Job Details

Description

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.

Mercy Corps began working in Kenya in 2008 to address the societal wounds following the 2007 post-election violence. Since that time, Mercy Corps has built a robust and diverse portfolio in Kenya that is working to address structural causes of poverty and injustice and to strengthen systems that enable men, women and children to access opportunities, participate in and contribute to peaceful democratic processes, and thrive in the face of ecological and social change. To do this, we deliver integrated programming to strengthen market and governance systems, address the root causes of conflict, and equip vulnerable populations- in particular youth, women, adolescents and marginalized social groups- with the skills, opportunities and resources they need to be healthy, productive and to drive the development of their communities. We work closely with the private sector, civil society and governance structures at local and national levels to facilitate change and ensure that opportunities are inclusive of all Kenyans.

Programme / Department Summary

Mercy Corps is implementing a multi-year, 15 million GBP programmeme funded by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). Collective Resilience Against Extremism (CREATE) engages local and national government, local civil society organisations and communities to mitigate the drivers, enablers and narratives of violent extremism in East Africa through support to policy initiatives, community and individual engagement, and support to national civil society organisations in order to prevent the recruitment of vulnerable individuals by violent extremist organisations. The programme work primarily in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Uganda, through strategies adapted to the context and opportunities in each country to advance research, legislation and field implementation of activities.

General Position Summary

The Evidence and Influence Manager will be responsible for leading the programme’s dissemination and influencing agenda across the 4 target countries, working closely with the Team Leader, and Deputy Team Leader, the programme’s Knowledge and Learning partner – Wasafiri, and CSSF to continually update and track implementation against the Influence and Dissemination Strategy. S/he will work closely with country programme teams and partners to identify opportunities for dissemination and utilization of the programme’s evidence and analysis, both through CREATE-initiated events and by engagement with wider PCVE and developmental stakeholders and processes. S/he will keep abreast of national, regional and global PCVE agendas, tracking influential conversations and events to secure CREATE’s place within these discussions.  

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY AND VISION

• In collaboration with the Team Leader, maintain leadership of the programme’s Influence and Dissemination Strategy and Plan, identifying opportunities for sharing of programme’s evidence and learning.

• Track global policy developments affecting VE in the East/Horn of Africa Region, including policies of regional states, donor policies and UN policy.

INFLUENCE AND DISSEMINATION EVENTS AND PROCESSES

• Work with the programme teams, knowledge and learning partner and global P&A team to plan and produce effective, thoughtful and timely written products that advance policy perspectives important to our mission.
• Work with the programme’s communication partner to ensure the development of appropriate influence tools and materials, including presentations, briefs, videos and animation.
• Lead on the organization of dissemination and learning events, ensuring appropriate and timely communication, branding and representation of stakeholders
• Represent the programme in advancing policy and influence related to P/CVE and violence mitigation and prevention including by building strategic partnerships, holding influencing meetings with government and other stakeholders, and by ensuring the presentation of evidence and research at external events.

PARTNER ENGAGEMENT

• Build networks in CREATE countries and establish and maintain strategic relationships with relevant local and international stakeholders, to continually inform, challenge, and improve Mercy Corps’ influence and dissemination agenda.
• Support CREATE partners in building their advocacy and influence capacities and plans, ensuring they inform and are brought into programme influence and dissemination strategies and events.
• Promote active learning and adaptive management and contribute to agency-level networks and working groups, through documentation and knowledge sharing around best practices and lessons learned in P/CVE programming

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
  to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary 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.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Team Lead

Works Directly With: Deputy Team Lead, Country Coordinators, Wasafiri staff, Communication partner, Policy and Advocacy Teams, MEL Manager, Finance and Sub-Grants Manager, implementing partners.

Knowledge and Experience

• Master’s degree in Communications, Advocacy or Social Sciences.
• At least 5 years experience working on development programmes, in an advocacy or communications role. Knowledge of peace building, conflict management or security-related programming an advantage.
• Demonstrated experience working to influence local and national government policies.
• Solutions-oriented individual, with strong strategic thinking capabilities.
• Demonstrated effectiveness building diverse networks of partners to establish cohesive voices and strategies for influencing policy and practice.
• Excellent writing and reporting skills.
• Excellent verbal and inter-personal communications skills.
• Demonstrated sensitivity, skill, and experience working within different cultural settings and navigating public affairs and communications on sensitive issues.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will have strong policy influencing skills as demonstrated by the ability to analyze complex issues and work with a diverse group of advocates and influencers to shape and inform policy and practice related to security, violence preventions and vulnerable groups. S/he will demonstrate strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills and be committed to the values and mission of Mercy Corps. S/he will take initiative and contribute to team efforts, as well as demonstrate an ability to communicate, assume leadership, and make solid decisions while working remotely from country leadership.

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.

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Travel Required