Mercy Corps

Job Vacancy

Youth Wellbeing Officer

Position Type : Regular, Full Time

Location :  Mercy Corps / Gaza Office

Duration        :  One Year with possibility of extension 

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. Now, and for the future. In Palestine, Mercy Corps has been working hand-in-hand with local communities and partners since 1980s and has staff in three offices based in East Jerusalem, West Bank, and Gaza. Mercy Corps work aims to increase the capacity of Palestinian’s civil society to promote inclusive social and economic development, long-term recovery, and respond to humanitarian need. 

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps and International Youth Foundation (IYF) are implementing the 5-years USAID-funded Positive Youth Engagement (PYE) activity, a multi-sectoral youth project designed to address the challenges of Palestinian youth in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. Through a selected group of national partner organizations and community-based organizations (CBOs), PYE will support marginalized youth aged 10-19 at risk of social marginalization by improving education, health, employment, community engagement and other needs as identified through diverse, community-supported assessments. By increasing opportunities for Palestinian youth to realize their potential and to effectively contribute to social and economic development, vulnerable youth will be able to transform into productive, contributing citizens who are connected to, and engaged in their communities.

To set youth on positive and peaceful pathways to become productive, contributing citizens, PYE will deliver a three pronged, mutually reinforcing program segmented by gender and age across the targeted communities: 

Core programming that supports, protects, prepares, and engages adolescents in safe spaces located within a strong network of CBOs; 

Tailored packages of activities, resources, and referrals that will set youth on individually selected pathways building on the core curriculum to increase opportunities for youth to effectively contribute to social and economic development; and 

Opportunities for sustained community engagement and leadership through youth-led pathways and councils, community and social media campaigns, and mentorship of subsequent cohorts as part of sustainable community youth networks.

General Position Summary

The Youth Wellbeing Officer will be responsible for the following tasks: 1) Support the Youth Wellbeing Senior Specialist to design the learning curricula on youth psychosocial, emotional health, and wellbeing in line with the overall learning objectives of the PYE and Mercy Corps related materials on subject matter; 2) provide training to the PYE pool of trainers and youth mentors within partnering Community Based Organizations (CBOs) on the subject matter; 3) provide coaching to the youth mentors within CBOs that are hosting the youth safe spaces (youth hubs) on subject matter; 4) engage with the partnering organizations and the youth mentors as well as the PYE technical team on the design of the referral system for youth to related local and national entities for further support to achieve positive agency, and healthy wellbeing; 5) develop related technical reports (e.g. weekly, quarterly, annual) in English; and 6) engage with the Partnerships Senior Manager on the design of the youth psychosocial and wellbeing pathways to respond to youth priorities, needs, challenges, and opportunities available for further positive community engagement, education, and life opportunities.  

Responsibilities and Duties

• Organize qualitative focus groups and one-on-one interviews and focus groups with the PYE team, partnering organizations, and target youth ages (10-19) to understand youth priorities to achieve emotional health, and wellbeing away from external stressors as well as opportunities that would respond to the youth needs and priorities. 
• Engage with the Youth Wellbeing Senior Specialist to design the learning approach for the youth psychosocial and wellbeing pathways. This will be all in line with the mandate of the USAID Positive Youth Engagement (PYE) Activity and in collaboration with the technical team, M&E team, and the Partnerships Senior Manager and in line with the results of the qualitative research conducted.
• Contribute to the design of the learning curricula and tools that will be used by the national partners and local Community Based Organizations (CBOs) that are hosting the youth safe spaces (youth hubs), and will be leading the implementation of the youth psychosocial and wellbeing pathways.
• Support the process of knowledge transfer and mentoring of the partnering organizations and CBOs that are hosting the safe spaces (youth hubs) regarding the youth psychosocial and wellbeing pathways approach and tools.
• Support the design and implementation of related training and mentoring to the youth mentors to implement the youth psychosocial and wellbeing pathways approach in Gaza.
• Develop related technical reports (e.g. weekly, quarterly, and annual) in English. 
• Ensure integration of gender and priorities of youth who live with disabilities in the overall approach of the youth psychosocial and wellbeing pathways in Gaza.
• Provide technical support to the CBOs when designing the youth safe spaces (youth hubs) to ensure that it is in line with youth psychosocial and wellbeing needs, and interests, and is in line with MercyCorps Safeguarding guidelines.  
• Other tasks as assigned by the Youth Wellbeing Senior Specialist.

Organizational Learning  

As part of our commitment to organizational learning – and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve – Mercy Corps expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary 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.

Authority and Accountability

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Youth Wellbeing Officer will support the Youth Wellbeing Senior Specialist. Further, coordinate related data, insights, and technical knowledge with the technical team, the M&E Advisor, the Partnerships Senior Manager, and the Communications and Reporting Officer. He/She will be managing related activities in Gaza. 

Accountability

Reports Directly To: PYE Youth Wellbeing Senior Specialist.

Works Directly With: the Youth Pathways team, Institutional Capacity team, MEL Advisor, Partnerships Senior Manager, national and local partner NGOs.

Job Specification

• Bachelor degree in social sciences, psychosocial support and youth wellbeing, or related areas. Master’s degree is a plus. 
• 4+ year’s relevant working experience in the development sector in Gaza with a focus on psychosocial support and wellbeing of adolescents and youth ages (10-19). 
• Experience in designing learning curricula and tools for adolescents and youth ages (10-19) with deep understanding of gender, needs of youth who live with disabilities, psychosocial support, emotional health, and youth wellbeing. 
• Experience in providing training and mentoring to professionals from the civil society and youth ages (10-19). 
• Experience in technical reporting in English and Arabic. 

Success Factors

The sccessful candidate will be capable of multi-tasking, excellent management, facilitation, and communication skills with strong personality, have initiative, drive, and energy, and experience engaging with local and national partners form the civil society, public, and private sectors. The ideal candidate will have the ability and curiosity to work comfortably and effectively with team members of varied work styles and cultures, follow procedures and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving. Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority. 

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 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 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.

Qualified persons with disability are highly encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit an      Application online HERE      

no later than Tuesday, 15 February 2022

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Please apply separate application for each position you are interested in.