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.

 Program / Department Summary 

Mercy Corps has been operational in Sudan since 2004 and currently leads humanitarian assistance and longer-term development efforts in conflict-affected South Darfur, Central Darfur, South Kordofan, North Kordofan, Kassala, Gedaref, and Khartoum States, supporting host communities, IDPs, returnees and refugees. Mercy Corps’ current areas of programming include food security and livelihoods, WASH, health, nutrition, peace building and protection, resilience, and Market Systems Development.

 General Position Summary 

The Communications Coordinator provides leadership and management of developing and implementing the country's influencing and communication strategy in communications, information sharing and management, advocacy, and campaigns. This includes but is not limited to, optimizing information and knowledge management and documentation, and building brand and organizational visibility, image, and profile.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Country Strategy Support:

•  Lead in developing or guiding strategic communications that not only showcase the 'Impact' of Mercy Corps Sudan's work but also demonstrate 'Innovation' and 'Influence' within all programming, reflecting and reinforcing the strategic and cross-cutting objectives for the country office.\ 
•  Work closely with the Senior Management Team and coordinate with the agency's focal points to write and update the Mercy Corps Sudan communications strategy and other key strategic resources (fact sheets, PowerPoints) as required. 
•  Support the development of the country-level advocacy strategy and activities with key stakeholders. 
•  Lead the creation of compelling content to showcase the organization's initiatives, achievements, impacts, and innovations, including press releases, articles, newsletters, social media posts, and multimedia. materials (photos and videos), and present it to diverse audiences, including the production of a monthly Mercy Corps Sudan country-level newsletter.

Agency Communications

•  Coordinate and support Mercy Corps Sudan program communications colleagues to ensure project and donor communications obligations are met. 
•  Ensure that Mercy Corps Sudan's work is accurately, regularly, and compellingly represented on Mercy Corps Global's internal and external communications platforms, including relevant donor and media platforms. 
•  Provide editorial oversight and/or design, create, and maintain a portfolio, program, sector, and cross-cutting theme factsheets targeting external stakeholders. 
•  Serve as a resource person for agency-wide communications and global strategy reviews and documentation.
•  Coordinate and plan the execution of dissemination for Mercy Corps Sudan research portfolio and strategic events for visibility with key relevant stakeholders. 
•  Develops external communications materials, such as press releases, talking points for the country director and other key spokespeople, and positioning statements, in collaboration with the Regional Communications team

Communications Training & Development:

•  Participate in relevant communications-related working groups with local and international NGOs and associations in Sudan. 
• Build the capacity and performance of staff and partners in developing success stories and multimedia and visual resources, maximizing the use of internal communications platforms, increasing program and impact visibility, and any other communication areas linked to donor branding/marking requirements.
•  Track country office visibility and communication initiatives: advise the leadership team on the integration of communications plans into program work plans and support program teams in developing communications strategies and plans as per donor requirements. 
•  Build the capacity of project teams to produce well-documented stories and infographics that highlight program impact, including information on lessons learned to inform programmatic adaptation and future program design.
•  Inform and support learning activities, including field visits, focus groups, workshops, round-tables, and other event

Research & Proposal Support:

•  Support research activities, working with program, Regional and Global teams to ensure timely and high-quality execution of projects. 
•  Support the dissemination of research findings, including the development of dissemination strategies for internal and external dissemination, summaries, and factsheets. 
•  Lead or support in developing and maintaining best practices and provide support and guidance to program communication leads in their efforts to demonstrate program achievements and integrate stories and research findings into their reports and communications. 
•  As needed, lead or support the development of concept notes and funding proposals, coordinating the process with relevant technical, finance and operational staff

Safeguarding Responsibilities :

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work
• Practice the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members
•  Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options

Supervisory Responsibility

 None 

Accountability

 Reports Directly To: PAQ Director & Regional Media and Communications Manager Works 

Directly With: Senior Management Team (SMT), Technical & Implementation Leads, Team Leaders, Program Managers, Operations, Mercy Corps Regional and HQ.

 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 Qualifications & Transferable Skills

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in social science, journalism, communications, international development or other relevant field.
• Strong written and oral communication in English and Arabic 
•  Willingness and ability to travel frequently to Mercy Corps project sites and field locations in Sudan, including traveling to insecure environments, is required. 
•  Skilled at delivering and facilitating training and capacity building interventions, e.g. coaching, mentorship. 
•  Excellent computer skills including experience with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher. 
•  Analytical, problem solver, with strong experience and understanding of project cycle management and coordination. 
• High level of self-awareness and self-development with the maturity to deal with construct feedback. 
• The willingness and ability to adapt leadership and management style as appropriate. 
• Experience of conducting research, drafting, and presenting

SUCCESS FACTORS 

The ideal candidate will have a strong curiosity for understanding and working effectively within the complex cultural, political, security and social environment of Sudan. S/he will be an excellent communicator, multi-tasker, and able to work in ambiguous situations. S/he will be a tolerant and flexible individual able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures. The successful candidate will be focused on team building and capacity-building of national staff; be a strategic thinker, have strong skills in design monitoring and evaluation of development programs and maintain a sense of humor.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND 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.

SAFEGUARDING AND 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 and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. By applying for this role an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or trafficking policy. 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 e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis. As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline (integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).

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.

LIVING CONDITIONS / ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

The position is based in Port Sudan

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/short term assignment to a field posting. 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.