Deputy Lead Analyst (Applications will only be accepted if submitted through the link provided)

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 developed a Crisis Analytics function to support our programming in the most complex contexts, including Libya, Democratic Republic of Congo and others. The Humanitarian Access Team,(HAT) supports Mercy Corps’ in-country programming as well as the wider humanitarian response in the region through the provision of quality, timely and relevant analytical products.

Mercy Corps’ crisis analytics teams aggregate and analyze data to improve decision making and access in complex crises. The teams directly contribute to data-driven decision making by layering information from primary sources, open sources and responders’ programmatic data, where it is analysed by subject matter experts and data scientists. This analysis is grounded in Mercy Corps’ status as an operational NGO, keeping our products constructive and relevant for humanitarian responders and donors within a given crisis. The HAT also serves as a real-time information hub; vets potential partners; assesses programmatic, partner, and operational risk; identifies and maps stakeholders; and works with internal partners to better enable data-driven decision making.

Written HAT products range from daily updates during high-intensity periods, to regular weekly Whole-of summaries, to in-depth thematic reports and scenario planning

General Position Summary

The Deputy Lead Analyst will serve as a senior member of Mercy Corps Middle East crisis analytics team, which has global recognition as a leading analysis unit on the Middle East crisis and response. As deputy to the analysis unit within the HAT, s/he will be a skilled all-source analyst who is able to take the lead on building technical analytical skills within the team and support the daily management of the analysis workflow, identifying key trends and putting forward ideas for information products that meet the needs of the humanitarian response communities, including humanitarian actors, donors and think tanks.

S/he will maintain an understanding of the whole of the Middle East context. They will contribute to and lead on the development of analytical products and outputs that benefit the humanitarian response in Middle East, including framing it within broader regional trends. They will be comfortable with mixed methods research approaches, and confident in tasking primary data collectors. While the Deputy Lead Analysts may bring a specific sectoral expertise, they will be equally able to work across multiple themes (conflict, economics, protection, politics, etc.)

Team members come from a variety of backgrounds, and the Deputy Lead Analyst will be expected to be the focal point for capacity building of technical analytical skills within the team. S/he will be able to demonstrate their own approaches to documenting and enforcing quality control of analytical outputs.

The Deputy Lead Analyst will support with external representation, providing donor, NGO and other stakeholder briefings, and tailored analysis to specific geographic or themes that may impact a specific stakeholder. S/he will also be required to contribute to proposal and report writing as well preparing research applications where required.

Essential Job Responsibilities

OVERAll

• Advise the HAT Director with updates on evolving developments in the region (political, conflict) as relates to Mercy Corps programs and humanitarian activities.
• Works with the lead analyst to identify and report on new or emerging development issues of potential concern to the international community.
• Manage and assist junior staff members, on specific thematic reports and analysis tasks
• Work independently in specific political and conflict thematic reports on the dynamic situation across Middle East
• Be a coach and mentor for the analytics team
• Focal point for building the capacity of programme teams to incorporate analysis into their decision-making processes
• Coordinates with the Editor to keep existing and new products relevant and actionable for key audiences
• Builds technical analytical skills within the team
• Contributes to proposal and report writing and preparing research applications
• Regularly engage with external stakeholders, such as NGO’s, Donors, Think Tanks, and other relevant actors on the Middle East response to coordinate research initiative and better understand the audience needs
• Provide stakeholder briefings in coordination with the Lead Analyst and HAT Director
• Propose ideas for research and development and work with the Lead Analyst, HAT Director and other team members on piloting, developing and disseminating new products that keep the crisis response community updated and able to make informed decisions on humanitarian interventions and access.

ANALYSIS

• Prepare and contribute to weekly reports and assist on larger thematic outputs and reports led by HAT.
• Commissions studies and analyses on the Middle East context.
• Develop research proposals related to the internal or regional situation.
• Support the overall continuation of a culture of a team, which is highly aware of the context.
• Able to incorporate programmatic and donor needs into the analytical cycle
• Documents and maintains minimum standards for analytical quality with reference to Global Crisis Analysis standards of Mercy Corps

STRATEGY & Culture

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed. Contribute to the development of strategies.
• Understand and express conflict in terms of humanitarian needs, access restrictions, and threats to the humanitarian community.

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.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• Ability to supervise a small team (1-3) of researchers/analysts on a project to project basis.

Accountability

• Reports directly to: Lead Analyst   
• Works directly with: Analysts, Editor, Global CA team, HAT Director, Field Coordinator.

Knowledge and Experience

• Masters Degree or equivalent experience in Political Science, International Relations, Economics, or a related field is an asset
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative analysis is an asset
• Excellent written English (knowledge of Arabic is an asset)
• 3-5 years’ Analytical experience within a think-tank, UN, or NGO experience; experience analyzing the Middle East conflict is a plus
• Demonstrated formal analytical skills
• Primary and secondary research/academic experience in political science, sociology, economics, or conflict analysis 
• Knowledge of data analysis, machine learning and artificial intelligence is advantageous
• Extensive experience living/working in MENA region is an asset

Success Factors

The successful candidate will foster an environment of excellence, curiosity and ambition. They will encourage innovation and risk-taking where it can improve humanitarian response in the region. Their technical analytical abilities will be shared within the team and will be reflected in the quality of the products produced by the team.

Living/Environmental Conditions

This is an accompanied position based in Beirut or Amman.

20% travel time is expected.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of 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.