Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. 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 / Department / Team
Mercy Corps has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since August 2007, with a staff of nearly 400 people working in North and South Kivu and Ituri to support vulnerable communities through crises, while fostering programs that build resilience and promote long-term change. Mercy Corps’ national office is in Goma with sub-field offices in Ituri and North and South Kivu. Mercy Corps’ key programming areas include a combination of immediate humanitarian response programs including leadership of the INGO Rapid Response Consortium (SAFER) and longer-term development initiatives to include: 1) Improve water service delivery and ensuring equitable access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene services in urban and rural areas; 2) Improve food security and nutrition; 3) Promote diversified livelihoods, economic recovery, and development.
Mercy Corps has been a global leader in Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA), which represents about half of Mercy Corps’ humanitarian portfolio. This rapid growth within Mercy Corps aligns with industry trends, high level commitments made at the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit, and Grand Bargain work streams to increase CVA. As a firm believer in the efficacy of cash programming, Mercy Corps has implemented CTP in over 30 countries. Mercy Corps was the first agency to implement CVA in response to the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, the first to pilot cash-for-work in Afghanistan, the first mobile money program in Libya, and the first to use electronic vouchers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Position
The strategic coordination of cash transfer programming at the national level and the interest on multi-purpose cash assistance has increased in recent years in the DRC, in line with the trends in the wider context of humanitarian assistance. The setting up of the National Cash Working Group (CWG-n) by the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) in 2016, under the recommendation of the National Inter Cluster (ICN), has been welcomed as a positive reform.
The overall goal of the CWG-n, part of the ICN, is to support the development of a strategic approach to sectoral, multi-sectoral and multi-purpose cash assistance, with the objective to create an environment conducive to the implementation of harmonized and coordinated work and better integration into the humanitarian programming cycle in the DRC. It is intended to oversee the various sub-national CWGs and actively engage within the ICN to strengthen the links between operational and strategic discussions.
The involvement of NGOs in humanitarian coordination has been effective since the 2005 humanitarian reform, but their commitment to leadership in humanitarian coordination is often limited by the lack of dedicated resources for carrying out activities other than those predetermined by their leadership programs / projects.
The programmatic co-chair of the CWG-n will be critical in strengthening the role of NGOs in the wider framework of the humanitarian architecture at the central level in the DRC (the CWG-n being a subgroup of the ICN).
As a leading cash actor in DRC, it will also be important for the CWG co-chair to coordinate and collaborate directly with Mercy Corps and its partners for the purposes of harmonization and advocacy at all levels.
Essential Responsibilities
STRATEGY AND PLANNING
Serve as co-chair of the national CWG, leading its direction and approach, including efforts at the provincial level: prepare, organize, chair and ensure follow-up on regular CWG meetings and exchanges between partners and ensure inclusiveness of the group; ensure relevant agenda topics are inclusive, transparent, adaptive and reflective of cash actors' needs; ensure CVA is coordinated, harmonized, and in line with best practices.
Support the implementation of the transition plan toward the IASC approved new cash coordination model.
Provide strategic insight on the conceptualization of transition/linkage from humanitarian CVA wherever possible, with particular emphasis on referrals and alignment with existing social protection systems; and develop and maintain relationships with key governmental bodies active in the social protection space, in complementarity with social protection actors.
Promote and give guidance on the centrality of Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) in the DRC context.
Support drafting of CWG work plans, in line with ICN/HCT priorities, for the duration of applicable HPC frameworks.
Develop strategies with the CWG partners to ensure that CVA best practices are systematically implemented and updated in humanitarian response interventions.
TECHNICAL OVERSIGHT
Contribute to the process of developing multi-purpose cash transfer response strategies during the CERF and Country Humanitarian Fund processes, including the strategic review and technical review of projects submitted by stakeholders.
Support CWG-n members in the development of key advocacy messages to facilitate and contribute to the operational and strategic decision-making process within the ICN and the HCT.
Support the CWG’s obligations with regards to updating HRP, Operational Plans and Dashboard in collaboration with OCHA teams.
Coordinate the provision of direct technical advice and solutions to CWG members and clusters for efficient, effective and context appropriate CVA.
Support and monitor the implementation of the CWG-n work plan (roadmap); divide responsibility for roadmap objectives with the non-programmatic co-chair (OCHA).
Support the information management capabilities of the CWG-n, specifically the collection and consolidation of information on cash and voucher assistance (4W) and multi-purpose cash transfers (Dashboard).
Develop and strengthen the capacity of CWG members, especially national actors to implement CVA in line with CWG standards and best practices worldwide.
Draft MPC and sector specific CVA guidelines, key messages and Standard Operational Procedures as needed.
Collate, review, and make available information on markets, financial infrastructure and available delivery mechanisms and advise implementing agencies on opportunities and constraints.
Assist the CWG in designing tools for, and the implementation of, market and needs assessment, response analyses, selection of delivery mechanisms and PDM.
INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION
Participate in Cluster meetings to gain a better understanding of all cash transfer discussions and to ensure ongoing advocacy for CVA in the sectoral response, to share CVA concepts and approaches with clusters and encourage them to participate in cluster exercises.
Build and manage collaborative partnerships with CWG partners.
working on CTP interventions.
Nurture relationships and maintain regular communication with social protection social actors.
Nurture key relationships with donors, senior leaders within the humanitarian architecture (HC/DHC, agency representatives, Cluster leads), and any other relevant stakeholders (World Bank, Private Sector actors including financial service providers, etc.) especially those with a focus and an interest in market- driven programming
REPORTING AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Report to the ICN on a regular basis on progress against the agreed workplan and key relevant topics. Report to the HCT similarly when required.
Collect and promote good practices and lessons learned, contributing to a collection of replicable good practices for cash transfer programming and a way forward on coordinating multi-sector responses, guidelines and guidance development.
Establish and maintain connections with the CALP Network, the global Cash Advisory Group (CAG) and other relevant platforms and fora for the purpose of learning and capacity building of the community of practice.
Supervisory Responsibility
None.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Mercy Corps’ Emergency Programs Director
Works Directly With: CWG Lead, CWG members, HCT, ISCG, HC, UN-OCHA, Sector Coordinators and other stakeholders
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
BA/S in economic development, international relations, or other relevant degree.
5 years of experience in cash programming, preferably across multiple sectors.
Experience providing high-level technical trainings adapted to various skill levels and contexts.
Demonstrated understanding of the Coordination Architecture in the Cluster Approach.
Ability to effectively represent the CWG and its interests to key stakeholders.
Experience in Cluster coordination.
Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving.
Excellent oral and written French and English skills required.
Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.
Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.
CALP certified trainer preferred.
Success Factors
The successful candidate will combine exceptional management skills, data analysis skills, and experience in maintaining donor and partner relationships. S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams and capacity building, individual staff development, and strong mentoring skills. Prioritizing, problem solving, ability to seize opportunities, attention to detail and strategic vision are essential. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Kinshasa (50%) and Goma (50%), Democratic Republic of the Congo with frequent travel to humanitarian hubs in South Kivu, North Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika provinces as well as the Kasaï.
The location is unaccompanied. Housing and R&R benefits are provided.
Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. 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.
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.