consultancy – Researcher Author, Resilience and Adaptation

Description

Project/Consultancy Title: Researcher Author(s) – Resilience and Adaptation

Project Location(s): United States/home base (with potential travel)

Timeline: 15 November 2025-31 March 2026

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 recruiting a Researcher/Author for an FCDO funded, Resilience and Adaptation Fund Learning Facility (RAFLF).

The RAFLF will curate, compile and develop evidence and learning both to support and inform current Resilience and Adaptation Fund programmes and make the case for and inform future investment in resilience and adaptation programming. The Facility will produce four focused evidence reports on critical aspects of resilience programming, drawing on existing research and case studies from resilience/adaptation programmes. To ensure relevance and usability, findings will be tested and refined through three participatory “sense-making” workshops with FCDO, partners, and local stakeholders.

The evidence will also be used to build support and expertise for resilience across a wider range of donors and stakeholders, including national authorities, international donors, and development finance institutions.

The themes for the reports are:

• Cash and market-based responses to build resilience in fragile or conflict affected settings (FCAS) where conflict risks and climate intersect
• Land and natural resource governance to increase household resilience
• Getting finance to actors and affected populations who need it most:
• Integrating a ‘systems change’ element into programmes and approaches

Mercy Corps is seeking 1 or more (to max 3) researchers to work with Mercy Corps technical leads and programme teams to deliver these reports by 31 March 2026.

Consultant Objectives:

• Work with Mercy Corps and FCDO teams and other stakeholders to understand evidence needs/gaps and refine critical research questions for implementing organisations, FCDO leads, critical national stakeholders and a range of international donors/DFIs.
• Produce timely, relevant and action-oriented research products to address those needs.

Consultant Activities:

The Consultant will:

• Deliver the cash and market-based responses report by;
• Refining research questions: Through focus groups and KIIs, with Mercy Corps and FCDO, define critical evidence gaps and needs in order to refine the planned research product and outputs
• Planning: Work with Mercy Corps project lead and Project Manager to agree timelines and detailed workplan for the report
• Draft: Conduct literature reviews and other desk based research and carry out or commission relevant case studies
• Sensemaking/input: Provide initial drafts/findings to key stakeholders in one or more ‘sense-making workshops’ to understand the implications and further develop recommendations.
• Finalise: Produce the final report, with input and sign off from Mercy Corps technical leads.
• Present: As required, present research and findings at stakeholder engagement or advocacy events.

Consultant Deliverables:

The Consultant will deliver:

• One report on the theme of cash and market-based responses to build resilience in fragile or conflict affected settings (FCAS) where conflict risks and climate intersect .
• Content for and participation in 1 or more sense-making workshops (Jan/Feb 2026)
• Content for and participation in 1 advocacy event (March 2026 TBC)

Timeframe / Schedule:

The table below presents the draft timeline. Dates will be updated based on actual start-date and work-planning.

Activities

Dates

Refine research questions, workplan

15-30 November 2025

Literature review and gathering of case studies and other evidence

15 November – 31 December 2025

Develop/Submit initial findings/drafts

15 January 2026

Sense making roundtables

15 January – 15 February 2026

Reports submitted to Mercy Corps for review

28 February 2026

Revisions and ‘final’ report

15 March 2026

Participate in final dissemination

March 2026

The Consultant(s) will report to:

Selena Victor, Senior Director Policy & Advocacy

The Consultant(s) will work closely with:

Olga Petryniak, Senior Director, Resilience

Jon Kurtz, Senior Director Research & Evidence

Lizzy McDonald, Lead Research Consultant

Helena Lupton, Project Manager

Required and Desired Skills:

• Ph.D in Development Economics, other relevant discipline with minimum 5 years applied research experience or a Master’s degree with over 10 years of research, evaluation, or analysis experience in international humanitarian and development programs.
• Experience conducting independent research, analysis and publishing on climate change, conflict, or related topics in fragile contexts.
• Knowledge of the rigorous and innovative methods in the field of applied research and impact evaluation of humanitarian and development programs, with a focus on economic development and recovery issues
• Excellent leadership, management and team building skills that include the ability to mentor and coach peers within the team and across teams
• Excellent analytical skills that include both an attention to detail and an ability to grasp complex theories and conceptual frameworks
• Demonstrated representation and communication skills, including demonstrated ability to convey research findings and their implications to multiple audiences, including senior policy makers, practitioners and academics
• Strong networks, relationships, and profile with major external actors, including policy and academic audiences
• Intimate understanding of major policy issues, program theories, and academic discourse on economic development and recovery approaches in fragile contexts
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently to Mercy Corps project sites, including traveling to insecure environments, is required

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. 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.

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