Team Leader (Applications will only be accepted if submitted through the URL link provided below)

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 Syria, Libya, Democratic Republic of Congo and others. The Lebanon Crisis Analytics Team (LCAT), which was launched in Lebanon for the first time in August 2021, seeks to support Mercy Corps’ in-country programming as well as the wider humanitarian and crisis response in Lebanon, currently experiencing a highly volatile and rapidly developing series of concurrent crises. It does this through the provision of quality, timely and relevant analytical products, many of which are available on the LCAT page of the Mercy Corps Lebanon website.

The Mercy Corps’ LCAT team aggregates and analyzes data to provide a more nuanced understanding of both the humanitarian context and its impact on markets, households, and coping strategies to enable better decision making for donors, implementers, and policy makers in complex crises. This analysis is provided through a range of products, from monthly situation updates, forecasts, scenario building, bespoke deeper dive pieces on important humanitarian and fragility issues, and urgent flash analyses of rapidly developing situations. Other typical products and services range from informal and formal briefings to weekly products, contributions to risk assessments, in-depth assessment of the political economy of a defined geography, deep-dives on specific thematics, etc., ranging in themes from conflict to market systems to governance, in line with programmatic needs. This analysis is grounded in Mercy Corps’ status as an operational NGO, keeping our products constructive and relevant for policy makers, responders and donors within a given crisis.

General Position Summary

The Crisis Analytics (CA) Team Leader is responsible for managing and driving the vision and strategy for the crisis analytics team through the development and delivery of complex analytical products and information that will inform stronger and more strategic programs in Lebanon. The CA Team Lead has responsibility for the effective functioning of the team as a support function to the country programme. The Team Leader is responsible for day to day management of workflows, alignment of products & services with country programme priorities, quality control of products, and developing a process of continuous improvement within the team.

The Team Leader provides an advisory role to senior leadership, and leads external representation (for peer organisations, donors, partners, etc.) of the team’s findings. The Team Leader will be expected to cultivate appropriate networks to improve data collection and impactful dissemination.

The Team Leader will have responsibility for growing and managing a team currently consisting of 6-8 specialised consultants and analysts, and interns. To support the professional development of team members, the Team Leader will need to have sufficient understanding of relevant skills- analysis, primary data collection, fieldwork in complex contexts, mapping/GIS, utilisation of quantitative data sets and tailoring the presentation of findings to different audiences.

The Team Leader will have strong experience as an analyst, able to translate audience needs into data collection tasks and subsequent production of products. The Team Leader will provide inputs as required to improve the team’s analysis, and produce their own analysis.

This position will be based in Beirut alongside the Mercy Corps Lebanon country program with respective changes to the benefits package (see below under living conditions). The Team Leader will engage with counterparts from Mercy Corps’ other Crisis Analysis teams, and the global Crisis Analysis team, as part of a community of practice.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

TEAM MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

• Manage the growth and strategy of the Crisis Analysis Team, in close collaboration with the Country Director, ensuring alignment with the current and future needs of the Lebanon Country Team
• Support the systematic use of analysis in programmatic decision making within Mercy Corps Lebanon.
• Manage workflow and workload of the team to maximize impactful output.
• Ensure the professional development of team members.
• Proactively seek opportunities to introduce new methodologies and technologies where they add value.
• Ensure the team’s size and skill set remains suitable to delivering against the mandate, including through recruiting and securing resources via proactive business development.

ANALYSIS

• Lead the production of time-sensitive, data-driven analytical products to support programmatic decision making in Lebanon.
• Ensure the Crisis Analysis team’s outputs meet the unique needs of its target audiences, and meet Mercy Corps’ minimum standards for Crisis Analysis work.
• Have final responsibility for quality control of products.
• Maintain and constantly develop a strong understanding of the rapidly changing context in Lebanon (political, legal, economic, social, and conflict).
• Develop key analytics products for the donor, broader humanitarian/crisis response community, and Mercy Corps program teams based on local area dynamics.
• Provide presentations and updates for the donor and program teams as required.
• Support the overall continuation of a culture of a team, which is highly aware of the context.
• Provide contextual presentations to program teams on a regular basis

COORDINATION

• In coordination with the Country Director, proactively engage with key stakeholders in the humanitarian architecture
• Proactively engage with the Global Crisis Analysis team and counterparts in other countries.
• Develop and maintain an in-depth understanding of Mercy Corps’ programming.
• Build and maintain relevant networks that improve the quality of products.
• As directed, participate in Senior Management Team discussions to provide analytic insights and risk assessments where necessary.
• Present findings to internal and external parties.
• Contribute to proposal writing and business development with the broader country team.

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.

STRATEGY & CULTURE

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Contribute to the development of humanitarian, crisis response, country-level and regional strategies, as well as other key thematic sectors of interventions (economic development, governance, etc) for Mercy Corps in Lebanon.
• Understand and express conflict in terms of humanitarian and economic needs, gender, conflict sensitivity, diversity and inclusion, protection, shocks, stresses, and threats.

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:

• The Team Leader will supervise a small team of analysts, interns, and specialized consultants. This includes economists, editors, and technical experts. The Team Leader will also collaborate and coordinate support from regional and global Crisis Analytics technical roles, such as the Regional Quantitative Analysis Manager.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Mercy Corps Lebanon Country Director

Works Directly With: Director of Programs, MEL Advisor, Regional Quantitative Analysis Manager, Program Management, Security Manager, Senior Director - Crisis Analytics (global); Senior Advisor – Crisis Analytics (global); Regional Humanitarian Advisor and Regional Security Advisor. 

Knowledge and Experience

Required

• Excellent written and spoken English
• Experience with both quantitative and qualitative research is a must
• Strong project/program management skills are crucial
• Strong team management skills are skills are crucial
• Knowledge and understanding of the Lebanon context.

Preferred

• Excellent written and spoken   Arabic is a definite asset
• Degree in Economics, Politics, Law, International Relations, conflict studies or a related field is an asset
• Analytical experience within a think-tank, UN, or NGO experience or a similar Crisis Analytics Unit
• Primary and secondary research/academic experience in political science, sociology, economics, or conflict analysis
• Previous and/or current analysis work in the MIddle East or on Lebanon is a strong plus
• Experience working within the development/humanitarian sector.

Success Factors

A successful candidate will see opportunities where Mercy Corps programs can complement policy related to refugees, extremely vulnerable, and newly vulnerable, and explore new partnerships or program modalities with private sector and local government. They will be able  to relate programming in Lebanon with policy and work closely with regional teams to enhance our capacity and approach towards risk and access strategies. They will work on short deadlines, often under challenging circumstances, while remaining calm, flexible, patient and creative. They will be comfortable speaking and presenting quite complex information in digestible formats before groups both big and small, sometimes with potentially controversial content, while remaining confident, professional, and open. A good sense of humor and excellent interpersonal skills are key. The successful candidate brings together a range of skills and experience, and imbues those in their team, to deliver analysis that allows Mercy Corps to run impactful programmes in highly complex contexts. The candidate knows that analysis is only as good as its up-take with the target audience. Mercy Corps is investing heavily in analysis at a global level, and the candidate will leverage these resources to improve their own programming, and share the results of their success.

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.

Living/Environmental Conditions

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.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Beirut. Team members in this location are expected to follow all Mercy Corps security protocols, which may change from time to time, relevant to the prevailing risk environment.

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.