Program Manager, National Committee on North Korea

Location: Washington, DC, USA

Position Status: Full-time, Regular

Salary Level: The salary range for this role is $64,000 - $70,000 USD.

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.

National Committee on North Korea

The National Committee on North Korea (NCNK), a Mercy Corps project, supports and facilitates principled engagement between the U.S. and North Korea in order to promote peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and to improve the lives of the North Korean people. NCNK’s staff focus on an array of topics to make progress toward these goals, including by working to reduce the threat of North Korea’s nuclear program and to ensure that humanitarian organizations are able to provide assistance to the neediest of North Korea’s citizens. Additionally, NCNK serves to share information among its members and advance their work. Finally, NCNK works to provide policymakers, Congress, and the broader public with substantive and balanced information about North Korea.

Essential Responsibilities

RESEARCH AND WRITING

• Research and analyze relevant issues and developments to NCNK’s mission, including US-North Korea diplomatic developments, US domestic and foreign policy, North Korean internal developments, and security situation on the Korean Peninsula;
• Manage NCNK’s written publications, including its issue briefs and special reports by developing new concepts for issue briefs, drafting or editing issue briefs, identifying potential writers for special reports, and managing the drafting process for special reports.

GRANT MANAGEMENT

• Manage NCNK grants, including drafting grant proposals and reports, implementing deliverables, and tracking spending according to operational budget.

STRATEGY AND PLANNING

• Collaborates with the NCNK staff and membership to develop strategy and influence on promoting principled engagement between the United States and North Korea;
• Develop new initiatives for NCNK programming, including conferences, public events, closed meetings, and Next Generation professional development.

INFLUENCE AND REPRESENTATION

• Represent NCNK at public forums, think/policy tank panel discussions and briefings, and relevant international and multilateral institutional events;

• Build and maintain strong relationships with USG officials and Congressional staff;

• Engage and work closely with NCNK membership to advance shared interests;

• Supports NCNK Executive Director and staff, including through drafting remarks, developing policy positions, and providing staffing assistance.

Supervisory Responsibility

• Supervise Program Coordinator in conjunction with Executive Director

• Manage the recruitment and role responsibilities for NCNK’s internship program

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Keith Luse, Executive Director, NCNK

Works Directly With: Marisa McPherson, Program Coordinator, NCNK

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

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, as well as demonstrated ability to conduct in-depth research.
• Demonstrated understanding of policy issues related to North Korea and Northeast Asia, as well as knowledge of the U.S. policymaking process.
• 4+ years of relevant work experience.
• Graduate degree or commensurate work experience required.
• Fluent (native-speaker level) in written and spoken English; Korean language skills desired.
• Significant experience with office productivity software such as Microsoft Office and Google Docs.
• Experience with website content management systems, desktop publishing software, or graphic design are all a plus.

Success Factors

As part of a small team looking to expand its programming and visibility, a successful candidate must be proactive, flexible, and detail-oriented. He or she will support engagement with North Korea, and have an ongoing interest in researching and writing about topics ranging from nuclear proliferation, to humanitarian assistance, to inter-Korean relations. The candidate must be an effective communicator, and have excellent judgment in handling confidential matters appropriately. To grow in this position, the candidate should have the ability to build relations with a wide range of people in the DPRK policy community and the U.S. government.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Washington, DC. Domestic or international travel for this position may be possible, but will be infrequent.

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.

As a safeguarding measure, Mercy Corps screens all potential US-Based employees. Any offers of employment or continued employment are dependent on the successful completion of the screens which include, but are not limited to our Background Check and Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme processes,

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.

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

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 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.