Myanmar: Peace and Conflict Sensitivity Advisor

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps is a global humanitarian organization empowering people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. Operating in Myanmar since 2008, Mercy Corps works to build responsive governance, inclusive economic development, and equal rights that support peace and prosperity. Mercy Corps currently works in ten states in Myanmar, connecting market development, financial inclusion, disaster risk management and climate change resilience, and governance through a facilitative partnership approach.

Mercy Corps is a partner on a recently awarded Advancing Community Empowerment in Southeastern Myanmar (ACESM) project. It will lead activities on peacebuilding and reconciliation interventions, market-driven livelihoods and private sector engagement, and DRM.

The Advancing Community Empowerment in Southeastern Myanmar (ACESM) project, supported by the US Agency for International Development/Burma, aims to support communities in their empowerment processes by reducing vulnerabilities, promoting community participation in decision making, and strengthening mechanisms for more responsive and accountable local governance. ACESM is a five-year, $48 million project funded by USAID and implemented by Pact in partnership with Community Partners International, Mercy Corps, and Save the Children. The project will also partner with a range of local and regional organizations to address a variety of community needs and development priorities in the region.

ACESM will work to foster integrated, inclusive, and sustainable service provision to underserved communities in areas of Southeastern Myanmar. Beginning with community-identified needs and solutions, the project takes a systems approach that constructively engages the demand and supply sides of service delivery, focusing on health, education, livelihoods, water/sanitation/hygiene (WASH), and disaster risk management.

Project partners will provide technical support for skills-building and institutional strengthening to nurture relationships and explore cooperation within and between communities, service providers, and decision makers. ACESM promotes a locally driven shift, where possible, from humanitarian assistance toward a strategic approach that can channel community voices and priorities towards improved, integrated service delivery and contribute to conditions for inclusive peace and development.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Peace & Conflict Sensitivity Advisor will support and provide high-quality advisory services to ACESM partners in both conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding, lead and contribute to research and development activities, and develop opportunities for new collaborative learning initiatives. S/he will be responsible for mainstreaming conflict sensitive approaches across all ACESM project activities, focusing on training ACESM staff and partners in conflict-sensitivity and Do No Harm (DNH).

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Provide strategic and operational advice to the ACESM implementing partners regarding peace and conflict dynamics in Southeastern Myanmar.
• Develop and periodically revise a set of conflict sensitive principles to guide locally-customized approaches to activities in conflict areas or areas emerging from conflict, including adherence to international good practice related to 'do no harm' practices.
• Identify risks that ACESM is likely to face as well as options for management of the identified risks.
• Facilitate relevant meetings and workshops with ACESM staff and partners, as required.
• Provide high-quality services in the areas of conflict-sensitivity/DNH and peacebuilding effectiveness through capacity building, training, coaching, accompaniment and mentoring.
• Design and facilitate DNH analysis and assessments and participatory conflict analysis, including the use of systems thinking tools.
• Design organizational development processes to integrate conflict sensitivity and other CDA tools and approaches into Mercy Corps and ACESM partner organizational policies.
• Maintain positive external relationships through regular communication with relevant civil society, service providers, administrative departments, and partners.
• Maintain and communicate with colleagues an up-to-date understanding of the context in the implementing locations.
• Represent and uphold principles of inclusion, conflict sensitivity, learning and adaptation, flexibility, and gender equality in all work functions.
• Support all ACESM activities in partnership with local and international partners.
• Support assessments, monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities related to conflict sensitivity in collaboration with the MEL team to inform program strategy and approach.
• Provide technical guidance, including training to program and partner staff and stakeholders as necessary, around DNH and conflict sensitivity.

• Maintain strong, regular communication with partner field teams.

• Represent Mercy Corps at relevant meetings and forums.

• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

• Other duties as assigned.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING:

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

  ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES:

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
  to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: None.

ACCOUNTABILITY:

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Peace & Governance Program Director

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Senior Program Manager, Senior MEL Officer, program staff from relevant Mercy Corps programs, Operations and Finance staff (procurement, logistics, finance, administration), local and international partners.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Seven to ten years of experience with conflict-sensitivity, and peacebuilding effectiveness programs, working with a range of organizations operating internationally (governmental, non-governmental, donors, local partners);
• At least three years of field experience implementing peacebuilding and/or development/humanitarian programming in conflict-affected areas;
• Knowledge of Do No Harm and Reflecting on Peace Practice concepts and tools;
• Experience working with program teams in conflict-affected contexts facilitating conflict analysis, conflict-sensitivity assessments, strategy and program design;
• Ability to conceptualize, plan, and implement program activities creatively, as well as the ability to analyze data and utilize lessons learned for the continuous improvement of program implementation.
• Experience in coordinating community engagement or peacebuilding projects
• Expertise in community development, conflict resolution, peacebuilding, or governance issues
• Experience working in complex, politically-sensitive, and culturally-sensitive contexts
• Excellent facilitation, training and communication skills;
• Strong analytical, conceptual, and writing skills and demonstrated ability to design and conduct evidence-based research and analysis
• An advanced degree (Masters or PhD) in a relevant field, such as peace and conflict studies, or international relations
• Ability to adapt quickly, cooperatively, and constructively to changes, and to find positive, creative solutions
• Solid understanding of and experience engaging with civil society, service providers, governmental and/or non-governmental actors in networking, development, peacebuilding, and/or capacity development, preferably in the state/region and communities served by this position
• Knowledge of development, peace, and conflict issues in Southeastern Myanmar, as well as other key policy issues relevant to the project
• Established network of contacts among regional civil society organizations, community-based groups and/or NGOs, a major asset
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills
• Commitment to and interest in development, peace, and conflict issues
• Ability to work in multicultural teams that respect ethnic, religious and national diversity
• Candidate must be willing to travel and work in difficult conditions.
• Fluency in written and spoken English; knowledge of Myanmar or a local language to Southeastern Myanmar considered a major asset

SUCCESS FACTORS: Ability to provide relevant, timely, and focused support to local partner NGOs and field teams. An ability to foster solid working relationships with government counterparts, civil society actors, teammates, local partners, and others. Display an entrepreneurial spirit that is both creative and flexible. S/he will combine strong communication skills, critical thinking, creativity, initiative, participatory leadership, and tactful decisiveness to assist in the development and implementation of the program strategy. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem-solving, and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential. Strong personal values of tolerance, equality, and inclusivity. S/he must have the confidence, and humility, to work effectively with a diverse range of people from different cultural, economic, and organizational backgrounds. S/he must be sensitive to political and cultural nuance and able to consistently apply excellent judgment to a variety of demanding and fast-changing situations.

PI100081644

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