Human Resources Director

Overview of role

Crisis Action is looking for an exceptional Human Resources Director who has strong organisational skills and will be passionate about sustaining and incubating our organisational culture. This is a strategic leadership role within our organisation and requires high standards and a strong executional drive. The role demands an ability to balance between the aspirational – setting the vision for talent across the organisation – while able to be hands on, on the operational side of things. This person must have the gravitas and confidence to advise senior management and be an authority on HR policies, systems and practices.

We are searching for a dynamic leader to develop and lead best-in-class HR policies, recruitment, induction, learning and leadership development programming that will encourage staff wellbeing, inclusion, and resilience. The Human Resource Director shall work closely with Directors in all our markets and teams to preserve and enhance Crisis Action’s unique culture. The person shall also be responsible for driving forward different HR projects to make Crisis Action maintain its standards of excellence and impact within a supportive work environment.

The Human Resource Director is supported by the Human Resources Information System Officer in implementation HR projects and undertaking routine HR activities.

The principal duties of the role include:

• Team Leadership and Championing our Organizational Culture: You shall play a critical role in helping sustain and shape Crisis Action’s geographically dispersed, diverse team to ensure equity, inclusion, alignment with our culture and core values. You shall help to create an inviting, appreciative, and cohesive team-experience, and support in ensuring Crisis Action’s organizational culture is well captured, lived, and breathed by the team; provide expert input into, and deliver, creative solutions to enhance further Crisis Action’s unique culture.
• Lead HR Strategy, Policy Development and Implementation: You shall provide strategic direction and leadership on the development of an appropriate HR vision and policies that ensure we identify, attract, develop, and retain the superstars we need to fulfil our mission; offer expert advice, guidance, support, and delivery on a world-class suite of tools to ensure all staff are thriving and well; advise the Senior Management Team and directors on key aspects of organizational HR strategy; regularly update the Employee Handbook and all associated HR policies.
• Lead HR Service Delivery: Drive implementation of HR related organizational projects and advise on areas for HR improvement; conduct research and analysis of organizational trends, including review of reports and metrics from the organization’s Human Resource Information System (HRIS) or talent management system; ensure CA HR services are delivered with meticulously and efficiently.
• Resource & Talent Management: Develop and lead an overall Talent Management Strategy / HR Lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, induction, performance management, learning and development, and succession planning; work with the Senior Management Team and directors in ensuring high performance and advising on the application of special measures to address underperformance; help build a pool of experts/consultants and keep up to date so we can draw on external support as needed.
• Managing Performance & Reward: Lead in reviewing and innovating our performance management system so that it is fit for purpose; work with SMT and Directors to roll out the performance management system within a record time; provide strategic oversight and direction on Crisis Action’s Remuneration Policy and practices; and oversee a salary and benefits benchmarking process every 3 years to ensure CA salaries are market competitive.
• Learning & Development: Help to drive a culture of constant learning and improvement; spot opportunities and needs for professional and personal development and ensure Crisis Action is cultivating superstars; identify relevant high standard external training programs; work with Senior Management Team and office directors to create internal training programs for the team to address knowledge and performance gaps and promote creativity; drafting of the training budget and ensuring its alignment to the organizations learning and development goals and objectives.
• Employee Engagement & Experience: Lead on timely and important internal communications around organizational matters; assist with employee safety, welfare, wellness, and health; work with our organisational security lead to ensure predictive and responsive systems are in place to ensure security of staff, offices, and assets; help Crisis Action best meet our team’s diverse needs for connection, collaboration, effective work environments and flexibility, and balance the passion for our work with the rest of our lives.
• Regulatory Compliance: Monitor employment legislation developments in the countries we operate in and ensure the organization’s compliance with national, federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations as well as recommend best practices; reviews and modifies contracts, policies and practices to maintain equity and compliance.
• Lead Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI): Drive DEI in the organization innovatively and thoughtfully and work closely with the DEI council and the CEO on leading the implementation of our DEI policy and action plan.
• Employee Wellness: Lead in driving employee wellness ensuring that staff wellbeing and mental health are always prioritized; work with line managers to assess our existing measures to regulate workloads, offer professional psychological support to any colleague in need, and support wellbeing following periods of peak delivery.

Person Specifications:

You will bring the following qualities to our team:

• A strong commitment to Crisis Action’s mandate
• A great listener and empathizer
• Good pragmatic judgement to lead a balance between flexibility and consistency in line with organizational priorities, policies, and values
• Ability to innovate and devise ambitious ideas that inspire teams
• Enjoy working in and building small, flexible teams, and empowering action by others
• A reliable and organized leader who completes tasks in a timely and thorough manner
• Excellent writing skills, meticulous, rigorous, and paying attention to detail
• Great project management and time management skills to efficiently juggle competing priorities
• Excellent administrative and information technology skills
• Experience in human resources and organizational development or similar area
• Experience working with people from multiple countries and continents, cultures, personalities and across functions while also geographically dispersed
• Be an excellent project manager and hands on experience implementing multiple HR projects
• An understanding of the value of organizational culture and experience supporting organizational culture, process change, and championing employee engagement
• High levels of professionalism, efficiency, and reliability
• Fluency in English (both spoken and written)
• And have a proven track record of a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in relevant fields

Nice to have on your CV:

• Languages other than English, especially Arabic and French
• Experience working in the humanitarian and/or development sector
• CIPD, SPHR, SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP highly preferred
• Networks in the HR communities of the countries in which we work.

Terms and conditions

• Salary: We have set bands for the salary range for all positions at Crisis Action according to each market. The average starting point per annum depending on which market you are based $80K/£70K/Euro75K. We determine the salary for each individual based on their experience.
• Benefits: Excellent benefits package including a very generous leave of 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 3 years, plus a monthly well-being day for all staff; three months paid sabbatical after 5 years of service; pension with employer contribution, health cover for employees in some markets and flexible working arrangements.
• Right to work: You must have the right to work in the country
• Probation Period: 6 months
• Exit Notice: a minimum of 2 months
• DEI Commitment: Crisis Action values and nurtures an inclusive culture that sees the diversity of its board, staff, partners and all we work with as a strength and source of innovation and creativity. We welcome applications from anyone no matter your background, gender identity and expression, nationality, language, ethnicity, colour, caste, race, sexual orientation, ability, religion or belief, age, marriage, civil partnership or parental status. Equality among all is a driving force of our work and a feature of our recruitment. We strive to ensure that all employment decisions are made entirely on merit.