Consultant – Participatory Research to Advance Peace in Complex Crises – Remote At Mercy Corps

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. As the world’s crises grow more complex and protracted, we need to address the conflicts that lie at the heart of so many of them. Mercy Corps therefore developed the Advancing Peace in Complex Crises (APCC) framework, to support actors working in complex crises to better mitigate violence and advance peace across the humanitarian, development, and peace nexus.

Purpose / Project Description:

As a part of our efforts under the APCC framework, Mercy Corps has developed a learning agenda to explore four key questions:

• How can localization support bridging the humanitarian, development, and peace nexus?
• What role can gender programming play in bridging the humanitarian, development, and peace nexus?
• What practical and effective examples of joint analysis and collective outcomes across the nexus can we find?
• How can we more effectively connect local actors working in their own communities via global communities of practice?

Consultant Activities:

The consultant will be requested to:

• Develop a highly participatory and/or locally-led research methodology (such as participatory action research or youth-led research among others)
• Lead and coordinate data collection and data analysis in Mercy Corps’ key areas of operation (notably Africa and the Middle East in particular)
• Prepare a full research report and synthesis report with key findings and recommendations
• Present the findings to Mercy Corps staff and external stakeholders, including if possible co-presentations with respondents who participated in the research

Consultant Deliverables:

The Consultant will deliver:

• Inception report
• Full research report
• Synthesis research report
• 10-minute Powerpoint presentation

Timeframe / Schedule:

• Anticipated start date: 1st of February, 2022
• Anticipated date of completion: 30th of June, 2022
• Working Days: Approximately 30-45 days

The Consultant will report to:

Senior Advisor, Peace & Conflict, TSU

Required Experience & Skills:

• Master’s degree in Political Science, Humanitarian, Development, or Peace & Conflict Studies, or other related field.. PhD is an advantage.
• 7+ years of experience conducting research, including using highly participatory and/or locally led methodologies
• Experience working and/or conducting research in complex emergencies
• Experience publishing research on one or more of the following areas is preferred:
  • Peacebuilding
  • Localization
  • Gender
  • Communities of Practice
  • Humanitarian, development, and peace nexus
  • Humanitarian, development, and/or peacebuilding operations of multilateral and non-governmental organizations

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