team, including logistics, travel, and procurement of the program are within MC policy and with the maximum benefit to the programme.
• Ensure all documentation is stored and organised appropriately

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director, Security and Humanitarian Access

Works Directly With: Global Crisis Analytics team, Ukraine response team, Ukraine Crisis Analytics Team Leader, Global Policy and Advocacy, Asia Regional Program Team, various external stakeholders

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 in a relevant field; Master’s Degree preferred, in a Social Science discipline.
• Experience in journalistic or civil society work.
• Experience in fact-checking and verifying information.
• Experience in building knowledge repositories and information management.
• Demonstrated understanding and ability to engage with networks of information sources across different sectors, groups, and locations.
• Experience in research process. Experience in the creation of outputs aimed at the humanitarian community highly desirable.
• Ability to communicate professionally and tactfully.
• Verbal and written English and Ukrainian skills.
• Good understanding (verbal and written) of Russian is desirable.
• Competency in internet and Microsoft Office systems including Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Competency in social media tools including Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp.
• Ability to work within a remote but highly dynamic team.
• Mobility and ability to travel within Ukraine, including frontline communities.
• Experience working in a fast-paced environment with high-levels of collaboration.
• Good knowledge of Mercy Corps is an asset.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will be a key member of a diverse team where curiosity, critical thinking, and the ability to see beyond the surface level are highly valuable. A professional attitude, demonstration of integrity, discretion, and excellent work ethic are key aspects to the success of this new position. Strong communication skills (listening, speaking, writing) are imperative to developing positive relationships

and representing the analysis team well. Interpersonal skills, openness to learning and humility are important attributes to working effectively within a context with significant diversity. The Context & Networks Analyst will be able to work under the direction of their supervisor, but also be comfortable taking initiative in their work.

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 based on 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 and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. 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.

2023-05-19T15:08:56.000 2023-06-14T23:59:59.000 Full time / Повна зайнятість Mercy Corps