Description
Location:US or UK, or any other MC country location
Employee Type: Full-time; Regular
Contract: Fixed-Term, Open
FLSA Classification (US Positions Only): Exempt
Salary:
- US Starting Salary for this role will be USD $76,800 to $91,200 annually commensurate on experience.
- UK Starting Salary for this role will be GBP £53,360 annually, commensurate on experience.
- Based on local benchmark for candidates outside the United States and/or UK.
Reporting To:Director, Food Systems
Supervisory Responsibility
Budget Management Responsibility
The Senior Nutrition and Food Security Adviser will join the Technical Resources and Quality (TRaQ) Unit. The TRaQ Unit supports country-led work to deliver measurable impact, leads agency thinking in technical and program management areas, and ensures quality programming while elevating agency visibility. The TRaQ Unit has nine thematic teams: Climate and Water Security, Economic Opportunity, Food Security, Peace and Governance, Global Resilience, Social Inclusion, Cash, Infrastructure, Training, and Program Standards. This position will be part of the Food Security team, which focuses on supporting the technical quality of Mercy Corps’ wide-ranging global food security and nutrition (FSN) portfolio.
TheSenior Nutrition and Food Security Adviserprovides expert technical accompaniment and mentorship to Mercy Corps country teamsin the field of nutrition, and food security more broadly. The support includes program design and development, network and partnership development, representation at key sector forums and events, helping to monitor and improve program quality and relevance, staying current on industry innovation and best practices, writing competitive proposals for submission to donors, delivering training, and disseminating information to internal and external partners. The Senior Advisor will also participate in matrixed teams, share and build the capacity of others, and help integrate their technical areas with others.
Essential Responsibilities
PROGRAM DESIGN AND PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT
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Write and review grant proposals and concept notes for donors including foundations, corporations, and government agenciesensuring alignment to food security and nutrition outcomes and global best practice.
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Research, analyze, and assess data to determine program needs, priorities, and Mercy Corps’ advantages for funding; Maintain knowledge of development strategies by governmental, academic, and non-profit groups.
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Collaborate with program, country, regional, and TRaQ teams on prepositioning and strategy development, and designing multi-sectoral programs that meet the outcomes and commitments in Mercy Corps’10-year strategy.
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Serve asTech Lead on complex, competitive proposals following Mercy Corps’ best practices in proposal development, team management, and the appropriate sectoral area.
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Increase program capacity within Mercy Corps through developing and circulating tools such as technical trainings and workshops, manuals, case studies, webinars, and monitoring and evaluation tools; Collaborate withthe unit’s leadership to set and execute strategies addressing agency-wide program quality needs.
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Provide in-country and remote training for Mercy Corps staff, partners, and programs with assistance on assessment, implementation, research, and evaluation.
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Support country teams to conduct assessments; write case studies, learning documents, short articles, and blogs; and develop internal and external dissemination plans for all products.
INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION
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Represent Mercy Corps at academic events, conferences, media forums, and other events; Contribute to thought leadership around food security and nutrition.
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Identify and nurture strategic partnerships with other organizations and institutions;Present concepts and ideas to donors, partners, and peer organizations that influence them to drive innovation and positive change.
SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES
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Demonstrate exceptional leadership by consistently delivering expectations and maintaining composure, even in challenging situations.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
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Proven track record in leading and supporting nutrition focused programming, and food security initiatives more broadly in at least one, preferably more than one, Mercy Corps region of operation (Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe, Latin America and the Carribean).
Required Education and Experience
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Familiarity with major donors such as USAID (BHA/FTF), FCDO, ECHO, the EC and relevant foundations and corporations.
Living, Travel & Environmental Conditions
This position requires up to 40% travel to support country programs, which 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 of work hours when deployed in a country posting or on a visit/short term assignment to a posting. Staff 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.
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.
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. By applying for this role an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or trafficking policy. 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 Policiesand values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline
([email protected]).
As a safeguarding measure, Mercy Corps screens all potential employees. This is done following the conclusion of recruitment and prior to assuming full employment.
Our screening process is designed to be transparent and completed in partnership with new Team Members. You will have the opportunity to disclose any prior convictions at the conclusion of the recruitment process before the check is initiated. We ask that you do not disclose any prior convictions in your application materials or during the recruitment process.
All other duties as assigned.