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.

The Program / Department / Team

The Travel and Expense Department oversees the coordination of Mercy Corps travel and expense processes in partnership with external vendors. With the goal of streamlining travel planning, booking, and expense reimbursement processes while maintaining compliance requirements of Mercy Corps and donor policies.

The Position

The Travel & Expense Coordinator will play an important role in providing support to Mercy Corps travelers. This position helps support day to day travel operations, including service levels with travel vendors, customer service, team member education, as well as process/policy adherence. Additionally, this role will support the operation of Mercy Corps expense management system and related processes.

Essential Responsibilities 

TRAVEL COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION

●        Act as a point of contact for any travel related questions or issues from team members.

●        Monitor travel inbox and provide timely responses to traveler inquiries.

●        Troubleshoot problems that travelers and their arrangers may encounter in regards to travel and the travel system.

●        Act as a point of contact for day to day issues that arise with Travel Management Company (TMC) and work with TMC to resolve issues.

●        Coordinate with Airline and Hotel vendors as needed to support travelers and resolve issues.

COMPLIANCE AND TRAINING

• Understand donor and Mercy Corps policies (including Fly America Act), procedures, rules and regulations to monitor and ensure compliance.
• Educate Mercy Corps employees on the travel system, policies and procedures.

EXPENSE SUPPORT

• Assist as needed with day to day support of Mercy Corps expense management system (Databasics)
• Act as a point of contact for expense related questions in collaboration with Finance.
• Assist Finance with troubleshooting unmatched travel transactions

Supervisory Responsibility

None.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director of Travel and Expense

Works Directly With: Travelers, Finance, Procurement, Databasics System Team, and travel vendors

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

●         Bachelor’s degree or 2+ years of administrative experience with a customer service focus

●        Highly organized, detail-oriented with independent problem-solving skills.

●        Strong ability to communicate clearly and succinctly and intercultural communication experience preferred.

●        Ability to learn new systems quickly

●        Demonstrated history of providing excellent customer service, meticulous attention to detail, and ability to follow procedures, complete tasks, meet deadlines and work well under pressure and cooperatively with team members is required

●        Intermediate skills in Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as the ability to navigate the internet and intranet are required

●        Demonstrated experience maintaining confidential information

Success Factors

The successful Travel & Expense Coordinator is self-directed, innovative, action-oriented and an avid learner. They are able to work independently, employ effective time management skills, thrive in fast-paced environments and handle frequent interruptions and shifting priorities without sacrificing composure or excellent customer service. This individual demonstrates flexibility, resilience and the ability to build effective relationships with a wide variety of individuals. They consistently maintain high ethical standards and treat all people with respect and dignity. The most successful Mercy Corps team members have a positive approach, a strong commitment to teamwork and personal accountability, and make effective communication a priority in all situations.

 Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position can be based in Edinburgh and may require limited travel as needed.

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 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.