Senior Technical Advisor, Energy Access- UK, NL, or Jordan

Location: UK, NL, or Jordan flexible working from home

Status: Full-time

Starting salary range: NL: € 63,040; UK: £ 53,360; Jordan to be benchmarked on local market. Hiring range commensurate on professional experience

Closing date: Please submit application by June 30th

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Budget Management Responsibility

None

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 Team

The Senior Energy Advisor will join the Technical Support, Evidence, and Program Quality (TEQ) Unit. The goal of TEQ is to support program impact at scale. The TEQ Unit sits within Programs and supports program impact at scale through three areas of work: 1) Program Support, including support for proposals, program design and implementation, and learning and capacity building; 2) Program Strategy, by stewarding the technical and sectoral approaches utilized by the organization and managing programmatic enterprise systems; and, 3) Influence, through technical analysis, evidence, and engagement with internal and external stakeholders. TEQ teams include technical specializations related to Mercy Corps’ area of work as well as program quality and evidence-related specializations.

Within TEQ, the Climate Solutions Team is comprised of technical specialists in the areas of climate adaptation, water security, resilience, and energy. This team leads program support, program strategy, and influence related to the Pathway to Prosperity (P2P) impact priority of Climate Solutions.

Position Summary

The Senior Energy Advisor’s primary role is to provide technical support to Mercy Corps program teams implementing programs focused on: Humanitarian & Market-Based Energy, Access, including off-grid & remote community energy access, Productive Use of Energy, Clean Cooking, Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems integration, Energy efficiency . Support includes designing and developing programs, assessing and enhancing program quality, writing proposals for donors, providing training, developing humanitarian networks, maintaining current knowledge on industry best practices, disseminating information to internal and external partners, and representing Mercy Corps at key events. The Senior Advisor will also build the capacity of their peers and the organization. The Senior Advisor will also provide support to, and coordination with, Mercy Corps flagship energy platforms such as Enter Energy and the Energy for Impact (E4I) portfolio.

Essential Responsibilities

PROGRAM DESIGN AND PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT

• Write and review grant proposals and concept notes for donors including foundations, corporations, and government agencies.
• Support and lead development of energy proposals for the Green Climate Fund and other climate finance donors.
• Integrate energy approaches into proposals focused on food and economic security and humanitarian needs.
• Research, analyze, and assess data to determine program needs, priorities, and Mercy Corps’ advantages for funding; Maintain knowledge of development strategies by governmental, academic, and non-profit groups.
• Collaborate with program, country, regional, and TEQ teams on prepositioning and strategy development, and designing multi-sectoral programs that meet the outcomes and commitments in Mercy Corps’ 10-year strategy.
• Lead write complex, competitive proposals following Mercy Corps’ best practices in proposal development, team management, and the appropriate sectoral area.

PROGRAM QUALITY

• Play a lead role in stewarding Mercy Corps’ energy program models by developing and maintaining guidance and resources that promote quality design, implementation, and learning.
• Provide technical support to Mercy Corps’ teams globally, including those in complex crisis environments; Support effective interventions through integrated approaches, systems thinking, and promoting evidence-based lessons.
• Support and coordinate with ongoing flagship energy programs such as Enter Energy and the Energy for Impact (E4I) portfolio.
• Maintain standards of program delivery through application of agency approaches and compliance with relevant regulations and requirements.
• Increase program capacity within Mercy Corps through developing and circulating tools such as training and workshops, manuals, case studies, webinars, and monitoring and evaluation tools; Collaborate with leadership to set and execute strategies addressing agency-wide program quality needs.

LEARNING AND IMPACT

• Support the development and implementation of learning activities across the portfolio to strengthen the evidence base on Mercy Corps’ energy program models, and apply learning to adapt best practice.
• Provide in-country and remote training for Mercy Corps staff, partners, and programs with assistance on assessment, implementation, research, and evaluation.
• Build a strong community of practice across Mercy Corps in your technical area to strengthen program quality and build a community of technical experts.

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

• Represent Mercy Corps at academic events, conferences, media forums, and other events; Contribute to thought leadership in area of expertise.
• Identify and nurture strategic partnerships with other organizations and institutions;
• Present concepts and ideas to donors, partners, and peer organizations that influence them to drive innovation and positive change.

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES

● Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work

● Practices 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

PERSONAL LEADERSHIP

● Demonstrate exceptional leadership by consistently delivering expectations and maintaining composure, even in challenging situations.

● Embrace a growth mindset, actively seek diverse perspectives, and welcome feedback to drive continuous improvement.

● Maintain the highest ethical standards, treating all individuals with respect and dignity.

● Demonstrate professionalism in all aspects of life, ensuring that your conduct reflects positively on Mercy Corps and does not compromise its mission or work.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proven track record of program management, with the ability to transfer technical theories to real world complexities.
• Experience in coaching or mentoring team members on adjusting their methodology to fit the context or program need.
• Comfortable working with diverse teams; fosters an environment of inclusion and collaboration
• Creative, adaptive, and flexible; consistently acts with integrity
• Detail-oriented with the ability to multitask, prioritize, and work under tight deadlines within complex team environments
• Exceptional writing skills; effective and clear communication overall
• Excellent external relationship and partnership management, prioritizing elevating Mercy Corps’ and technical team’s reputations.

Required Education and Experience

• 5 to 7 years of energy access experience required providing increasingly proficient technical support that includes:
  • Grant writing, research, and proposal development.
  • Leading all aspects of large and complex proposals and managing integrated grant writing teams.
  • Thought leadership including representation at global fora and high profile meetings, producing and publishing influential articles and blogs.
  • Combining strong theoretical and applied knowledge of the field of expertise using integrated approaches and applying systems thinking.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred. M.A. or equivalent in a relevant field and relevant technical certifications preferred.
• Practical field experience required, typically over the course of 2 years, that includes:
  • A temporary duration field assignment, longer-term field assignments, or living in a field location to work in a country or field office.
  • An emergency response assignment or other crisis response work demonstrating successfully adapting support and assistance methodologies to real-world complexities.
  • Managing and implementing successful programs.
  • Delivering Capacity Building curriculum or other processes for program teams.
• Familiarity with major donors such as FCDO, EC, Green Climate Fund as well as relevant foundations and corporations.
• Fluency (written and spoken) in English is required; fluency in a foreign language preferred.

Living, Travel & Environmental Conditions

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

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

Team Engagement and Effectiveness

Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work.

We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.

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 and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. 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.

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 ([email protected]).