Temp Core Humanitarian Standards Project Manager- UK or NL, possibility for other MC locations

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Location: UK or Netherlands, possibility for other Mercy Corps locations

Valid unrestricted work authorization in the country in which you will be based is required at the time of application for this position.

Position Status: Full-time, 6 months duration

Salary:

UK: Starting salary for this role will be GBP 37,040 – commensurate on experience, based on local benchmark for candidates outside of the United Kingdom.

Netherlands: Starting salary for this role will be EUR 44,320 – commensurate on experience.

Closing date: Please submit application before January 21st

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 Program / Department / Team

The Program Performance and Quality Unit (PaQ) is an integrated Unit consisting of the Program Standards Team; the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Team; the Strategic Leadership Team; and the Infrastructure Teams. PaQ is a Unit within the Global Programs Department. The purpose of PaQ is to support effective, efficient, and equitable program performance through a culture of quality management, to achieve results for those that matter most — our program participants.

This role will be line managed by the Global Community Accountability, Senior Advisor situated within the Program Standards Team. The Community Accountability function aims to fulfill the following functions:

Technical Support: We provide specialist support to country and program staff via regional counterparts to support the operationalization of Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM) standards and other accountability activities across different contexts and programs.
Development & Learning: We provide spaces for those in Community Accountability roles to broaden their understanding of accountability and demonstrate its place within the organizational strategy. We coordinate sector wide to ensure Mercy Corps approach to community accountability remains relevant and guarantees communities are at the center of our programs.

General Position Summary

The Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) Project Manager will lead on the organizations CHS self-assessment project which will allow Mercy Corps to understand how it performs against CHS accountability standards and highlight areas for improvement. They will work cross-organizationally with HQ, Regional, Country and Program teams to collate, analyze and store all relevant data for the self-assessment process in alignment with CHS protocols. The Program Manager will also work closely with a CHS Alliance counterpart to develop tools and input data into the CHS dashboard. They will establish and engage the CHS taskforce to ensure that all thematic leads relevant to CHS are involved in the project. The Project Manger will also be responsible for providing input into organization-wide communications and support efforts to build knowledge of the CHS and self-assessment across the Mercy Corps.

Essential Job Responsibilities

SELF ASSESSMENT DEVELOPMENT

Establish and coordinate a ‘CHS Taskforce’ at HQ level compromised of representative departments across the organization whose roles align with that of the core standards. Plan and facilitate meetings with this group to develop data collection methods and define access to relevant documentation for the self-assessment.
Working closely with country teams to map and identify key partner organizations to gather feedback from, ensuring they represent the diverse ways in which Mercy Corps works.
Identify and work with select country teams to support data gathering efforts at program level for both staff and affected communities, working closely with relevant MEL teams to ensure that data collection is aligned with current policy and ways of working.
Lead on and collaborate with the CHS Taskforce to develop a workplan for the self-assessment process, considering data collection and reporting phases and, defining roles and responsibilities and scopes of work for all organizational staff involved.
Provide regular updates for all organizational audiences on the progress of the CHS self-assessment.
Work closely with MEL colleagues to identify sustainable approaches to data collection against CHS standards for future assessments in order to maintain CHS membership (taking into account the CHS revision update due in March 2024) in addition to other external reporting requirements such as the Grand Bargain and Pledge for Change.
Lead on the development of data collection tools in cooperation with the CHS counterpart ensuring that all tools align to the way Mercy Corps works internationally.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

Identify, develop and support HQ and country-teams to adopt a filing structure that allows for easy collation of data in alignment with both CHS standards and Mercy Corps program management minimum standards.

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

Develop and disseminate internal messaging to support organizational learning of the CHS, to maximize understanding of the standards, the need for self-assessment and benefits of becoming a certified CHS member.

IMPROVEMENT PLANNING & LEARNING

Lead on the development of the improvement plan based with the CHS taskforce, using data collected through the self-assessment. Ensuring where possible improvements are integrated with existing workstreams.
Develop communication materials and present self-assessment learning points to multiple stakeholder groups within Mercy Corps, including partner organizations and communities involved in the self-assessment process.
Engage with the CHS representative to learn about the revised CHS self-assessment approach due to launch in March 2024 and incorporate in to Mercy Corps future data collection processes for CHS self-assessment

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Global Community Accountability Senior Advisor, Program Standards

Works Directly With: CHS Taskforce, Other HQ Program, PaQ and TSU units, HQ, regional and field staff.

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 in relevant field required; MA/MS/MBA or equivalent encouraged;
3 – 5 years of field-based experience in international relief and development; demonstrated knowledge of relevant sectoral and/or operational areas.
3 – 5 years of experience managing projects or programs; including the development, implementation, and compliance of programs.
Demonstrated knowledge and experience of the CHS self-assessment and reporting processes.
Demonstrated experience managing enterprise-level projects and/or initiatives.
Proficiency with MS Office software required (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Experience with monitoring, evaluation and other learning efforts.
Experience of providing project development support both directly and remotely.
Knowledge and / or experience of and developing cross organizational internal communications.
Knowledge and / or experience of coordinating with multiple stakeholders, with different perspectives.

Success Factors

The successful candidate is a skilled communicator, able to develop and utilize strong relationships with team members and departments internally, as well as with external bodies. They will have a positive and dynamic working style that enables them to work independently in a remote team and on occasion country teams across different countries. They will harness the expertise, experience and ideas of diverse Mercy Corps team members to strengthen our approach towards completion of the CHS self-assessment. The individual will have strong commitment to sector and Mercy Corps standards in regard to Community Accountability and drive to ensure high quality field program delivery. They will understand CHS in relation to Mercy Corps Pathway to Possibility ‘P2P’ and successfully communicate its purpose across the organization for maximum engagement. They will be skilled in pulling together different data sources and be able to present to a wide range of audiences and advise on where improvements to improve adherence to standards is needed.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This position can be based at Mercy Corps office locations or the person’s home location, as applicable. Travel is expected up to 40%, and this can include areas with limited access to medical facilities and amenities. Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/ short-term assignment to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

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.

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.