Senior Coordinator, Research and Learning - Washington, DC or US Remote

Location: Washington, DC or US RemoteValid 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, Exempt, RegularSalary Level:  The salary range for this position is $46,000- $49,000 USD
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 Program / Department / Team
Mercy Corps is committed to generating and using evidence to understand and improve our impact, and to enhance the humanitarian and development community’s ability to address the world’s most complex challenges. The Research and Learning team enhances Mercy Corps’ ability to deliver high impact programming, learn from that programming, and influence major debates and decisions affecting our work by supporting the generation and use of high quality evidence. Mercy Corps has firmly established a reputation as an industry leader in the field of resilience, including resilience measurement and research.

The Senior Coordinator provides administrative, coordination, and communications support to Research & Learning team managed awards and studies focused on generating evidence, strengthening capacity, and knowledge sharing among humanitarian and development actors in the areas of resilience, migration, climate, and peace, conflict and governance.

**The Position
**
As Mercy Corps’ portfolio of research projects, grants, contracts, and partnerships grows, so does the Research and Learning team’s need for administrative support to effectively and efficiently manage these to ensure high-quality and impactful research. The Senior Coordinator plays a key role in ensuring awards comply with donor and Mercy Corps regulations, contributing to award outputs, communicating internal and external program information and drafting program reports, liaising with other departments within Mercy Corps, such as the Program Teams and Technical Support Team, and providing procurement, logistical, and administrative support to all activities including technical events, both virtual and in-person. The position also contributes to ensuring effective internal communications and planning for the Research and Learning team.
 
Essential Responsibilities
 
FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

• Support Research and Learning Team award managers with the assembly, review and editing of required donor reporting and documentation per award filing structures and reporting deadlines to be submitted to the Grant and Information Tracker (GAIT) database, the shared drive, the Digital Library and donor tracking systems as requested
• Support Research and Learning team procurement requests ensuring adherence to Mercy Corps and donor procurement and financial policies and procedures.
• Facilitate contracting process for the hire of technical consultants through the existing Master Service Agreement (MSA) or other standardized Mercy Corps procurement processes, including drafting, review and submission for all information required for compliance including but not limited to Scopes of Work, Task Orders, budgets, etc.
• Ensure that requests for payment and/or invoices from, e.g. consultants, field teams, and partners, are accurately completed and submitted to the Accounting and Finance team for processing and budget tracking purposes.
• Remain current on existing, updated or new Mercy Corps policies as needed and support Research & Learning Team leadership and team to comply

ADMINISTRATION

• Proactively provide logistical support for technical and knowledge sharing meetings and events with implementers and donors, in person as well as virtually.
• Provide ad hoc logistical support to travel requests to Research and Learning Team members and consultants
• Provide surge capacity on administration of the MSA on an as-needed basis
• Provide administrative support to other aspects of the grants/contracts to the Research and Learning team leadership, as requested.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

• Maintain up-to-date award information in Mercy Corps’ online knowledge management tools.
• Edit knowledge products (blogs, research briefs, reports, etc.)
• Organize and regularly update Research and Learning Team shared drive
• Coordinate development and dissemination of quarterly Research and Learning Team newsletter.
• Support other internal planning and communications on behalf of the Research and Learning Team, including for regular team meetings, retreats, and special initiatives.

RESEARCH & LEARNING TEAM SUPPORT AND COORDINATION

• Regularly contribute to Research and Learning team priorities and initiatives, including team meetings, team planning/strategy setting, annual work-planning and DEI objectives.

Supervisory Responsibility
None
 
**Accountability
**
Reports Directly To: Director, Research and Learning - Resilience
Works Directly With:  Research & Learning team leadership (Senior Director for Research and Learning, Director of Research and Learning for Migration and Climate, Director of Research & Learning for Peace and Governance, Research Lead - Climate), HQ Program Officer, Finance Manager, Program Officer - Program Performance & Quality 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 field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• 3+ years of demonstrated experience in providing high-quality program assistant and administrative support to complex teams at a distance required or BA/S in international development or other relevant social science, and/or practical international field experience preferred
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with colleagues from various backgrounds and cultures
• Excellent English verbal and writing skills
• Proficiency with MS Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides) and other web-based communication platforms (e.g., Adobe Connect, Zoom, Google Meet, etc.)
• Prior NGO or international development experience, including experience with logistical procedures and knowledge management
• Proficiency in a foreign language preferred, particularly French, Spanish and/or Arabic.
• Prior work experience with USAID and/or FCDO-funded projects preferred.
• Knowledge of relevant technical sectors, e.g., food security, resilience, emergency relief, agriculture, natural resource management or alternative livelihoods, preferred.
• Knowledge of communication tools, such as MailChimp, and interactive tools, such as MentiMeter, preferred.

**Success Factors
**
The Senior Coordinator must be a detail-oriented, multi-tasker who is able to communicate clearly and work under pressure. They must demonstrate patience and flexibility and take initiative to solve problems. Vital skills include organization, communication (both written and verbal), as well as building and maintaining effective internal and external relationships. They must demonstrate the ability to understand and follow agency procedures, meet deadlines, and work both independently and as part of a complex distance-based, multi-cultural team. An exposure to, and interest in learning about international development issues is important, and an understanding of the complex challenges faced by program teams operating in overseas environments is critical.
 
**Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
**
The position can either be remote or based in Washington, DC. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps’ policies, procedures, and values at all times.

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.