Administrative Support Officer, Executive Office - Edinburgh, UK

**Position Description

**

Location: Edinburgh, UK

Position Status: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: Edinburgh: circa 21K,

Apply with CV and Cover Letter by August 11th.**

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK at the time of appointment.**

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. Mercy Corps Europe (MCE) has grown rapidly both in terms of the volume of activity and its complexity. With offices in Edinburgh, London, Geneva & The Hague, we now attract over £100m in income, and employ around 100 domestic and expatriate country office 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 globally, and we are always looking for talented individuals who share our passion and commitment.

The Position

In this role, you will work within the Executive Office, reporting to the Senior Advisor – Executive Office and providing support to the Executive Director - Europe. You will provide structured planning, executive and administrative support in order to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the Executive Office. This will include diary management and travel arrangements, sending communications on behalf of the Executive Office, liaising with a range of senior internal and external stakeholders, and supporting the organisation with logistical arrangements for high level meetings & events. Under the leadership of the Senior Advisor - Executive Office, you will also provide support to the wider European Senior Leadership Team (ESLT). To be successful in this role you will show a high level of discretion and political aptitude. You will also demonstrate exceptional organizational skills and be confident in juggling a range of tasks with close attention to detail.

You will need excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure, quickly adapting to changing needs and circumstances. You will be adept at managing competing priorities and will ensure efficient coordination and communication across multiple teams and geographies. A high level of proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint is vital for this position, alongside the ability to take accurate minutes and proof-read reports.

ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES

●        Provide primary administrative support to the Executive Office

●        Arrange travel, visas and accommodation for the Executive Director

●        Monitor and triage the Executive Director’s emails, flagging, tracking and noting any necessary action required

●        Coordinate and maintain the Executive Director’s diary including appointments and travel schedule

●        Handle the flow of information in and out of the Executive Office, manage expectations, troubleshoot and pre-solve issues when appropriate

●        Schedule regular meetings between the Executive Director and their direct reports and ensure the Executive Director has access to briefings and papers in advance for all meetings they are attending

●        Oversee the upkeep of a calendar of key events for the Executive Director’s direct reports (e.g. ESLT monthly meetings, meetings with Global Senior Management ), including preparing agendas and tracking action items

●        Manage the Executive Director’s expense reports

●        Coordinate external meetings on behalf of the Executive Director and (as required) ESLT team members

●        Coordinate internal reporting requirements on behalf of Executive Director and ESLT

●        Support with the development of MOUs, agreements, and consultancy contracts as required

●        Utilize existing Mercy Corps materials to ensure consistency with written outputs from the Executive office (e.g. external communications, briefings, presentations)

COMMUNICATIONS

●        Maintain and update contact database for the Executive Office, ensuring compliance with GDPR legislation

●        Maintain and update a cross-team relationship management system

●        Support with written communications on behalf of the Executive Office

●        In coordination with Senior Advisor – Executive Office and the Head of Media & Communications, manage social media outputs on behalf of the Executive Director

●        Help to facilitate the Executive Director’s speaking engagements and media appointments internally and externally in coordination with the Senior Advisor – Executive Office, Head of Media & Communications, Director of Policy and Advocacy, and other relevant team members

EVENT MANAGEMENT

●        Support in organizing logistics for global meetings and conferences in support of the Executive Director’s office including scheduling, sourcing suitable venues, organizing any necessary catering, and overseeing the booking of necessary travel & accommodation for facilitators and other attendees

●        Provide support pulling together research, presentations and talking points in advance of major events /international visits in collaboration with the Senior Advisor - Executive Office

●        Capture key take-aways and necessary follow up required following major events

Supervisory Responsibility: None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Senior Advisor, Executive Office

Works Directly With:

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 country programmes.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

●        Demonstrated experience in providing administrative/coordination support to multiple teams and / or senior executives

●        Proven ability to communicate effectively with colleagues from various backgrounds and cultures.

●        Experience in crafting communications on behalf of other people, targeted to a range of multiple audiences

●        Proven ability to manage competing priorities and work streams.

●        Experience in managing outputs on social media platforms preferred.

●        Proficiency with MS Office software required (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) Success Factors

●        Excellent planning and organizational skills.

●        Creative and innovative approach to all aspects of the role.

●        Proactive and able to work on own initiative.

●        A problem solver, adept in successfully dealing with issues of complexity.

●        A skilled communicator, able to develop and utilize strong relationships with staff, partners and donors at all levels.

●        A robust sense of humor is greatly appreciated.

●        Energetic and driven personality, happy working in a fast paced work environment

●        A demonstrable passion for, and a clear empathy with, the agency’s aims and values

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Edinburgh or London and it requires up to 5% travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in individual housing and staff will have access to good medical services and the living situation is of a high standard. 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. 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