Human Resources Lead – Ukraine Response

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 PROGRAM SUMMARY

Mercy Corps’ Ukraine crisis response seeks to meet the humanitarian needs of vulnerable Ukrainians and other conflict-affected people where they are: displaced inside Ukraine, refugees in Poland, Romania, and Moldova, or trapped behind frontlines. We aim to reach 500,000 vulnerable people with multi-purpose cash assistance, in-kind humanitarian support, and protection services across four countries. Almost all our impact will be delivered in partnership: with Ukrainian, Polish, Romanian and Moldovan civil society organizations through a granting program that matches humanitarian action with capacity strengthening, and with peer international NGOs through a consortium in Ukraine. Mercy Corps is responding to the Ukraine crisis with large-scale consortium programming with a focus on Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA). The Consortium is a partnership between four international humanitarian aid agencies to model and deliver innovative, effective cash and other humanitarian assistance programs to support people affected by the Ukraine crisis within Ukraine.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY

The Human Resources Lead is a new position supporting the vast and complex Human Resources needs of the country program during a time of significant structural change within the Human Resources team and across the country program in general and the process of migration into employment contracts. The Human Resources Lead reports to the Director of People Team and directly manages Human Resources operational teams based in the countries of operation (currently Ukraine, Poland, and Moldova). S/he will provide oversight, guidance and coaching to Human Resources teams regarding Human Resources operations across all countries. S/he contribute toward and lead human resource operational and management initiatives, whilst delivering high quality outcomes, in a fast-paced environment with a high level of autonomy.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

HUMAN RESOURCE LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

• Build relationships and work closely with the various stakeholders to understand the program portfolio and operational priorities.
• Advocate for and support revised planning processes, to ensure HR team has visibility on programmatic and operational priorities and can plan, anticipate, and resource HR support, in advance.
• Work closely with the Director of People Team and Culture and be a thought partner on major workstreams to provide support on moving such forward.
• Contribute to strategic planning both at Response level and across the People function, under the coordination and guidance of the Director of People.
• Deputize for the Director of People when s/he is on leave and/or out of the Response countries.
• Work closely with the HR Managers across the Response and all other HR staff to build their capacity and ensure they are well equipped to lead the HR departments on a day-to-day basis in adherence with MC procedures and local labor laws.
• Work closely with hiring and line managers on a recruitment, performance management, employment cycle, disciplinary procedures, and offboarding.
• Ensure HR services are provided on time, with high quality and compliant with internal HR administrative policies and manuals.
• Support the Director of People Team on a regular revision of compensation and benefits frameworks and other relevant polices.
• Identify opportunities to systematize and improve performance management and talent development and streamline practices across the departments.
• Hold a strong understanding of Mercy Corps’ field HR policies, to advise HR administration processes in the Response country program.

HR OPERATIONAL SUPPORT

• Support the post-migration process to the employment by ensuring the smooth transition into MC country system.
• Establish Mercy Corps Field HR Administration System for across Ukraine Response and train HR team on the process (PRF, PAF, Performance Management, Leave, exit process, Filing system, HCM…etc.)
• Provide day-to-day support and guide to all HR team members ensuring that MC policies and standards are in place and ensuring the capacity of the Managers and the team are built to run the internal process independently.
• Guide the recruitment process by providing support to the HR Managers and the HR team ensuring prompt deliverables. Have a strong knowledge around Talent Acquisition and Recruitment strategy.
• Ensure regular HR meetings take place for each office to respond to queries from the team and share updates and developments within HR department
• Oversee various HR trackers in place that capture important HR data for various needs.
• Establish and ensure HR administrative systems works efficiently related to employment cycle budgeting positions in line with programs or department needs.
• Ensure relevant communication mechanisms are in place to hear and address team member grievances.
• Establish quarterly departmental Quarterly Work Plan for consistency and efficiency of departmental workflow. Develop the departmental RACI.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Provide leadership and support to team members to maximize performance & reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
• Sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive and to achieve excellence.
• Provide support to team members through facilitating workshops or supporting knowledge transfer for HR and people management topics.
• Promote inter-offices support between HR teams, particularly in critical workload periods.

HUMAN RESOURCE LEADERSHIP

• Develop the HR department through taking ownership of projects or leading work streams with various stakeholders across all office locations.
• Actively participate in the HR Management group and engage with or lead HR priorities.
• Identify HR and people related opportunities and challenges, proposing solutions and leading work streams that support HR across Ukraine Response program.
• Champion People related priorities, such as safeguarding and GDI.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY : Country HR Manager

ACCOUNTABILITY

Reports Directly To: The Director of People Team

Works Directly With: Managers across the departments: Program, Finance and Support Managers, HR teams, all departments.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in relevant field, masters preferred
• 7 years’ experience in Human Resources Management, with at least 5 years’ experience at Management level, within the Humanitarian NGO sector, highly preferably Mercy Corps.
• Experience leading a HR function at country level.
• Demonstrated understanding of complex emergencies, related security concerns and appropriate responses with experience and in insecure environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects, a team, and advance departmental strategy is a must.
• Knowledge and experience in organizational design and experience working in remote management is highly desirable.
• Excellent negotiation and representation skills, ability to work both independently and cooperatively.
• Effective verbal and written communication, organizational, prioritization and Microsoft Office applications.
• Excellent oral and written English skills required; proficiency in Ukrainian, or Russian is a plus.
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse team in a sensitive environment.

Success Factors

The individual will have the capacity to lead a team, and manage and adjust priorities, through periods of change. They will have a strong understanding of HR best practice to identify obstacles, propose solutions, achieve results, and understand changing priorities. They will be comfortable engaging with individuals at all levels within the country program and will do so with a clear and effective communication. They will transfer knowledge to team members and lead planning that runs across functions as relates to people, contributing to making advances of the HR foundation that support agility of the context within which the Ukraine Response program is placed. They will have the ability to steer and contribute at the strategic leadership level and translate strategy and objectives into actionable items that are delivered with minimal oversight.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This position is based in Ukraine, Lviv, and is unaccompanied for international team members. The position will require up to 30% travel. Travel locations may include insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited as is the access to amenities.

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 based on 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 and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. 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 e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.