Deputy Director Human Resources

Job Overview

The Deputy Director HR is responsible for providing strategic leadership for the HR function for over 1200 staff and 1700 incentive workers across the Country Program. The Deputy Director HR 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 Country Director, Senior Management Team, and other senior positions. The Deputy Director HR reports to the Ethiopia Country Director and is a member of the Senior Management Team.

The Deputy Director HR will adapt and implement Global 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. 

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. This will also include a remote management context.
• As a member of the SMT, determine workforce needs, identify human resource and competency gaps, and plan a development and workforce plan and retention strategy for staff.
• Actively participate in proposal design and grants opening and review meetings specifically advising on organizational structure, position scoping, demographic/staffing analysis, and other inputs critical to ensure a strong HR foundation to support program quality.
• Conduct monthly and quarterly strategic HR metrics and analysis to inform Senior Management Team and Regional HR decision-making, lead on country program inputs to global HR Operations scorecards & priority Metrix and Gender Equality initiatives.
• In collaboration with the Country team and Recruitment team, set a 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.
• Review and approve job position requests, job descriptions, and make recommendations, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
• Deliver international HR management, including policy, process, and employee relations management, with support from Regional HR Director.
• Lead the performance management process with guidance from Regional, HQ HR, and the Country Director. Create a plan to manage annual and mid-year reviews, conduct training on goal setting, utilization of 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.
• Participate in budget preparation and provide strategic compensation analysis to drive the nationalization strategy and ability to attract high-quality talent. Define and review the salary structure; coordinate the annual compensation review process and compensation adjustments.
• Manage benefit plans and communicate updates and conduct information campaigns for national and international staff.
• Devise staff care action plans 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 unit.
• Oversee HR-related administrative duties and ensure compliance with existing legal and governmental reporting requirements. Ensuring all legal obligations are fulfilled.
• Lead all employee relations in a professional manner 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 that it meets all legal and labor regulations and requirements.
• Manage any lay-offs or reductions in the workforce in partnership with senior management and carry out due diligence in compliance with legal frameworks and IRC country and global policies, risk reduction techniques, communications, and staff care.
• Lead exit management procedure to ensure a seamless and positive transition for departing employees and analyze turnover and exit interviews to make real-time, continuous improvement utilizing learnings to formulate retention strategies.

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 the HR team and IRC staff; establish a culture of continuous learning opportunities.
• Support the management, coaching, and development of national staff to build a team of skilled, committed, and motivated staff.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices.

Communications

• Model and encourage active practice of the principles of the “IRC Way – Code of Conduct” throughout the country program.
• Maintain a healthy and empowering office environment that encourages open, honest and productive communication among IRC staff and is devised to meet the remote management context, 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 CD and SMT on staff communications to ensure clear, consistent, and transparent in communications.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:  The Ethiopia Country Director and Regional HR Director

Position directly supervises:  HR team in Addis and in all the field offices.

Key Internal Stakeholders:

• Country: Deputy Director Programs, Deputy Director Operations; Field HR leads; DDF; Field Coordinators, Head of Departments, and all staff within IRC Ethiopia Program.
• Regional: Regional Recruitment Team, Senior Staff Care unit, Gender Equality Advisors, and other Regional Staff.
• HQ: Compensation & Benefits, Talent Management Team. General Counsel Office. Ethics & Compliance Unit (ECU).

Job Requirements

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s university degree in HR management, International Relations or Development, MBA, Law or related field is preferred.

Work Experience:

• 10 years of progressive experience as an HR generalist, including recruitment, performance management, employee relations, compensation, training and development and HR Administration.
• Minimum 5 years strategic leadership experience managing own HR function for large budget programs and/ in a fast-paced environment in the INGO sector is strongly preferred.
• At least 3 years of experience with an international organization or international experience.
• Remote management experience is a plus.
• Strategic experience with managing staff, workforce planning, and the development of HR processes during a start-up phase is a plus.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Superior remote management skills
• Top-tier wrote, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development in English and other national languages.
• 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.
• Demonstrated experience in managing and capacity strengthening of staff.
• Proven ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional manner.
• Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior level management and all other stakeholders to maximize cooperation and productivity.
• Analytical ability in creating effective HR solutions while adhering to labor laws; Working knowledge of Ethiopian labor law is a plus.
• A commitment to IRC’s mission and vision.

Language/Travel:

• Language: English
• Travel: Frequent travels to fields.

How to Apply

Candidates meeting the above qualifications are encouraged to apply only through the below IRC On-line recruitment website: 

External ? https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/22569?c=rescue

Internal ? https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/2/home/requisition/22569?c=rescue

Please include 3 references from current and former employers.

Applications will not be returned. IRC discourages phone calls or personal visits.

Only applicants meeting the minimum qualification will be short listed and contacted.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Your application letter/cover letter must include the following information.

• Name of the position you have applied for
• Date of application
• Summary of  your qualifications and experience
• Motivation/objective of why you have applied for the job
• Permanent Address and present address (if different from permanent) and telephone number if possible also email address
• Disclose any family relationships with existing IRC employees.

IRC is an equal employment opportunity employer.  IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

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

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

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.