SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER, GLOBAL RESPONSE TEAM

Location: Open to US, UK, or NL Mercy Corps locations

Position Status: Full-time, Regular, Exempt

About Mercy Corps

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.
Now, and for the future.

The Program / Department / Team

Mercy Corps works to achieve real and lasting impact in the world’s toughest humanitarian emergencies. We save lives and help people live with dignity in crises of all kinds. At the same time, we create the conditions to pivot to recovery quickly and effectively. We work wherever local capacity is overwhelmed, connecting people to the opportunities they need to strengthen their community in recovery. Whether it is a sudden shock or a slowly emerging crisis, whether the threat is natural or man-made, Mercy Corps is committed to rapid, needs-driven assistance. Mercy Corps supports a response that is market-driven and leverages the capacities of both traditional and non-traditional aid partners—and ultimately gives people the ability to make their own decisions and secure their own lives and livelihoods.

The Humanitarian Leadership and Response (HLR) team provides the agency with timely and effective leadership to prepare for, respond to, and learn from humanitarian emergencies, develops sharp, well-timed and influential humanitarian analysis to inform program design and implementation.

The Position

The Senior Program Officer (SPO) is a key member of the Global Response Team (GRT), a sub team of HLR, and provides project management to the Sr. Director and wider Global Response Team. The PO plays an essential role in connecting the global response team to the rest of the agency in the coordination and support of emergency responses, including facilitating response decision-making, communication, managing emergency fund allocation, and reporting processes. During an emergency, the PO supports deployment administration for the GRT and other team members. This position will help increase accountability of GRT-led emergency response efforts, increase the profile of the agency’s humanitarian efforts internally and support the global Humanitarian Community of Practice.

Essential Responsibilities

FUND MANAGEMENT

• Working closely with the Senior Director, act as fund manager of the emergency response fund, including tracking incoming revenue, allocations made, and spending against allocations.
• Ensure final reports are received according to requirements, and records and analyzes relevant data.
• Continually improve systems and processes related to the management of the emergency response fund.

TALENT Mangement

• Working closely with the Senior Director, support the expansion of an existing Alumni Talent Pool (roster) to include emergency manager roles; Collaborate with other teams to customize and refine tools and criteria; Conduct outreach to potential candidates, shortlist applicants, and coordinate the vetting and selection process for new profiles.
• Liaise with other departments and teams to maintain, monitor and periodically refresh the Alumni Talent Pool membership.
• Work collaboratively to develop and use tools for teamwork, task management, analytics and reporting.
• Monitor and coordinate requests for temporary program leadership support as they come in and track how different requests are handled.
• Communicate regularly with country teams requesting support and monitor communications to ensure requests receive timely feedback.

Knowledge & DATA Management

• Ensure GRT knowledge management systems (including collaboration, document management, archiving, and productivity tools) are optimized following the transition to M365.
• Ensure the GRT adheres to and takes advantage of agency systems, tools, guidance, standards and policies in a way that enables the team to operationalize these tools in an emergency.
• Track and report on key team metrics and deployment statistics.
• Create agendas, takes notes, and circulates action points for GRT meetings.

STRATEGY SUPPORT & PLANNING

• Contribute to the delivery of Mercy Corps’ Humanitarian Response Approach and GRT strategy; Support reporting on agency objectives and team activities.
• Support the GRT Senior Director with planning, reporting, and data management, as well as logistics for team, workshops, and meetings.

Response COORDINATION & Administration

• Initiate systems, processes, and communications protocols for effective response start-up and agency-wide coordination; While this is primarily required for GRT-led responses, support may be needed for country and regionally led responses.
• Manage deployment coordination and logistics for members of the Global Response Team or other members of the Mercy Corps global team responding to emergencies.
• Contribute to the development and submission of emergency program concept notes and proposals, as needed when deployed.

Internal Communication

• Represent and promotes Mercy Corps’ emergency response capabilities internally.
• Support the increased visibility of Mercy Corps’ response work across the agency by maintaining the Humanitarians@MC workplace page and highlighting the ongoing humanitarian work of teams across the globe.
• Maintain the GRT Hub page.
• Proactively works with Internal Communications and other departments to ensure appropriate internal communication during periods of disaster response, which may also include support of internal coordination calls.

ORIENTATION & TRAINING

• Assist with on-boarding of members of the GRT, ensuring they are set up for success and familiar with agency systems, procedures, and protocols.
• Provide briefings for new hires from other teams/departments on GRT strategy and remit and key policies and emergency procedures (or other relevant topics) as an initial step in the onboarding process.
• Manage planning, procurement, and logistics for GRT training.

Supervisory Responsibility

None.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Senior Director, Global Response Team

Works Directly With: All members of the Global Response Team, and the wider HLR team. Other HQ Program units and other departments, including Regional Program Team, Resource Development, Finance, Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness, Legal, Policy and Advocacy, Mercy Corps counterparts at MC HQ offices in Europe; MC donors and partners.

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 field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• Experience supporting a dynamic, dispersed team responding to fast-moving global crises.
• Experience providing logistical support and organizational structure in unpredictable situations.
• BA/S in the relevant field required.
• 4 or more years of country-based experience in international relief and development.
• Experience with proposal development including support and writing with various donors, particularly US Government, private foundations and corporations.
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation and other learning efforts.
• Experience representing the organization and its interests to a diverse range of local and international government officials, local civil society organizations, other international organizations, the media and the public – preferred.
• Proficiency with MS Office software required (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint).
• Proficiency in English required; proficiency in another language preferred (Arabic, French or Spanish).

Success Factors

The successful candidate must be a self-starter who brings flexibility, creativity, and enthusiasm to every project they undertake. The candidate must have proven experience with program start-up, implementation and emergency projects. They must be an excellent organizer and communicator, has a proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results. Multi-tasking with proven ability to manage competing priorities, follow procedures, and meet tight deadlines is required. The PO must take an active role in building and maintaining relationships as well as demonstrating the drive and initiative to contribute to team efforts. It is essential the candidate is able to work closely with a diverse team of individuals in varied cultural, political, and religious environments. They will be able to influence and work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders, and proactively build engagement and seek feedback.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in any of the US, UK, NL Mercy Corps offices and is expected to travel up to 20% of the time – sometimes on short notice – to areas with limited access to medical facilities and amenities. Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a country posting or on a visit/ TDY to a country posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

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.