Consultant - Cash Consortium of Sudan Group Cash Transfers Operational Strategy Lead - Remote

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. The Cash Consortium of Sudan (CCS), a collaborative platform to advance a progressive vision of the potential of cash and markets assistance to transform humanitarian response and recovery in partnership with vulnerable conflict-affected populations in Sudan. CCS is led by Mercy Corps, building on its extensive global experience as lead agency within a cash consortium, with cash coordination and breadth of technical resources. International partners include Acted, CARE, Concern, GOAL, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), each of which bring strong cash and complementary technical competencies, as well as expansive operational coverage in Sudan. The CCS also includes ten Sudanese NGOs as partners in alignment with global aid sector commitments to enhance the prominence of local actors in driving humanitarian response and recovery. IMPACT is a non-implementing partner dedicated to Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning. IMPACT will support quality data systems and an objective evidence base that will be essential to CCS’ accountability and adaptive management to refine programming approaches to enhance impact as the Sudan crisis context evolves. The CCS will work closely with other consortia and actors in Sudan to deliver an effective CVA response for communities affected by the crisis. Purpose / Project Description:The CCS requires support from a consultant to work with the CCS Technical Working Group (TWG) to establish an operational plan for scaling up Group Cash Transfers (GCTs) to local responders. The consultant is expected to build from the existing experiences of partners with GCTs, as well as connecting with good practices through the Localization Council. This operational plan will be inclusive of a range of local responders– both formal/ informal, as well as urban/ rural.        Consultant Objectives: 

• Develop relationships with representatives of civil society, including CBOs (formal and informal), community groups, and local responders, including through regular participation in the Localization Council to shape and refine the consortium’s ability to support local actors through GCTs.
• Inform and develop the strategic vision of the CCS with regard to localisation and support to local responders, within the frame of GCTs and/or capacity support. 
• Liaise with INGO partners on lessons learned and good practices related to GCTs to shape and refine the vision of the consortium’s ability to support local actors through GCTs.
• Support refinement of GCT SOPs based on learning and feedback from funded groups and other civil society actors and within the bounds of donor compliance and in partnership with Secretariat and partner program & MEL teams.
• Inform robust selection and group prioritization criteria for GCTs that ensures risk management through the appropriate targeting, conflict sensitivity, and alignment to humanitarian principles.
• Determine feasibility, success and improvements on current standards, approaches and mechanisms in place for reporting, compliance, and M&E from the point of view of groups supported with GCTs.
• Explore and update potential risks, implications, or conflict sensitivity considerations surrounding the implementation of GCT’s based on Sudanese historical precedent and current conflict dynamics.
• Ensure the consortium GCT activities are compliant with donor and grant holder rules and regulations. 
• Maintain accurate records of activities, prepare periodic progress reports, and contribute to donor reporting requirements as relates to CCS GCTs.
• Respond to information requests, draft success stories, monitor and report on the impact of the CCS GCTs.
• Engage with CCS Secretariat team (Finance, MEAL, Policy, Research & Advocacy, grant holder headquarters) and with CCS partners in the development of proposals, reports, success stories, briefs, grant/sub-grant maintenance and other tasks as assigned by the CCS Director.
• Participate where relevant in external representation of the consortium with various groups, including donors, UN agencies, the World Bank and local authorities where relevant/ feasible. 
• Represent consortium progress to donors as well as within the Cash Working Group, the Emergency Livelihoods Cluster, other relevant clusters, working groups related to Social Protection, and other coordination fora as strategic.
• Share learning from the consortium with the greater humanitarian and development community within Sudan as well as regionally and globally, as relevant.
• Contribute to thought