US Recruitment Officer

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

The People Team ensures that Mercy Corps has the resources, systems, culture and support in place to drive an ambitious global mission while ensuring our individual team members thrive. With the support and contributions of the individual units, including Global Talent, Global Human Resources, Systems and Analytics, Total Rewards, Safeguarding, and Gender, Diversity and Inclusion (GDI), the People Team seeks to foster and achieve fulfilled, equitable, inclusive, diverse, and high performing global teams. We do this through recruiting and retaining the best global talent and shaping this talent into our future leaders through equitable development opportunities, and then by driving strategic partnership at all levels of the organization. We steward the organizational culture through our systems, structure, and processes and align conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion, wellbeing, total rewards, learning and safeguarding priorities; and connect all of this to our core operations and overall mission.

The People Team team is evaluating a new structure to support Mercy Corp’s growth. This position may evolve as the structure becomes more defined. Experience or interest in general HR activities is required.

General Position Summary

The Recruitment Officer is a critical part of the Global Talent team and supports all Mercy Corps’ US recruitment efforts by providing full-cycle talent acquisition and recruitment support. The Recruitment Officer’s primary role will be to manage a portfolio of headquarters based HQ positions spanning across various levels and technical skills. In addition, the Recruitment Officer will provide overall recruitment and project support to the Global Talent Team which will contribute to the overall goal of generating diverse talent choices in fulfillment of Mercy Corps current and long term talent needs.

Essential Job Responsibilities

FULL CYCLE RECRUITMENT

● Execute full lifecycle recruitment activities for roles in the US and globally as needed

● Revise position descriptions and advertise positions through JobVite on Mercy Corps’ website and on external portals

● Shortlist candidates based on established requirements and present them to the hiring manager

● Conduct phone interviews and provide summary notes to hiring managers then work with hiring manager to determine which candidates to invite for further interviews

● Draft interview guides when appropriate and guide post interview discussions, when appropriate, and help identify and execute next steps

● Conduct reference checks and follow Mercy Corps established approval process to be able to negotiate offers

● Utilize applicant tracking system (Jobvite) to manage recruitment from requisition to hire, ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps practices and applicable state and federal laws

● Provide responsive, high-quality service to candidates with additional care for internal or former team members

RECRUITMENT SUPPORT

● Research relevant and effective job boards and post jobs as requested.

● Complete new hire and change paperwork to submit to Mercy Corps’ Global HR.

● Follow up on outstanding paperwork for new hires, changes and short term assignments.

● Assist with candidate sourcing, resume screening, reference checks and interview scheduling for US based Talent Team

● Schedule meetings with hiring managers and senior level leaders as needed.

● Support Global Talent Acquisition team as needed with recruitment activities and related projects

COLLABORATION & NETWORKING

● Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with talent sources in the region(s) assigned including technical networks, thought leaders, academic institutions

● Assist in promoting Mercy Corps as an employer of choice by attending events, promoting through social media, job boards and developing talent communities

● Build effective partnerships with internal stakeholders to support current needs and develop plans for future needs

● Collaborate with all members of the People team to develop best practices, promote continuous improvement and foster information/idea sharing

● Collaborate closely with members of the Global Human Resources and People and Strategy teams in order to facilitate comprehensive problem solving strategies.

● Understand the operational impact of this role within the broader context of the organization, with a particular appreciation on the interdependency of effective HR practices and interdepartmental collaboration

● Communicate in a manner that facilitates cross-functional partnerships and is result oriented.

● Develop meaningful relationships with leadership teams that facilitate joint problem solving and strategic planning

● Respond to and addresses questions, issues and inquiries within a reasonable period of time and keeps stakeholders continuously up-to-date

● Identifies trends in commonly escalated issues and recommends/ implements solutions as appropriate

● Anticipates and adapts to changing support needs within the organization and is an active participant in change management

Organizational Learning

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility none

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Senior Global Talent Advisor

Works Directly With: Global Talent Team, People and Strategy Team, Global HR Team

Knowledge and Experience

● Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in human resources, business administration, social science or relevant field

● 2-4 years of experience with recruitment and talent acquisition related activities

● Experience with successful sourcing strategies for globally representative and diverse candidates.

● Demonstrated experience working in a high-volume and complex recruitment environment

● Proficiency in MS Office, internet searching, and applicant tracking systems and use of social media for sourcing talent – JobVite experience a plus!

● Experience or interest in broader HR business partner activities as the role may include these aspects in the future

● Demonstrated interest in staffing and talent planning in international relief and development environments

● Ability to communicate, influence and problem solve effectively across diverse cultures and geographical distances with sensitivity

● Language skills in French, Spanish, or Arabic preferred

Success Factors

The successful Recruitment Officer will be a quick learner who is excited to jump into a fast paced and high volume recruitment atmosphere. The Officer will be excited to learn the complexities of Mercy Corps’ hiring process and be flexible yet have an astute attention to detail and process. They will possess the ability to prioritize and manage multiple recruitments simultaneously, while remaining committed to providing quality of support and communication to our candidates and hiring teams. S/he will be interested, resilient, possess ability to problem solves and make decision while asking questions when needed. An ability to take the work seriously while maintaining a sense of humor and finding joy in mission of Mercy Corps is critical.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in (Portland, OR, USA) and requires up to 25% travel to the field and other HQ offices where living conditions may be exceptionally rugged or be in volatile environments where security protocols will need to be followed. 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

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.