MCEurope recruits 01 Cash Working Group Co-Coordinator

MCEurope recruits 01 Cash Working Group Co-Coordinator

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 operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since August 2007, with a staff of over 200 people working in North and South Kivu, with the overall country goal 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 Mweso (North Kivu) and Bukavu (South Kivu). Mercy Corps’ key programming areas include a combination of longer-term development and immediate humanitarian response programs in order to: 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 transfer programming (CTP), with it currently representing 48% 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 CTP. As a firm believer in the efficacy of cash programming, Mercy Corps has implemented CTP in 31 countries. Mercy Corps was the first agency to implement CTP 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.

General Position Summary

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 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 NCI, is to support the development of a strategic approach in to ​​sectoral and multi-purpose cash assistance, with the objective to create a conducive environment 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 report back to 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 present terms of reference of the co-facilitator of the CWG-n aim to strengthen 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).

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Serve as co-chair of the national CWG, leading its direction and approach, including efforts at the state level.
• Promote and give guidance on the centrality of CTP in the DRC context.
• Lead the countrywide strategy development and promoting the centrality of CTP.
• Develop strategies with the CWG partners to ensure that CTP best practices are systematically implemented and updated in humanitarian response interventions.

Technical Oversight

• Support the lead co-facilitator in the HRP 2020 development process;
• Participate in Cluster meetings to gain a better understanding of all cash transfer discussions and to ensure ongoing advocacy for CTPs in the sectoral response, to share CTP concepts and approaches with clusters and encourage them to participate in cluster exercises.
• Support the collection and analysis of information in line with ongoing processes (lessons learned, incidents etc);
• Contribute to the process of developing multi-purpose cash transfer response strategies during the CERF and Country Humanitarian Fund processes, including the review and technical review of projects submitted by stakeholders.
• Participate to the monitoring and follow-up of projects in the process of being implemented under Humanitarian Fund;
• 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 EHP;
• Support CWG-n and CWG-r in the process of updating HNO, HRP, Operational Plans and DASHBOARD in collaboration with OCHA teams;
• Provide technical support to the CWG-n’s main co-facilitator to provide a relevant and responsive coordination mechanism for stakeholders in the country and encourage wide participation of humanitarian actors in all relevant sectors;
• Support and monitor the implementation of the CWG-n work plan (roadmap), particularly through the work of the CWG-n Task Forces;
• Co-facilitate one or more CWG-n Task Forces;
• Support initiatives launched through external expertise (CashCap, CaLP), particularly in the development of the SEM framework for the DRC in 2019/2020;
• Support the information management capabilities of the CWG-n and CWG-r, specifically the collection and consolidation of information on cash transfers (4W) and multi-purpose cash transfers (Dashboard);
• Ensure the capacity building of CWG members (CWG-n and CWG-r) through the facilitation of technical trainings in regional hubs (ability to facilitate CaLP level 2 equivalent training and market tools);
• Promote sensitization sessions on cash transfers to different Clusters.

Influence & Representation

• Build and manage collaborative partnerships with CWG partners.
• Maintain regular communication with actors working on CTP interventions.
• Nurture relationships with key sectors which implement various forms of CTP.
• Nurture key relationships with donors, especially those with a focus and an interest in market- driven programming.

Organizational Learning 

• As part of Mercy Corps’ 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 Beneficiaries

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

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Mercy Corps’ Emergency Programs Director

Works Directly With: CWG Co-Chair, CWG members, HCT, ISCG, HC, UN-OCHA, Sector Coordinators and other stakeholders.

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 team 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, Democratic Republic of the Congo

The location is unaccompanied. Housing is provided. 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.

• BA/S in economic development, international relations or other relevant degree;
• 5 years of experience in cash programming, preferably across multiple sectors;
• 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.