Senior Advisor, Executive Office (12 months leave cover) - UK

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.

Mercy Corps Europe

Mercy Corps in Europe (MCE) has grown rapidly both in terms of the volume of activity and its complexity. With offices in Edinburgh, London Geneva and The Hague, we now attract over £100m in income, and employ around 100 domestic and expatriate team members. The breadth and impact of our programmes makes Mercy Corps a unique and truly rewarding place to work. Our teams are proud of what we achieve in the field and we are always looking for talented individuals who share our passion and commitment.

Position Summary

The Senior Advisor will function as a key member of the European Senior Leadership Team (ESLT), working with other Directors on specific projects to implement and deliver Mercy Corps vision, mission and strategic priorities. You will engage and lead on strategic opportunities and cross organisational projects depending on the shifting requirements of the organisation, setting clear direction and strategy whilst ensuring outcomes, results and lessons learnt are effectively communicated to relevant stakeholders.You will advise and support the Executive Director and the other members of the senior leadership team to strengthen decision making, communications and progress towards achieving stated objectives. Employing your knowledge of Mercy Corps’ priorities as well as global opportunities, the Senior Advisor will participate and lead on strategic initiatives. You will drive functional integration and cohesion between relevant teams and colleagues, in collaboration with the Executive Director, organising and gathering information from various departments and meetings, reporting that information, along with recommendations, back to Senior Leadership. A particular focus will be on strategic initiatives that may not neatly fit into one specific department’s remit.

The Senior Advisor oversees all internal leadership communications from within Europe, working closely with Media & Communications colleagues, ensuring regular and effective communications and feedback processes. Working closely with colleagues across Mercy Corps, you will support the development and delivery of internal communications across the global agency, helping to embed the European voice where relevant.

You will deploy specialised expertise, provide direct project management, counsel and advice in support of Mercy Corps’ mission. You will advise and support the Executive Director, acting as a sounding board as well as a representative for them across the organisation, demonstrating flexibility and the ability to maintain strong, positive relationships even under difficult circumstances. You will utilise knowledge of organisational priorities to ensure the Executive Director is best placed to achieve strategic aims.

The Senior Advisor ensures that the Executive Office is functioning smoothly and effectively, and will deliver high level communications, problem solving, decision making and coordination. The Senior Advisor will supervise the work of the Administrative Support Officer to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the Executive Office, providing support to the Executive Director in their representational and management roles. You will supervise the development and delivery of processes which increase the efficiency of the Executive Office.

Key to success in this role is working collaboratively with team members across Mercy Corps, which will require a strong analytical mind and a focus on process improvement.

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGIC ADVISORY SUPPORT

• Utilise knowledge of organisation priorities & global opportunities to ensure the Executive Director is best placed to achieve strategic aims
• Advise and lead on strategic opportunities and cross organisational projects to strengthen decision making, communications and progress towards achieving stated objectives
• Provide advice, analysis and executive coordination and support to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the Executive Office
  • Provide advice and support to the European Senior Leadership Team with strategic planning & decision making
  • Develop & maintain strong, supportive working relationships across Mercy Corps teams to ensure effective cross-team information sharing and collaboration
  • In partnership with the Executive Director, manage the development of the European Strategy. Coordinate and oversee any necessary updates, and work with the ESLT to ensure the delivery of the Strategic Objectives are captured and communicated to internal stakeholders
  • Act as primary liaison between Executive Director and ELC
  • Support the Executive Director with the delivery of the ELC’s aims and objectives, inclusive of maintaining & delivering an engagement strategy
    • Represent the Executive Director and Mercy Corps in an appropriate manner and communicate and liaise professionally with internal and external contacts
    • Line manage the Administrative Support Officer to ensure structured, efficient and highly effective planning, executive and administrative support to the Executive Office
    • Support participation in key global forums, utilising your knowledge of the networks and understanding of agency priorities to maximise impact of Executive Director’s attendance

      INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

      • Oversee all internal leadership communications from within Europe, working closely with Media & Communications colleagues, ensuring regular and effective communications and feedback processes
      • Develop a regular schedule for disseminating information across a range of internal platforms to provide all team members with regular, meaningful and consistent information
      • Support on the development and delivery of internal communications across the global agency, ensuring the European voice is accurately captured and represented
      • Utilise awareness of global priorities to work with other members of the ESLT on the delivery of any European-specific internal communications to the global team
      • Participate in internal communications working groups and maintain close working relationships with counterparts across departments
        • Identify opportunities whereby internal communications can help successfully deliver internal initiatives, with a particular emphasis on managing organisational change effectively

          BOARD OF DIRECTORS & GOVERNANCE

          • Work in partnership with General Counsel’s office and CEO’s office on matters pertaining to governance of Mercy Corps
          • Assist in identifying key events at which Board and Committee members could represent Mercy Corps, and coordinate with relevant team members to provide support in the lead up to such events
            • Foster strong and productive relationships across the Boards
            • Prepare and monitor the Board budget providing reports as requested

              SPECIAL PROJECTS

              • Coordinate, support, and (where appropriate) lead special initiatives

                Supervisory Responsibility Administrative Support Officer