Mercy Corps
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
Initially an informal body, the CWG was formalized in NES in 2018 as part of a growing interest in integrating cash and voucher assistance (CVA) in response analysis for the region.
The purpose of this working group is to promote quality CVA programming and coordination, with a focus on establishing minimum standards for the response, and facilitating harmonized approaches and accountability to the affected population. This includes developing and promoting best practices and documenting lessons learned in cash-based responses (including multipurpose cash), as part of emergency response, sector-specific programming, and integrated/inter-sector planning. It also includes linking relief to early recovery and resilience.
The NES Cash Working Group Coordinator must remain a neutral and impartial actor at all times in representing the CWG, and in carrying out his/her work in the service of stakeholders
The Position
The CWG Coordinator, hosted by Mercy Corps, will perform complementary function to the Sector Working Groups feeding into and engaging with the Sectors to ensure improved collaboration, information sharing, and complementarity of approaches with a focus on Cash.
As such, the CWG Coordinator role will be expected to focus on several of the core coordination functions set out in the IASC Generic Terms of Reference for Cluster Coordinators: 1) Effective Service Delivery; (2) Inform strategic decision making; (3) Plan and develop strategy; (4) Monitor and evaluate performance; (5) Develop contingency plan/preparedness; (6) Advocacy).
The Coordinator, working closely with the NES NGO Forum, and technically line managing the Cash working group co-coordinator and will also be expected to represent the CWG in supporting Whole of Syria initiatives, including: (i) coordinating with other CWGs (HCT-CWG and the HLG-CWG) on country-wide issues, including price inflation, currency fluctuations, market system functionality, etc.); and contributing to the yearly humanitarian response planning (HRP) facilitated by OCHA’s Regional Office for the Syria Crisis.
The CWG Coordinator will work closely with all CVA stakeholders (communities, authorities, private sector service providers, relevant ministries, NGOs, UN agencies, WoS stakeholders) to provide an effective, timely and strategic collective response to the developing situation, and help articulate the vision for cash and voucher assistance, as an integral component of the humanitarian response in northeast Syria.
Essential Responsibilities
Strategic leadership of the NES Cash Working Group (CWG)
- Provide leadership to the CWG, organize regular meetings and exchanges between agencies and ensure inclusiveness of the group;
- Draft yearly CWG strategy and workplans, in consultation with the membership and stakeholders;
- Facilitate harmonization of, multi-purpose cash (MPC) for people in need; conduct ad hoc meetings to coordinate emergency MPC;
- Represent the CWG in relevant sector WG meetings, regular ISWG meetings, and relevant NES Forum coordination meetings as needed;
- Support WoS structure as required, e.g. coordination with hub-level CWGs in the yearly humanitarian response planning (HRP) with MPC; and ensure responsible information sharing, harmonization and cross-fertilization between working groups where possible. Lead the development of the MPC strategy in the HRP, and advocate/resource mobilize for MPC in line with strategic requirements.
- Provide strategic insight on the conceptualization of an exit strategy from emergency MPC, with special emphasis on referrals and alignment with early recovery/stabilization/durable solution/social protection initiatives where possible.
Technical support to stakeholders to promote quality CVA programming:
- Provide technical advice to stakeholders, as requested, on efficient, effective and context appropriate CVA programming for affected population;
- Draft/update MPC and sector specific CVA guidelines, key messages and Standard Operational Procedures as needed;
- Ensure monitoring mechanisms are in place to review the impact of cash interventions and measure progress against implementation plans;
- Facilitate regular review/mapping of the financial and compliance framework(s) pertaining to CVAs and financial service providers and advise implementing agencies on opportunities and constraints as they occur;
- Assist the CWG, including organizations such as REACH, iMMAP, HNAP, in designing tools such as, market and needs assessment, response analyses, selection of delivery mechanisms PDM meta-analyses, risk management/mitigation and facilitate stakeholders’ access to tools;
- Provide technical support on demand to partners with MPC project proposals in their humanitarian response plans.
Advocacy and capacity building
- Engage regularly with donors to gauge appetite and policies related to CVAs in NES and share information with members and stakeholders accordingly;
- Disseminate to community of practice any information on compliance and risk concerns from donor perspective specific to the context of NWS;
- Advocate for solutions to any emerging constraints on CVA programming in NES in close consultation with partners, the ISWG and the NES Forum;
- Continue/establish connections with other relevant groups in the region, such as the Cash Learning partnership (CALP) MENA, the Syria International NGO Regional Forum (SIRF) and other similar coordination and advocacy groups.
Reporting and knowledge management
- Support and collaborate with the CWG IMO in enhancing reporting through the 4Ws and regular market analysis, in collaboration with REACH to inform strategic coordination, harmonization and complementarity of programming;
- Support and work with the IMO and the CWG Co-Coordinator in collecting/documenting replicable good practices, lessons learned, case studies, and in building a repository of resources, including context-appropriate CVA guidance and tools, beneficial to the CWG.
- Regular reporting as required by the ISWG
Team management
- Build the capacity of the team including those directly managed as well as cash functions that are hosted by other INGOs
- Create a positive team atmosphere that enable collaboration between team members hosted by different functions
- Understand Mercy Corps procedures and have the capacity to orient new team members as necessary
- Provide team members with information, support, resources to maintain or improve their performance as they support the CWG sector and personal development
Security
- Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by Mercy Corps leadership
- Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
Supervisory Responsibility
Cash information management officer and technical line management of the Cash working group co-coordinator hosted by PIN
Reports Directly To: Mercy Corps NES Area Director (administratively), WoS Cash Coordinator (technically)
Works Directly With: Cash co-coordinator, ISWG Coordinator, NES INGO programmatic staff with specific focus on those who implement cash activities
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
As a coordinator for the NES Hub, the Cash coordinator is accountable to the NES Forum and NES Forum Steering Committee, in their capacity leading the NES Hub’s humanitarian response. 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 or equivalent in international development or similar field
- 4 – 5 years of field experience implementing cash programming in complex humanitarian contexts. Experience in the Middle East including Syria is preferrable
- Demonstrated experience coordinating with humanitarian actors and creating a drive to implement quality cash programming
- Demonstrated experience as a cluster or working group coordinator is desirable
- Understanding and experience implementing minimum CALP standards
- Accomplished with speaking and writing in English; knowledge of Kurdish an asset, knowledge of Arabic an advantage
- Demonstrated experience engaging with key stakeholders including local authorities
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
Success Factors
The successful candidate will have the ability to network, effectively coordinate and bring partners together to achieve a mutual goal. It is critical that the successful candidate is driven, disciplined and can work autonomously, understanding the importance of keeping key stakeholders informed. They will have the ability to conduct in depth analysis that contributes to overall program quality and contribute to providing recommendations that contribute to strengthening the cash response in NES. The successful candidate will have an engaging and calm demeanor with strong negotiation and advocacy skills. The position will be willing to travel on a regular basis to ensure engagement with key stakeholders
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
This role will split its time between Hassakeh and other bases (including Raqqa and Derik) based on need with travel. This position is unaccompanied and eligible for hardship, R&R, and home leave allowances as well as regular employment benefits. Living conditions are in group housing: water, electricity and internet are present with occasional cuts.
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 theInteragency 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 toMercy 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.