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.
The Department
The Legal Department provides general legal services, forward thinking problem solving, and advice and counsel to internal clients, including Mercy Corps Board of Directors, its senior management, administrative departments and country offices.
The Position
The Executive Assistant will provide administrative support, paralegal services, and coordinate efforts for the Legal Department. record keeping, efficiency, document management and compliance with corporate formalities and filing requirements.
Essential Responsibilities
Daily executive administrative support to the General Counsel inclusive of calendaring, expenses, and travel arrangements.
General administrative responsibilities including ordering supplies, managing correspondence, and maintaining staff calendar to track who is out, traveling, etc.
Support Legal Department staff with execution of Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations in order to support the Legal Department’s needs.
Manage sensitive and confidential documentation and information relating to Legal Department matters and business (litigation, budget, etc.).
Maintain and manage the Legal Department Hub page.
Oversee the Legal Department record keeping, including organizing and maintaining legal files, and Mercy Corps corporate documentation.
Respond to inquiries and requests for corporate information and documentation, including managing requests on donor due diligence.
Ensure compliance with state registration and corporate filings required by Mercy Corps Global.
Maintain trademark registrations and monitoring trademark infringement.
Assist with set-up and development of various international non-profit and for-profit legal structures, country office registrations and related corporate formalities and compliance requirements.
Provide document control for complex transactions.
Manage the Legal Department templates.
Coordinate billing and administrative support with pro bono counsel, other outside counsel, and internal clients.
Assist with Corporate Secretary duties for the various Mercy Corps entities; includes taking and maintaining corporate minutes and records, drafting board resolutions, and responding to inquiries on ensuring compliance with corporate formalities for Mercy Corps and its subsidiaries and affiliates.
Assist with planning and implementation of department budget.
Manage a diverse array of domestic and international routine legal matters, upon request; and
Other tasks upon request and as necessary to accomplish the Legal Departments’ goals.
STRATEGY AND PLANNING
Work with the regional senior leadership team to develop and support the regional strategy.
Mobilize support services and risk management resources to enable country and regional leadership teams to execute their respective strategic priorities.
Lead the development and administration of regional and country level reports on key finance, operations and human resources indicators.
Manage and administer regional core budgets in coordination with regional and global leadership.
Lead on measurement and analysis of regional key performance indicators to inform strategic decision making.
REGIONAL SYSTEMS AND SUPPORT FUNCTIONS
Ensure that effective systems are in place in all country offices for the adequate management of human resources, financial and operational field support functions.
Review and support country team adherence to Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.
Capture and disseminate best practices on operations, finance and HR systems across country teams to ensure highest quality and standards.
Provide dedicated support to country teams in the event of an emergency or start up of a complex program that requires additional resources.
Collaborate with country finance leads in producing bi-annual master budgets.
Supervisory Responsibility
None
Accountability
Reports Directly To: General Counsel.
Works Directly With: The General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, Assistant General Counsel, Governance Officer, as well as a wide variety of internal clients.
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
2+ years of experience as an administrative assistant, legal secretary, or paralegal.
Experience working for an international company/organization.
Experience multitasking multiple projects in a fast-paced and innovative environment;
Experience with document control and management.
Experience with corporate secretarial duties and corporate formalities preferred.
Experience with drafting and editing a wide variety of basic legal documents desired.
Demonstrated capability to maintain confidentiality.
Professional fluency in English.
Success Factors
The ideal candidate will have experience as a legal/administrative assistant and a demonstrated track record of excellence and efficiency in supporting multiple attorneys on a wide variety of issues and projects many of which involved international transactions. The successful candidate must understand the need for confidentiality and discretion given the nature of the Legal Department’s work. Attention to detail while multi-tasking a variety of projects, ability to work with time pressure and excellent organizational skills is critical to the position. Independent initiative is also highly valued and necessary, particularly when attorneys and supervisors travel on a regular basis. The position is open to persons with a law degree who are committed to the work and responsibilities as outlined herein. Interpersonal skills, patience and flexibility are also key to success
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based either in Washington, D.C., Portland, Oregon, or remotely within the US (within approved states), with a strong preference for candidates in one of our two office locations. The nature of the Legal Department Executive Assistant duties may occasionally require work after hours and on weekends
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 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.
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.