Improved Financial Competitiveness for Syria Program

Project/Consultancy Title: Improved Financial Competitiveness for Syria Program

Project Location(s): Amman, Jordan preferred, remote possible for the ideal candidate

Application Deadline: 27 February 2023. Please apply early – applications considered on a rolling basis.

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. Mercy Corps has been responding to the Syrian crisis since 2012 with a combination of emergency assistance, early recovery, and social cohesion programming. We partner with Syrian communities to move beyond survival to productivity and self-reliance.

Purpose/ Project Description:

The Mercy Corps Syria program seeks an experienced leader to conduct an internal review toward improved financial competitiveness for the country program as a whole, resulting in recommendations for cost proposals and structural shifts, as needed. In addition, the consultant should incorporate an external peer analysis of similar operational structures at the Whole of Syria level.

Consultant Activities:

The Consultant will:

• Understand the goal and strategic objectives of Mercy Corps Syria and Mercy Corps globally
• Meet with team members to collect ideas, suggestions, and impressions around areas of inefficiency, potential peers to approach for information, and impressions on our competitiveness
• Review donor feedback from past proposals
• Review current budget presentation/cost structure
• Research peer agencies’ with similar size and scope for more details on structure and costing
• Review overall structure, implementation approach, and support costs to identify savings
• Review relevant business development opportunities for donor guidance and input into how to compete or present cost proposals
• Synthesize the above information-gathering into preliminary findings with options to pursue for increased competitiveness
• Present findings to SMT for review and to identify options to elaborate on in the final report
• Conduct further interviews and research to present recommendations for how to pursue chosen options and pros and cons
• Prepare and present a final report to SMT

Consultant Deliverables:

The Consultant will deliver a summary report that includes the following:

• Preliminary findings and presentation:
  • Potential improvements/changes to the country structure, budget presentation or cost proposal approach to achieve greater financial efficiency, with information on pros/cons to each option
  • Information and analysis on alternative options and peer agency approaches; and
• Final report
  • With the content of the preliminary findings and
  • Recommendations to achieve efficiencies and improved financial competitiveness.
• Final presentation

A draft and final report are anticipated as separate deliverables over the life of the contract, as well as a final presentation and discussion with the Senior Management Team following the submission and review of the draft report and before finalizing the report.

Timeframe/Schedule: Estimated timeline from February-April 2023. Seeking someone who can start by the end of February/beginning of March, and conduct the internal and external stakeholder meetings and produce a draft analysis with recommendations within four weeks, and a final report and recommendations in six weeks.

The Consultant will report to: Nicole Hark, Deputy Country Director

The Consultant will work closely with: Mercy Corps Syria’s Senior Management Team (CD, DCD, Directors of Finance, Operations, HR, PAQ) and Area Directors, as well as finance and grants team members when applicable.

Required Experience & Skills:

• 5-10 years of experience in country leadership roles
• Significant experience in operational/field programs (above $20M country portfolio minimum)
• Past experience with structural or cost competitiveness analysis of a similar nature preferred
• Experience with remote programme management preferred
• Syria experience preferred

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.