2021-06-23

Resilience Partnership and Influence Coordinator – Mogadishu, Somalia

Mogadishu, Somalia
Posted on June 23, 2021

Mercy Corps

Resilience Partnership and Influence Coordinator – Mogadishu, Somalia

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Position title: Resilience partnership and influence coordinator

Location Mogadishu

Position Status Full-time

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 has been present in Somalia since 2005, responding to emergency needs stemming from conflict and displacement, while continuing work to build more resilient, peaceful, and productive communities in Puntland, Somaliland, Banadir, South West State, Hirshabelle, Galmudug and Jubaland. Mercy Corps Somalia also collaborates with Mercy Corps teams and partners in neighbouring countries to implement multi-country and cross-border programs. Working with a diverse base of donors that includes the USAID/OFDA, GIZ, UNHCR, ECHO, WFP, SSF, EAC, LDS and other foundations and institutional donors, Mercy Corps empowers people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. We work closely with the private sector, civil society and governance structures at local and national levels to facilitate change and ensure that opportunities are inclusive of all Somalis.

The international community has awoken to the reality that the traditional aid architecture is largely incapable of delivering solutions to today’s humanitarian crises and that new ways of working are required. Yet the “how” of action that will drive lasting results for peace and wellbeing in protracted crisis contexts like Somalia has remained largely elusive. The Baidoa Resilience Partnership, launched in 2018 by USAID, positioned USAID as thought leaders in this space, promoting resilience as a collective imperative that transcends traditional funding, program, and sector siloes to advance pragmatic solutions to the world’s most pernicious challenges.

Mercy Corps is seeking a Resilience Partnership and Influence Coordinator for the Somalia Resilience Learning Activity (RLA), a two-year opportunity funded by USAID. As a largely autonomous component of a larger regional learning award lead by ACDI/VOCA, the Somalia RLA is designed to leverage USAID’s previous investments in the Baidoa Resilience Partnership to advance collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA) across actors and funding streams for sustained reductions in humanitarian need. Through the Somalia RLA, Mercy Corps will work closely with USAID, implementing partners, and other stakeholders to collectively analyze what they do and how they do it, surfacing findings to enable the replication and amplification of promising practices within and beyond Baidoa, enhancing USAID and other donor’s return on investment in Somalia.

General Position Summary

Resilience Partnership and influence Coordinator will oversee and cultivate the day-to-day relationship building and liaison activities with member partners and other key stakeholders, including government. S/he will be responsible for establishing & maintaining networks with partners through effective communications, including maintaining open lines of communication and managing an ongoing feedback system with partners to inform operational adaptation to meet their needs. S/he will be also be responsible for designing and maintaining stakeholder engagement and influence plan (connected to learning agenda), monitor and document relationships with member partners, government, and other local and national public/private stakeholders. S/he will provide coordination and required to support for workshops, learning events, assessments, research, coaching sessions.

Essential Job Responsibilities

COLLABORATION AND NETWORKING

Oversee and cultivate the day-to-day relationship building and liaison activities with member partners and other key stakeholders, including government.
Maintain open lines of communication and manage an ongoing feedback system with partners to inform operational adaptation to meet their needs.
Design and maintain a stakeholder engagement and influence plan (connected to learning agenda).
Monitor and document relationships with member partners, government, and other local and national public/private stakeholders; flag opportunity for local/national actors to engage in the platform.
Provide coordination and required support for workshops, learning events, assessments, research, coaching sessions, etc.
Work towards expanding and solidifying the Partnership
Identify opportunities for social innovation and enterprise that could be launched through catalytic investments from public and private sector initiatives
Work closely with the M&E/Comms Manager, member partners, and other stakeholders to conduct ongoing analysis of the operating context in Bay/Bakool, documenting changes/trends, anticipated risks/ opportunities, and using the initial analysis of the complex crisis system as a foundation for subsequent iteration; analyze implications and feedback to member partners.

MONITORING AND RESULTS MEASUREMENT (MRM)

Gather and document information to generate learning and documentation
Analyze project implementation strategies to identify constraints to program success and provide timely recommendations;
Submit timely reports as requested by the program leadership.

PROGRAM SUPPORT OPERATIONS

Ensure close communication with operational support structures to ensure efficient support for the RLA Prorgam strategy process.
Coordinate with program, finance, and administration staff for troubleshooting and problem solving.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO PARTNERS

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically
to our partners and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging participant communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Directly to the RLA Team leader/manger and Indirectly to Director of Programs (Somalia)

Works Directly With: MEAL/Communication Manger, RLA Team leader/manager, ACDI/VOCCA Colleagues

Knowledge and Experience

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in relevant field.
Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain relationships with diverse actors, including implementing partners, government, donors, local/national organizations, etc.
Demonstrated systems thinker; familiarity with the concepts of CLA/SLI.
Ability to gain consensus and cooperation from individuals or groups– over whom there is no direct authority–to accomplish collective objectives and program goals.
Demonstrated ability to foster commitment and “one team” culture.
Strong roots and networks in Mogadishu and intimate understanding of the political economy.
Strong communication skills in English and Somali.

Success Factors

A successful Resilience Partnership and Influence Coordinator will need demonstrate effective influencing and solidifying relationship with partners as well as build and manage relationships with different stakeholders, and lead collaborative design processes. S/he takes initiative for coordinating and planning tasks and work plans and is equally comfortable and capable of working independently and as part of a team. The candidate will have the ability to easily forge and maintain professional relationships with team members, communities and partners. S/he is deeply curious, with an appetite for learning and takes responsibility for keeping him/herself up-to-date on research and promising practices, and for engaging with key networks in the resilience field.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in (Mogadishu) and it requires up to 10% travel to other field offices

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/STA 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.

Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

Application Procedure:

All interested candidates both internally and externally are encouraged to apply for this position and submit their applications (cover letter, updated CV and contacts of 3 professional referees) through https://www.mercycorps.org/careers/national only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Mercy Corps is committed to protecting beneficiaries within our programmes from exploitation and abuse and any kind of misconduct. Mercy Corps has specific policies, including PSEA and Child Protection, which outlines the expected behavior and the responsibility of all staff, beneficiaries, consultants and other stakeholders and has zero tolerance towards misconducts. Any candidate offered a job with A Mercy Corps will be expected to sign organizational Policies and Code of Conduct as Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Deadline for Applications: 30th June, 2021.