Darlene Janice Nieves Cruz

Multilingual and results-driven professional with 5+ years of experience in program coordination, executive support, and stakeholder management across nonprofit and international development sectors. Skilled in calendar and inbox management, meeting coordination, proposal drafting, reporting, and cross-functional communication in fast-paced, remote-first environments. Adept at managing strategic partnerships, streamlining administrative workflows, and serving as a trusted point of contact for executives, partners, and clients. Passionate about transitioning into a Virtual Executive Assistant role to leverage strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills in support of executive leadership.

Mercy Corps – Latin America & Caribbean Region
 Assistant Program Officer (Remote)
 2022 – 2025

• Developed and implemented the Knowledge Management SOP integrating GAIT, Digital Library, and the Go/No-Go app to streamline regional program operations.
• Supported proposal development and compliance across multi-country portfolios by maintaining key documentation, reviewing annexes, copy-editing reports, and drafting success stories.
• Led community-focused initiatives like the Hurricane Preparedness Program, creating SOPs for grant selection, conducting stakeholder engagement, and tracking follow-ups.
• Created internal trackers and SOPs to optimize administration workflows, led the closure of the Puerto Rico storage unit, and coordinated asset distribution to CBOs.
• Managed internal communications and served as the main point of contact for updating regional program materials on Mercy Corps’ internal platforms.
  
   

Mercy Corps – Puerto Rico Office
 Program Assistant (Hybrid)
 2020 – 2022

• Provided programmatic and operational support across diverse technical areas: Resilience, Business Development, Emergency Response, Cash Assistance, and Risk Communications.
• Led grant documentation and retention systems for 7 active programs ($100K–$4.5M), ensuring compliance with donor and internal standards.
• Supported development of successful multi-million-dollar proposals, including ColaboRE ($2.5M) and the Workforce Training Program ($5M), across sectors like emergency response and recovery, resilience, and economic development.
• Coordinated subawards, maintained partner communications, and ensured adherence to compliance for fixed amount and cost-reimbursement agreements.
• Supported MEL activities and spearheaded the implementation of a region-wide resilience strategy in Puerto Rico, Haiti, USVI, and Bahamas.
• Designed and executed a preparedness communications campaign targeting over 1 million participants during the 2022 hurricane season.
• Developed SOPs, vendor assessments, cash transfer agreements, and procurement documentation for cash assistance programs.
  
   

Mercy Corps – Puerto Rico Office
 Intern, Resilience & Business Development (On-site)
 2019 – 2020

• Contributed to COVID-19 Recovery Program design and implementation, conducted success story interviews, and tracked funding opportunities.
• Supported compliance and final reporting for donor-funded business development projects (e.g., Bacardi Limited, Tides Foundation).
• Assisted with brand visibility efforts, beneficiary visits, and donor requirement verification.

Bachelor of Arts – Foreign Languages (Italian & French)

Second Major – Economics

University of Puerto Rico – Río Piedras

GPA: 3.97 | Summa Cum Laude