Human Resources Director – Syria ( Based in Jordan ) / Maternity Cover 6-9 months

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions
into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.

Program / Department Summary

The war in Syria continues; more than 11 million people have been displaced from their homes and the number relying on humanitarian assistance continues to grow. With a large and complex portfolio of work across the country, Mercy Corps has established itself as an analytical, strategic and flexible responder, adapting continually to shifting front lines and operational realities to respond effectively and efficiently through multiple modalities with teams inside Syria and working cross-border from neighboring countries. Mercy Corps has a large and diverse portfolio of work and a substantial team that works in multiple languages across multiple locations, many of which are managed remotely. Mercy Corps has been meeting the needs of conflict-affected communities from Syria since 2012, with a focus on interventions in humanitarian and recovery programming. With funding from a range of donors, Mercy Corps works together with vulnerable families and communities in Syria focusing on the WASH, Protection, Emergency and Livelihood sectors to promote positive coping strategies and address basic needs.

General Position Summary

The HR Director is responsible for ensuring comprehensive Human Resources support for all assigned team members. The HR Director is to develop and implement a multi-national HR strategy that supports a team operating in four different countries. S/he ensures compliance with donor regulations, legal requirements and Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures. S/he continues to strive and establish the HR function as a strategic business partner, building the structure and capacity of the team members across the country team. S/he provides support and advises the Country Director on HR issues. The HR Director works closely with all staff including Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Program Managers to bring efficiency in HR procedures.

Essential Job Responsibilities

RECRUITMENT, SELECTION AND PLACEMENT

● Work with country and global leadership to develop recruitment policies and processes that meet the context of Syria and allow for qualitative recruitment;

● Work closely with all HR staff in Derik, Amman and Beirut and make sure that recruitment services are provided on time, with high quality and compliant with policies and manuals;

● Ensure department leads and hiring managers understand and are guided through recruitment processes so requests are complete according to Recruiting Policies and Procedures;

● Ensure that exit process for staff departing Mercy Corps is conducted in line with the HR policies and Mercy Corps requirements;

● Ensure country org charts for programs and operations exist and positions are covered within budgets.

● Make sure that org charts are updated on regular basis including existing and upcoming positions in line with the new programs.

HUMAN RESOURCES STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

● Work with leadership, HR teams and across functions, to continue building HR as a strategic business partner. Continue developing structure, systems and processes to enable such;

● Champion relevant global HR initiatives at the country level;

● Develop and oversee the implementation of a multi-national HR strategy that meets the needs and ambitions of Mercy Corps Syria;

● Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards;

● Ensure systems and tools exist to support knowledge transfer of people management topics to the wider HR team;

● Ensure relevant communication mechanisms are in place to hear and address team member grievances;

● Provide organizational design guidance and leadership to managers;

● Ensure consistency and coherence across the team structures;

● Further improve and define needed HR systems, to ensure efficiency and quality of the HR function;

● Lead the implementation of a HRMS across 4 countries.

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SAFEGUARDING,CODE OF CONDUCT & INVESTIGATIONS**

● Champion a culture were Mercy Corps values and code of conduct are understood and respected;

● Oversee safeguarding efforts at the country level, with the Safeguarding Manager;

● Ensure relevant resources exist to define and implement our safeguarding objectives in a qualitative way, recognizing challenges and limitation of the context and implementation modalities;

● Offer guidance and ensure management and behavioral issues are addressed according to Mercy Corps policies and procedures, including leading disciplinary processes or investigations at the discretion of Global HR;

● Support investigations procedures ensuring full confidentiality;

● Evaluate investigation reports to propose changes to systems, structures and processes to ensure we capture lessons learnt and reduce risk of safeguarding and code of conduct violations.

ON BOARDING

● In liaison with HQ, organize and help with the onboarding process for new hires and for the existing staff;

● Ensure that orientation processes exist and that HR and Supervisors collaborate to ensure each new hired national and expatriate staff follow a suitable induction program;

● Lead on developing and implementing consistent systems of new staff induction, and service requests between HR and other departments.

HIRING, RECRUITING AND RETENTION

● Ensure that HR staff receives needed training and guidance on regular basis;

● Supervise recruitment process of national staff making sure that staffs are following all required steps such as advertisement, shortlisting of CVs and interviews;

● Ensure that personnel and job files are being maintain to the required level in line with Mercy Corps rules and regulations, including recruitment documents, CVs, valid contracts, PAFs, time-sheets, employee data sheets, disciplinary papers and performance evaluations:

● Ensure that performance review processes are completed on time and with quality results. Train HR team and supervisors on how to properly conduct and track evaluations processes. Ensure that HR staff maintains required databases to track probation and annual evaluations and proactively communicate;

● Ensure that Mercy Corps Syria participates in regular national salary surveys in order to ensure that that salaries and benefits are competitive within the market. Work closely with HR Managers in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq to ensure each national salary scale is able to accommodate the needs of Syria-assigned staff.

