Description

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a 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. 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 / Country Office Summary 

Mercy Corps’ Ukraine crisis response seeks to meet the humanitarian needs of vulnerable Ukrainians and other conflict-affected people where they are: displaced inside Ukraine, refugees in Poland, Romania, and Moldova, or trapped behind frontlines. We aim to reach 500,000 vulnerable people with multi-purpose cash assistance, in-kind humanitarian support, and protection services across four countries. Almost all our impact will be delivered in partnership: with Ukrainian, Polish, Romanian and Moldovan civil society organizations through a granting program that matches humanitarian action with capacity strengthening, and with peer international NGOs through a consortium in Ukraine. Mercy Corps is responding to the Ukraine crisis with large-scale consortium programming with a focus on Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA). The Consortium is a partnership between four international humanitarian aid agencies to model and deliver innovative, effective cash and other humanitarian assistance programs to support people affected by the Ukraine crisis within Ukraine.

On 21 February 2022, Mercy Corps established an in-house analysis and early warning capacity to inform better program design and program implementation, for our humanitarian ambitions during the early months of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Since then, this capacity has grown into a full team, the CAT - Crisis Analysis Team. Today, the CAT’s mandate is to guide Mercy Corps through the rapidly changing complexities and uncertainties that define our Ukraine Response. Our vision is to anticipate and create deeper understanding of trends, developments, and civilian needs to inform better decision making and, as a result, maximize  positive impact. Through the CAT’s close collaboration with the Program Team, we can guarantee an analysis-based programming approach.

The uniqueness of the CAT is that it is one of the only sizeable analysis teams fully embedded within an operational INGO. For that reason, the CAT stands out for its speed with which it can process new events and produce actionable analysis for the Mercy Corps Program Team.

The Ukraine Response CAT is one of the many analysis teams established by Mercy Corps in Syria, Yemen, Venezuela, DR Congo, Libya, Ukraine, etc. which are brought together under Mercy Corps’ Global Crisis Analytics Unit. 
In the Ukraine Response, the CAT is embedded within the Security and Humanitarian Access Department, alongside the Safety & Security Team and the Civil-Military & Government Liaison function.

The Position

The Team Manager leads the Ukraine CAT on a day-to-day basis and is therefore responsible for managing the senior analysts, as well as driving forward the implementation of the CAT’s vision and 2023 strategy.

The Team Manager ensures the team’s timely development of high-quality analytical products, which are a mix of recurring, as well as, ad-hoc written reports and oral briefings, security and conflict analysis, economic and resilience-related research, thematic outputs, and enhanced due diligence analysis of potential partners. The Team Manager will need sufficient understanding of relevant technical skills in analysis, primary data collection, fieldwork in complex contexts, mapping/GIS, and tailoring presentation of findings for different audiences. They will also need extensive understanding of the humanitarian sector, with the ability to leverage this knowledge to identify relevant trends and issues for the team to monitor and explore.

The Team Manager will ensure that Ukraine CAT products and services align with internal stakeholder priorities, through development of strong relationships with Mercy Corps Ukraine senior management, programme team, safety and security team, and other relevant departments. They will be a core member of the Mercy Corps Ukraine country team, with a strong understanding of programmatic activities and priorities, and able to provide an advisory role to senior management. They will also coordinate relationship development with external stakeholders, including donors and other NGOs, to develop external recognition and influence of Ukraine CAT work in the humanitarian and development sector. They will have the ability to convey complex information on trends related to conflict, security and access, humanitarian response and needs, in a clear, effective, and timely manner to a variety of audiences.
 
Essential Responsibilities

STRATEGY AND PLANNING

• Implement the Ukraine CAT strategy, ensuring relevance and added value of crisis analysis within the Mercy Corps Ukraine portfolio.
• Ensure strategic buy-in from key internal stakeholders, including Mercy Corps Ukraine senior management, security and humanitarian access team, programme team, as well as HQ and Regional Technical Units, Global Crisis Analysis, Policy and Advocacy teams, and other country-level Crisis Analysis teams.
• Contribute to the Ukraine country team overall strategy and where relevant, to the regional strategy.
• Identify and develop opportunities for growth and development of the Ukraine CAT.
• Develop, measure and analyze key performance indicators to ensure the Ukraine CAT enhances and informs strategic decision making.

• Ensure close monitoring of current events and trends relevant to the Ukraine response, including on conflict, security and access; social, political, economic and environmental trends; and humanitarian needs and response.
• Ensure an in-depth understanding of Mercy Corps information priorities on rapid response, security and access, resilience, and contextual and thematic topics.
• Lead the team to support with enhanced due diligence analysis of Mercy Corps potential partner organizations.
• Ensure that Ukraine CAT products and services remain current and relevant in line with monitoring and research priorities.
• Oversee and ensure timely delivery of an array of analytical products that meet the specific information requirements defined by Mercy Corps country teams.
• Ensure that all analytical products are of the highest technical quality and appropriately convey key messages to stakeholders.
• Strategically organize briefings and presentations with internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop the Ukraine CAT capacity to effectively use quantitative data analysis and GIS / IM tools.
• Ensuring effective, compliant use of Ukraine CAT resources in line with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.

• Coordinate team workflows and deadlines, ensuring ongoing delivery of priorities and ability to meet ad-hoc immediate information requirements.
• Manage, develop and coach the Ukraine CAT team, and lead recruitment and onboarding of new team members as relevant.
• Ensure strong communication between team members working from multiple locations, including organizing and leading team meetings and calls.
• Develop relationships with relevant external actors, including donors and NGOs, to increase the influence of Mercy Corps Ukraine CAT work.
• Ensure that the team develops and maintains an awareness of the humanitarian response in Ukraine, humanitarian principles, and Mercy Corps’ culture and values.
• Responsibility for the implementation and management of the Ukraine CAT budget, as well as exploring options for fundraising and future growth.

• Ensure personal and team compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by the response team and Global Security.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
• Ensure compliance with and implementation of Mercy Corps safeguarding measures.

• Master’s degree in a relevant field.
• At least five years experience in conflict analysis and/or humanitarian programming and research, preferably with experience in the Ukrainian context.
• At least three years field experience in a conflict or humanitarian setting, and willingness to work in a fast-paced environment.
• At least three years experience managing, organizing and developing a team.
• Excellent written analytical skills, with experience drafting high-quality external publications.
• Excellent presentation skills, with experience conducting briefings for high-level internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience in developing and managing relationships with external stakeholders including NGOs, donors and academic institutions.
• Highly developed interpersonal, communication and team management skills.
• Competency in Microsoft Office systems including Word, Excel, PowerPoint; competency with analysis and visualization software is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required; competency in Ukrainian or Russian is an asset.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will manage a small, fast-growing team where curiosity, critical thinking and the ability to see beyond the surface level are highly valuable. A professional attitude, demonstration of integrity, discretion and excellent work ethic are key aspects to the success of this position. Innovation and initiative to manage strategy and team development are essential. Strong management, organizational skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment are essential. Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills are imperative to developing positive team relationships, including with team members based remotely.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions 

The position is based in Kyiv, Ukraine or open to being based elsewhere in Ukraine or remotely in neighboring countries (Poland, Moldova) in which Mercy Corps has an office. This position requires extensive travel (up to 50%) for coordination with the rest of the team, particularly if based outside of Ukraine, as security permits.

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. 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.