Consultant – Water Security/WASH and Shelter Technical Advisor – Remote

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. Now, and for the future.

Mercy Corps has been meeting the needs of conflict-affected communities inside Syria since 2012. Mercy Corps Syria currently operates from three locations in Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria with an experienced team of staff and partners who are supported and led by a Country Team based in Amman that ensures consistent, technical and quality driven programming. Mercy Corps implements peace and conflict activities either as an integrated part of interventions or as the lead sector in an intervention. This sector is also aimed at particularly supporting Syrian youth and other marginalized groups. The country program is guided by its strategy that aims at enabling Syrian communities to move beyond survival to productivity and self-reliance.

Globally, Mercy Corps has made a high-level commitment to achieving greater impact through evidence and learning, adaptive management, using data driven evidence to demonstrate results and contribute toward solving complex global challenges.

Consultant Objectives:

The Water security/WASH and Shelter Technical Consultant (TC) will be responsible, as required, for the delivery of high-quality technical advice across Mercy Corps Syria for programs and projects currently in implementation, high quality design for upcoming opportunities and for delivering pro-active learning about best practices and program and project learning and adaptation to staff. The TC will take forward relationships with key interlocutors such as the relevant clusters and other international and regional partners as well as with partners within Syria which may also involve capacity building and skills development.

Mercy Corps Syria is currently transitioning from a WASH/Shelter focus to Water Security and the TA will help the office to manage this transition. However, Shelter will remain a strong focus.

Technical Consultant Activities & Deliverables

The TC will conduct the following key assignment responsibilities

ANALYSIS, STRATEGY & LEADERSHIP

• Analyze, summarize and share learning that improves programs and projects with respect to Water security/WASH and Shelter.
• Continue to build relationships and engage with staff to understand the program portfolio, strategy and the role of Water security/WASH and Shelter.
• Support Water security/WASH and Shelter associated training and learning.
• Provide thought leadership on proposals and act as technical design lead on key opportunities.
• Progress relationships with TSU Global.
• Progress the Mercy Corps Syria Strategy.
• Support work on UN resolution 2585 including coordination with WASH and SNFI clusters/UNHCR and UNICEF and relevant actors.

PROGRAM SUPPORT AND LEARNING

• Act as technical design lead or advising/guiding on proposal or concept note design including ToC, log frames and indicators.
• Incorporate conflict, gender, safeguarding and protection into design and approach offering innovative options as appropriate.
• Work closely with program teams and technical advisers across hubs to lead/support project start up and implementation activities including team capacity building.
• Contribute to and help ensure high quality reporting including PDMs, TPMs, evaluations and other key documentation.
• Support the emphasis on dignified shelter and transitional/better shelters.
• Develop the office’s work on climate adaptation, specifically solarization and the needed technical inputs, capacity building (team and operators), community awareness, cost recovery and O&M.
• Follow up with teams and partners on any issues that emerge from reports/documentation etc, and work with them to learn, respond and adapt.
• Engage with and support staff and managers, the Program Performance and Quality Unit (PaQ), Program and Grants teams across the Hubs which structure the Syria mission, helping to deliver high quality MEAL.
• The successful candidate should expect to help deliver a thorough understanding of needs and opportunities and be a hands-on problem solver.
• Provide advice and active engagement to individuals and teams.
• Support and maintain accountability to participants.

REPRESENTATION

• Ensure that Mercy Corps maintains participation in the relevant Working Groups, exploring opportunities for substantive engagement.
• Support collaborative partnerships with sub-awardees, donors and other stakeholders.
• Ensure that information from coordination meetings is shared internally and with other sectors, as appropriate.
• Work closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Coordinator to aggregate and analyze data provided by partners to both influence programmatic decision making and contribute to reports to the donor and/ or Mercy Corps stakeholders at headquarters or in the region.

Accountability

• Reports Directly To: Program Performance and Quality Director, Syria.
• Works Directly With: Program Teams, Program and Performance Teams, Grants, Finance etc.

Knowledge and Experience

• At least eight to ten years’ experience in Water security/WASH and Shelter, with experience in the Middle East preferred.
• A degree or equivalent in Engineering (civil/ water and environment), with master’s preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in program design and learning.
• Experience in humanitarian, emergency and development planning.
• Good understanding of the UN Cluster system
• Good skills in research methodologies, analysis and reporting.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, following procedures, meeting deadlines, and working and problem-solving independently and cooperatively.
• Excellent analytical, planning and communication skills.
• Excellent oral and written English skills required; proficiency in Arabic is desirable.
• Ability to work proactively and effectively as part of a diverse team in a sensitive environment.
• Knowledge of humanitarian standards and codes, including SPHERE, HAP is an asset.
• Experience in climate change and climate adaptation projects (technical design, quality assurance, implementation and exit)
• Experience in capacity building with partners and teams.

Success Factors

The individual will have a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the Water/WASH and Shelter Sectors accompanied with an active desire to progress the learning of the Syria mission as well as their own understanding. S/he will be flexible and adaptable and able to influence the way in which programs are designed and implemented. S/he will be comfortable engaging with individuals at all levels within the country program and will do so using clear and effective communication. S/he will be able to transfer knowledge to team members and lead planning that runs across functions as relates to people. S/he will quickly grasp context, programs and challenges and provide solutions to the diversity of issues which can arise in a complex context.

Other

• Adherence to all Mercy Corps policies and procedures as outlined in Mercy Corps policies and procedure manuals.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
• Other duties as assigned.

Timeframe / Schedule:

Up to four months’ assignment – part time

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.