Local partner landscape assessment

Description 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.

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.

Purpose / Project Description: 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.

Consultant Objectives:

• Generate a clear, evidence-based understanding of Mercy Corps LAC’s current partnership landscape, including strengths, gaps, and underrepresented partner types and capacities.
• Assess how recent donor funding and policy shifts have influenced local partners’ priorities, expectations, and engagement with INGOs.
• Identify opportunities to expand and diversify Mercy Corps’ partner network, with a focus on organizations serving indigenous, LGBTQI+, and other historically marginalized populations.
• Evaluate Mercy Corps’ current partner selection and engagement practices to identify ways to strengthen equitable, long-term, and locally led partnerships.
• Provide practical, actionable recommendations to inform regional partnership strategies, program design, and expansion into new geographies, technical areas, and donor relationships.

Consultant Activities: The Consultant will:

• 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.

Consultant Deliverables: The Consultant will:

• 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.

Timeframe / Schedule: Maximum of 20 days, during the period of February-April 2026. Travel will be required to 1-2 countries in the LAC region for data collection and country team consultations.

The Consultant will report to: Deputy Regional Director for Programs, LAC

The Consultant will work closely with: Technical Director, LAC; LAC Regional Vice President; LAC Country Directors; LAC country program leadership (Directors, Managers); country Community Accountability and Response Mechanism (CARM) Managers; country partnership management staff; LAC regional program team members (MEL, awards management, business development); global Social Integration and Development Technical Support, Evidence, and Program Quality (TEQ) unit

Required Experience & Skills:

• 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.

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.