HR Director

The Syria crisis is often described as the worst humanitarian catastrophe since the end of the Cold War. Inside Syria, 7.6 million people are internally displaced and 12.2 million are in need of humanitarian assistance, with 4.8 million in hard-to-reach areas. There are 4 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. This is no short-term humanitarian episode. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades. The destruction of relationships, communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair.

IRC is offering a robust humanitarian response to the Syria crisis. IRC is undertaking programs in Syria in the fields of health, protection, and economic recovery and development.Our work in these challenging settings gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, security, funding and coordination.

Job Overview/Summary:

The HR Director is responsible for providing strategic leadership for the HR function for over 400 staff and volunteers in North East Syria Program. The HR Director will lead the HR team to ensure high quality and efficient staff recruitment, contracts management, orientation, learning and development, performance management, compensation and benefits, code of conduct compliance, employee engagement and staff care. The position acts as an HR advisor to the Northeast Syria Field Senior Management Team. The HR Director reports to the Deputy Country Director (CDC) for northeast Syria, and the Regional HR Director.

The HR Director will adapt and implement Global and Regional HR initiatives and practices and serve as an advisor to maximize staffing resources and performance, promote a positive organizational culture, minimize risk and ensure economy and efficiency of work processes.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic HR Leadership and Management

• Devise and deliver a planned HR approach to attracting, developing, inspiring and retaining the right people with the right skills to achieve strategic, high-quality programmatic outcomes.
• As a member of the NES field based SMT, determine workforce needs, identify human resource and competency gaps, and devise a development and workforce plan to facilitate nationalizing roles and retaining staff.
• Actively participate in proposal design and grants opening and review meetings (GRMs, GOMs) specifically advising on organizational structure, position scoping, demographic/staffing analysis and other inputs critical to ensure strong HR foundation to support program quality and timely implementation.
• Lead on NES inputs to country and global HR scorecards.
• In collaboration with the Regional Talent Acquisition Coordinator and Regional HR Director, set strategy for recruitment. Develop candidate rosters, actively network and employ innovative, creative recruiting methods to attract and hire the best talent. Proactively position IRC as an Employer Brand of Choice in the Country and region.
• Review and approve national job positions and other requests as delegated by the Regional HR Director, review job descriptions and make recommendations, ensuring accuracy, consistency.
• Deliver international HR management, including policy, process and employee relations management, with support from the Regional HR Director.
• Lead the performance management process in NES with guidance from Regional and HQ HR. Working with the Regional HR Director, create a plan to manage annual and mid-year reviews, conduct training on goal-setting, utilize budgets to organize development activities and work one-on-one with managers and employees to create country wide development plans. Through HR initiatives and actions, support a culture of continuous feedback.
• Define and review salary structure; coordinate annual compensation review process and compensation adjustments for NES.
• Devise staff care action plans for NES that elevate morale and support the social, physical, and psychological well-being of staff; create emergency staff care interventions – both in collaboration with the Regional Staff Care Specialist and Regional HR Director
• Oversee HR-related administrative duties and ensure compliance with existing legal and governmental reporting requirements. Ensure all legal obligations are fulfilled in NES.
• Lead all employee relations with professional grace with the aim of empowering employees and supervisors to have the tools and resources necessary to resolve conflicts with mutual respect.
• Escalate code of conduct issues, lead or co-lead investigations and ensure issues are resolved and appropriate follow-up is carried out, in partnership with Ethics and Compliance Unit (ECU).
• Advise supervisors in determining appropriate disciplinary plans of action in a judicious manner. Follow-up disciplinary measures and related employment law matters.
• Act as impartial mediator in disciplinary procedures and ensure it is administered in an equitable and fair manner and meets all legal and labor regulations and requirements.
• Manage any lay-offs or reductions in force in partnership with senior management and regional HR to ensure compliance, due diligence, communications and staff care.
• Lead exit management procedure to ensure seamless and positive transition for departing employees in NES.
• Lead, in collaboration with other departments on development and implementation of policies, for example, on Child Safeguarding and Management of Incentive Workers.
• Lead and support with development of Gender Action Plans. 

Staff Performance Management and Development

• Serve as a model of supervisory excellence; supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, and leading documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• Provide constructive feedback and counsel on career paths and professional development for HR team and IRC staff; establish a culture of continuous learning opportunities.
• Support the management, coaching and development of national and international staff to build a cadre of skilled, committed and motivated staff.
• Support senior staff to continue to pursue nationalization of senior and management positions.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices.
• Support the work of Gender Champion team.

Communications

• Model and encourage active practice of the principles of the “IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct” throughout the NES team.
• Maintain a healthy and empowering office environment that encourages open, honest and productive communication among IRC staff by delivering an employee engagement and communication strategy.
• Maintain and leverage open communications and partnership on projects and shared goals with other HR Leads at the country level, regional HR and HR HQ levels.
• Provide direct support and advise the DDXB and NES field based SMT on staff communications to ensure clear, consistent and transparency in communications

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:Deputy Country Director, Northeast Syria and Regional HR Director
Position directly supervises:Northeast Syria HR Team

Key Internal Stakeholders:

Country: 5IQ Country Director, 5IQ SMT

Regional: Regional Talent Acquisition Coordinator and Manager, Staff Care Specialist, Regional HR Coordinator, Gender Equality Advisor, and all Regional Staff.

HQ Compensation & Benefits, Talent Management and HRIS Directors. General Counsel Office. Ethics & Compliance Unit (ECU).

Key External Stakeholders:The INGO HR forums and working groups; INGO and UN HR staff; Legal counsel; Social Security, Ministry of Interior; Ministry of Labor, etc.

Job Requirements:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s university degree in HR management, organizational behaviour, international relations or development, MBA, Law or related field is preferred. 

Work Experience:

• 10 - 12 years of progressive experience as an HR generalist, including recruitment, performance management, employee relations, compensation, training and development and HR Administration.
• Minimum 5 years staff management experience in a fast-paced environment.
• At least 3 years of experience with an international organization or international experience.
• INGO experience strongly preferred. 

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• A commitment to IRC’s mission and vision
• Strategic leadership experience managing an HR function for large budget programs in the INGO sector is strongly preferred.
• Strategic experience with managing staff, global workforce planning, and development of HR processes during a start-up phase is a plus.
• Top-tier written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development in English and Arabic.
• Proven sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to manage complex HR situations diplomatically and to effective resolution.
• Excellent management, interpersonal and negotiation skills and a demonstrated ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, in a cross cultural context.
• Proven ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional grace.
• Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior level management and all other stakeholders to maximize cooperation and productivity.
• Very strong proficiency in MS Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint is required.
• Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop and a sense of humor is a must.
• Analytical ability in creating effective HR solutions while adhering to labor laws;

Language/Travel: 

• English is required, while Arabic or Kurdish is desired.
• Travel: 50% to field sites in northeast Syria and regional workshops/meetings 

Professional Standards

IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Returning National Candidates:We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a national of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the Middle East Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation,return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.