Alumni Talent Pool: Operations Lead Roles

Mercy Corps

23h • Onsite

About The Position

The Alumni Talent Pool is open exclusively to former Mercy Corps team members who were employed within the past 4 years and completed at least 1 year of service. You do not need to submit a cover letter, a CV/Resume is sufficient. Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible, partnering to put bold solutions into action to help people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities. Mercy Corps has created this Alumni Talent Pool to support emergency response, transitions and complex program start-up, by fast-tracking Mercy Corps alumni into temporary Senior Operations roles. The initiative focuses on matching qualified team members with urgent country-based needs, for short-term placements (3 months on average). This is an opportunity for senior program leaders that offers more professional and personal flexibility and access to diverse experiences. Alumni qualified to fill Senior Operations Roles (Emergency Operations Lead, Operations Manager, Operations Director, Procurement Manager, or Startup Operations Lead) will be eligible to join the Pool. Once selected, members will have access to short-term opportunities in countries where Mercy Corps operates. Responsibilities and supervisory structures will vary depending on the type of assignment. When on assignment, members will be eligible for competitive salary and benefits, which will depend on the type of employment (expat, consultancy, or remote) they are hired under.

Requirements

• BA/S or equivalent in a relevant field required.
• At least 5 years of field experience in international relief and development operations overseeing procurement and logistics support functions.
• Prior experience with Mercy Corps within the last four years, as an employee and/or consultant (Should have worked with Mercy Corps for at least one year.)
• Experience leading teams, managing performance of supervisees, and coaching/ mentoring staff.
• Ability to influence, handle negotiations and make fast and effective decisions and plans in emergency contexts.
• Personal passion for and commitment to working in a diverse array of emergencies.
• Willing and able to deploy internationally at short notice for assignments.
• Able to work effectively in a highly stressed and potentially physically challenging emergency response set up in early and later stages of responses.
• Availability to work non-standard hours as needed, especially when supporting an active emergency or critical incident response.
• Professional level proficiency in at least one of Mercy Corps’ working languages (English, French, Spanish, Arabic).

Nice To Haves

• Experience and understanding of institutional donors is preferred.
• Proficiency in multiple languages is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a strategy for operational startup to support a rapid, high quality emergency response.
• Develop, set-up & manage supply chain lines for the timely delivery, transport, storage, and distribution of relief items in emergency response planning and during assignments.
• Work closely with Program, Administration, Security and Finance on the set up of new offices, partnerships and systems.
• Assess the operating environment in the emergency and adapt ways of working in compliance with Mercy Corps’ policies and procedures.
• Set up systems for supply chain operations to support rapid program delivery.
• Recruit, onboard and train national team members to fill operations support functions.
• Guide and oversee the overall operations strategy in the country, ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps policies.
• Work collaboratively with program, HR and finance teams to maintain efficient support services and proactively address challenges.
• Supervise a diverse team, proactively coaching and training team members for high performance.
• Oversee application of procurement policies and procedures and compliance with donor regulations.
• Oversee logistics, travel and transport services aligned with programmatic needs.
• Manage custom clearance-related activities during the emergency response phase.
• Oversee maintenance of Mercy Corps’ assets and effective management of warehouses and goods.
• Ensure that country and field office specific policies are up to date and communicate them to the teams. Develop new policies and guidelines as needed.
• Oversee procurement activities according to the Field Procurement Policies and Procedures, SOPs and donor rules & regulations.
• Work collaboratively with program and finance teams to move processes forward swiftly and to troubleshoot issues.
• Facilitate competitive processes to identify, select and negotiate with contractors to ensure that standards for quality and timeliness are achieved.
• Coordinate with logistics and program teams on supply chain operations, storage, and transfer of goods to field sites.
• Supervise procurement team members; hire, onboard and train team members as necessary.
• Work collaboratively to develop a start-up strategy and plan for program start up, devising appropriate operations systems.
• Ensure tools and tracking mechanisms are in place to accurately assess and communicate progress against the start-up work plan, resources (budget and personnel), and issues.
• Works to ensure Mercy Corps’ Safeguarding Standards are integrated and upheld in all areas of HR work.
• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits (when on assignment).
• Opportunity to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees