Information Advisor – Ukraine Response

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.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps is responding to the Ukraine emergency since the escalation of armed conflict across the country in February 2022. The attacks set off a wave of displacement internally and into the countries along Ukraine’s western borders. Mercy Corps’ response program will focus on multi-purpose cash assistance and other key sectors, particularly food security, livelihoods, NFIs, and protection. Mercy Corps is also supporting local NGOs and other civil society actors currently supporting displaced populations, as well as those in Ukraine sheltering in place. As Mercy Corps pursues its objectives in the region it will continue to assess the security situation in areas of potential operation, with an eye towards the logistics of possible programmatic interventions and positioning going forward.

General Position Summary

The Information Advisor will support program partnerships and advise on information activities. Within Mercy Corps’ partnership program, the Information Advisor will identify and help support local partners working in the information space. The Advisor will also develop an information strategy for Mercy Corps that looks to both support local partner efforts, ensure best practices around inclusion and safety, and identify and respond to gaps existing in the information landscape.

As relevant, Mercy Corps may lead or work with partners to implement two-way communication programs, including Signpost. The Information Advisor will oversee fact-checking, keeping abreast of context and vulnerable groups. They will also oversee the work of Digital Community Liaisons, ensuring that messages from users are answered in a timely fashion and in line with best practice, and that referrals follow appropriate protocol. They are responsible for creating and leading the implementation of a user-focused content strategy that is informed by protection principles and current digital content and social media best practice. They regularly work with regional, local and headquarters-based protection staff at all levels.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Understand user needs, identify gaps in the information landscape for potential intervention, and drive information strategy with key partners to build value-added programming.

• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.

• Identify regional and local opportunities for partnership and program strengthening.

Program Management

• Establish and maintain relationships with agencies we collaborate with.

• Establish clear editorial guidelines and standards and ensure staff are trained in and able to use them.

• Revise editorial, social media, and referral SOPs as needed and in collaboration with relevant advisors.

• Vet and edit all sensitive content for adherence to editorial standards.

• Maintain knowledge of, and ensure staff is trained on, editorial team tools including content management systems (Zendesk, Google tools), social media tools (Facebook, Facebook Ad Manager, Page Manager and Instagram) and project management tools (Trello, Transifex and Slack).

Expansion & Development

• Provide input on, and draft language for, proposals and reports related to Information in the Ukraine Response.

• Continuously assess staffing needs and propose changes or develop new roles as needed.

• Maintain a close working relationship with other technical staff such as Protection and Legal Advisors to ensure appropriate technical oversight and input.

• Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting quarterly performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.

Measurement & Learning

• Work with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team and the field to ensure that monitoring and evaluation is practical and reflects best practices.

• Manage the Signpost team, if applicable.

• Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths.

• Promote and monitor staff care, well-being and self-care; approve and manage all time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage.

Finance & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.

• Maintain accurate knowledge of the grant/funding status at the end of each month, making recommendations to adjust as necessary, but overall ensure Mercy Corps accurate budget compliance.

• Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.

Influence & Representation

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Country Team Leader

Works Directly With: T4D team, TSU, External partners including IRC and other NGOs, global Mercy Corps field teams and technology partners.

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or equivalent combination of background and experience

• Experience developing web or social media content

• Experience in crisis context, with rapidly changing information and security context.·

• Knowledge of local and national immigration and asylum actors including government agencies and non-profit organizations involved in refugee response.

• Experience managing partnerships across organizations highly desired, including designing partnership models and assessing partner organization capacities.

• Self-starter — must be productive with minimal direction and flexible to sudden changes in requirements

• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills; demonstrated ability to successfully work in a fast-paced environment within and across departments/functions/geographic locations, and develop positive relationships with locally and remote based staff

• Fluency in English and Polish, Romanian, or Ukrainian

Success Factors

The successful Information Advisor will be extremely proactive, detail-oriented and organized. They value accurate and error-free reporting above all. They are self-directed and reliably complete tasks. They are diplomatic and able to work with a range of peers. They are computer-savvy and quick to learn new tools. They have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability and regularly seek opportunities for collaboration. They thrive in evolving and changing environments.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Ukraine. Accommodations are being defined and access to services – medical, electricity, water, etc. is in place but may change depending on the situation. This position requires travel to surrounding countries, as security permits. Given the emergency context, this position requires exceptional work schedules, including evenings and weekends.

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.

As a safeguarding measure, Mercy Corps screens all potential employees. This is done following the conclusion of recruitment and prior to assuming full employment.

Our screening process is designed to be transparent and completed in partnership with new Team Members. You will have the opportunity to disclose any prior convictions at the conclusion of the recruitment process before the check is initiated. We ask that you do not disclose any prior convictions in your application materials or during the recruitment process.**