Deputy Director - Human Resources

Job Description

IRC BACKGROUND

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is among the world’s leading nonprofit humanitarian relief and development organizations. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC’s mission is to assist those whose lives and livelihoods have been shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control over their lives. The organization has been at the forefront of virtually every major humanitarian initiative for the last 80 years. At work today in over 40 countries and 25 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

SCOPE OF WORK

The IRC’s Emergencies & Humanitarian Action Unit (EHAU) oversees IRC’s global emergency preparedness and response activities. The mission of the EHAU is to expand and improve IRC’s ability to help affected communities survive in acute emergencies and hard to reach contexts by investing in people, systems, and solutions to complex humanitarian challenges. The EHAU team achieves this mission through ongoing rigorous risk analysis, investing in capacity strengthening of frontline humanitarians, partnership with local actors, offering collaborative support and technical assistance to teams working in emergencies and hard to reach places, and deploying and supporting world class emergency response staff as they help people affected by acute crisis situations.

Position Overview

The EHAU Deputy Director of Human Resources (DD-HR) will provide Human Resources management for the Emergencies and Humanitarian Action Unit (EHAU). The EHAU employs and oversees approximately 70 full time staff, and works with several hundred additional emergency professionals via rosters and country emergency teams. The team is diverse and based around the world; as such the DD-HR is expected to bring fantastic communication and organization skills, be able to build confidence and trust with people from many nations and cultures, and deliver supportive HR expertise in a manner that drives performance while prioritizing the humanitarian mission embodied by the Emergencies and Humanitarian Action Unit.

The Deputy Director for Human Resources will manage all HR functions for the EHAU and will provide technical support and counsel to the Director of People and Operations in Emergencies, and the Vice President of the EHAU. They will collaborate closely with the Human Resources department to ensure the EHAU maintains high levels of compliance with IRC HR policies and best practices, and to encourage EHAU colleagues’ accession, and participation in organization wide initiatives.

The DD-HR will work with EHAU colleagues to ensure IRC attracts, hires, retains and develops the most talented humanitarians available to lead in emergency, humanitarian action and security functions. They will encourage transparent and competitive recruitment processes, world class on-boarding processes, best practice talent management, and the realization of the unit’s commitment to an increasingly sophisticated program for capacity and career development.

The DD-HR will supervise the Learning and Training Advisor, and the Unit Manager. In addition, the DD-HR will supervise and support the ERT/GST Emergency HR Coordinators as they deploy into emergencies. S/he will collaborate with the ERT/GST Emergency HR Coordinators and HR department to refine and implement HR policies and practices tailored to emergency settings.

The DD-HR will report jointly to the Director of People and Operations in Emergencies and the Senior Director of HR for the Crisis Response, Recovery and Development department, via Management in Partnership. The DD-HR will be a member of the EHAU Response Management Team (RMT, where they will provide input and guidance on strategies and initiatives to ensure HR priorities are reflected well.

Key Responsibilities

Human Resource Management

· Develop and implement HR solutions that support the achievement of the Emergencies and Humanitarian Action Unit Strategy Action Plan (SAP).

· Lead all HR related activities of the EHAU SAP Implementation plan

· In collaboration with the EHAU Director of Strategic Initiatives, Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Unit and HR colleagues, provide technical assistance to the SMT to implement the GEDI components of the EHAU SAP. Be prepared to lead GEDI components of the EHAU SAP particularly around staff development.

· Provide effective guidance and support to the EHAU and all staff on recruitment, employee relations, performance management, compensation/benefits, promotions/changes in status, and general HR issues.

· Coach EHAU colleagues on complex leadership and HR issues including HR/talent implications of organizational decisions.

· In collaboration with EHAU and HR Talent Management colleagues, develop and implement a talent development strategy, that includes the subscription to, or creation of, capacity strengthening programs; position exchanges; professional opportunities; workforce planning and succession planning.

· In collaboration with HR colleagues, provide guidance, implementation and change management support for organizational design & development efforts

· Analyze trends and metrics to identify issues /opportunities and develop strategies to address

· Implement IRC-wide initiatives and/or processes, e.g. annual Performance Evaluation process

· Maintain in-depth knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management and HR compliance issues

· Stay abreast of industry and functional trends, and leverage this insight to develop appropriate HR strategies and solutions

Human Resource Management in Emergencies

· Lead and supervise the Emergency HR Coordinators, ensuring that they are capable of operating within emergencies, implementing IRC HR policies and providing HR technical guidance to Response Team Leads.

· Collaborate with the ERT HR Coordinators to drive forward the process of refining IRC HR policies and approaches to ensure that they are fit for purpose within emergencies.

Learning and Training

· Working in close collaboration with the EHAU Learning and Training Advisor, develop and deliver a coherent strategy for the delivery and performance measurement of all EHAU learning and training programs. Ensure constant and close collaboration with EHAU Section Directors and field representatives to ensure EHAU L&T programs are informed by and meet frontline needs.

Leadership and Management

· Oversee unit management function and staff to ensure the smooth running of meetings, schedules and travel of SMT colleagues.

· Cultivate and maintain a positive, collaborative, safe and protective work environment, while additionally setting an example of ‘One IRC’-way of working within the team, EHAU and the wider organization.

· Committed to managing and building teams according to IRC’s Leadership Standards.

· Other duties as assigned.

professional profile

· Bachelors Degree in HR or related field; Masters Degree desired;

· Minimum of 6-8 years progressive HR work experience;

· PHR/SPHR or similar certificationa plus

· Strong working knowledge of and experience in multiple human resource disciplines including recruitment, employee relations, performance management, training, change management, organizational development and compensation/benefits;

· Success in working with a multi-site/country client group;

· Excellent communication skills, including the ability to effectively and diplomatically manage employee relationships;

· Proven problem solving and customer service skills: the ability to successfully provide support to staff and guide managers;

· Experience in supporting a client group of 100+ employees preferred;

· Experience working in a multi-cultural and/or non-profit organization preferred;

Ability to Travel (as possible): approximately 25% for HQ coordination, emergency responses, workshops, and conferences.

Please apply at www.rescue.org/careers

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 protected characteristic

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Qualifications