MERCY CORPS is seeking a Consultant-Consultancy Opportunity: Developing Guidelines for Safe Programming in Partnerships-Apply before 15 Mar 2026

Mercy Corps, a global humanitarian organization, has announced a consultancy to develop guidelines for integrating safe programming into partnerships, particularly within Market Systems Development (MSD) programs. This initiative aligns with Mercy Corps’ Safe, Diverse, and Inclusive (SDI) commitment, which promotes safety, diversity, and inclusion across all programs and operations.

Background on Safe, Diverse, and Inclusive Programming

Mercy Corps’ SDI approach emphasizes creating inclusive and accountable environments for staff and communities, especially marginalized groups. The East & Southern Africa (ESA) region, one of the largest portfolios for Mercy Corps, faces multiple natural and human-made crises in countries like Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, and Ethiopia. These challenges highlight the need for strong partnerships with local community-based organizations, civil society actors, and private-sector partners to implement programs that are:

• Inclusive and participatory
• Responsive to diverse community needs
• Mitigating risks of harm, exploitation, and abuse
• Conflict-sensitive and locally adaptive

Embedding safe programming practices—including Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), Safeguarding, Protection, and Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanisms (CARM)—throughout the partnership management process ensures ethical and protective programming.

Purpose of the Consultancy

The consultancy will focus on developing practical guidance for safe programming within partnerships, particularly for MSD programs. The guidelines aim to:

• Standardize integration of safe programming across regional partnerships
• Strengthen technical expertise in safe and inclusive practices
• Ensure partnerships are accountable, sustainable, and community-centered

By co-creating these guidelines with implementing partners, Mercy Corps seeks to ensure relevance, feasibility, and usability across the ESA region.

Consultant Objectives

The selected consultant will be responsible for:

• Assessing current understanding of safe programming within teams and partner organizations
• Conducting literature reviews of existing guidelines related to GESI, Safeguarding, Protection, and CARM
• Facilitating consultations with implementing partners to explore integration of safe practices
• Supporting lessons-sharing sessions to align the guidelines with the New Program Management Policy

Consultancy Activities and Deliverables

The consultancy will be delivered in two main phases:

Phase 1: Safe Programming in Partnerships Assessment

Activities:

• Conduct inception work including preliminary literature review
• Develop and finalize data collection tools (checklists, interview guides, workshop plans)
• Collect data through key informant interviews and consultation workshops
• Analyze findings and draft a comprehensive assessment report
• Facilitate a virtual validation workshop to refine recommendations

Deliverables:

• Inception report (10–15 pages)
• Finalized data collection tools
• Draft assessment report (25–30 pages)
• Workshop presentation materials (15–20 slides)
• Final assessment report incorporating workshop feedback

Timeline: March 26 – May 15, 2026

Phase 2: Guideline Development

Activities:

• Draft the “Regional Safe Programming in Partnership” guideline
• Develop guiding principles and a socialization plan for country offices
• Review and consolidate feedback from technical and leadership teams
• Support launch of the guideline through webinars and workshop materials

Deliverables:

• Draft regional guideline document
• Guiding principles and socialization plan
• Workshop presentation materials and report
• Final regional guideline and launch materials
• Concluding consultancy report (10–15 pages)

Timeline: May 15 – June 27, 2026

Required Skills and Experience

The consultancy requires:

• Advanced degree in International Development, Social Sciences, Human Rights, Law, or related field
• 7–10 years of experience in Safe Programming, Safeguarding, Protection, GESI, and CARM
• Proven expertise in assessments, evaluations, and framework development for international NGOs
• Strong skills in qualitative research, including interviews and workshops
• Excellent report writing, communication, and presentation skills
• Fluency in English; experience with ESA context and Mercy Corps’ operations is desirable

Engagement and Ethical Standards

Mercy Corps emphasizes team collaboration, trust, and inclusion. All consultants and team members must adhere to strict safeguarding, ethical, and professional standards, including:

• Respect for local laws, customs, and Mercy Corps Code of Conduct
• Mandatory completion of Code of Conduct training
• Commitment to preventing sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment

Application Process

Interested candidates must apply via the Jobvite platform by March 15, 2026, submitting:

• CV and cover letter highlighting relevant experience
• A detailed work plan aligned with the two consultancy phases
• A financial proposal

APPLY NOW

Join Our WhatsApp Community

Disclaimer: Remote Job Opportunities (RJO) is not the organization that is hiring. For any inquiries, please contact the responsible organization directly. Please do not send your applications to RJO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.