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.
Department Summary
In support of Mercy Corpsโ mission, the Corporate and High Impact Philanthropy teams manage Mercy Corpsโ fundraising relationships with major US companies, major individual donors, and other substantial (seven and eight figure) partnerships. We set bold visions for the positive social change we can create with our partners, provide outstanding partner services and relationship management, and together build meaningful partnerships that provide value to all parties while creating lasting impact for the local communities where we work. Our partnerships span areas including emergency response, economic and market development, food and water security, climate change, and peacebuilding. We work across many teams at Mercy Corps, including marketing and communications, mass market fundraising, the executive office, and with our program and country-based colleagues around the world.
General Position Summary
The Grants Officer, Private Sector Partnerships, will support strategic, impactful, high-quality grants management and reporting across the Corporate team, the High Impact Philanthropy team, and our Strategic Philanthropy & Partnerships. Responsibilities encompass grant agreement/contract review and coordination with finance, program and legal teams as required; grant kick-off coordination across program, finance and RD teams; coordination and in-depth review and editing of donor reports; tracking and coordinating program modification requests; input on donor strategy; and supporting donor stewardship materials as needed. They are also responsible for adhering to Mercy Corpsโ knowledge management practices and keeping reporting and proposal information up-to-date in Mercy Corpsโ fundraising database.
Essential Job Responsibilities
GRANTS MANAGEMENT:
- Work with Program and Finance to ensure that funds are used as intended by the donor, that spending is on-track, that donor reporting requirements are met, and that reports are submitted promptly and are of high quality.
- Project manage reports coordinating across Program and Finance. This consists of managing timelines as well as significant program report revision to meet donor needs. Support the creation of program-based donor stewardship materials as needed.
- Contribute to other donor stewardship materials as needed.
- Coordinate with Program, field teams, Finance, Marketing and Communications, and other internal stakeholders on grant kick-off calls or emails, coordination of inputs for M&E needs, and input on reporting.
GRANTS PROCESSING:
- Coordinate with Legal, Corporate and International Finance stakeholders to ensure that grant agreements and other corporate due diligence requests are reviewed and completed as appropriate to meet internal and external audit requirements; comply with grants award review processes and use inter-departmental tool and procedures.
- Coordinate with Development Operations to process funds as they are received; ensure appropriate recovery rates are used in coordination with donor and audit requirements, securing senior leadership approvals as required; and manage active funds codes.
- Ensure that grant files are accurate and up-to-date in Raiserโs Edge and Mercy Corpsโ electronic files, per agency policies. Ensure that Program, Field, and Finance data are all consistent and in line with donor expectations.
Supervisory Responsibility
The Grants Officer, Private Sector Partnerships, has no supervisory responsibilities.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Grants Manager, Private Sector Partnerships
Works Directly With: Development Directors and Deputy Development Directors; Compliance, Legal, Corporate Finance, Regional Finance Officers; Program Officers; International Program team members.
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
- Bachelorโs degree in international development, Business, or a related field
- 2+ yearsโ experience working in donor reporting and/or stewardship.
- 2+ years project management experience
- Outstanding writing skills
- Strong attention to detail and ability to manage to deadline.
- Familiarity with international development issues and/or corporate social responsibility
- Familiarity with grant budgets and financial reports
- Experience working across cultures and languages; demonstrated cultural sensitivity and ability to communicate with respect at all times (fluency in a second language helpful but not required)
- Ability to work well independently, with minimal supervision and balance multiple priorities.
Success Factors
The candidate will be highly skilled at working across cultures and languages to produce high quality, donor-ready reports. The ideal candidate will be familiar with international development issues; as well as be able to interpret financial reports and legal and administrative language. The position requires the ability to multi-task and excellent organizational skills to track multiple projects at once. The successful candidate will be familiar with corporate social responsibility, and able to โtranslateโ program impact from program teams for sophisticated corporate and individual donors. Outstanding writing skills and attention to detail are critical for success.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Portland, Oregon; Washington, DC; or a remote location within the US and requires occasional early morning and late-night calls as necessary to coordinate across our global team. The position may require occasional international and domestic travel.
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 worldโs 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.