Background:
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Purpose / Project Description:
Mercy Corps is implementing a five-year program called Incentivize Learning Activity (ILA) which is funded by USAID. This Activity will improve nutrition, and school enrollment and attendance for children and youth of different ages living within target communities, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized. This includes children and youth who are currently enrolled in formal or non-formal, pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools, as well as children and youth who are not currently enrolled in formal or non-formal education. Besides addressing the nutritional, enrolment and attendance needs of benefitting children and youth, the Incentivize Learning Activity (ILA) will include a home-grown school feeding (HGSF) component which will contribute towards Liberia’s efforts to address food insecurity and malnutrition. ILA will also support the domestic production of safe, diverse, and nutritious food. The Activity will likely also include a significant conditional cash transfer component.
Consultant Objectives:
The primary objective of this consultancy is to collaborate with Mercy Corps to develop and implement a comprehensive communications approach that effectively communicates the goals, impact, and achievements of the ILA program to various stakeholders, including donors, partners, program participants, and the public.
Consultant Activities:
Based on a defined monthly scope of work, the consultant will:
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Develop an overall annual communications strategy – detailing activities to increase program visibility over the course of the year.
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Develop high-quality written, visual, and multimedia content to be used across various platforms (including local media outlets, Mercy Corps’ Facebook page, website, and internal communications platforms).
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Create press releases for program activities, success stories, articles, blog posts, and other written materials.
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Develop compelling visuals, including high quality photographs, short videos and infographics.
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Video documentary (5 –10 mins) for select events or activities.
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Work with Mercy Corps Community Accountability team to create engaging content for Mercy Corps’ social media channels and community feedback mechanisms.
Consultant Deliverables:
Final products including written content, photos, videos, etc will be submitted in accordance with the approved scope of work.
Timeframe / Schedule:
The consultancy is expected to start on March 1st, 2024, and conclude by June 30, 2024. Milestone deliverables will be developed in accordance with approved scopes of work.
The Consultant will report to:
Emily Maosa, Incentivize Learning Activity Chief of Party
The Consultant will work closely with:
Sophie Dresser, Mercy Corps Director of Programs; Incentivize Learning Program Staff
Required Experience & Skills:
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Proven experience in media relations, communications, or a related field.
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Strong portfolio of successful media campaigns and content creation.
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Familiarity with humanitarian and development issues.
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Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
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Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.
Application Process
Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV, a cover letter outlining their relevant experience and describing their requested daily rate, and a sample of previous work to via email to: lr-tenders@mercycorps.org by February 16th, 2024, COB. Candidates will be selected based on their experience, qualifications, and the relevance of their previous work to the objectives of the consultancy. No hard copy is required.
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 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. Safeguarding & Ethics Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our field projects. 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.