Manager COO Office Vacancy-Job Ref: BJGTMC/2006/2025817

Manager COO Office Vacancy-Job Ref: BJGTMC/2006/2025817

Guatemala City (Guatemala)

Job Description

Mercy Corps

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

The Office of the CEO

The Office of the Chief Operating Officer serves as the central hub for advancing our mission through exceptional operational execution and strategic program delivery. This office provides vital leadership and oversight to the core functions that support our global impact, including Global Program Delivery, Program Support, Donor Engagement, and Safety and Security. By leading these interconnected teams, the Office of the Chief Operating Officer ensures the effective delivery of programs that meet Mercy Corps’ four critical result areas: food security, water security, promoting economic opportunity, and fostering peace and good governance.

All of our work is fundamentally guided by Mercy Corps’ global strategy, Pathway to Possibility (P2P). This strategic framework directs our global and regional departments, which operate in close collaboration across the agency to achieve the highest quality programming and produce lasting, high-impact results. At the heart of this approach is an unwavering commitment to integrating Mercy Corps’ five strategic commitments into all programming: ensuring our initiatives are Climate-Smart, Locally Led, Evidence-Based, Innovative and Creative, and that they promote Safe, Diverse, and Inclusive environments.

The Office Director will focus on providing high-level executive and administrative support to the Chief Operating Officer, including executive staffing, travel assistance, support for complex programming, and coordination of key workflows and analyses to support critical business decisions. The Office Director will establish and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues, peer groups, senior management, and the Mercy Corps Executive Leadership Team.

The Office Director will have a clear understanding of Mercy Corps’ mission and a collaborative operating style with the ability to work simultaneously on multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment. The Office Director will be flexible and able to adapt to changing conditions and requirements.

Essential Responsibilities
ADMINISTRATIVE AND EXECUTIVE SUPPORT

●Provide primary administrative and executive support to the Executive Director, including coordinating and maintaining her complex appointment and travel schedule, expense reports, visa applications, itineraries, etc.

●Liaise with headquarters and global teams to provide information and follow up on key cross-team meetings.

●Provide planning and logistical support for key meetings, conferences, and training events, including venue organization and preparation, collection and dissemination of necessary documents, logistical support for participants, and necessary communication and follow-up with all stakeholders.

●Support in the review of expense reports and corporate credit card reconciliations on behalf of the global Programs division. Proactively monitor the Director of Operations’ corporate credit card transactions, identifying and following up on items that require receipts or clarifications to ensure timely reconciliation. The PD currently includes:

●Participate in high-level meetings involving the CEO and manage note-taking and action points, maintaining confidentiality.

●Maintain trackers, calendars, and internal web content for the COO’s office.

●Maintain organized digital repositories for all travel-related documentation, ensuring accessibility for the Director of Operations. Maintain a travel log for use in passport renewals and visa applications.

●Maintain monitoring and coordinate the management of signature requests, ensuring that signatures are processed in a timely manner to the relevant requesters.

●Manage the administrative aspects of team member transitions, including processing staff action forms and updating relevant internal records (e.g., processing termination of service, removing from distribution lists).

●Correction, editing, and formatting of department documents.

●Liaise with internal and external stakeholders in the execution of new projects and initiatives.

●Support the COO’s internal and external communications.

STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL COORDINATION

Coordinate key initiatives on departmental and interdepartmental projects on behalf of the Director of Operations.
In close collaboration with the Senior Director of Operations Management, support the effective teamwork, communication, and collaboration required for initiatives driven by the Office of the Director of Operations.
Facilitate the collection of performance data from department heads and track key performance indicators for the Program Support and Delivery departments.

Synthesize reports and input from various departments into clear and concise executive summaries and briefing notes for the Director of Operations.
Prepare agendas for high-level meetings; request and collect slides and other input from relevant teams prior to discussions.
Contribute to the development and implementation of strategic communication plans for the Office of the Director of Operations to enhance overall team engagement and information dissemination.
Support proposal submissions and coordinate with grant management teams regarding issue letters, follow-up inquiries, and other donor communications, as needed.

