Director, ‘Pathway to Possibility’ Operating Model – Strategy Realization Unit – UK or NL location

Mercy Corps

Location: Edinburgh or London, UK; The Hague, Netherlands; Washington DC or Portland, Oregon; Nairobi Kenya; or a remote location as determined in coordination with the VP of Strategy Realization.

Position Status: Full time, Regular. Budgeted through June 2023 (1 year)

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.

Program / Department Summary

The Strategy Realization Unit ensures that Mercy Corps has the strategies and vision that will enable it to be a world-class, cutting edge humanitarian and development organization creating transformational change in the world. The Strategy Realization Unit’s goal is to drive forward the agency’s 10 year strategy – Pathway to Possibility – providing a unifying vision while also enabling teams to be adaptive. The underlying intention is to create clarity and focus to enhance decision-making at all levels and locations of the organization.

The Strategy Realization Unit is accountable to Mercy Corps leadership, starting at the Executive Team level, but also works closely with leadership across the organization, including Regional Directors, Country Directors, HQ Function Leads, etc.

The Position

This position will support the Strategy Realization Unit to translate the high level Pathway to Possibility into an actionable work plan. The work that they will lead on builds on the 3As: alignment, accountability, and allocation of resources – a key part of our new strategy. Together, these 3As enable responsive support to country programs, effective inter-departmental action, and deliberate cross-organizational coordination to leverage lessons learned and scale what works.

Through a highly consultative process, work has already been done to examine key pain points, prioritize among different options and initiatives, and collaborate across departments to think through solutions. Key shifts to our operating model have now been prioritized to ensure we are better able to deliver on our strategy. Specifically, during Phase 1, we will move forward with four high-priority operational initiatives:

  • Developing a vision for where support sits in the organization and clarifying department mandates
  • Simplifying and streamlining key processes to make us more efficient and effective
  • Roadmapping what it means to implement US-government contracts and the changes that would be required to do so
  • Developing an organization-wide equitable performance management philosophy in-line with our Gender, Diversity and Inclusion (GDI) work

The Director, ‘Pathway to Possibility’ Operating Model will be a key member of the Strategy Realization Unit and will be directly responsible for the design and implementation of the structure vision, including cross-functional workstreams and overseeing collaborative efforts leading to effective solutions, change management, innovation, as well its adoption and implementation by the relevant teams. They will also oversee efforts related to the simplification and streamlining of key processes to make us more efficient and effective. They will collaborate and coordinate with the USG contracts and performance management initiatives and ensure that the outcome of these workstreams feeds into the structure vision.

The operational initiatives and shifts under the SRU’s mandate are broad, cross functional, and do not fit under a singular department. The SRU’s work is to identify opportunities with a high level of organizational impact, where a manageable level of investment generates an optimal return on investment. As such, this role interacts heavily with other organizational leaders to design and implement changes. This role will need to successfully build credible partnerships across the departments/business functions to achieve the intended purpose and value propositions of operational initiatives. This includes regional teams, ensuring significant benefit is achieved at the country level and that change is supported with adequate capacity and capability.

Essential Responsibilities

OPERATING MODEL

Responsible for oversight of operating model transformation related to Structure and Key processes and decision gates . This includes:

  • Stakeholder management: Convene leaders for strategic conversation and decisions related to operating model improvements. This will include managing different levels of stakeholders who have been identified as owners of knowledge necessary to make important operational decisions.
  • Initiative prioritization: Develop and lead processes that balance data and analytics with the wisdom arising from the various operations stakeholders. Push for clarity and rigor in decision-making while also inviting diverse perspectives.
  • Initiative governance and tracking: Work within and support the governance structure set up to drive the operational initiatives (steering group, Advisory Group as well as Working groups), acting as a partner and sounding board to the initiatives working groups and as a “translator” to the consultants (ensuring that our process is accurately capturing the language and concepts that will resonate with team members).
  • Team coordination: Connect dots with other elements of the SRU’s work- including driving the changes required for country programs to deliver on our strategy, achieve impact and be fit for purpose. Coordinate with the other SRU team members to keep the broader Mercy Corps team updated on all processes and decisions being supported by this role. This includes written and verbal communication about the approach we are taking, the decisions we have reached, what success looks like, and how we plan to achieve it.
  • Oversee transition from initiative prioritization to implementation phases. Oversee the start up and implementation of the two prioritized operational initiatives (structure and processes) and ensure that initiatives are coordinated with existing work at the agency.
  • Report on and communicate about progress: Build purposeful and intentional reporting processes to provide an overview of this work to the organization and identify areas for collaboration. Prepare regular progress written reports to the Executive Team, Joint Finance Committee and the Board.