● Partner with the HR Mangers in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq during their reviews of national salary scales;

● Ensure personnel hiring strictly adhere to relevant labor laws and other laws as applicable. That includes payment of appropriate taxes, benefits, security clearance of candidates before hiring etc.;

● Ensure that HR staff maintains proper in-country tracking system to ensure that leave days and salary payments are well tracked;

● Ensure HR staff is providing new hires all relevant documents upon starting their positions. This includes signing of a JD, contract, policies and procedures especially the National Staff Handbook and the Security Manual;

● Ensure that national staff are given MC ID cards and MC emails upon their start;

● Ensure that new staff are trained on time-sheet procedures;

● Assist with operational budget for staff as requested.

POLICIES AND MANUALS

● Develop and maintain a multi-national HR function that provides support that complies with policies, procedures and employment laws of four countries.

● Work closely with country HR teams to integrate assigned staff into existing policies and procedures. When needed, develop complementary procedures that reflect the needs of programming, while maintaining compliance with locally applicable HR laws and regulations.

● Make sure that the National Employee Handbook for staff operating is updated and revised in line with latest Labor Law. Make sure that additional clarity is given to the National Employee Handbook in order to provide needed details. Act as a proactive partner with Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq HR teams to ensure locally maintained handbooks accommodate needs of assigned staff;

● Remain informed, on an ongoing basis, about current and changing HR related laws, policies and “best practices” to ensure that current and future personnel policies, employment practices, and compensation packages are within the limits of established standards, procedures, guidelines and policies of Mercy Corps, as well as national laws;

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

● Provide HR support to leadership as needed.

● Take the lead on any incoming requests from HQ related to national or expatriate staff.

MANAGEMENT FORUM PARTICIPATION

● Member of the Senior Management team

● Member of the Extended Senior Management team

● Member of the Risk committee

● Lead HR Management team

Supervisory Responsibility

HR Advisor, HR Managers x 3 (directly / indirectly), Recruitment & Talent Coordinator, Safeguarding Manager. Indirectly oversee HR Coordinator, HR Senior Officers (x3), HR Officers (x3), HR Assistants (x6)

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Country Director

Works Directly With: Director of Programs, Director of Program Ops, Finance Director, Security Director, Country Director, Sector leads, i.e. Program Managers, HR Managers in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq and HQ People Team colleagues, including Recruitment Advisor, Senior Global HR Officer and Director, Global HR.

Knowledge and Experience

● Bachelor degree or equivalent in relevant field, masters preferred

● 6- 10 years of professional HR experience, including at least 5 years as a manager or business partner, preferably in the Humanitarian NGO sector.

● Experience managing or advising a multi-national HR function.

● Understanding and experience navigating multiple regulatory sources (labor laws, donor requirements, etc) and developing HR policies and procedures that ensure compliance with each.

● Demonstrated understanding of complex emergencies, related security concerns and appropriate responses with experience in the Middle East and in insecure environments.

● Demonstrated attention to detail, following procedures, meeting deadlines and working and problem solving independently and cooperatively.

● Knowledge of donor regulations including USAID, EC, DFID regulations is considered an advantage.

● Excellent negotiation and representation skills.

● Effective verbal and written communication, organizational, prioritization and Microsoft Office applications.

● Excellent oral and written English skills required; proficiency in Arabic is a plus.

● Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.

● Demonstrated understanding of complex emergencies, related security concerns, and appropriate responses to such emergencies.

Success Factors

Critical problem solving skills, and the ability to work out methods to deliver successful programs while demonstrating excellent stewardship of donor funds and compliance with Mercy Corps and donor regulations. Maintaining strong cooperating relationships with other departments is crucial. A successful candidate will have the ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel both in a managerial as well as training capacity and demonstrate ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities. S/he will be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment and be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites.

The successful candidate will have a desire to grow and learn in one of the most interesting and complex crisis of our times. S/he will face challenges with a smile and light heartedness. The successful candidate will be comfortable in asking colleagues for help as well as stepping out of her/his role to assist others. The Mercy Corps team is one that emphasis the value of joy and curiosity. The team enjoys a great sense of humor and appreciates sharing meals amongst colleagues.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This position is based in Amman, Jordan, and is accompanied for international team members. Jordan is middle- income country with excellent education, medical, and other facilities in the capital Amman. Jordan is a very safe country with excellent communications, transportation, and housing infrastructure. Although neighbouring countries continue to experience political unrest, Jordan has been a stable monarchy for over 30 years and the destination preference for many people from the Middle East to relax or gain access to available services. In recent years, events unfolding in Syria and Iraq have increased local concerns over the continued stability of Jordan but to date there have been no major incidents.

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.

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 eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.