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
Mercy Corps has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since 2007, with a staff of approximately 400 people working in Eastern DRC. Mercy Corps’ national office is in Goma with sub-field offices in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces. Mercy Corps’ key programming areas include a combination of longer-term development and immediate humanitarian response programs in order to: 1) Improve water service delivery and ensuring equitable access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene services, in urban and rural areas; 2) Improve food security and nutrition; 3) Promote diversified livelihoods, economic recovery and development. Mercy Corps DRC’s humanitarian programs aim specifically to assist populations affected by the conflict and crisis in Eastern Congo with multi-purpose cash assistance and emergency WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) support to displaced and host populations.
Mercy Corps’ Crisis Analytics teams aggregate and analyze data to improve decision making and access in complex crises. The teams support our programming in Syria, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and other locations. The teams directly contribute to data-driven decision making by layering information from primary sources, open sources and responders’ programmatic data, where it is analyzed by subject matter experts and data scientists. This analysis is grounded in Mercy Corps’ status as an operational NGO, keeping products constructive and relevant.
Typical products and services range from informal briefings to weekly products, contributions to risk assessments, in-depth assessment of the political economy of a defined geography, deep-dives on specific thematic, etc., ranging in themes from conflict to market systems to governance, in line with programmatic needs.
The Position
The Lead Analyst is a strategic member of Mercy Corps’ DRC Crisis Analytics Team (CAT) reporting directly to the Director of the CAT. The Lead Analyst is responsible for developing and delivering the Mercy Corps DR Congo country team with in-depth analysis on displacement, conflict, humanitarian access, and humanitarian situation trends and timely strategic humanitarian and crisis data relevant to the programmatic activities in high and extreme risk areas.
The Lead Analyst will be responsible for drafting periodic, thematic and flash reports that will directly impact Mercy Corps’ operational and programmatic decision-making processes. Their analysis will enhance Mercy Corps DR Congo’s understanding of this highly dynamic and complex context. Working with the field researcher team, the Lead Analyst and their team will be required to produce relevant and high quality content that meets the needs of the CAT’s audiences under the direction of the CAT Director and Mercy DR Congo. They will be expected to contribute to briefings and presentations to high-level stakeholders and should be able to present professionally and distill the ongoing analytical outputs for easy consumption.
The Lead Analyst is expected to bring and maintain a comprehensive knowledge of the dynamics of the eastern DR Congo context, with particular understanding of cross-cutting contextual phenomena, such as displacement, humanitarian access, armed actors activism, as well as natural and social phenomena (climate change, gender, or social media). The Lead Analyst will principally focus on supporting programming in Eastern DR Congo with due consideration given to national and regional issues. They will leverage their understanding of the humanitarian and development sector in DR Congo and their ability to meaningfully engage with the Mercy Corps program teams, to identify trends and issues for the team to monitor and explore. These outputs will improve the ability of Mercy Corps and the wider humanitarian community to operate with impact.
This quality will come from an experience in analysis, data collection, local networks, and a collaborative and open-minded approach to problem solving. The Lead Analyst will adopt a flexible approach and a willingness to use non-traditional tools and information sources in order to generate insights within a dynamic environment.
Essential Responsibilities
DIRECT TEAM MANAGEMENT
- Oversee and coordinate the work of the analytical unit
- Develop and ensure implementation of workplans, milestones and timely delivery of analytical products by the analytical unit
- Build the capacity of the team by supporting the development of Analysts’ analytical skills, methodologies, writing and editing skills.
- Support team in defining professional development goals in the area of research and analysis and provide a space and opportunities for them to put this in practice.
ANALYSIS
- Lead the drafting of periodic, flash and thematic analytical displacement products that meet the current and future information needs of identified audiences.
- Develop bespoke products as directed.
- Inform programmatic and operational decision-making through the production of insightful and concise analysis products.
- Identify new areas of focus based on the understanding of audience needs.
- Design research agendas and analysis methodologies for new products.
- Ensure gender equality, diversity and social inclusion (GEDSI) aspects are included in the methodology and analysis.
- Collaborate throughout the analytical process with all colleagues in the team.
- Provide internal and external briefings to high-level stakeholders, as directed.
- Other activities related to data collection and analysis as directed.
