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Job Description and Requirements
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
The Program / Department / Team (Program / Department Summary)
Mercy Corps has developed a Crisis Analytics function to support our programming in the most complex contexts, including the Middle East, Libya, Democratic Republic of Congo and others. The Humanitarian Access Team, Middle East (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 analysis teams aggregate and analyze quantitative and qualitative 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. Crisis analysis 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.
The Position
The Data/GIS Analyst is a mid-level position in the team, learning from and providing support to more experienced colleagues. S/he will be expected to quickly develop and maintain a real-time understanding of multidisciplinary topics with a focus on economic trends across the Middle East, but also inclusive of climate change, agriculture, security, and social cohesion. Leveraging primarily quantitative data analytical skills, s/he will identify and manage quantitative data, execute statistical and geospatial analysis, create data visualisations and maps, and provide written narrative describing and explaining the findings for non-technical audiences within the humanitarian community. S/he will work with other qualitative-oriented analysts and specialists to provide analyses that feed into decision-making for Mercy Corps’ Middle East programming and strategy. S/he will leverage these analytical products to forecast humanitarian and economic needs and anticipated knock-on effects of crisis and conflict. S/he will be responsible for delivering outputs for monthly reports and more in-depth reports with a thematic focus.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Reporting
Assist in drafting weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports focusing on socio-economic, political, and geo-political events.
Identify and utilize secondary quantitative data sets to identify context-specific patterns or relationships relevant to humanitarian actors on the topics of economics, security, climate, agriculture, and additional themes.
Identify open source data provided by other information management organisations, develop creative research designs, process the data, and execute statistical/geospatial analyses.
Assist in the development of purpose-specific methodological tools for data collection and quantitative data analysis.
Capable of developing short qualitative questionnaires to gather data from the field to test the validity of quantitative analysis results.
Support the design and development of visual interpretations of analysis, including graphs, charts, maps, and infographics.
As directed, research specific geographic locations with a focus on humanitarian dynamics (including access, needs, and activities) and actor dynamics present in the area.
Identify reports on new or emerging issues of potential concern to the international community, particularly those of a regional or global nature.
Assist the Lead Analyst and other technical analysts on projects while also being able to independently produce products.
Proactively develop and seek support in developing their own technical capacities
Support on administrative tasks as required.
Analysis
Maintains a strong understanding of the context in the Middle East (political, economic, climate, social, conflict).
Prepare and contribute to monthly reports and assist on larger thematic outputs and reports led by HAT.
Identifies Syria/Middle East-related topics to explore and creatively attempts ways to test hypotheses.
An understanding of regional economic issues (for example, monetary policy, trade, poverty, migration) of interest to the humanitarian and development community.
Develops research proposals related to the internal social/economic/political dynamics, whether country-specific or the broader region.
Capable of designing and producing data dashboards.
An understanding of forward-thinking methodological approaches that enable anticipatory analysis, such as predictive modeling and economic forecasting.
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 complex crises in terms of humanitarian needs, access restrictions, and threats to the humanitarian community.
Support the overall continuation of a culture of a team, which is highly aware of the context.
Contributes to a culture of collaboration and curiosity driven by humanitarian principles.
Safeguarding Responsibilities:
Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work including with external stakeholders and direct reports if applicable.
Practices the values of Mercy Corps as detailed in the Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies including respecting the dignity and well-being of community participants and fellow staff members
Holds themselves accountable for making appropriate decisions that impact community members and team members
Takes responsibility for their personal and professional behavior
Encourages openness, transparency and communication in their team; encourages team members to make any reports if they have any concerns using internal reporting mechanisms (i.e. Integrity Hotline, HR etc.)
Demonstrates a high level of integrity and treats others with respect
Supervisory Responsibility
Up to 1 junior team members and/or interns
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Lead Analyst.
Works Directly With: HAT Team Members, Technical Advisors, Program Staff.
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.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
Masters Degree in Economics, Political Science, Data Analysis, Geography/GIS or a related field is required
Excellent written and verbal communication in English and Arabic
At least 4 years of analytical experience within a think-tank, UN, or NGO experience; experience analyzing the Middle East conflict is a plus
At least 2 years of experience processing and analyzing quantitative and/or qualitative datasets.
Proven experience in statistical programming for quantitative analysis using software/platforms such as R, Python, SPSS, STATA, or similar tools
Experience producing dashboards using PowerBI or other tools (R Shiny) is an asset.
Experience in data processing, manipulation, and database management.
Primary and secondary research/academic experience in political science, sociology, economics, or conflict analysis.
Experience in economic analysis, reporting, and forecasting is an asset.
Experience with big data analysis is an asset.
Experience with GIS tools (ArcGIS, QGIS) is an asset.
Experience with graphic design (Adobe Indesign) is an asset.
Success Factors
The role requires a high level of attention to detail, creativity to investigate multiple datasets and willingness to test multiple hypotheses, a strong sense of discretion, and excellent research and writing skills, preferably in English and Arabic. In addition to having a strong technical background and research experience, the role requires someone with a can-do attitude who is able to multitask, communicate effectively, and prioritize responsibilities in a fast-paced environment. Competitive candidates will showcase a willingness to creatively solve problems and work on multiple priorities under tight deadlines.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Amman, Jordan or Beirut, Lebanon and it can include up to 20% travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.
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.
