Regional Support Services Director: Asia

Position Description

Location Any Relevant Mercy Corps Asia Location

Position Status Full time, Regular

Salary Level Field Level 6

Current Team Member n/a

About Mercy Corps

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 — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps implements a variety of programming throughout Asia in response to the diverse humanitarian and long-term development needs of the region. Our portfolio in the Asia region includes ongoing or future programming in the countries of Afghanistan, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Mercy Corps is committed to delivering high quality, high impact programming that reaches communities or individuals in need, wherever they are.

General Position Summary

The Regional Support Services Director is responsible for overall monitoring of grants/programs for both external/donor requirements as well as Mercy Corps’ internal policies and requirements. They play a key role in connecting the Asia region to HQ resources and represent the country/regional interests internally with various HQ teams.  Working closely with regional and country leadership, the Regional Support Services Director works to improve coordination and alignment with global support functions such as finance, operations, and human resources.

The Regional Support Services Director also oversees regional initiatives to strengthen our capacity to manage and mitigate operational risks, including setting up support systems to ensure excellence and accountability. In addition, they ensure timely support to country programs, and that the Asia region is adhering to internal and external policies and regulations.

Essential Job Responsibilities

REGIONAL SYSTEMS AND SUPPORT FUNCTIONS

• Create and maintain a regional risk tracker that includes key finance, operations, and human resources performance indicators to inform regional strategic decision making.
• Engage in regular and timely communication with finance directors/managers and operations directors/managers, including travel to country offices as needed.
• Engage in regular and timely communication with relevant support services—such as International Finance, Operations, Compliance, HR/People, Safety/Security, Legal and Ethics—to enable country and regional leadership teams to execute their respective strategic priorities. Track and analyze trends and needs across Asia region, and work with country focal points to manage related issues.
• Provide ongoing monitoring of complex programs and their support requests, participating on complex programs boards in the region when necessary.
• Acting as a senior representative for the region with internal MC stakeholders at all levels, ensure effective HQ and regional support for all country programs, flagging and advocating for support requests from country teams, prioritizing as necessary.

RISK MANAGEMENT

• Engage and support countries across the region to ensure that adequate risk management systems are in place.
• Actively provide assessment of risks associated with program implementation, and support country leadership on identifying risk mitigation measures and solutions.
• Collaborate with country leadership to support preparedness and response to major disruptive events.
• Ensure country team adherence to security procedures and policies, so that team members operate in a secure environment.

FINANCE

• Ensure with country teams that a monthly award Budget vs Actual (BvA) review process is in place, including updated expenditure projections to avoid significant award under-spend or over-spend.
• Review monthly Executive Grant Status Report and follow up with the country teams on any needed remedial actions to avoid significant award under-spend or over-spend.
• Collaborate with country finance leads to produce bi-annual master budgets, and coordinate core budget requests to regional and global leadership.
• Engage with country teams on the internal audit process to track findings and ensure country team compliance with IA findings and recommendations.

COMPLIANCE

• Support country leadership in adhering to donor policies and procedures.
• Support rollout of new internal Mercy Corps initiatives and standards, particularly those related to finance and operations and the other support functions listed above.
• Maintain oversight of subaward management and compliance in the region.

OTHER OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide dedicated support to country teams in the event of an emergency or startup of a complex program that requires additional resources.
• Play a direct role in internal communication management during periods of humanitarian crises and disaster response.
• Assist with the identification, location, set up and transition of Mercy Corps offices as necessary.
• Maintain close working relationships with counterparts in other regions, facilitating the gathering and sharing of experiences and lessons from other regions.

RECRUITMENT & ORIENTATION

• Participate in the recruitment, selection, orientation, and training of key Mercy Corps staff in the region.
• Assist with the on-boarding of senior team members, ensuring they are set up for success and familiar with agency systems, procedures, and protocols.

Supervisory Responsibility

None.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Regional Director, Asia

Works Directly With: Deputy Regional Director, Country leadership and heads of International Finance, Operations, Compliance, HR/People, Safety/Security, Legal and Ethics, and their regional and HQ counterparts.

Knowledge and Experience

• MA, MS or equivalent in international development, political or social science, public administration, business management, or another relevant field.
• An advanced degree or certification in finance or accounting is required.
• 8-10 years field experience in direct program development and implementation or supporting functions; experience in complex/fragile environments is a plus.
• Detailed understanding of the grant/project implementation life cycle.
• Direct experience managing and supervising teams, as well as staff mentoring and development.
• Confident communication skills applicable to donor relations, media outreach, and inter-agency coordination.
• Ability to handle multiple issues at one time, especially in emergency situations, and to organize and prioritize accordingly.
• Demonstrated proficiency and experience with US, UK, EU, UN and other public and private donors, government grant and financial management requirements.
• Demonstrated understanding of the critical humanitarian and development issues in Asia, and significant experience with the challenges of operating in the region.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will apply a strong combination of strategy development, leadership, management, coordination, and relationship-building skills with an outstanding ability to support innovative, impactful programs.  With a high capacity to deliver results under tight deadlines with multiple priorities, the Regional Support Services Director will have the ability to think ahead and decide on courses of action, ensuring that the required resources to implement are available to achieve high-quality outcomes. Commitment, flexibility and openness to new practices, concepts, ideas and change for continuous improvement will serve the position and team well. Strong operational and contractual skills and experience are integral success factors in this position. Excellent negotiation, public relations and communication skills will foster the development of donor and partner relationships.  The role also requires a deep understanding of the region, its recent history, current trends and political environment.  Being a team player, having a positive attitude and sense of humor are definite pluses, along with strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills and a commitment to the values and mission of Mercy Corps

Location and Travel

The position is based in any relevant Mercy Corps Asia location. Travel is expected up to 30%, and could involve travel to dangerous or insecure locations.

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 e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.