Consultant – Proposal Recruitment Advisor
Description
Consultancy Title: Consultant – Proposal Recruitment Advisor
Project Location(s): Africa, MENA, Europe, US
Consultancy Duration: Up to 6 Months
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.
The New Initiatives (NI) Team leads on institutional fundraising with the government donors for the most strategic, complex, and impactful opportunities, linking their program development, strategic partnership, and proposal management expertise with Technical Support Unit subject matter and field expertise to deliver winning concepts.
Purpose / Project Description:
Mercy Corps is seeking an experienced and versatile proposal recruitment consultant to meet the dynamic talent needs of the agency in periods of excessive proposal recruitment or support sourcing for proposal leadership and key personnel positions. The consultant will independently perform internet sourcing for candidates for open requisitions worldwide, across a variety of sectors; within the guidelines set forth by Mercy Corps in compliance with local, state and national employment laws. They will seek out and find passive candidates using industry sourcing tools on websites and job boards, also staying up to date on evolving industry strategies and trends to fill key leadership proposal roles including Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party, Program director, Technical Leads and Key personnels. The consultant will provide additional support to the Business Development Talent acquisition team to meet hiring needs specifically for large complex proposals specifically USAID and FCDO and other donor proposals. Additional support in talent sourcing for other uniquely difficult to fill roles.
Consultant Objectives/Activities:
The consultant will support several Talent Acquisition Advisors in shortlisting and screening applicants and build candidate pipelines for designated hard to fill positions/sectors. Manage relationships with past and potential candidates to ensure they remain engaged for current and future opportunities to ensure a steady stream of qualified applicants.
Full Cycle Proposal Recruitment and Sourcing – 60%
- Take ownership for building and maintaining productive partnerships with New Initiatives leadership to plan for active or future talent needs.
- Deepen and widen the internal and external talent pools.
- Provide responsive, high-quality service to candidates with additional care for internal or former team members.
- Expand the capacity of hiring teams to identify talent via improved interview skills & ability to specific critical needs.
- Work closely with human resources professionals on country teams to identify strong national candidates, expand capacity, and ensure compliance with MC systems and processes.
- Work on New Initiatives recruitment portfolio including full lifecycle talent acquisition activities globally.
- Pivot focus as needed and as time allows to support non-New Initiatives recruiting, including Short Term Assignment (STA) recruiting.
- Revise position descriptions and advertise positions through Jobvite on Mercy Corps’ website and on external portals.
- Shortlist candidates based on established requirements and present them to the hiring manager.
- Conduct phone interviews and provide summary notes to hiring managers then work with hiring managers to determine which candidates to invite for further interviews.
- Draft interview guides when appropriate and guide post-interview discussions, when appropriate, and help identify and execute next steps.
- Conduct reference checks and follow Mercy Corps established approval process to be able to negotiate offers.
- Build candidate pipelines for frequently proposal positions that may be technical in nature and based in or require frequent travel to unstable locations.
- Creates Talent Maps to help advise hiring managers in the feasibility of identifying proposal talent when determining where to recruit for new or replacement roles
- Produce weekly recruiting update to proposal leads
PROCESS MANAGEMENT – 40%
- Coordinate with the team in the use of the applicant tracking system (Jobvite) to manage recruitment from requisition to hire, ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps and practices and applicable state and federal laws.
- Provide support to hiring teams in drafting interview guides, soliciting interview evaluations and providing shortlists and feedback in a timely and structured fashion.
- Secure approvals and negotiate offers in accordance with Mercy Corps salary and compensation guidelines.
- Execute position close-out procedure including notification of candidates and submission of new hire paperwork.
- Work with TA Advisor(s) to tailor screening, interviewing, and assessment tools to the current need.
- Maintain consistent communication with candidates throughout the hiring process.
- Work with relevant teams to ensure pre-employment requirements are met.
- Support country office recruitment scale up or grants recruitment as needed
Consultant Deliverables:
The Consultant will:
- Develop clear and easy follow recruitment trackers for assigned proposals/positions
- Successfully identify candidates based on the specific needs of proposals they are assigned to.
Timeframe / Schedule: Up to 50 days through April 30, 2025
The Consultant will report to: Talent Acquisition Advisor
The Consultant will work closely with:
- Talent Acquisition Advisors, Regional TA Managers, Regional HR Teams; Snr TA Director, NI/Business Development Team
Required Experience & Skills:
- 5+ years of experience in sourcing, recruitment for contract or proposal recruitment or human resources management.
- BA degree in related field and Formal Internet Sourcing/recruiting training
- Experience sourcing and recruiting within the humanitarian sector is highly preferred
- Mastery in Boolean search for internet sourcing and recruiting and proficient in knowledge management of international searches at the executive, professional and technical level, using platforms such as LinkedIn, DevEx and other social media.
- Demonstrated exceptional ability to match candidates with job profiles.
- Cross-cultural sensitivity, ability to work and communicate effectively with people of diverse backgrounds.
- Must be a team player, collaborator, and able to effectively network amongst all levels within and outside of the Mercy Corps
- Experience and understanding of donor regulations and MUST have done proposal recruitment at least for 3 years.
- Pro-active research and project management approach to work.
- Excellent customer service skills; a desire to help others
- Outstanding communication skills verbal and written in English, and French is a plus.
- Applications screening skills and high adherence to confidentiality.
- Ability to manage multiple workstreams in a fast-paced, high volume, global organization.
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.
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.
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. By applying for this role an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or trafficking policy. 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 e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
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. By applying for this role an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or trafficking policy. 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 e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]).