Local partner landscape assessment – Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

Mercy Corps

1d

About The Position

Mercy Corps’ expanding operations in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region currently focus on the countries of Haiti, Guatemala, Colombia, and several Caribbean Island nations and territories. Mercy Corps LAC's strategic programmatic priorities encompass addressing issues related to rural development, humanitarian response, climate adaptation and resilience, and support to migrants throughout the region – working alongside local leaders from civil society, government, and the private sector to foster sustainable growth and contribute to Mercy Corps' global commitment of creating a better world for all. The LAC regional team is seeking a consultant to lead a regional learning initiative focused on strengthening and diversifying its local partnership ecosystem. In the context of significant shifts in donor funding and policy environments, the project aims to better understand Mercy Corps LAC’s current partner landscape, assess partner capacities, and identify opportunities to expand and deepen equitable, locally led partnerships - particularly with organizations serving indigenous, LGBTQI+, and other historically marginalized communities. The consultant will design and conduct a partner feedback survey, review and assess LAC countries’ partner selection and evaluation criteria, and conduct a comprehensive mapping of current and potential partners across the LAC region. The work will generate practical insights on how Mercy Corps is perceived by partners, how it adds value as an INGO, and how partnership models can be adapted to support inclusion, knowledge sharing, and long-term collaboration under evolving funding and operational realities. The consultant will engage closely with country teams and regional leadership, and will produce actionable deliverables, including a reusable survey tool, a visual partner mapping, and a final report with findings and recommendations to inform future partnership strategies and program design.

Requirements

• Advanced degree in international development, social sciences, public policy, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in international development, including work with INGOs and local civil society partners.
• Demonstrated experience leading organizational assessments and learning initiatives.
• Strong skills in qualitative and quantitative research, including survey design, data analysis, and synthesis of findings into practical recommendations.
• Experience engaging diverse stakeholders and facilitating consultations across country, regional, and community-level actors.
• Knowledge of donor funding environments (e.g. US Government, European, and private philanthropy) and how funding shifts affect partnerships and local actors.
• Experience working with organizations of varying sizes and capacity levels, including community-based and grassroots organizations.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and locally led approaches, including experience engaging indigenous, LGBTQI+, or other marginalized groups.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience producing clear, high-quality reports and tools.
• Regional experience in LAC required; Spanish fluency required and French preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement various qualitative and quantitative data collection methods - such as surveys, key informant interviews (KIIs), and/or focus group discussions (FGDs) - to collect feedback from current partners and country team members on Mercy Corps’ added value, partnership strengths and challenges, roles in locally led contexts, and how Mercy Corps can improve and be more inclusive to local partners.
• Engage with (remotely and in person during travel to the region) country teams, program managers, MEL/CARM leads, and regional leadership to contextualize findings and ensure relevance across LAC.
• Review and assess existing partner selection, evaluation, and engagement criteria to identify opportunities to broaden and diversify the partner roster.
• Conduct a comprehensive mapping of current and potential partners in the LAC region, including partner roles, capacities, gaps, and opportunities.
• Analyze and synthesize findings from surveys, document reviews, and consultations into clear insights and lessons learned.
• Produce and present key deliverables, including a reusable survey tool, partner mapping, and a final report with findings and prioritized recommendations for Mercy Corps LAC and global teams.
• A finalized survey tool that can be used across various contexts and shared with other regions in Mercy Corps.
• A mapping of current partners and potential new partners.
• A comprehensive final report summarizing partner feedback, including qualitative and quantitative findings and recommended actions.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees