Senior Business Development and Communications Manager

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

Mercy Corps works in places of transition, where conflict, disaster, political upheaval, or economic collapse present opportunities to build more secure, productive, and just communities. Providing emergency relief in times of crisis, we move quickly to help communities recover and build resilience to future shocks and promote sustainable change by supporting community-led and market-driven initiatives. Recognizing both the great potential and the complex challenges faced by the Middle East, since 1989 Mercy Corps has been implementing a range of humanitarian assistance and development programs tailored to the specific needs of the region and of those communities where we work.

Mercy Corps seeks to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression around the world. Mercy Corps has global experience working in countries undergoing major transitions, brings knowledge, expertise and strong management skills to position the agency as a partner of choice for progressive change in Syria. In Syria, Mercy Corps has been implementing emergency and life-sustaining activities since 2012. We empower and engage citizens by informing and mobilizing communities, and promoting civic engagement. By elevating the voices of vulnerable communities and increasing their inclusion in decision-making, we ensure governance processes are more equitable and effective, empowering communities to tackle the underlying causes of the world’s toughest challenges, working collaboratively to build secure, productive and just communities.

The Position

The Senior Manager of Business Development and Communications will lead a dynamic and multi-faceted set of critical responsibilities for the Mercy Corps Syria office. S/he will lead the pre-positioning of the organization with donors to prepare for funding opportunities and develop and carry out the communications strategy. S/he will lead and manage adherence to all Mercy Corps’ Minimum Standards and best practices of business development, and to internal Mercy Corps donors’ branding and visibility policies and procedures. The position involves strategic thinking, vision, and dedication to developing and executing a comprehensive business development strategy as well as communication strategy. The individual will drive development of key tools for business development and communications that convey information to a variety of internal and external audiences, within Syria, the region, and globally. The Senior Manager will report to the Grants Management Director while working closely with the Grants Managers and senior leadership.

The person will work closely with a diverse team in an intense and fluid environment. They must be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps Syria field offices and project sites.

Essential Responsibilities

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• Write and disseminate donor profiles and maintain conversation trackers
• Establish priority areas for business development in collaboration with program leadership and Country Director
• Map donors to program priorities in collaboration with program leadership to guide Country Director and Deputy Country Director in strategic relationships
• Train all new joiners who are external-facing in donor engagement standards and presentations
• Research and recommend strategy for non-traditional donor diversification in areas such as gulf state, foundations, and corporations
• Lead “capture” process (pre-positioning) of Mercy Corps Syria for upcoming and anticipated new opportunities, integrating PM@MC Minimum standards into processes in collaboration with PaQ
• Lead proposal coordination and writing
• Provide ad-hoc support to improve other business development at Mercy Corps Syria

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT

• Implement a country-level communications strategy and plan, aligning with country and regional strategies, reflecting inputs from all key stakeholders and in liaison with HQ
• Identify areas of improvement within existing internal and external communications practices and play a leadership role in driving this forward
• Train all new joiners down to PM-level on communications standards (photographic consent, etc.)
• Stay current on communications, branding and social media standards and create publications and products that meet Mercy Corps’ and donors’ brand identity/visibility reporting and other donor project requirements
• Attend Mercy Corps Syria functions and visit project sites in order to assist with documenting programs and partners through photographs, video clips, blogs, success stories, case studies, etc.
• Maintain a library of program photos, videos, success stories, publications, etc. that can be shared with key stakeholders and encourage use of Syria photo portfolio on Identity Central
• Support the Senior Management and Programs Teams in matters related to communications
• INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
• Produce a monthly digital newsletter in English and Arabic, including writing and/or compiling content, to be distributed to team members across the country, as well as in the region and at Mercy Corps’ headquarters offices
• Establish a visual presence of the Mercy Corps Strategy in the Mercy Corps Syria offices through posters, banners, etc.
• Track and share articles in external media and Mercy Corps communication platforms that include or focus on Mercy Corps Syria

• Set up and host regular MSS-hub-level dialogue
• Develop and manage content on Mercy Corps internal communications platforms with a focus on showcasing the work in all Hubs and Mercy Corps Syria
• Follow the news and flag articles, initiatives, and policies that can be shared more broadly through weekly internal communications products; flag anything critical with senior leadership staff in a timely manner

EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

• Develop and maintain capacity statements, one pagers, video case studies, and other key communications materials (factsheets, brochures, leaflets, flyers, etc.).
• Maintain updated standardized pitch decks and talking points, and help Senior Management and Programs teams prepare for external-facing events and meetings, including preparation of document packages, meeting-specific talking points, etc.
• Manage Mercy Corps Syria’s presence across such platforms as Mercy Corps’ external website and social media to extend the reach of the country program.
• Manage logistics for quarterly “Voices from the Field” series which brings participants experiences to donors

MISCELLANEOUS

• Provide or arrange interpretation/translation of Arabic to English and vice versa for the Country Director, SMT and other expatriates at public events, external meetings, or site visits as needed.
• Perform or arrange written translation from English and Arabic as well as Arabic to English of key program documents and other essential documents as assigned by the SMT.
• Proofread/edit translations to ensure consistency and quality of language.

Supervisory Responsibility: None

Accountability

Reports to: Grants Management Director and works with the Country Director, SMT, Grants Team, Program Teams, field teams, Program Performance and Quality (PaQ) Team, and our HQ offices.

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

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred.
• Training in business development processes is preferred
• 5+ years of experience working in business development, fundraising, and grant management in the humanitarian/development sector
• Perfect written and spoken English essential; Arabic preferred
• Excellent computer skills including Microsoft applications
• Communications design experience a plus: Graphic and web design, basic photography and videography including editing, InDesign (or other graphic design software)

Success Factors

The successful candidate must be highly organized and able to put new systems into place. It will be a completer/finisher with an exceptionally high level of attention to detail and dedication to quality.

It must be a proactive problem-solver able to work under pressure, independently, and with limited supervision. It will also prove the ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results and deadlines. It should also be flexible, resourceful, and innovative in a variety of situations. It will have excellent relationship building; willingness to collaborate across a diverse set of teams in different locations. It should also have the ability to identify compelling stories and communicate them effectively and have the commitment to teamwork and accountability. It must have the ability to develop and maintain cooperative relationships and develop great interpersonal communication skills. It will also have the ability to maintain a sense of humor in stressful situations, show sensitivity towards cultural, political, and religious diversity, and have a commitment to humanitarian principles and values.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Amman, Jordan, and it requires up to 40% travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in individual housing which is a benefit included in the job offer. Staff will have access to good medical services and the living situation in Jordan is of a high standard.

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 based on 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 encounter 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 e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

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