Program Officer , Humanitarian Capacity

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. 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.

The Team

The Humanitarian Capacity team is part of the Humanitarian Leadership and Response (HLR) team. The HLR team consists of four sub-teams: Humanitarian Response, Humanitarian Capacity, Crisis Analysis, and Global Safety and Security. Each team contributes to the delivery of the overarching HLR Strategy FY22 in support of Mercy Corps’ Humanitarian Approach.

The overall goal of the Humanitarian Capacity (HC) Team is to increase Mercy Corps’ and partners’ capacity to respond to humanitarian emergencies. Our theory of change is that good leadership, learning, and support can increase humanitarian competencies in our team members and partners to ensure a more effective response.

The team’s strategic objectives are:

1. Increased competencies in humanitarian response of Mercy Corps team members and partners

2. Progress towards more equitable, mutually beneficial and accountable partnerships in humanitarian emergencies

3. Increased ability for Mercy Corps to partner in humanitarian response

The Position

The Program Officer, Humanitarian Capacity will work to increase the humanitarian competencies of MC team members and local partners for improved humanitarian response. With the direction of the Senior Advisor for Humanitarian Partnerships and Tailored Training, the PO will support the development and implementation of tailored training for MC country team members and local partners working in or preparing for emergency responses across the globe (tailored training is implemented based on countries’ demands and humanitarian priorities). The PO will work to develop resources that support working in partnership during emergencies, such as a humanitarian partners package for local partners and an orientation package for MC staff working on local partnerships. All these activities will ultimately contribute to more equitable, mutually beneficial and accountable partnerships in humanitarian settings and improve MC humanitarian work. The PO will also track metrics for the Humanitarian Capacity team including collecting and presenting data around Humanitarian Learning Pathway (HLP), tailored training and humanitarian partnership work. The PO may also be asked to pivot to capacity support activities for emergencies.

Essential Responsibilities

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION & IMPLEMENTATION

Support to the various humanitarian partnerships and tailored training initiatives carried out by the Humanitarian Capacity team in multiple countries. This includes:

• Contribute to development and packaging of training content and other capacity-sharing resources
• Ensure the preparation and implementation of trainings in person or virtual, including the logistics and technical aspects of events
• Translate content and/or coordinate for translations with Mercy Corps providers, as needed
• Contribute to the design and facilitation of training sessions, using participatory methodologies to foster engagement.

MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING (MEL)

• Preparing and adapting M&E tools for each tailored training

• Analyzing and summarizing feedback for each tailored training

• Collating indicators for all the HC team's workstreams and provide quarterly reports

• Monitoring external humanitarian training and initiatives for best practices and inclusion in our capacity sharing offer.

PROGRAM OUTREACH & PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT

• Support Senior Advisor with opportunities to scale capacity sharing initiatives or partner-related training
• Support country offices with potential grant opportunities to insert capacity sharing.

PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & MANAGEMENT

• With direction from the Senior Advisor, identify and consult with local partners to achieve humanitarian partnerships objectives
• With guidance from the Senior Advisor, represent HLR interests and programs with external stakeholders, in concert with the field teams.

LEARNING & KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

• Organize and manage filing of training content and other resources
• Facilitate learning across country portfolios and regions, and share lessons learned and knowledge of agency resources, tools, best practices, etc. (e.g. promoting newly developed resources through relevant MC channels)

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

• In coordination with the Senior Advisor, support internal communications around humanitarian capacity initiatives.

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.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Senior Advisor, Humanitarian Capacity

Works Directly With: Humanitarian Leadership and Response (HLR), Strategic Realization Unit (SRU), Technical Support Unit (TSU), Mercy Corps Learning Council

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

• BA/S in relevant field required; MA/MS/MBA or equivalent preferred.

• 2 or more years of field-based experience in international relief and development -- ideally in capacity sharing initiatives and humanitarian settings.

• Proven experience working with local partners, humanitarian partnerships preferred.

• Experience with project management, monitoring and evaluation.

• Experience developing training material and facilitating meetings and workshops.

• Basic knowledge management skills (e.g. organizing and storing information, sharing and socializing information).

• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint.

• Demonstrated ability to complete tasks, meet deadlines and work well under pressure and cooperatively with team members from different countries and cultures.

• Ability to model inclusive behaviors by showing respect and humility and encouraging the participation of MC team members and partners, regardless of their power and status.

• Ability to use different communication styles and adjust them to enable effective exchange of ideas and information regardless of cultural values, norms, and behaviors that may vary between audiences.

• Proficiency in English, Arabic and French (required).

Success Factors

The successful candidate is a keen facilitator, comfortable presenting and working in three languages. They are a problem solver, who is adept in successfully dealing with issues of complexity and demonstrate the competencies to work well with partner agencies.  They are a skilled communicator, able to develop and utilize strong relationships with staff, partners and donors. They are able to listen for understanding, and communicate with a diverse group of learners from different backgrounds. They will coordinate with his/her supervisor, the Senior Advisor, and be effective at building working relationships with stakeholders.  They will collaborate with Mercy Corps’ diverse program support teams, including members of the HLR, SRU, TSU, and Learning Council to support impactful humanitarian learning programs and equitable, accountable and transparent partnerships.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Beirut, Lebanon. Travelling may be required for up to 20% of the time, if needed; this may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. 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.

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 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.