GBLCAREERS

DATES OF INTERNSHIP: September 2017– February 2018 (flexible)

INTERN SUPERVISOR & CONTACT INFO: Grants Officer

FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THE INTERNSHIP:

Mercy Corps responsibilities:

For the duration of this internship assignment the intern will receive:

• $800/month stipend to be distributed in-country
• ISOS Emergency Med-Evac coverage
• Health insurance to be reimbursed in-country by DRC
• Ground transport in country
• Visa fees
• Housing in Goma (shared)
• One leave day per month

Intern responsibilities:

Intern will remain responsible for all costs associated with:

• International travel
• Medical costs in addition to standard insurance coverage (vaccinations, if applicable)
• All other costs associated with this internship

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps is an international humanitarian and development Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) which has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since August 2007, with a staff of about 200 people. Mercy Corps’ country office is located in Goma with field offices in Mweso, Kitchanga (North Kivu) and Bukavu (South Kivu), and a representative office in Kinshasa.

Current Mercy Corps humanitarian activities in the DRC focus on providing emergency assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs), especially through cash distributions and WASH activities. Mercy Corps DRC also implements complex WASH, Food Security, Governance and economic recovery development programs, with an increasing shift towards transitional and integrated development programming.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps is looking for an energetic, enthusiastic and talented intern to join us in Goma. The Emergency Programs Intern will support Mercy Corps DRC’s humanitarian and emergency portfolio of programs, under the supervision of the Grants Officer, and with the technical supervision and coordination of the Program Managers and Directors. She/he will also work in close cooperation with all departments (Operations, Finance, HR and Administration) and agencies as required. S/he will be working on ensuring the proper implementation of the programs on a daily basis, writing reports, documenting best practices, developing communication pieces and learning products, and probably developing new proposal and concept notes. He/she will also ensure the adherence of the emergency programs to the Mercy Corps minimum standards, and will support the Design, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning department, as well as the Gender/Protection Unit in their daily tasks.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the completion of this internship, the intern will:

• Have a strong understanding of program management cycle and minimum standards.
• Acquire experience in implementing a multi-sectorial assistance program.
• Acquire experience in working in a Consortium structure with other international NGOs.
• Comprehend the role of all departments in humanitarian, transition and development programs.
• Understand the operational systems of an international NGO in country in implementing emergency programs.
• Be able to write quality reports, communication pieces, and learning products.
• Acquire experience in developing program proposals.
• Understand relationships with institutional and private donors (including their procedures and requirements) and partners in country.
• Gain a general understanding of local social, political, environmental, and economic issues, a basic grasp of their underlying causes in the local context of Eastern DRC, and Mercy Corps’ approach to addressing these issues.

DELIVERABLES

The Intern will support Mercy Corps’ DRC Emergency programs through the following activities:

• Developing at least one proposal and/or concept note.
• Reviewing internal and external reports.
• Representing Mercy Corps in external meetings and coordination fora.
• Assisting the Communication and Gender departments in their activities linked to the emergency programs.
• Leading sessions during workshop organized for the program’s teams.

The final deliverables will be defined with the intern on arrival depending on the current context in country, and the intern’s expectations.

IDEAL CANDIDATE SHOULD POSSESS THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS:

• English and French fluency, spoken and written.
• Graduate study, complete or in progress, in international development, or other relevant course study.
• Experience conducting research and analysis from primary and secondary data sources.
• Knowledge of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) best practices.
• Demonstrated interest in humanitarian and emergency response programming and strong motivation.
• Experience in drafting or supporting report, communication and learning pieces.
• Strong writing and analytical skills required.

• Ability to respect Mercy Corps procedures, to meet deadlines, to work independently and cooperatively with team members is required.
• Patient, calm, and willing to come to work each day with a sense of humor.
• Demonstrated familiarity with the context of the DRC.

LIVING CONDITIONS:

This position will be based in Goma (DRC). Accommodation will be provided in Goma within group housing, with other interns or level 3 staff. Goma is a provincial capital of over 700,000 inhabitants. Living in Goma is comfortable, although water, electricity and use of Internet can be unstable. Mobile phones and cellular service are widely available. Internet is available in all Mercy Corps offices. There are a number of health services available with evacuation options for serious illnesses. There’s reasonable access to most consumer goods, although they can be expensive, and different restaurants and leisure activities are also available.

While conditions in the country are improving, there are still pockets of violence and insecurity. Moreover, in the current political context, presidential elections are expected to be conducted by the end of the year. But since it is probable that they will not happen, the situation may worsen in the next months. Mercy Corps’ sub-offices experience variable levels of insecurity, with the situation closely monitored by UN peacekeepers. Air travel is necessary to get from one end of the country to the other.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. 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.