Consultant - Market Systems Specialist - Remote

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.

The Technical Support Unit (TSU) supports work in market system development, employment and entrepreneurship, economic recovery, agriculture and financial inclusion. A core part of that work is driving agency practice, learning, and thought leadership in applying market system approaches, particularly in fragile contexts and emergency responses. To advance this work, Mercy Corps is bringing on-board a consultant who will derive insights, synthesize learning, and support program development in order to advance our work on Market Systems Development (MSD) and Markets in Crisis.

Purpose / Project Description:

The consultant will contribute to the Agency’s work on Market Systems. This includes working with the Economic Growth and Markets team and key program leaders to drive learning and quality programming related to Markets in Crisis and Market Systems Development. Depending on the needs, they are responsible for synthesizing program learning for internal and external audiences to advance Mercy Corps’ global Markets in Crisis approach; providing expert technical support to country teams through strategy development, market assessments, and capacity strengthening; and supporting key program design and proposal writing efforts.

Consultant Objectives:

The consultant will deepen Mercy Corps’ sector leadership in Market systems by developing learning documents related to integrating Market Systems approaches into crisis response; supporting program portfolios on their Markets in Crisis and Market Systems Development approaches; and supporting program development.

Consultant Activities:

The Consultant will:

• As needed build Mercy Corps body of learning on Markets in Crisis potentially including:
  
  • Developing case studies based on Market Systems interventions in humanitarian responses
  • Synthesize learning across programs to highlight advances in our approaches, key program lessons, and priority focus areas for the future
  • Contribute to approach documents, capacity statements, and other agency materials
• As needed, provide technical expertise and coaching to Markets in Crisis programming, such as:
  
  • Advising programs on how to layer humanitarian cash interventions with market support and market facilitation
  • Supporting program strategy
  • Coaching program leaders and technical staff through implementation challenges in Markets in Crisis portfolios and programs
  • Holding regular check-ins with identified program teams to discuss progress and plans
  • Providing recommendations on intervention design and start-up
  • Supporting teams to access the appropriate technical guidance and tools to improve their programming efforts on market facilitation in fragile contexts
• As needed, support program development through:
  
  • Supporting the design of programs through workshops
  • Provide input and reviews into proposals related to Markets in Crisis and MSD

Consultant Deliverables:

• Completed learning documents, as detailed above
• Inputs and guidance given to teams on Markets in Crisis programming
• Program design outputs and feedback

Timeframe / Schedule:

December 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023

20 days

The Consultant will report to:

Sr. Director – Economic Growth

The Consultant will work closely with:

Other members of the Markets team and Economic Growth composite team, New Initiatives, other members of the TSU and Research and Learning teams, and key program teams.

Required Experience & Skills:

• 8 to 10 years experience in market system development
• Experience in designing and implementing market-based programs for fragile contexts
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to distill and summarize information for an outside audience

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.