Project Manager & Executive Assistant — Ethics and Compliance

Location Portland, OR, Washington, DC or US Remote 
_Valid unrestricted work authorization in the country in which you will be based (United States) is required at the time of application for this position.
_
Position Status Full-time, Regular, Exempt, 
Salary Level The salary range for this position is $64,000- $70,000 USD commensurate on experience

About Mercy Corps

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 Department

The Ethics and Compliance Department (ECD) supports and monitors ethical, contractual and legal compliance across Mercy Corp’s various affiliates and global operations. This team interacts with and supports all functional areas of Mercy Corps, including executive and senior management, programs, social ventures, policy & advocacy, resource development, safeguarding, finance, and human resources, as well as the various functional areas that report into these departments. Within the Ethics and Compliance team, the Intake and Investigations team is responsible for the intake and investigation of all reports of ethics violations including fraud, corruption, and Code of Conduct and Global Human Resources complaints.

**The Position
**
The Project Manager and Executive Assistant – Ethics and Compliance brings technical and functional skills required to support the advancement of Mercy Corps’ commitment to accountability. They partner with the CECO to oversee specific initiatives and work streams that advance progress. With CECO, the Project Manager  and Executive Assistant – Ethics and Compliance plans and executes critical initiatives for the ECD and collaborates with CECO on administration overall. The Project Manager and Executive Assistant – Ethics and Compliance will serve as a strategic advisor to the ECD management team and will execute a knowledge management framework, building guidance for the internal process of resources creation, roll-out and retention.They will champion best practices and platforms to harness technology in service of effective communication and engagement across the agency as it relates to the Ethics and Compliance department functions. They will serve as the primary support for the Joint Ethics and Safeguarding Committee. Additionally, the Project Manager and Executive Assistant – Ethics and Compliance will provide operational and administrative support to the ECD and to the CECO.

Essential Responsibilities

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

• Lead planning, logistics, and management of several key workstreams, working groups, and projects.
• Lead management and department projects and interdepartmental projects owned by the ECD
• Develop planning, sequencing and tracking of the above, including systems to do so efficiently. Steward and refine the ECD key products, deliverables and tools including work plans and reports.
• Drive effective teamwork, communication, and collaboration across multiple stakeholder groups and liaise with the HQ and global teams to provide information and follow-up on inter-team projects and initiatives.
• Responsible for maintaining trackers and calendars for the office of the CECO and the ECD

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE & VISION

• Provide strategic support to the management team regarding the vision and practice of knowledge management for the ECD especially in relation to the new agency strategy.
• Develop and Implement a knowledge management framework, guidance, and training for ECD; including an internal process for resources creation, roll-out and retention.
• Play a key role in the team’s next phase of adoption of Office365. This next phase will be the google folder systems, which is the current platform where ECD living documents are stored.
• This position will lead the ECD in building a uniform structure for the ECD.
• Manage the implementation, adoption, and effective use of technology to promote and transfer ECD knowledge and learning to internal stakeholders.
• Work in conjunction with other departments, as needed.

JOINT ETHICS AND SAFEGUARDING COMMITTEE (JESC) SUPPORT

• Serve as the CECO’s primary liaison with Board members of the JESC
• Work with CECO to maintain a calendar for the preparation, review and assembly of JESC materials is developed well in advance and communicated to all parties involved. Support the timely assembly and delivery of materials meeting the requirements for JESC
• Provide planning and logistical support for JESC meetings, including arrangement and preparation, collection and dissemination of necessary documents and reports, logistical support for participants and communication and required follow-up with all parties involved, including Board members.
• Capture Committee key take-aways and action items and ensure necessary follow up is executed by responsible parties
• Draft meeting minutes, ensuring up to date records of proceedings of JESC meetings, in compliance with the Minutes Policy
• Prepare professional reports, summaries, and presentations as requested

ECD OPERATIONS

• Facilitates the ECD’S PwP/All Voice Survey Learning Journey; ensures progress against our work plan.
• Provide planning and logistical support for key department meetings, conferences and training events, including arrangement and preparation of venue, collection and dissemination of necessary documents, logistical support for participants and communication and required follow-up with all parties involved.
• Oversee or coordinate the development of Memorandum of Understanding, agreements, and consultancy contracts as required
• Oversee and support financial records of the ECD, manage use of department credit card, support submission of invoice payment request, EERs, and other financial documentation as required, and ensure expenses fall within budget and are coded correctly
• Support recruitment of new Team Members as required
• Develop and maintain onboarding process for ECD new team members, including materials, schedule, and equipment distribution
• Act as liaison between ECD and partner teams within the agency

ADMINISTRATIVE AND EXECUTIVE SUPPORT

• Provide administrative and executive support for the CECO
• Arrange travel, visas and accommodation for the CECO
• Support maintenance of CECO’s calendar, schedule regular meetings, including meetings with direct reports, working groups, and other individuals; and ensure the CECO has access to briefings and papers in advance of the meeting
• Equip CECO for external engagements, including support for and compilation of briefing materials, powerpoint presentations, as needed.
• Proofread, edit, and format department documents.
• Support internal and external CECO and department communications
• Attend meetings led by CECO and prepare meeting minutes

Supervisory Responsibilities

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer
Works Directly With: Safeguarding, Fraud and Corruption, and HR  Directors and Investigators, Board members, , Manager of Communications and Training– Ethics and Compliance, Manager of Case Intake– Ethics and Compliance, Senior Digital Librarian, Technical Project Manager– M365, office of the CEO, People Team stakeholders, external contractors, other HQ units and Safeguarding field partners such as Safeguarding Managers, Focal Points and Co-investigators.

**Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
**
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualifications & Transferable Skills

• BA/S in International Development or a relevant field is required
• 4+ years of professional experience working in a fast-paced environment
• 4+ years of experience working as part of an administrative and executive support team, in an NGO is preferred
• International, non-profit, and/or government experience required.
• Experience managing multiple projects and delivering in a timely manner
• Experience with executive staffing, schedule management, and travel arrangements strongly desired.
• Demonstrated proactive approach to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability.
• Adaptable, forward looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions
• Demonstrated ability to lead strong collaborative initiatives with with internal and external stakeholders
• Strong interpersonal skills: demonstrated relationship management experience, strong networking and communication skills, and an ability to work collaboratively with others across difference
• Demonstrated ability to handle quickly evolving and changing work streams, including managing learning from experience.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality both giving and receiving
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to effectively gather and summarize large amounts of information from various sources.
• Excellent writing, editing, and research skills required
• Proficiency with MS Office software required (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

**Success Factors
**
The successful candidate is well organized, a problem-solver, a collaborator, and results driven. They are able to manage a significant amount of information, navigate and track multiple work streams for the timely completion of work plan deliverables. They are  a clear communicator, a good writer and able to develop and utilize strong relationships with team members and across functional units in the organization to achieve project objectives. Flexibility and willingness to engage in a wide range of activities, including proactive program and knowledge management and support activities, including repetitive and detail-oriented administrative tasks.

Living Conditions 
This position is ideally based in Portland, OR or Washington, D.C. although remote work may be a possibility for other US based locations. Travel may be required up to 20% of the time.

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 US-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.