Applying private sector experience at Mercy Corps
Jul 04, 2015
Applyingprivate sector experience
at Mercy Corps
Who we are• A humanitarian aid agency with 4,000 dedicated
professionals in over 40 countries.
• Annual turnover of $250 million.
• Sources of revenue: public and private grants and donations.
• Activities: Highly entrepreneurial, market-driven, community-led programming, impact investing, and disaster relief.
Where we work
Emerging markets in the world’s toughest places
Who do we hire?
90% of our 4000 staff are nationals of the countries in which we work.
The remaining 10% are expatriates and HQ-based.
What we look for• People with a passion to make a difference
• Rigorous thinkers
• Creative problem solvers
• Clear communicators who can lead, share and collaborate
• People with an interest in the world’s toughest problems
• Visionary social entrepreneurs and innovators
A ‘typical’ career...• North Dakota
• Hong Kong
• Georgetown
• Belize & Nepal
• Thunderbird
• Azerbaijan
• Indonesia
• Lebanon
• Eritrea
• Kosovo
• Portland
How we apply business know-how
• Bank Andara Indonesia: Wholesale MFI Bank
• KeBal Indonesia: Social Enterprise
• ARAB DEVELOPER NETWORK INITIATIVE Palestine: ICT sector TA & investment
• Mobile Wallets - Haiti
Private sector value-add
• Financial analysis – fiscal and social ROI
• Project & organizational management
• How to get things done in fast moving and complex situations
• Market research
• Stakeholder analysis
• Have experience living and working in the developing world.
• Understand business and economics in the developing world.
• Understand the challenges of development programming.
• US and UK opportunities.
How do I get a job at Mercy Corps?
Don’t get lost in translation
• Non-profit hiring managers may not immediately recognize the value of your qualifications or experience. Distill it and articulate it in clear simple language.
• You need to communicate, in a language they will understand, the value you bring to their world.
Elevator pitch• Know what value you bring to the
organization
• Shareholder value = what in the non-profit world?
• While you have many skills, what are the top 3 you can leverage?
• Know the industry – do your research.
Internships at Mercy Corps
• A great way to figure out whether this is your passion. www.mercycorps.org/jobs. Generally unpaid.
• Overseas – Full-time, usually graduate students with some previous overseas experience.
• US – Part-time, typically do not demand graduate level education or prior experience.
• Go to www.mercycorps.org/jobs to learn more
• Follow us on Twitter at @mercycorps_jobs
Is the Mercy Corps team for you?