Country HR Manager

What we do

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian organization that works to protect and assist people affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence. To find out more about ICRC mission and its activities visit 

ICRC Delegation based in Makati, Manila is an operational delegation of the ICRC in the Philippines, working to protect lives and dignity amid armed conflict, primarily through promoting International Humanitarian Law. Also seated in Makati, Manila is the MSSC (Manila Shared Services Center), hosting business process/service lines for ICRC globally as well as departments working directly with HQ or other internal stakeholders. Additionally, as the ICRC consolidates the geographical footprint, Manila is to be a Global Hub, hosting increasing number of decentralized positions/services as well as Regional (RRN) positions. 

Purpose

The HR Manager (Philippines delegation & MSSC) is responsible for providing professional HR support, services and advice to all staff in the Philippines delegation & Manila Shared Services Centre (MSSC), including HQ divisions hosted in the MSSC and Regional Resource Network (RRN) positions hosted in the delegation.

The role ensures that HR strategies and processes are aligned with the ICRC People and Institutional Strategy, HR Transformation and institutional frameworks, while being contextualized with regional and local needs. It provides direction, guidance and technical expertise to line managers, employees and HR teams, ensuring that HR services (workforce planning, recruitment, administration, rewards, learning & development, performance management, staff health & wellbeing, employee relations) are delivered consistently, fairly and in compliance with institutional policies and local legal requirements.

The HR Manager serves as the main interlocutor for management, HR Partner (HRP) at HQ and Field, staff representatives on all human resources matters, ensuring proactive communication, harmonization of processes and effective support to operations. The role supervises HR staff covering the MSSC and the Delegation with its sub-sites.

Relationships

Internally

• As a red line reports to Head of Support (HoS)/ Philippines
• As a blue line to field HR Partner
• Oversees HRM 2 and the team assigned as direct reporters
• Engages with management and staff in the Philippines delegation and substructures, the MSSC and RRN.
• Provides functional oversight to HR Service Providers (Deputy HRM inclusive) in all ICRC structures..
• Cooperates closely with HR Partners in HQ and Field, Talent Managers, Centres of Expertise, RH/SAN and regional LnD units.
• As integral and key part of Support team of the Philippines Delegation, coordinates and collaborates closely with peers in Support coordination roles.
• Regular exchanges with staff representatives and management on HR-related matters.

Externally

• Interacts with HR counterparts in the humanitarian sector, local labour authorities, external legal counsel, HR service providers and training institutions.

Accountabilities & functional responsibilities

HR Strategy & Framework

• Translates operational and institutional needs into local HR strategies and priorities of the Delegation, MSSC and RRN. Ensures coherence and consistency of HR policies and practices across the structures as well as the alignment with ICRC People Strategy
• Provides input on the HR strategies and objectives developed by management team, HR unit or the institution.
• Actively participates in the reflection, analysis and understanding of the working environment, giving insight to the management team on HR impact or requirements of the decisions potentially taken.
• Conducts HR organizational assessments, proposes improvements and provides upstream insights to management and HQ/regional stakeholders. Contributes proactively to the development of HR processes, policies and tools, providing upward insight from the field.

HR Operations & Processes

• Oversees workforce planning, recruitment, hiring and onboarding processes across the structures.
• Ensures contracts, compensation, benefits and HR administration are applied consistently and in compliance with local law and ICRC policies.
• Oversees payroll accuracy and HR reporting across the structures.
• Coordinates health, safety and wellbeing services, including VHI, medical checks and staff support.
• Ensures client-oriented, pragmatic and efficient service delivery, monitoring relevant KPIs and maintaining the spirit of curiosity, openness to innovation and constant improvement.

People Management & Development

• Ensures effective implementation of Performance Management & Development (PMD) across all structures.
• Engages in ongoing and continuous feedback and support, particularly for teams under supervision but also other staff members,
• Promotes career development, learning and succession planning opportunities.
• Coaches, advises and accompanies managers in their people management responsibilities.

Employee Relations, Code of Conduct & Wellbeing

• Acts as HR focal point for staff representation dialogue and consultations.
• Promotes an open, constructive and transparent dialogue between employees and the employer.
• Provides advice and mediation on employee relations, conflict management. Proposes to line managers and HoS appropriate and adequate disciplinary measures for individual case management of sanctions and dismissals of resident staff members, in compliance with local legal frameworks and institutional policies (i.e. CoC), liaising, whenever necessary, with external legal counsel and ensures that compliance frameworks are implemented in all structures.

HR Oversight, Compliance & Budget

• Ensures sound management of HR budgets across the structures in collaboration with the department heads and management, highlighting inefficiencies and proposing optimizations when relevant Monitors FTE allocations, staffing costs, and related expenditures, ensuring alignment with institutional financial frameworks and operational priorities. Guarantees full compliance with staff regulations, local labour laws, and institutional policies, ensuring that all HR processes, decisions, and practices reflect both legal obligations and ICRC’s internal governance standards. Provides leadership and guidance to HR teams, fostering professional growth, enhancing HR capacity, and promoting a culture of collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and continuous improvement across the organization.

Crisis Management 

• Ensures that delegation and MSSC maintain updated contingency and staffing plans to respond effectively to emergencies/crisis. Anticipate HR needs in crisis contexts, including surge capacity, staff well-being, and duty-of-care measures.
• May act as a focal point for HR crisis mechanisms or part of the Crisis Team in the delegation, coordinating with Operations, Security, and Staff Health to guarantee timely deployment and support to affected population. Provides real-time HR guidance on workforce planning, contracts, and internal deployment of staff.
• Maintains consistent communication with HR team and management during crises, ensuring clear information flow, rapid decision-making, and alignment with institutional procedures.
• Monitors the well-being of staff during and after crisis situations, ensuring psychological support (PSS), safe working conditions, and adherence to ICRC’s duty-of-care principles.
• Ensures post-crisis follow-up and reporting and lessons learnt, to maintain records of the crisis response.

Additional Duties

• Follows-up on all work-related messages and correspondence with the relevant contacts and departments.
• Is aware of the objectives of the ICRC on the institutional and contextual level and has a good knowledge of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement as well as other stakeholders relevant to the position.
• Collects and shares information to improve the ICRC’s understanding of the environment and humanitarian trends and responses.
• Represents the ICRC in an appropriate way during interaction with external stakeholders, the ICRC’s activities, meetings and in the field, avoiding any activity that may reflect negatively on the ICRC’s image.
• Manages and resolves complex employee relations issues. Conducts effective, thorough and objective investigations into HR-related issues as needed/required.
• Maintains in-depth knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management of employees, reducing legal risks and ensuring regulatory compliance and partners with the legal department/external legal counsel whenever needed/required.
• Takes initiative and assumes responsibility for his/her own professional learning and development.
• Organizes regular meetings (bi-weekly, monthly) with the deputy HR manager and other direct collaborators/reports to align, discuss files of common interest and exchange on practices. 

Our values

• At the ICRC, we value impact, collaboration, respect, and compassion. We seek candidates who demonstrate behaviors based on these shared values. For more information on the ICRC values, please visit this