Mercy Corps has announced two career opportunities within its Border Security Programme (BSP) For professionals seeking meaningful careers in humanitarian action, protection, gender equality, accountability and international development, Mercy Corps has announced two career opportunities within its Border Security Programme (BSP). These positions offer an opportunity to contribute to a complex regional programme addressing challenges linked to irregular migration, exploitation, human trafficking, smuggling and the protection of vulnerable people on the move. Mercy Corps describes its Border Security Programme as an adaptive initiative that combines prevention, protection and pursuit approaches, with initial interventions focused on Kenya’s border regions and potential expansion across other East African border areas. The two advertised opportunities are: GESI, Protection & Safeguarding Advisor – Border Security Programme (BSP) CARM and MRELA Officer – Border Security Programme (BSP) For professionals with experience in safeguarding, gender equality, accountability, monitoring and evaluation, community engagement or humanitarian programming, these roles could provide an opportunity to apply their expertise to a programme operating at the intersection of security, migration and human protection. 1. GESI, Protection & Safeguarding Advisor – BSP The GESI, Protection & Safeguarding Advisor role is particularly relevant for professionals whose careers focus on ensuring that development and humanitarian programmes are inclusive, safe and responsive to the needs of vulnerable populations. Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) is increasingly recognised as an essential component of effective development programming. Rather than treating inclusion as a separate activity, strong programmes integrate gender, equity, protection and inclusion considerations into programme design, implementation, monitoring and decision-making. For this position, applicants are likely to benefit from demonstrating practical experience in GESI mainstreaming, protection, safeguarding, risk management, capacity building and stakeholder engagement. A strong candidate should be able to demonstrate more than theoretical knowledge. Experience translating safeguarding and inclusion principles into practical programme systems, staff training, community engagement mechanisms and risk mitigation approaches can be particularly valuable. The role also sits within a programme dealing with people who may face significant vulnerabilities, making a strong understanding of protection-sensitive programming, ethical engagement and accountability highly relevant. 2. CARM and MRELA Officer – BSP The second opportunity combines two important areas of programme quality: Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanisms (CARM) and Monitoring, Reporting, Evaluation, Learning and Adaptation (MRELA). This makes the position potentially attractive to professionals with backgrounds in monitoring and evaluation, research, accountability, data management, programme learning or community engagement. Mercy Corps’ Border Security Programme places considerable emphasis on evidence, learning and adaptation. Related MRELA responsibilities within the programme include collecting and analysing evidence, supporting evaluations and assessments, strengthening data systems, contributing to reporting and ensuring that evidence is used to improve programme decisions. The programme also emphasises the importance of integrating GESI considerations into evaluation design, data collection, analysis and reporting. For applicants, this means that a competitive application should clearly demonstrate how previous experience has contributed to better programme decisions, stronger accountability, improved data quality or meaningful organisational learning. Why These Opportunities Matter The value of these positions extends beyond the job titles themselves. Border areas can involve complex social, economic and humanitarian dynamics. People on the move may face risks including exploitation, trafficking and other forms of abuse. Programmes operating in these environments therefore require professionals who can combine technical expertise with ethical judgement, cultural sensitivity and a strong commitment to accountability. Mercy Corps’ broader approach emphasises working with communities as partners and maintaining accountability to programme participants and stakeholders. For professionals building careers in the international development and humanitarian sectors, experience in such an environment can strengthen capabilities across programme management, protection, safeguarding, research, monitoring and evaluation, community engagement and evidence-based decision-making. Who Should Consider Applying? These opportunities may be particularly relevant to professionals with experience in: Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Protection and safeguarding Humanitarian or development programming Community accountability and engagement Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Data collection and analysis Programme quality and compliance Stakeholder engagement and capacity building Migration, protection or border-related programming NGO or international development programmes Applicants should carefully review the official vacancy descriptions to determine the specific academic qualifications, professional experience, technical competencies, location requirements and application deadlines for each position. How to Strengthen an Application Candidates should avoid submitting a generic CV. Instead, the application should demonstrate evidence of impact. For example, rather than simply stating that they “conducted stakeholder engagement,” applicants can explain how they engaged communities, strengthened accountability mechanisms, improved programme participation or influenced programme decisions. Similarly, candidates applying for MRELA-focused positions should highlight experience with data analysis, monitoring frameworks, evaluations, reporting, learning processes and evidence generation. Those applying for GESI, protection and safeguarding positions should demonstrate experience in risk assessment, safeguarding systems, training, protection mainstreaming, inclusion and organisational accountability. Most importantly, applicants should carefully align their CV and cover letter with the competencies requested in the official vacancy announcement. A Career Opportunity with Regional Impact For professionals looking beyond conventional employment and seeking work connected to humanitarian protection, inclusive development and regional impact, these Mercy Corps opportunities deserve attention. The Border Security Programme represents a multidisciplinary environment where protection, accountability, evidence, gender equality and programme quality intersect. The right candidates can therefore bring specialised expertise while contributing to broader efforts to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations. Explore the Opportunities GESI, Protection & Safeguarding Advisor – Border Security Programme (BSP) CARM and MRELA Officer – Border Security Programme (BSP) Interested candidates should use the vacancy links provided in the original announcement and carefully verify all application requirements and deadlines before submitting their applications. 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