Consultant – Senior Advisor, UCC Structure & Systems – Remote / Lviv / Kyiv

Background:

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.

Purpose / Project Description:

The Ukraine Cash Consortium (UCC) is comprised of Mercy Corps, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and People in Need (PIN). Mercy Corps functions as the Lead Agency, while NRC and PIN are Consortium Members. The Consortium’s programmatic work currently consists of the implementation of a $100 million, 12-month USAID/ Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) award of the same name.

The program’s goal is to meet emergency basic needs while enhancing the protection environment for internally displaced people (IDPs), returnees and other conflict-affected people (CAPs) in Ukraine. This goal will be achieved through three Purposes: Purpose 1: Address basic needs of households in areas of Ukraine where markets are functioning through provision of Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA); Purpose 2: Address basic needs of households in areas of Ukraine where markets are weak through provision of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), Shelter, and Food-Assistance; and Purpose 3: Provide access for IDPs and CAPs to critical protection information.

Consultant Objectives:

The objective of the consultant is to support the Ukraine Cash Consortium in a short-term senior advisory role supporting key decision making by the Director. Within in this capacity, the consultant will assist the Director in developing the first draft of UCC strategy, including recommendations for a staffing restructure of the core Consortium management team, work-planning, harmonization of key processes, and support in developing streamlined reporting.

Consultant Activities:

The Consultant will:

1. Help Consortium leadership to create system for ongoing Burn Rate Analysis of current programs,
2. Work with Consortium Director to harmonize workplans across partners, ensuring alignment of key processes and procedures, including supporting the partners to produce updated program work plans based on analysis on when & how the program outcomes will be reached. Under the leadership of the Consortium Director and in coordination with the Consortium Steering Committee and working groups, develop a work plan for key consortium operations, including details on how an effective workflow between the different governance structures and working groups in the Consortium will be achieved, as well as minimum standards for alignment of key implementation processes.
3. In close coordination with the Consortium team and partners, conduct participatory sessions to collective inputs to develop a draft of a UCC strategy (with short-, medium- and long-term goals) for review and finalization by the Consortium Director and final approval by the Steering Committee. This will require:
   1. Leading the facilitation of strategy sessions with SC/ OCU
   2. Delivering a first draft of a complication of strategic priorities
   3. Delivering a first draft of the UCC strategy, including an outline of a strategic staffing structure and development initiative.
   4. Assist in identifying value propositions within the strategy – what UCC offers as a distinction within the Ukraine crisis response ecosystem.
   5. Support in developing streamlined reporting processes to collect inputs from partners and establish minimum standards and basic formats for key reports beyond the monthly informal (targeting tracker, dashboard updates, financial requests, agenda input etc).

Consultant Deliverables:

The Consultant will:

• First draft of strategic priorities/plan and value proposition
• UCC organigram and structure finalized with relevant PDs
• Burn Rate Analysis of each partner
• Joint workplan across partner organizations
• Streamlined reporting processes and basic formats for key reports

Timeframe / Schedule: 50 Days

• First draft of a complication of strategic priorities
• UCC organigram and structure finalized with relevant PDs
• Burn Rate Analysis of each partner
• Joint workplan across partner organizations
• Streamlined reporting processes and basic formats for key reports

The Consultant will report to: UCC Director

The Consultant will work closely with: MEL Director/ Cash Advisor/ AAP Focal Point/ Grants and Reporting Manager

Required Experience & Skills:

• BA/BS or equivalent in international studies, economics or other relevant field; MA/S preferred.
• 5 years of international relief and development program management experience, in emergency/ recovery program management.
• Previous experience in managing consortiums or managing/facilitating/influencing in network or partnership settings preferred.
• Combination of direct and remote management experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with colleague agencies.
• Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving.
• Experience working with local authorities, national and international NGOs.
• Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.
• Excellent oral and written English required

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