- Develop and maintain an awareness of humanitarian principles, international humanitarian law and Mercy Corps’ culture and values.
DATA COLLECTION
- Maintain contextual awareness, including the possibility of frequent trips to field locations
- Build inter-organisational relationships to facilitate access to third-party data sources.
- Build and maintain the informal networks of the information source across DR Congo program locations.
- Coordinate with Research Unit manager and field researchers to ensure data collection is efficient to the team’s requirements and suitably disaggregated.
- Use their networks to triangulate information, assist with due-diligence, whenever required by field teams and/or senior leadership.
COORDINATION
- Develop and maintain an in-depth understanding of Mercy Corps’ programming.
- Support Director in understanding the information needs of program teams.
- Work closely with allocated program teams and partners to understand their information needs, and provide timely and relevant advice, through the development of methodologies
- Support program teams to define their information needs and develop methodologies, protocols, and/or products to answer these needs.
- Proactively engage with the Global Crisis Analysis team and counterparts in other countries.
- Build and maintain partnerships with external stakeholders in the analysis field with the objective of producing joint analysis.
- Build and maintain relevant networks that improve information and the quality of products.
SECURITY
- Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
- Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
- Ensure compliance with and implementation of Mercy Corps safeguarding measures.
- Participate in mission-level scenario building, risk assessment and crisis cells meetings upon Director’s request.
- Ensure data security protocols are being implemented throughout the research cycle.
Supervisory Responsibility
Officer(s) Senior d’Analyse (2), Technology for Development (T4D) Officer, Stakeholder Engagement Specialist (part-time), Editor (part-time)
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Director, DRC Crisis Analytics Team
Works Directly With: Field Research Coordinator; Mercy Corps DRC Program Directors.
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
- Master’s degree in a relevant field.
- Minimum of three years’ experience in research, conflict analysis, investigative journalism, humanitarian programming, or a related field.
- Able to demonstrate extensive experience in a variety of formal and informal approaches to data collection, preferable in the Great Lakes region or francophone Africa .
- Experience in remote access humanitarian programming and analysis.
- Demonstrated capacity for analysis that supports decision making.
- Demonstrated high capacity for writing in English and French on technical subjects. French and English fluency required.
- Able to convey complex information to a variety of audiences through public speaking.
- Ability to build and maintain networks of information sources across different geographic locations, sectors and perspectives.
- Experience in liaising with diplomatic and multi-national organizations as well as international NGOs (Non Government Organizations), other non-governmental organizations, donors and academic institutions.
- Competency in quantitative and qualitative analysis tools is an asset (Power Bi, MAXQDA, R, Qlik, etc.).
- Advanced competency in use of Microsoft Office systems including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and collaboration platforms such as Teams.
- Knowledge in GIS (Geographic Information System) and GIS software is a plus
- Competency in social media tools including Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp.
- Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills.
- Experience leading and coaching a team.
- Experience working in a fast-paced environment with high-levels of collaboration.
- Willingness to work and travel in difficult and insecure environments.
Success Factors
The successful candidate will be a key member of a diverse team where curiosity, critical thinking and the ability to see beyond the surface level are highly valuable. A professional attitude, demonstration of integrity, discretion and excellent work ethic are key aspects to the success of this new position. Strong communication skills (listening, speaking, writing) are imperative to developing positive relationships and representing the analysis team well. Interpersonal skills, openness to learning and humility are important attributes to working effectively within a context with significant diversity. The Lead Analyst will bring strong time management and organizational skills and will have the ability to work in a fast-moving environment as a team member who will take initiative on projects and support others in their initiatives.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
This position is based in Goma, DRC and unaccompanied. Occasional travel. While conditions in Goma are improving, there are still pockets of violence and insecurity and petty crime is present. Mercy Corps’ offices experience variable levels of insecurity, with the situation closely monitored by UN peacekeepers. Years of conflict and corruption have badly damaged the country’s infrastructure. Air travel is necessary to get from one end of the country to the other. Mobile phones and cellular service are widely available in urban areas. Internet is limited, but available in all Mercy Corps’ offices. Travel to field sites will be required where living conditions are clean and secure, but basic. There are a number of health services available with several evacuation options for serious illnesses. There is reasonable access to most consumer goods.
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 (Inter Agency Standing Committee). 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.
