Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Program

The Office of the CEO is responsible for stewarding the vision of the CEO and the execution of the agency’s 10-year strategy, Pathway to Possibility (P2P). Critical areas of work include supporting and positioning the CEO to be an effective and future facing leader; professionalizing and leveraging a values-centered organizational governance structure to maximize efficiency and impact; and strategically managing engagement with Mercy Corps’ Board of Directors.

The Position

The Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff & VP for Organizational Inclusion in the Office of the CEO serves as the primary thought and implementation partner to the Chief of Staff & VP for Organizational Inclusion for both Office of the CEO-related priorities as well as on the Safe, Diverse, and Inclusive (SDI) and Locally Led agency strategy commitment areas. This position is responsible for supporting the Chief of Staff & VP for Organizational Inclusion to strengthen Mercy Corps’ organizational governance structures and processes, and ensure that our top leaders embrace P2P commitments, core behaviors, and the three A’s (alignment, accountability, and allocation). This position will also provide technical expertise and thought leadership to the Chief of Staff & VP for Organizational Inclusion and key internal stakeholders on enabling governance, strategy, and global communications for the SDI and Locally Led commitments.

Essential Responsibilities

ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE & OCEO STRATEGIC ACTIVITIES

• Serve as primary thought and implementation partner and point of contact for the Chief of Staff & VP for Organizational Inclusion on strengthening and enabling a more inclusive and effective global leadership (ELT, LT, and GSMT).
• Lead efforts to build out systems and functions in support of efficient, transparent, and catalytic governance for executive leadership team, leadership team, and global senior management team. Develop and launch:
  • Refreshed guidance outlining norms, accountability structures, decision making authority, and expectations for each level of organizational governance.
  • Tracking system in SharePoint for ELT and LT meeting content, decision points, due-out tracking.
  • Refreshed ELT, LT, and GSMT agendas, learning and reflection opportunities, and effective meeting protocols / facilitation to ensure effective alignment, accountability, and resource allocation in partnership with VP for Strategy Realization and other key stakeholders.

• • Under the Support and help facilitate the annual organizational prioritization process and regular learning and reporting on those priorities with the LT and other teams in partnership with the VP for Strategy Realization.
  • Help draft CEO annual reports to the Board and develop a process to regularly review progress and update CEO goals.
  • Lead the preparation and facilitation LT retreats and Global Leadership Gatherings along with other key stakeholders (including but not limited to the SRU and People Team).
  • Develop process for tracking and monitoring progress towards OCEO team goals, objectives, and key results (in line with ELT / LT / GSMT processes).

REALIZATION OF SDI & LOCALLY LED COMMITMENTS

• Serve as primary thought and implementation partner to the Chief of Staff & VP for Organizational Inclusion to formalize governance structures and processes for the SDI & Locally Led commitments.
• Lead the development of SDI core communications and communications assets in close partnership with the Chief of Staff & VP for Organizational Inclusion.
• Develop a system to track SDI objectives, key results, and deliverables, measure and evaluate progress, and report out on what we’ve learned to key stakeholders and the global team.
• Provide support to all-agency learning activities for the SDI and Locally Led commitments as needed, including SDI working group meetings / retreats.
• Support facilitation of Act for Impact deliverables as needed.

Supervisory Responsibility

Supervises OCEO Administrative Officer in close coordination with Director of Board Strategy & Engagement.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: VP for Organizational Inclusion & Chief of Staff.

Works Directly With: OCEO team, Executive Leadership Team, Leadership Team, Global Senior Management Team, GDI and Localization teams, Strategy Realization Unit.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our programs.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in leading strategy and change management in large global organization.
• Experience supporting and facilitating organizational inclusion efforts, particularly in helping to set vision, strategy, and communications for those efforts.
• Bachelor’s degree in international development or related field.
• Experience working directly with executive-level stakeholders and global leaders to drive new initiatives.
• Effective organizational and interpersonal skills; strong written and verbal communication.
• Proven track record of successfully managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced work environment.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality.
• Intimate knowledge and understanding of the INGO context and strong handle on current global affairs.

Success Factors

The successful team member will be highly organized and will have demonstrated experience in developing alignment and accountability systems and processes for diverse teams. The team member will demonstrate an agile learning mindset and employ keen discernment for prioritization. Vital skills include communication (written and verbal), as well as building trust and maintaining effective internal relationships with a variety of teams and individuals. This team member will be comfortable working through challenging issues and topics and will handle confidential matters with skill. This team member will have the ability to work independently and on quick deadlines and will maintain a strong commitment to teamwork and personal accountability. This team member will have a strong appreciation for co-creation and a passion for developing human-centered efficiencies across systems. This team member will have a personal and professional commitment to working from a values-centered foundation and will welcome open communication and feedback.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is U.S.-based and remote. It may require up to 10% travel for US-based meetings or workshops with key internal stakeholders.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

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 and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. 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.

As a safeguarding measure, Mercy Corps screens all potential US-Based employees. This is done following the conclusion of recruitment and prior to assuming full employment. Our screening process is designed to be transparent and completed in partnership with new Team Members. You will have the opportunity to disclose any prior convictions at the conclusion of the recruitment process before the check is initiated. We ask that you do not disclose any prior convictions in your application materials or during the recruitment process.

COVID-19 Vaccine Policy for U.S.-Based Employees

Mercy Corps has determined that, in an effort to protect the health, safety, and well-being of all Mercy Corps employees working in the United States, all U.S.-based employees must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, regardless of prior COVID-19 infection status. This policy is necessary to ensure not only the safety of our workforce, but the ongoing functionality of the organization.

This policy will be revised as needed to comply with federal, state, and local requirements, and to respond to changing guidance from public health authorities.

For new employees this requirement goes into effect within 10 business days of employment. Team members that travel are expected to comply with host-country requirements, including vaccinations. Failure to comply may impact your employment. Proof of vaccination or exemption must be provided.