HR Coordinator, Occupied Palestinian Territories (Head of Department) At International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 50 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

The IRC began planning to reopen an oPt country program in mid-2022 and launched an emergency response in Gaza in October 2023. The organization is currently supporting a network of local partners in both Gaza and the West Bank to sustain critical health, protection, food security, cash, education, and early childhood development interventions. The IRC is also deploying emergency medical teams to provide surge clinical capacity in hospitals and other health facilities.

The IRC is working to scale its emergency response while building a longer-term oPt country program in parallel. This effort is being jointly managed by the Emergencies and Humanitarian Action Unit (EHAU) and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with a view to eventually transition the country program fully under the MENA region.

Job Overview:

The HR Coordinator is responsible for providing leadership for the HR function for staff members across IRC’s occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) program. The HR Coordinator will lead a team of HR staff to ensure high quality and efficient staff recruitment, contracts management, orientation, learning and development, performance management, compensation and benefits, code of conduct compliance, employee engagement and staff care. The position acts as an HR advisor to the SMT. The HR Coordinator reports to the IRC Country Director and has a technical reporting line to Global Human Resources.

The HR Coordinator will adapt and implement Global HR initiatives and practices and serve as an advisor to maximize staffing resources and performance, promote a positive organizational culture, minimize risk and ensure economy and efficiency of work processes.

Major Responsibilities:

Strategic HR Leadership and Management

• Devise and deliver a planned HR approach to attracting, developing, inspiring and retaining the right people with the right skills to achieve strategic, programmatic results.

• As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), determine workforce needs, identify human resource and competency gaps, and devise a development and workforce plan to facilitate nationalizing roles and retaining staff.

• Actively participate in proposal design and grants opening and review meetings (GRMs, GOMs) specifically advising on organizational structure, position scoping, demographic/staffing analysis and other inputs critical to ensure strong HR foundation to support program quality.

• Conduct monthly and quarterly strategic HR metrics and analysis to inform Senior Management Team and Regional HR decision-making, lead on country program inputs to global HR scorecards.

• In collaboration with the Recruitment Team, set strategy for recruitment; develop candidate rosters, actively network and employ innovative, creative recruiting methods to attract and hire the best talent. Proactively position IRC as an Employer Brand of Choice in the country and region.

• Review and approve job position requests and job descriptions for all national roles, making recommendations, ensuring accuracy, consistency.

• Participate in budget preparation and provide strategic compensation analysis to drive nationalization strategy and ability to attract high-quality talent. Define and review salary structure; coordinate annual compensation review process and compensation adjustments.

• Establish benefit plans and packages, and lead in the communication of updates, including conducting information campaigns for national and international staff.

• Deliver international HR management, including policy, process, and employee relations management, with support from regional HR.

• Oversee HR-related administrative duties and ensure compliance with existing legal and governmental reporting requirements. Ensure all legal obligations are fulfilled.

• Lead the performance management process with guidance from regional and HQ HR. Create a plan to manage annual and mid-year reviews, conduct training on goal-setting, utilize budgets to organize development activities and work one-on-one with managers and employees to create country wide development plans. Through HR initiatives and actions, support a culture of continuous feedback.

•Devise staff care action plans that elevate morale and support the social, physical, and psychological well-being of staff; create emergency staff care interventions – both in collaboration with the Regional Staff Care Specialist.

• Lead all employee relations with professional grace with the aim of empowering employees and supervisors to have the tools and resources necessary to resolve conflicts with mutual respect.

• Escalate code of conduct issues, lead or co-lead investigations and ensure issues are resolved and appropriate follow-up is carried out, in partnership with Ethics and Compliance Unit (ECU).

• Advise supervisors in determining appropriate disciplinary plans of action in a judicious manner. Follow-up disciplinary measures and related employment law matters.

• 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.

• 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.

• Oversee and delegate the management of visa procedures for national staff procurement of international visas, residency requirement for international staff and visitors and other documentation issues as needed.

Staff Performance Management and Development

• Serve as a model of supervisory excellence; 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 HR team and IRC staff.

• Support the management, coaching and development of national and international staff to build a cadre of skilled, committed and motivated staff.

• Support senior staff to continue to pursue nationalization of senior and management positions.

• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices.

Communications

• Model and encourage active practice of the principles of the “IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct” throughout the country program.

• Maintain a healthy and empowering office environment that encourages open, honest and productive communication among IRC staff by delivering an employee engagement and communication strategy.

• Maintain and leverage open communications and partnership on projects and shared goals with other HR Leads at the country level, regional HR and HR HQ levels.

• Provide direct support and advise the CD and SMT on staff communications to ensure clarity, consistency and transparency in communications.

• Represent IRC in NGO HR working groups and with external parties including for HR-related matters. Directly liaise with local legal counsel on HR-related matters.

Key Working Relationships:

Position directly supervises: Local HR team

Key Internal Stakeholders:

• Country: Country Director; Deputy Director for Programs; Deputy Director for Operations; Finance Controller; Head of Departments and all staff within the country program.

• HQ: Compensation & Benefits, Talent Management and HRIS Directors, General Counsel Office, Ethics & Compliance Unit (ECU).

Key External Stakeholders: The INGO HR forum; INGO and UN HR staff; Legal counsel; Ministry of Labor and its extensions.

Job Requirements:

Education:

• Bachelor’s required. Master’s university degree in HR management, MBA, Law, International Relations, or related field is a plus.

Work Experience:

• 5+ years of progressive experience as an HR generalist, including recruitment, performance management, compensation, training and development and HR Administration.

• Minimum 3 years staff management experience in a fast-paced environment.

• At least 3 years of experience with an international organization or international experience.

• Remote management experience a plus; INGO experience STRONGLY preferred.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• A commitment to IRC’s mission and vision

• Strategic leadership experience managing an HR function for large budget programs in the INGO sector is strongly preferred.

• Strategic experience with managing staff, global workforce planning, and development of HR processes during a start-up phase is a plus.

• Top-tier written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development in English and Arabic.

• Proven sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to manage complex HR situations diplomatically and to effective resolution.

• Excellent management, interpersonal and negotiation skills and a demonstrated ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, in a cross-cultural context.

• Proven ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional grace.

• Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior level management and all other stakeholders to maximize cooperation and productivity.

• Strong proficiency in MS Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint is required.

• Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop and a sense of humor is a must.

• Working knowledge of local labor law is required; International HR experience is an asset.

Language Skills:

• Fluency in English required

• Travel: Approximately 10% travel time to different field offices may be required.

Standard of Professional Conduct: The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.

Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.