Position location to be determined by home country of successful candidate within Middle East/Eastern Europe Region (MEER) where WVI is registered to operate.

FAITH AND DEVELOPMENT EVIDENCE ADVISOR

PURPOSE OF POSITION

The purpose of this position is to support Middle East/Eastern Europe (MEER) Regional and Field Offices (FO) to ensure that Christ is at the center of all of our work. Through creating a vision to: Equip our leaders and staff to live out our faith; Further develop and scale guidance and evidence-based models for integrating faith in ministry practice and tracking the roots of poverty, vulnerability, and injustice; Ensure consistent communication of our Christian identity and mission; Expand and deepen our partnerships with churches and faith leaders.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Develop and scale evidence-based models for integrating faith in ministry practice:

• Support FOs with integrating and tracking faith matters in their strategies and programming, including grants

• Work closely with the GC (Global Center), FO and the MEER Strategy and Ministry Quality (SMQ) team to contribute to refinement of program quality standards and overall programming from F&D (Faith & Development) perspective

• Support the FO with developing program (including grants) designs with a strong focus on F&D whenever possible and relevant

• Support the FO with smooth integration of the F&D specific Core output and outcome Indicators in programming across all funding streams

• Support the region and the field with generating evidence of impact on F&D related priority themes at the individual FO level as well as across MEER

• Develop new and/or refine existing F&D specific evidence platforms and other info materials for knowledge management, progress monitoring and program quality assurance

• Promote knowledge sharing on organizational F&D/SNC policies and standards and help the field with their realization in a context sensitive manner

• Promote application of existing F&D models as well as help with developing new approaches especially relevant for the Response and other fragile context programming

• Ensure fulfilment of Partnership F&D metrics, i.e., alignment to policies and completion of Mission Immersion Programme.

Expand and deepen our partnerships with churches and faith leaders, acting as connectors:

• Support MEERO and FOs with developing new, and nurturing existing strategic partnerships with churches, and regional Christian agencies from a broad spectrum of denominations

• Fulfil the External Engagement objective to create special platforms to amplify voices of faith partners to positively utilize their influence to reduce vulnerability and increase well-being of children and their families

• Advise and support the FOs on interfaith partnering and engagement

Equip our leaders and staff to live out our faith as appropriate in their context

• Create and nurture a network of F&D point people in the field for successful realization of related strategies and programming

• Advise the FO leadership on all F&D policies and their contextualized implementation

• Support the regional and FO leadership in further developing their spiritual leadership competencies and strengthening organizational culture enabling spiritual empowerment of local staff in the context sensitive manner

• Develop resources and provide support to MEER leadership enabling them to work effectively in non-Christian dominant contexts

Other

• Perform other duties related to F&D program quality and evidence building

• Support with implementation of various F&D specific World Vision initiatives and pilots in MEER

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Required

• Post-graduate degree in development, theology/mission, sociology or similar fields.

• Minimum 7 years of experience of working on integrating faith in development in local or international organization; work experience in fragile context would be an advantage

• At least 5 years of experience in building evidence of impact on faith’s contribution into well-being of children

• Demonstrated experience and ability to support field offices in developing and assessing faith in development programming

• At least 5 years of experience of integrating faith matters in grant funded programming

• Demonstrating experience of building and strengthening partnerships with faith leaders

• Proficiency of English

• Good knowledge of data analysis software (SPSS, Stata, NVivo etc.) would be preferred

Preferred

• Great understanding of the evidence base of the role of faith in fighting various dimensions of poverty and its practical applicability in different contexts

• Good understanding of existing models and approaches promoting spiritual empowerment and thrive among children and their families, especially the most vulnerable

• Good understanding of traditional and non-traditional donors’ strategic position and interest in faith in development and their readiness (if any) for investment

• Ecumenical vision and proven ability to work respectfully across all Christian traditions

• A basic understanding of Islam from a Christian perspective and willingness to work in Islamic contexts

• Good experience in interfaith/intercultural dialogue

• Experience in research project on the role of faith in transformation would be highly preferred.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Willingness to be flexible with hours when necessary and able to travel in the field, including the fragile context countries, per need.