Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions
into action โ helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.
Ethics and Compliance Department
The Ethics and Compliance Department supports and monitors ethical, contractual, and legal compliance across Mercy Corpsโ various affiliates and global operations. This team interacts with and supports all functional areas of Mercy Corps, including executive and senior management, programs, social ventures, policy & advocacy, resource development, finance, and the people team, as well as the various functional areas that report into these departments. Within the Ethics and Compliance Department, the Intake and Investigations team is responsible for the intake and investigation of all reports of ethics violations including fraud, corruption, Global Human Resources complaints, and safeguarding reports. The Intake and Investigations team is responsible for managing all phases of the investigative process from intake to case closure.
The Position
Under the direction of the Senior Director of Safeguarding and Global Human Resources Investigations, the Safeguarding and Global Human Resources Investigator will be responsible for conducting investigations into allegations of violations of Mercy Corpsโ Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment of Program Participants and Community Members, Discrimination, Harassment, and Bullying, Speak Out!, Sexual Misconduct, Anti-Trafficking, and Child Safeguarding policies. The Investigator will ensure that safeguarding and human resources reports are thoroughly and impartially investigated consistent with sector best-practices, donor expectations, and Mercy Corpsโ commitment to a survivor-centered approach. The Investigator will plan, conduct, and prepare reports for assigned safeguarding and human resources investigations ensuring they timely coordinate response efforts with relevant regional leadership, country directors, country team members, Mercy Corps partners, and global team members. During safeguarding and human resources investigations, the Investigator will supervise and manage Safeguarding Regional Co-Investigator and Safeguarding Co-Investigators who will provide on-the-ground support for safeguarding and human resources investigations. The Investigator will support ongoing investigative training sessions as needed for regional and global Safeguarding Co-Investigators to ensure they continue to develop essential investigative skills. The Investigator will also ensure coordination with the relevant Regional Safeguarding Advisor and Safeguarding Focal Points to connect survivors with appropriate support. Investigations will be conducted in the field and remotely, working in a variety of diverse cultural contexts and time zones.
Essential Responsibilities
STRATEGY AND VISION
ยท Manage investigations by setting clear direction and strategy; anticipate challenges and risks and identify strategies for mitigation.
ยท Deliver quality results even under difficult or changing conditions.
ยท Ensure that lessons learned are captured from safeguarding and human resources investigations for the agency to consider when revising policies, procedures, and training.
ยท Understands ethics related compliance requirements and what it takes to ensure a culture that takes ethical issues and obligations seriously.
ยท Leads and enables activities that enhance Mercy Corpsโ reputation for analytical rigor and innovation.
ยท Supports and promotes a strong trauma-informed and survivor centered approach to investigations.
INVESTIGATION SUPPORT
โ Effectively plan and execute impartial, thorough, timely, trauma-informed, survivor-sensitive investigations into allegations of discrimination, harassment, bulling, retaliation, sexual misconduct, sexual abuse and exploitation, child abuse, child labor, and human trafficking.
โ Liaise with regional leadership, country directors, country team members, Mercy Corps partners, and global team members as needed to coordinate the response to safeguarding incidents.
โ Develop and draft timely investigation plans that identify risks and prioritize a survivor-centered and trauma-informed approach to safeguarding investigations and prioritize urgent issues for human resources Code of Ethics concerns.
โ Coordinate survivor-support with the relevant Regional Safeguarding Advisor and Safeguarding Focal Points.
โ Conduct witness, survivor and subject interviews, both in person and remotely, in a survivor-sensitive and trauma-informed manner for safeguarding investigations.
โ Identify, collect, and review documentary evidence needed for investigations.
โ Provide detailed translations of investigative documents and interviews as needed and support the Ethics team with additional translations as requested.
โ Prepare detailed written investigation reports which may be subject to third party (donor) review
โ Maintain organized, confidential, and thorough investigation files inside of the Ethics and Compliance Department case management system.
โ Issue and draft donor notifications following Mercy Corpsโ Donor SOP.
TEAM SUPPORT
โ Supervise and manage Regional and in-country Safeguarding Co-Investigator(s) to support investigations [AD1][LR2]
โ Deliver continuing education sessions for Safeguarding Co-Investigators and assist in delivering annual in-person training (as organizational funding permits) for new Safeguarding Co-Investigators and Safeguarding Focal Points
โ Help identify lessons learned from safeguarding and human resources investigations for the agency to consider when revising policies, procedures, and training
โ Help build trust and confidence in Mercy Corpsโ reporting, investigation, and follow up systems and foster a climate where team members feel confident and comfortable coming forward with issues
โ Develop and deliver training to country teams on reporting, investigations, human resources Code of Ethics matters, and safeguarding.
โ Maintain appropriate confidentiality.
INFLUENCE AND REPRESENTATION
ยท Maintain productive relationships with all stakeholders, including country teams, other headquarters functions, donors, and regulators.
ยท Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are me
SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES
โ All aspects of this position support safeguarding efforts at Mercy Corps.
Supervisory Responsibility
None.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Senior Director, Safeguarding and Global Human Resources Investigations
Works Directly With: Safeguarding and Global Human Resource Investigators, Fraud and Corruption Investigators, Safeguarding Regional and in-country Co-Investigators, Regional Safeguarding Advisors, Safeguarding Focal Points, People Team, In-country senior management teams
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 Qualification & Transferable Skills
- 5+ years of experience as a trained and practiced investigator is required.
- Proven investigative skills and demonstrated ability to act as a lead investigator including the interviewing of subjects of complaint, witnesses, and survivors.
- Demonstrated ability to produce detailed investigative reports.
- Solid understanding of a wide-range of ethics violations, including safeguarding and human resources Code of Ethics concerns.
- Experience writing donor communications and working in case management systems is required with experience working in i-Sight/CaseIQ preferred.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to navigate difficult circumstances with a calm demeanor and in a methodical analytical manner.
- English fluency (written & verbal) required.
Success Factors
The successful Safeguarding and Global Human Resources Investigator will have knowledge of the INGO environment; deep knowledge of best practice in conducting safeguarding and human resources investigations, including knowledge on how to conduct internal investigations in the context of insecure and opaque environments, with varying cultures, languages and education levels; and an enduring ability to move complex problems forward in a timely yet methodical manner. This person will have an utmost understanding of and appreciation for the confidential nature of this work and an ability to coordinate across global teams and with Mercy Corps partners. This person will have an abiding sense of empathy for the difficulties that INGOs face and an unwavering commitment to improvement in the face of these difficulties. They will have very strong project management skills and will be adept at communicating with and motivating a diverse array of stakeholders.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in either Portland, Oregon, Washington, D.C., or remote in the U.S and it may required up to 25% travel to countries which may be listed as failed or failing states. Travel for investigations is occasionally urgent, resulting in travel departure within days of notice.
Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members 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.
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