Support the administration of consulting and services agreements, including gathering necessary documentation, determining appropriate contracting mechanisms, processing payments, and ensuring compliance with organizational guidelines.

Prepare the Director of Operations for Board meetings and external engagements, including supporting and compiling briefing materials and PowerPoint presentations as required.
Provide support, as required, for Board meetings, occasional assistance to the Travel Manager, and various administrative support.
Prepare professional reports, summaries, and presentations as requested.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
None

Accountability Reports
directly to: Director of Operations

Works closely with: the executive management team, the senior director of operations management, regional teams and managers, safety and security, administration and facilities, board liaison, and others.

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 international standards governing 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 qualifications and transferable skills

A bachelor’s degree in a relevant nonprofit field and international experience are required.
Professional experience in support operations or support service initiatives.
4+ years of professional experience in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent interpersonal, verbal, research, and written communication skills.
Strong writing and editing skills, with significant experience editing other people’s texts.

●Strong analytical skills and the ability to effectively compile and summarize large amounts of information, sometimes complex, from various sources.

●Previous experience in executive recruitment, including executive meeting preparation, agenda management, and travel arrangements, will be a plus.

●More than 4 years of experience working as part of an operations or support services team for an international/nonprofit organization.

●Excellent computer skills are required, including familiarity with the Official MS 365 suite, which includes: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google tools.

●Ability to take initiative and complete work or solve problems with minimal guidance, while prioritizing tasks across the department.

●Fluency in spoken and written Spanish and English is required.

●Sensitivity, skill, and experience in public relations and correspondence with a wide variety of public audiences, including media, donors, U.S. Government officials, and international delegates, as needed.

●Demonstrated ability to work well under pressure and in cooperation with team members.

●Ability to accept instructions and work independently.

●Experience in maintaining a high level of confidentiality in sensitive matters.

Success Factors:
The person selected for the position of Assistant to the Director of Operations will demonstrate a healthy combination of professionalism and confidence in providing effective support to the Mercy Corps Director of Operations and the senior staff of Operations and the Regional Programs Team. They will possess excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and prioritize attention to detail and organization.

They will have experience in project and event management. The successful candidate will be able to work both independently and collaboratively and will represent Mercy Corps effectively and accurately at all times. They should demonstrate flexibility and creativity in planning and problem-solving, have a proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results in a fast-paced, fluid, and challenging work environment with many competing and changing priorities. An entrepreneurial, creative, and flexible spirit is important.

Living conditions

The position can be performed remotely, but you are expected to work East Coast time and, if desired, from the Washington, DC office.

Lifelong 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 foster their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people from diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and ways of thinking, we are better able to harness 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 their authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and as a team, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

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

We are committed to providing a respectful and psychologically safe environment where everyone has equal employment opportunities. We do not practice or tolerate discrimination based on 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 our workplaces.

Safeguarding and ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that everyone we come into contact with through our work—whether team members, community members, program participants, or others—is treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse established by the United Nations Secretary-General and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, and we have signed the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Plan.

We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, mistreatment, or harassment by our team members or any of them. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves professionally, respect local laws and customs, and adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct policies and values ​​at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and annually.

As a safeguard, Mercy Corps screens all potential employees in the U.S. This is done after the hiring process is completed and before assuming full employment.

Our selection process is designed to be transparent and is conducted in collaboration with new team members. You will have the opportunity to disclose any previous convictions at the end of the recruitment process, before the check begins. We ask that you do not disclose any previous convictions in your application or during the recruitment process.

Covid-19 Vaccine Policy for U.S. 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 against COVID-19, regardless of their prior COVID-19 status. This policy is necessary to ensure not only the safety of our workforce but also the continued operation of the organization.

This policy will be reviewed 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 takes effect 10 business days after hire. Traveling team members must meet host country requirements, including vaccinations. Failure to comply with this requirement may impact employment. Proof of vaccination or exemption must be provided.

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