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

  • Represent the VP for Strategy Realization, members of the SRU, and Mercy Corps as requested at key internal stakeholder and leadership meetings.
  • Communicate effectively to executive, senior field leadership and other stakeholder groups to keep others informed, and engage with others for input
  • Liaise with and maintain productive relationships with all stakeholders, including Executive Team, country teams, other headquarters functions, and donors; build mutually rewarding professional relationships inside Mercy Corps at all levels.
  • Stay up to date on best practices on operating model considerations across the humanitarian / development sector, and more broadly, to share with teams

PERSONAL LEADERSHIP

  • Consistently strives to exceed expectations; demonstrates flexibility, resilience and the ability to maintain positive relationships and composure, even under difficult circumstances.
  • Open to feedback, having a growth mindset, being curious and actively seeking diverse perspectives to achieve greater results.
  • Maintains high ethical standards and treats people with respect and dignity.

Supervisory Responsibility

External consultants contracted for this work

Accountability

  • Reports Directly To: VP for Strategy Realization
  • Works Directly With: SRU team members, Operating model steering committee, Chief Operating Officer
  • Coordinates With: a variety of internal stakeholders engaged in strategic planning or strategy realization

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 Qualifications & Transferable Skills

In-depth knowledge of navigating the operational landscape at Mercy Corps and or other International humanitarian and development organizations. For Mercy Corps, these interconnected operational elements critical to strategy realization have been defined as:

  • Structure: This describes where key work is done and who does it: key operational units, as well as the cross-cutting teams/services and coordinating mechanisms that allow for collaboration and expertise sharing across them. It also specifies roles and responsibilities, and clarifies the decision process for solving issues/challenges across units.
  • People: This is the number and type of people needed in each part of the organization, including talent and skills management. It also includes cultural norms that go beyond broad values and how team members behave and interact with one another, and they collaborate across functions, inclusive of informal networks.
  • Processes and Systems: This includes ways the organization prioritizes, guides, and monitors its work, including IT systems, processes and metrics that support decision making on strategic priorities, resource allocation and talent deployment.

In addition, this position requires high quality professional judgment for navigating complex and sensitive issues within a large global organization, including:

  • Ability to empathize with a wide range of different stakeholders and viewpoints.
  • Practical understanding of how to achieve change by engaging different stakeholders, including senior leaders.
  • Experience of bringing together a wide range of stakeholders in partnerships to deliver a common goal.
  • Demonstrable ability to translate a strategic vision into an actionable and implementable work plan, which can be managed and validated via accountability mechanisms
  • Strong written communications and narrative development to distill complex ideas into easily understood communications

Specifically seeking:

  • Experience in country and/or regional structures; start up, scale up, close out, or restructuring experience a plus
  • Experience managing large projects and budgets in complex environments
  • Senior level management experience overseeing large teams; cross departmental experience a plus
  • Familiarity with HQ functions, including accessing necessary support, building effective relationships, and navigating complex organizations
  • Experience developing or delivering strategies at a project, country, regional, or organizational level; past responsibility for driving key elements of strategy preferred

Success Factors

The successful Director of the ‘Pathway to Possibility’ Operating Model will translate the strategic vision into an actionable and implementable work plan, which can be managed and validated via accountability mechanisms. They are an effective communicator both verbally and in writing – as well as a good listener, able to understand different perspectives, open to feedback, and importantly able to identify realistic and workable compromises. They are also a strong influencer with the ability to effectively help shape Mercy Corps’ strategy and decisions, and equally strong conveners and facilitators with the ability to meaningfully engage and leaders and their teams in key processes and changes designed to deliver on our Pathway to Possibility as well as build true ownership of the strategy by all and maximize effectiveness in the required changing behavior.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Edinburgh or London, UK, The Hague. Netherlands, Washington, District of Columbia, Portland, Oregon, Nairobi, Kenya, or a remote location as determined in coordination with the VP of Strategy Realization. Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/short term assignment to a field posting. Staff 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.

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.

As a safeguarding measure, Mercy Corps screens all potential US-Based employees. Any offers of employment or continued employment are dependent on the successful completion of the screens which include, but are not limited to our Background Check and Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme processes,

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.

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

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 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.

How to apply

Learn more and apply here: https://jobs.jobvite.com/careers/mercycorps/job/oBRskfwY?__jvst=Employee&__jvsd=si1unjwY&__jvsc=email&bid=nUVVB1wR


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