Deputy General Counsel - Temporary (6 weeks)
Description
Location: US Remote
Current unrestricted US work authorization is required at the time of application for this position.
Position Status: This is a temporary (6 weeks) position that is backfilling a team member who will be on leave beginning in late October. There is some flexibility for the duration of this position.
Starting Salary Range: $114k - $144k annualized
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.
Department Summary
The Legal Department provides legal counsel and assistance to all areas of the organization (its subsidiaries and affiliates) including headquarter departments, country programs, executive and senior management, and the Board of Directors.
General Position Summary
The Deputy General Counsel is responsible for assisting the General Counsel in ensuring that the Agency’s legal risks and opportunities are appropriately managed in the most expeditious, efficient, and practical way possible.
Essential Job Functions
- Draft, review and/or revise contracts and agreements for clients throughout the Agency.
- In collaboration with the General Counsel, advise on legal, regulatory and policy issues for the organization
- Provide legal support and services to headquarters, regional and country teams on registration, legal compliance, litigation. This includes
- Sanctions, export controls, counterterrorism and anti-money laundering compliance;
- Safety and security, in coordination with the Global Security team;
- IRS non-profit law compliance;
- Compliance with host country laws; and
- Donor compliance, in coordination with Grants & Contracts Support Unit and Mercy Corps Europe Compliance Department.
- Oversee protection of Mercy Corps intellectual property rights.
- Advise on a variety of complex corporate transactions.
- Other legal tasks that may be assigned from time to time in order to perform the functions of the Legal Department
Supervisory Responsibility
None
Accountability
The General Counsel is the Primary Supervisor. The Deputy General Counsel will also be accountable to internal clients throughout the Agency, both at HQ and in the field. The Deputy General Counsel will be supported by Legal Department Administrator.
Reports Directly To: General Counsel
Works Directly With: Associate General Counsel & Legal Department members; HQ departments including People, Ethics & Compliance, Finance, Operations and Security; Regional & Country teams
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.
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
- Juris Doctor degree or its international equivalent and licensed to practice law in one or more jurisdictions within the United States
- 5-7 years of relevant experience in a law firm, corporate legal department, or organization working in or advising at an international level, including experience working cross-culturally
- Non-profit experience strongly preferred
- Experience with corporate transactions, grants and contracts, litigation, employment matters, intellectual property, and sanctions compliance is a plus
Success Factors
Ability to see a wide swaths of perspectives and to develop common sense and ethically sound solutions to difficult legal challenges, creativity, adaptability and flexibility; ability to work collaboratively; common sense; and ability to absorb and apply new information rapidly.
Living / Environmental Conditions
Position is located in Portland, Oregon, Washington, District of Columbia, or a remote location as determined in coordination with the General Counsel. Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/short term assignment to a field posting. Staff 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
Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.
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
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.