Senior Global Human Ressources Advisor - various Africa locations at Mercy Corps

The Department

The People Team ensures that Mercy Corps has the people resources, systems, culture and support in place to allow our team members to 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, and safeguarding priorities; and connect all of this to our core operations and overall mission.

The Position

This position is responsible for executing complex Human Resources support to all Mercy Corps programs with their assigned portfolio, ensuring a positive, equitable and consistent employment experience for team members in 40+ global locations. This position serves as a partner to leadership teams, ensuring the “people needs” of Mercy Corps team members align and are accounted for within the organization’s strategic initiatives. The Senior Global HR Officer advises country level, departmental, and regional leadership on organizational HR best practices, is a resource to regional team members for personal HR needs and collaborates with country HR teams to ensure a connection to global HR initiatives and priorities. This position is seen as an ambassador of our priorities and culture, focus on well-being and duty of care, problem solver and is proactive in finding collaborative, cross-functional ways to maximize the impact of Mercy Corps’ People and Strategy team.

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY & PLANNING

• Advocates for proactive people focused policies and initiatives that align with Mercy Corps’ strategic priorities and promote positive organizational culture.
• Keep up to date on trends in global human resource management, particularly in the international humanitarian aid sector.
• Understands how effective human resource management informs and complements core business objectives.
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to regional and country strategy development.

PERSONAL LEADERSHIP

• Consistently demonstrate flexibility, resilience, ability to maintain positive relationships and composure, even under difficult circumstances.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Contribute to team-building efforts, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

COLLABORATION

• Collaborate closely with members of the Global Human Resources and People and Strategy teams, regional and country- level leadership, field-based HR practitioners and peers in other HQ departments.
• Respond to and address questions, issues and inquiries credibly within the current Global Human Resources.
• 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.
• Collaborates with the larger People & Strategy team to project manage fiscal year priorities and complete projects in line with deadlines.

HUMAN RESOURCE OPERATIONS

• In collaboration with others on the Global Human Resources and Global Talent Team, identify areas of opportunity to strengthen operations and proactively offer recommendations to management.
• Drives the process to identify HR initiatives and solve people management issues in a manner that complements Mercy Corps culture and programming priorities.
• Develops meaningful relationships with regional and country leadership teams that facilitate joint problem solving and strategic planning, while demonstrating confidence in their role as a leader and advocate on HR issues.
• Approves all offer letters, new hire paperwork, and changes to team member employment.
• Identifies trends in commonly escalated issues and recommends/ implements solutions as appropriate.
• Anticipates and adapts to changing HR support needs within the organization and is an active participant in change management.
• Communicates effectively. Understands how to approach conversations differently, given audience and situation dynamics, in order to achieve desired results.
• Participates as a first point-of-contact for performance management issues and concerns. Escalates issues internally as necessary.
• In collaboration with the HR field leaders and Senior Management Team, support the implementation of HR Internal Audit recommendations.
• Collaborates with country HR practitioners. Supports a community of information sharing, inter-regional problem solving and standardizes a community of practice.
• Creates peer global mentorship opportunities for country HR team members
• Triages and implements improvements in country-based HR systems and processes in a manner consistent with established Mercy Corps Global HR practice.
• Supports initial analysis alongside Case Manager for Integrity Hotline complaints.
• Investigates Code of Ethics and other HR related complaints raised through the Integrity Hotline and the Global HR Team.
• Works with the department or country team to take appropriate corrective action addressing and resolving issues related to recommendations outlined in investigation reports.
• Conducts exit interviews for team members completing service with Mercy Corps and escalates issues as needed.

HR ADVISORY

• With the Global HR Director and Senior Management, manage employee relations issues for both domestic and expatriate team members.
• Advises country teams and departments on organizational structure challenges and improvements.
• Advises country HR practitioners and department heads on salary scale review, benchmarking for job changes, and compensation best practices.
• Advises on international consultancy decisions and approves all consultancy agreements for respective regional portfolios.
• Advises stakeholders, including Talent Acquisition, on creative approaches to employment categories, transfers and hiring.
• Advises managers, Senior Leaders, and Global People Team with compensation issues to ensure fair and equitable application of compensation policy as well as assisting team members with pay related issues.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Develop the capacity of the team with a deep understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence and continued learning.
• Directly manage the portfolios to identify gaps or points of high volume, work with HR Officers to adjust for a balanced portfolio load. Be proactive in ensuring there is sufficient support available to meet the demands.

SECURITY & EMERGENCY RESPONSE

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
• Serve as part of the Regional Crisis Management Teams as needed responding to emergencies and crisis situations.
• Advise Senior Leadership Teams and Country HR Teams on emergency response guidance and best practices as needed.
• Serve as the first point of contact for team members experiencing an emergency and connect team members with appropriate resources as needed.
• As appropriate, track and trace emergencies as they relate to team members at Mercy Corps.
• Assist Security and Public Health Teams during emergency situations as they relate to the Mercy Corps’ benefits for team members or communications with team members.
• Support with registration and employment law for new programs and mission start ups or close outs globally.

Supervisory Responsibility: GHR Officer(s)

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director of Global Human Resources

Works Directly With: Global Human Resources, Talent Acquisition and other People and Strategy team members; International Finance; Corporate Accounting; Regional Program Teams; Regional and country- level leadership; other internal stakeholders.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• A demonstrated top performer with energy, intelligence, strong analytical skills and highly evolved interpersonal skills.
• Minimum of 5-6 years of experience working in Human Resource, including Talent Acquisition. Experience in roles consulting with management on management practices (i.e. HR Business Partner) highly preferred.
• BA/BS in Human Resources, Business Administration or related field, preferred.
• English & French language proficiency required, other major languages
• Experience working in an international or insecure environment.
• Demonstrated history of providing excellent customer service and a high level of attention to detail
• Demonstrated knowledge of human resource management techniques that meet the needs of a globally dispersed workforce.
• Demonstrated experience working to solve emergency and crisis situations, as they relate to Human Resource best practices and People related coordination.
• A historically demonstrated ability to maintain confidential information.
• Must have strong analytical, mathematical and problem solving skills, effective organizational and interpersonal skills; strong written and verbal communication.
• Demonstrated ability to manage workload in a remote work arrangement. Able to maintain operational consistency with other team members and actively keep management informed.
• Proven experience and intermediate skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook, as well as the ability to navigate the Internet/intranet.

Success Factors

The successful team member will be an avid learner, self-directed, innovative and action orientated. Furthermore, they must have the ability to work independently, employ effective time management skills, handle frequent interruptions and shift priorities, exhibit effective customer service skills and work effectively with a wide variety of individuals including team members based overseas. Additionally, the individual will thrive in a fast paced environment prone to rapid change and be willing to increase his/her responsibility level in the assigned areas. The most successful Mercy Corps team members have a positive approach, a strong commitment to team work and personal accountability and the ability to be flexible and ensure that effective communication is a priority in all situations.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in a relevant Africa Mercy Corps’ location and may require some travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited.

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

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 e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.