Human Resources Manager

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 192-member National Societies. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.”  The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services.

IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas.  IFRC also has country cluster delegation and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

In February 2022, a new phase in the armed conflict in Ukraine started. The intensification and spread of hostilities have affected all of Ukraine, causing massive humanitarian needs across all sectors and destroying essential civilian infrastructure. Millions of people are displaced in Ukraine, more than 5 million people have fled to other countries.

IFRC has launched a major Emergency Appeal for Ukraine and Impacted Countries that is coordinated on European regional level – with numerous country level operations ongoing. ICRC, IFRC and numerous Partner National Societies are integrating their capacities to provide coordinated crisis response in Ukraine and impacted countries. The operational structure will be fully integrated into existing structures at Country / Country Cluster and Regional Office level to ensure full synergies with the overall regional work.

Job Purpose

The Human Resources Manager is responsible for ensuring effective HR support and advice to the managers and staff at the Ukraine Country Delegation based in Kyiv as well as in the sub-delegations in country, in line with the Federation standards and guidelines.

The position holder is responsible for addressing staffing needs in the Ukraine Country Delegation, supporting on the HR planning, leading, and coordinating all steps of the recruitment process, facilitating the onboarding, administering employment contracts for internationally deployed IFRC staff, Staff-on-Loan, locally recruited staff, as well as managing monthly payroll for locally recruited staff.

The incumbent will oversee the implementation of the performance management system, national staff conditions and benefits and Staff Health. The position holder will always ensure compliance with labor laws of Ukraine, as well as adherence to IFRC policies and procedures, and will highlight relevant risks and suggest possible solutions.   

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Workforce Planning

• Support the development and implementation of workforce strategies for a range of positions by organizing and facilitating workforce planning meetings.
• Assist managers in determining workforce needs throughout the employee lifecycle and follow up on contractual matters within assigned department(s).
• Initiate contract extensions, reassignments and exit strategies as appropriate.
• Identify critical positions and develop sustainable succession plans with the relevant colleagues.

Recruitment, Selection and Placement

• Ensure effective and timely recruitment for National Staff, International Staff, Staff on Loan and Consultants to address the human resources needs in the Delegation.
• Coordinate, manage and implement all recruitment related activities; job advertisement, CV screening, written exercise, interviews and assessment, reference check, selection, job offer.
• Promote equity and transparency throughout the recruitment and selection process.
• Organize, in collaboration with other departments, the induction and on-boarding of incoming staff, prepare the briefing schedule and provide relevant HR briefing.

Salary Benchmark and Compensation and Benefits for National Staff

• In consultation with the Corporate Services Manager and Head of Country Delegation in collaboration with the HR team of the Regional Office for Europe, develop and maintain a comprehensive remuneration and benefits package for National Staff in the Ukraine Delegation; analyze trends and review the remuneration package on an annual basis to ensure alignment with the market and propose adjustments as needed.
• Oversee the participation in salary surveys and monitor salary survey data to ensure compensation objectives are achieved.
• Identify trends and design creative solutions to engage and motivate employees.

Performance Management – Learning and Development

• Monitor the implementation of the IFRC performance management system; guide managers and staff to follow the whole range of performance management activities (e.g. set goals / objectives, end of year performance review) and advocate for highest standards of performance management.
• Support and train managers and staff on how to use the performance management tools.
• Provide guidance and support to managers and staff in cases of poor performance and disciplinary situations.
• Advise managers on the Performance Improvement Plans or Performance Development Plans as needed and provide necessary support with tools and the process as well as implementation. Provide briefing to staff and managers on the process.
• Monitor access and completion rates of Performance Review System and report regularly to Management on such rates, suggest strategies for improving completion rates.
• Promote and stimulate the use of the IFRC Learning Platform among staff by sending updates and recommendations; follow up on the completion of the mandatory IFRC online courses by all staff members.
• Assess and identify training and learning needs in consultation with the line managers; support the Manager, Corporate Services in the organization of training initiatives for staff.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

HR Administration

• Support line managers in drafting job descriptions and submit new staff/position requests in the HR system; classify positions as per the set salary scale and perform salary calculations; send out the job offer and draft the employment contracts for international and national staff.

Policy Implementation and Risk Management

• Ensure the Ukraine Country Delegation is in compliance with Ukrainian labor laws.
• Review National Staff Regulations of the Ukraine Country Delegation ensuring that they are in line with the Global Staff Regulations and relevant Labor laws
• Support adherence to the IFRC fundamental principles and policies: Code of Conduct, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), Anti-harassment Guidelines, Child Safeguarding, etc.
• Contribute to the implementation of internal audit recommendations related to Human Resources.

Employee Relations, Lateral Relationships and Staff well-being

• Establish and maintain strong and effective professional relationships with national and international staff in country, HR and other unit colleagues in the Regional Office for Europe, and in Geneva.
• Mediate conflict, grievance, and harassment cases according to set procedures.
• Monitor, advise and act on disciplinary matters in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Raise awareness and promote staff wellbeing, in collaboration with the Manager, Corporate Services and Head of Country Delegation, organize team building activities.

Support services to Integrated Partner National Societies in Ukraine

• Ensure regular communication with the Partner National Societies on HR practices and ensure the regulations are followed.
• Hold discussions on anticipated staffing needs with representatives of Partner National Societies who have signed the integration agreement with IFRC.
• Ensure the PNS locally recruited staff is aware of the IFRC mandatory policies and procedures related to their employment cycle.
• Organize HR briefing sessions on a regular base for the PNS locally recruited staff.

Other duties

• Ensure duty of care towards IFRC staff; ensure compliance with local guidelines and inform staff; accordingly, act as a focal point for Staff Health and in case of medical evacuation.
• Contribute and provide input on the HR budget.
• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely human resource reports to allow management to take decisions and manage operations effectively.
• Ensure medical and life insurance coverage is in place for national staff, collaborating on choosing the most suitable provider through comparative bidding process.

Education

Required:

• University degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or relevant field.

Experience

Required:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience, with significant, broad based experience in Human Resources domain.
• At least 3 years previous experience in a management role Ukraine.
• Demonstrated HR professional experience in an international matrix organization in the humanitarian sector (movement, iNGO, NGO).
• Experience in facilitating and supporting management and staff in HR related matters and handling employee relations.
• Experience in payroll cycle management.

Preferred:

• Experience working in a Red Cross or Red Crescent National Society and/or IFRC and/or ICRC.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required:

• Very good knowledge of the Labor Law in Ukraine.
• Demonstrated mentoring, consulting, and coaching skills. 
• People oriented with ethical mindset; Act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Proactively proposing steps of improvement and independently driving tasks forward to completion. Strong follow-through on commitments is an essential requirement.
• Excellent active listening skills, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Very good coordination and organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Open to learning and committed to acting on learning and sharing experiences.
• Fluently spoken and written English.

Preferred:

• Skills in conflict resolution and advising management and staff on complex issues.
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic).

Competencies, Values and Comments

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability.

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust.

Functional competencies: Strategic orientation; Building alliances; Leadership; Empowering others.

Managerial competencies: Managing staff performance; Managing staff development.