HR Manager Syria Damascus-A02

Background

In the strategic period 2022-2025, NRC will continue consolidating and expanding its access in Syria to support protection and resilience of displacement affected populations through inspiring advocacy and an efficient response, anchored on evidence-based decision making, partnership with national responders and community-driven processes. NRC will rely on highly competent and committed staff who embraces NRC core values, protection policies and code of conduct, and a fit-for-purpose organisational structure to meet the strategic objectives. The HR Manager will be the leading role to ensure this vision is implemented in the areas of his/her competence.

Role and responsibilities

The main objective for the Human Resources Manager is to oversee, manage, develop and strengthen HR functions in order to provide robust, efficient and effective HR compliance and support services with specific focus on Strategy development, Staff care and employee relations, operations, Staff development, training and capacity building and ensure HR system is according to NRC standard (in NRC Syria and its areas of operation. The position holder will ensure that NRC Syria is well positioned to respond to current and future needs and is able to demonstrate strong engagement and leadership in all areas of focus.

Generic responsibilities

• Implement NRC’s HR systems and procedures
• Ensure that country set up adhere to Employment standards, HR policy and other NRC policies
• Ensure compliance with the local labor law
• Training, support, control and development of HR teams in all offices
• Support and train of all staff with HR responsibilities/ personnel management
• Management of the HR team
• Provide regular HR analysis and reports that can be used for further improvement of service delivery.
• Ensure proper quality control and audit of the country HR function across all offices and safe and standardized filing of personnel documents in all offices
• Promote the rights of IDPs/returnees in line with the advocacy strategy
• Proactively provide technical support to Area Managers, HR Team Leads & HR Officers in running an effective HR function in the Area Offices .
• Oversee and be responsible of incorporating NRC Safe and Inclusive Programming (SIP) minimum standards into Syria activities, as per NRC guidelines, policies and Syria-specific explanatory notes and report any breaches/concerns, in a confidential manner, through NRC reporting channels.
• Promote and secure a safe working environment for reporting concerns/breaches, and that all cases reported are processed in a confidential, sensitive and timely manner.

Specific responsibilities

• Contribute to the Country Organization’s strategy and the Plan of Action by providing input and initiatives and follow up on completion and roll out.
• Follow up and oversee the annual strategic plans and initiatives in direct coordination with respective focal points inside and outside the HR team.
• Oversee the implementation of all HR related policies, procedures, strategies, and initiatives in coordination with the HR team to ensure success, consistency, and compliance.
• Perform audit and compliance checks on all related HR matters in all related offices and follow up on corrective measures as needed.
• Lead the annual reviews of NRC’s salary and benefits package by reference to the local market to ensure that NRC’s remuneration remains competitive and within NRC’s standards and guidelines.
• Follow up and actively take part as needed in investigations and allegations on breaches for the Code of Conduct, policies and procedures, sexual harassment; and ensure timely and fair administration of disciplinary measures as necessary.
• 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.
• Support the Country Management Group by providing advice, counselling, and decision-making on key related matters using a proactive approach supported by qualitative and quantitative data and analyses.
• Lead on employee engagement, gender equality, and staff care strategy and supporting initiatives.
• 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.
• Determine workforce needs, identify human resource and competency gaps, and devise a development and workforce plan to facilitate nationalizing roles and retaining staff.
• 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 all staff and establish a culture of continuous learning opportunities.
• Maintain a healthy and empowering office environment that encourages open, honest and productive communication; and provide recommendations and support to the Country Management Group on related HR matters.
• Maintain and leverage open communications and partnership on projects and shared goals at country, regional, and global HR levels.
• Instill a general culture of learning in line with NRC’s values and leadership/management framework.
• Oversee HR related administrative duties and ensure compliance with existing legal and governmental reporting requirements and provide support and guidance to the team.
• Pro-actively working to support Area Managers, HR Team Leads & HR Officers in running an effective HR function in the Area Offices.
• Staff Care: Ensure a best-practice staff care programme for all staff is regularly reviewed, ensuring adequate staff care systems are in place and implemented across the country.
• Strengthen the recruitment processes ensuring adherence to the minimum standards
• Strengthen training and inductions / on boarding and off boarding.
• Improve the quality of Performance management conducted by line managers across the Syria Country office (embedding a culture of performance)
• Handling personnel cases according to guidelines and policies

Critical interfaces

By interfaces, NRC means processes and projects that are interlinked with other departments/units or persons. Relevant interfaces for this position are:

• Support Managers/Heads of Units and Area Offices HR Staff (Admin leads, HSS, Finance, Logistics, ICT, Risk & Compliance, AMs and Project Managers)
• Line Managers of all NRC departments
• Regional Office: Regional Head of HR, Advisors, Head Office HR staff (Comp & Ben, Staff care, insurance, organisational structure.)
• External stakeholders: NRC’s Legal Adviser or Lawyer, insurance providers, HR & Staff Care related service providers
• Country Management Group
• Staff Representatives & Staff Care Committees (Duty of Care & Welfare committee / groups)

Scale and scope of position

• Staff: Direct reports: 1 HR Coordinator,Technical reporting line: Senior HR staff at each area office
• Stakeholders: Build relations with other INGO’s, UN agencies and relevant authorities on HR issues, tax/revenue boards at state levels, social insurance, HR Working Groups / Forums, Birches Group, staff care service providers (Life insurance, medical insurance…..)
• Budgets: N/A
• Information: T reports, HR Filing tree in O365, Agresso, Webcruiter, Kaya, NRC Intranet, NRC Work place.
• Legal or compliance: Ensure NRC Syria is in compliance with local labour law and NRC Global Standards: NRC Terms of Employment, Code of Conduct, HSS policies and all NRC Standard Operating Procedures.

Competencies

1. Professional competencies

These are skills, knowledge and experience that are important for effective performance.

Generic professional competencies:

• Minimum 5 years of experience from working as a senior HR Manager in a humanitarian/recovery context.
• Experience from working in complex contexts.
• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities
• Knowledge about own leadership skills/profile
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, mainly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; experience with Visio is a plus
• Knowledge of the NGO operations and the dynamics of the humanitarian sector is a plus

Context/specific skills, knowledge and experience:

• Knowledge of the context in the Middle East region is a plus
• Experience with building an HR structure
• Desirable knowledge of the local language Arabic
• Experience in a large and dynamic country programme
• Strong sense of initiative.
• Strong interpersonal skills, a team player coupled with capacity building skills and experience

2. Behavioral competencies

• Initiating action and change
• Managing performance and development
• Empowering and building trust
• Strategic thinking
• Influencing
• Handling insecure environments

Performance Management

The employee will be accountable for the responsibilities and the competencies, in accordance with the NRC Performance Management Manual. The following documents will be used for performance reviews:

• The Job Description
• The Work and Development Plan
• The NRC Competency Framework
• The End-term Performance Review Template
• The NRC Competency Framework

What we can Offer:

• Contract period: 12 months renewable (subject to funding, need and performance)
• Open to international candidates
• Job is Grade 9 according to NRC grade structure
• Salary/benefits: According to NRC’s salary scale and terms and conditions
• Duty station: Syria, Damascus
• Travel : possible, up to 25% (Areas of operations in Syria)