Program Officer – Asia – Washington DC, Portland, Oregon or US Remote (Eastern Time preferred)

Location: Washington DC, Portland, OR; US Remote

Position Status: Full-time, Exempt

Starting Salary range: The starting salary range for this position is $56,525-$64,500 commensurate with experience

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.

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

Mercy Corps implements a variety of programming throughout Asia in response to the diverse humanitarian and long-term development needs of the region. Our portfolio in the Asia region includes ongoing or future programming in the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Georgia, India, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Uzbekistan. Mercy Corps is committed to delivering high quality, high impact programming that reaches communities or individuals in need, wherever they are.

Each region has a dedicated support team and is a component of the larger Regional Program Team (RPT) based in Mercy Corps’ headquarters in Portland, Oregon. The Desk is the key point of HQ contact for field management, which includes the Regional Director (RD), Deputy Regional Director (DRD), Country Directors, Program Managers and other Expatriate and National staff. The desk links the individual country programs to a range of U.S. and international resources and represents the region to potential and current funders and to other organizations and institutions in the US. This full-time PO is a key member of the program Desk team.

The Position

The Program Officer (PO) will support strategic, impactful, high-quality programming in the Asia Region, particularly in Georgia, Indonesia, and Timor Leste. They will support Country Directors in aspects of their country programs and grant administration, including development, implementation, administration and compliance (especially of The Global Fund-funded grants, US Government-funded grants, e.g. USDS BPRM, USAID/BHA), and will play a key role in connecting field teams to HQ resources. The PO will work with the Senior Program Officer (SPO), Assistant Program Officer (APO), Regional Director (RD), and Deputy Regional Director (DRD) to provide support to the field (ultimate point of responsibility) in adhering to internal and external policies and regulations.

Essential Job Responsibilities

PROGRAM & GRANT ADMINISTRATION

• Serve as HQ point of responsibility for overall monitoring on grants/programs for both external/donor requirements as well as Mercy Corps’ internal policies and requirements.
• Provide ongoing monitoring of the status of programs and complete regular check-ins on grant requirements (such as co-financing/match, BVA, data aggregation, etc.).
• Support country team’s adherence to Mercy Corps internal policies and Program Management minimum standards. As identified, support adherence to Mercy Corps’ Complex Programs management standards.

PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT

• Lead HQ coordination for proposals (unless designated otherwise). Throughout the proposal process, monitor the timeline, status of proposal and communicate to the relevant parties as appropriate.
• The PO ensures that proposals and concept notes are developed in adherence to the defined processes, (such as coordination of calls for proposals.
• The PO reviews draft proposals for coherence and donor requirements, and manages submission to the donor.
• They may be appointed a different role in the design process, including taking on lead writing responsibilities, and travel to field if needed.

PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & MANAGEMENT

• With guidance from the SPO, coordinate partnership negotiation & development, ensuring the necessary teams are engaged, to help further program, country and regional interests.

EXTERNAL REPRESENTATION

• With guidance from the SPO, represent regional interests and programs with external stakeholders, in concert with the field teams.

STRATEGY, PLANNING & LEARNING

• With guidance from the SPO, support country teams with strategy development and planning.
• Facilitate learning across country portfolios and regions and share lessons learned and knowledge of agency resources/tools/best practices/etc.

RECRUITMENT AND ORIENTATION

• Participate in the interview process, providing contextual information on Mercy Corps’ programs and realities of the position, and selection for key positions as identified with the recruiting team. For senior management field positions, participate in Mercy Corps’ LEAP process and support the process as needed.
• Provide briefings on context, country strategy and programs to new hires (expats) as initial step in the onboarding process.

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

• In coordination with the APO, support internal communications and ensure knowledge management systems are up to date and accurate to support communication with other teams.
• Play a greater and more direct role in internal communication management during periods of disaster response.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT:

• In coordination with the APO, ensure management of agency systems and adherence to HQ-related Program Management minimum standards, etc.

Supervisory Responsibility

NONE

Accountability

Reports Directly To: SPO

Works Directly With: Other HQ Program units and other departments, including Resource Development, Finance, Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness, Legal, Policy and Advocacy, Mercy Corps Counterparts at MC HQ offices in Europe; MC donors and partners.

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 Skill

• BA/S in relevant field required; MA/MS/MBA or equivalent preferred.
• 2 – 4 years of field-based experience in international relief and development — ideally in the region; demonstrated knowledge of relevant sectoral and/or operational areas.
• 2- 4 years of experience managing development, implementation, administration and compliance of grant programs (especially for The Global Fund-funded grants, and US Government-funded grants, e.g. USDS BPRM, USAID/BHA, etc.); general program management experience preferred.
• Experience with proposal development including support and writing with various donors, particularly US Government, private foundations and corporations.
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation and other learning efforts.
• Experience representing the organization and its interests to a diverse range of local and international government officials, local civil society organizations, other international organizations, the media and the public – preferred.
• Proficiency with MS Office software required (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Preference given to candidates with prior work experience in Asia Region.

Success Factors

The successful candidate demonstrates the skill, professional maturity and finesse required to provide excellent, timely support to the Asia Region. They are a problem solver, who is adept in successfully dealing with issues of complexity. They are proactive and able to work on their initiative. The PO is a skilled communicator, able to develop and utilize strong relationships with staff, partners and donors. They will coordinate with his/her supervisor and be skilled at building highly effective working relationships with Country Directors and their teams. They will harness the expertise, experience and ideas of Mercy Corps’ diverse program support teams, including members of the TSU, Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness and Social Innovations teams and channel them into impactful partnerships with country programs and the region at large. The PO will work with country teams to ensure that we learn from experience, thoroughly research, analyze context and develop high impact strategies. They will be a skilled writer and synthesizer of diverse and complex information, helping teams generate new insights into their work, the needs of their countries and the region as well as how program impact can be scaled.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position can be based in Washington DC, Portland, Or, or remotely within the US (preference for candidates in Eastern Time) and is expected to travel up to 25% of the time – sometimes on short notice – to areas with limited access to medical facilities and amenities.

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.