Senior Regional Human Resources Business Partner – East $ Southern Africa

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Department

The People Team ensures that Mercy Corps attracts, develops, and retains the best global talent who will enable it to be a world-class, cutting edge, humanitarian organization, creating transformational change in the world. Our aim is to drive strategic thinking and planning at all levels of the organization; create a talent management framework that supports team members achieve their highest potential and drive people practice that promote the organizational culture. To achieve this, we align conversations on developing team members and leaders; enhance team member experience with HR services, keep the organization focused on what has the greatest impact; leverage our comparative advantages in the crowded and competitive international relief and development landscape; and assure we are constantly learning from our work and the external environment.

The Position

This position works with the Regional HR Director to ensure effective HR business partnering for leaders across the East and Southern Africa Regional Office and the Country teams within the region. The Senior Regional HRBP is responsible for executing complex Human Resources business partnering support for all Mercy Corps programs with assigned portfolios (of countries, departments etc.,), ensuring a positive, equitable and consistent employment experience for team members within the Region. The Senior Regional HRBP is a resource to Regional HR Director in the assigned portfolio for their People-related needs and collaborates with portfolio leaders/managers to ensure a connection to global and regional HR initiatives and priorities. This position is seen as an ambassador of our priorities and culture, focus on well-being and duty of care, problem solver and is proactive in finding collaborative, cross-functional ways to maximize the impact of Mercy Corps’ People Team.

The Senior HRBP will oversee all administration and operational tasks conducted by the team members, making sure all requests and tasks are conducted accurately and in a timely manner, adhering to the Mercy Corps regulations and policies and to the local labour laws. The Senior Regional HRBP will work closely with the Regional HR Director, setting the goals and targets, plans and KPIs for the regional HR department. They will be a focal point for employee relations cases and will conduct hearing sessions, investigations, and report back.

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY & PLANNING

• Advocates for proactive people focused policies and initiatives that align with Mercy Corps’ strategic priorities and promote positive organizational culture.
• Keep up to date on trends in global human resource management, particularly in the international humanitarian aid sector.
• Collaborate closely with members of the People Team, regional and country- level leadership, field-based HR practitioners and peers in other HQ departments.
• Provides inputs to People Team Centres of Expertise and Operations on systemic challenges and helps to co-create solutions.
• Anticipates and adapts to changing HR support needs within the organization and is an active participant in change management.
• Collaborates with country HR practitioners. Supports a culture of information sharing, problem solving and standardizes approaches to further the People team’s priorities.
• Coordinate with the Global compensation and benefits team in salary analysis ensuring equity across the Region.
• Supporting country program and liaise with the Global compensation and benefits team in updating salary Scales in countries.

HUMAN RESOURCE MAMAGEMENT

• Drives the process to identify HR initiatives and solve people management issues in a manner that complements Mercy Corps culture and programming priorities.
• Develops meaningful relationships with the leadership team of a supported portfolio that facilitates joint problem solving and strategic planning, while demonstrating confidence in their role as a leader and advocate on HR issues.
• Manages and resolves complex employee relations issues. Conducts effective, thorough, and objective investigations of all HR referred complaints raised through the Integrity Hotline and the Global HR Team.
• Maintains in-depth knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management of team members, reducing legal risks, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Partners with the legal department as needed/required.
• Develops and utilizes global, regional, and departmental data to identify trends, metrics and KPIs.
• Participates as a first point-of-contact for performance management issues and concerns and participates in the development and roll out of global performance management policies, templates, and guidelines.
• Works closely with management and team members to improve work relationships, build morale, and increase productivity and retention.
• Conducts exit interviews for team members completing service with Mercy Corps and escalates issues as needed.
• Provides guidance and input on business unit restructuring, transfers, hiring and succession planning.
• Supports the Compensation & Benefits team in advising managers, Senior Leaders, and Global People Team with compensation issues to ensure fair and equitable application of compensation policy as well as assisting team members with pay related issues as needed.
• Supports deploying of All Voices surveys and development of action plans in conjunction with leadership.
• Serves as part of the Crisis Management Team, and assist Security and Public Health

Teams during emergency situations as they relate to the Mercy Corps’ benefits for team members or communications with team and family members.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Follow up closely with in country HR leads, to ensure reports and statistics are shared in a timely manner with the Regional HRBP director.
• Preparing reports as requested by regional HRBP Director.
• Work closely with HR leads in country ensuring having SOPs for all HR functions.
• Support the country programs in the region with the performance appraisal management process and sharing guidance and policies.

People Administration

• Provide supervisory and management support for Regional HRBP Advisor.
• Support the resolution of escalated issues within the employee life-cycle process, ensuring the consistent, equitable and respectful application of Mercy Corps’ policies and processes.
• Understand the intent and purpose of Mercy Corps policies and procedures. Be able to resolve escalated issues when existing tools do not provide a clear answer.
• Assume responsibility for the impact of policies, processes and procedures within the People Advisory team. Proactively assess and address where intended outcomes are not being realised due to existing ways of working.
• Ensure efficiency and consistency in the People Advisory Teams’ engagement in all processes and procedures.
• Partner with other Global COE in the development and implementation of broader People Team initiatives.

Supervisory Responsibility: Regional HRBP Advisor

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director, Regional Human Resources Business Partner

Works Directly With: People Team COEs, People Team; Finance & Compliance; Corporate Accounting; Regional Program Teams; Regional and country – level leadership; other internal stakeholders.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• Minimum of 8 years of experience working as a Human Resources Generalist, with in-depth talent management, employee relations, and compensation and benefits experience in diverse and international markets.
• Experience in consulting of management practices (i.e., HR Business Partner) highly preferred.
• BA/BS in Human Resources, Business Administration, Social Sciences or related field.
• Professional certification in Human Resources Management is preferred.
• English language proficiency required, other major languages (French and/or Arabic) also preferred.
• A demonstrated top performer with energy, intelligence, strong analytical skills and highly evolved interpersonal skills.
• Experience working in an international or insecure environment.
• Demonstrated history of providing excellent customer service and a high level of attention to detail
• Demonstrated knowledge of human resource management techniques that meet the needs of a globally dispersed workforce.
• Demonstrated experience working to solve emergency and crisis situations, as they relate to Human Resource best practices and People related coordination.
• A historically demonstrated ability to maintain confidential information.
• Must have strong analytical, mathematical, and problem-solving skills, effective organizational and interpersonal skills, strong written and verbal communication.
• Demonstrated ability to manage workload in a remote work arrangement. Able to maintain operational consistency with other team members and actively keep management informed.
• Proven experience and intermediate skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook, as well as the ability to navigate the Internet/intranet.

Success Factors

The successful team member will be an avid learner, self-directed, innovative and action orientated. Furthermore, they must have the ability to work independently, employ effective time management skills, handle frequent interruptions, and shift priorities, exhibit effective customer service skills and work effectively with a wide variety of individuals including team members based overseas. Additionally, the individual will thrive in a fast-paced environment prone to rapid change and be willing to increase his/her responsibility level in the assigned areas. The most successful Mercy Corps team members have a positive approach, a strong commitment to teamwork and personal accountability and the ability to be flexible and ensure that effective communication is a priority in all situations.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in a relevant regional Mercy Corps’ location and may require some travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited.

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.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

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 MercyCorps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.