Consultant for Safe Programming in Partnerships

Job Posting Organization:
Mercy Corps is a global non-profit organization that has been dedicated to alleviating suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. Established in 1979, Mercy Corps operates in over 40 countries, employing more than 5,000 staff members worldwide. The organization focuses on various sectors, including economic development, health, education, and emergency response, with a strong commitment to promoting safety, diversity, and inclusion across its programs and operations. Mercy Corps aims to create a thriving ecosystem that fosters inclusive and resilient communities, emphasizing accountable leadership, equitable partnerships, and safe programming.

Job Overview:
The consultant will play a crucial role in developing practical guidelines for integrating safe programming into partnerships with private sector actors involved in Market Systems Development (MSD) programming. This position requires a deep understanding of safe programming practices, particularly in fragile contexts, and aims to operationalize Mercy Corps' commitments to safety, diversity, and inclusion. The consultant will assess current definitions and understandings of safe programming, conduct literature reviews, facilitate consultations with implementing partners, and develop a comprehensive guideline document. The consultant will work closely with various teams to ensure the guidelines are relevant and feasible for implementation across different country contexts.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct an initial literature review of existing safe programming guidance related to partnership management.
• Design and finalize data collection tools for consultations with implementing partners.
• Conduct Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with regional, global, and country leadership and technical teams.
• Facilitate consultation workshops with selected implementing partners to explore their integration of safe programming.
• Analyze collected data and draft a comprehensive Safe Programming in Partnership Report.
• Facilitate a virtual validation workshop to present findings and gather feedback.
• Develop a draft 'Regional Safe Programming in Partnership' guideline document.
• Outline guiding principles and a plan for socializing the framework across country offices.
• Obtain and consolidate feedback on the draft guideline from technical and leadership teams. 1
• Develop presentation materials for the launch of the final guideline and co-lead the facilitation of a launching webinar.

Required Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in International Development, Social Sciences, Human Rights, Law, or a related field.
• Proven expertise and a minimum of 7-10 years of experience in Safe Programming, Safeguarding, Protection, CARM, and GESI in humanitarian and development contexts.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting assessments, evaluations, and developing strategic frameworks for international NGOs.
• Strong qualitative data collection and analysis skills, particularly in conducting Key Informants Interviews (KIIs) and facilitating workshops.
• Excellent report writing, communication, and presentation skills.
• Fluency in English is required.
• A track record of working experience with the ESA context and Mercy Corps' operating model is desirable.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced degree in fields such as International Development, Social Sciences, Human Rights, Law, or related disciplines. This educational background is essential to ensure that the consultant has the theoretical knowledge and practical understanding necessary to navigate the complexities of safe programming and partnership management in diverse contexts.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 7-10 years of relevant experience in Safe Programming, Safeguarding, Protection, CARM, and GESI within humanitarian and development settings. Candidates should have a proven track record of conducting assessments and evaluations, as well as developing strategic frameworks that align with the objectives of international NGOs. Experience in the East & Southern Africa region is particularly valuable, as it will inform the consultant's understanding of local contexts and challenges.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory for this position, as it is the primary language of communication within Mercy Corps and for the documentation of the consultancy. While English proficiency is essential, knowledge of additional languages relevant to the East & Southern Africa region may be considered an asset, enhancing the consultant's ability to engage with diverse stakeholders and communities.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy is expected to be conducted over a timeframe of 40 working days distributed between March 2026 and June 202

• The consultant will report to the Regional Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Advisor and will collaborate closely with the core project team, including various advisors and country teams. Mercy Corps will facilitate introductions to country office teams and provide necessary documents for the consultancy. Interested candidates should submit their applications through the Jobvite platform by March 15, 2026, including a brief proposal, CV, cover letter, work plan, and financial proposal.