Human Resources & Administration Lead At Youth Empowerment Synergy

Job Title: Human Resources & Administration Lead

No. of Positions: One

Sector: Human Resources, Administration & Operations

Employment Category: Fixed term

Employment Type: Full time

Contract Duration: One year, renewable

Open to Expatriates: No

Reports to: Executive Director

Direct Reports: Three

Start Date: 4th January 2022

Location: Accra, Ghana

About us:

Youth Opportunity & Transformation in Africa (YOTA), formerly known as Youth Empowerment Synergy (YES-Ghana), is an ECOSOC-accredited NGO at the forefront of youth development policy, practice and research in Ghana. For more than 15 years, we have delivered tailored skills to young people, leading to improvements in their leadership, financial literacy, entrepreneurship and life planning skills. Through our service delivery, we have provided education, skills training, and technical support to thousands of youth and helped them transition to self and wage employment. Our research has contributed to filling the gap in youth data and the evidence base for public policy. And, we continue to use our national appeal and grassroots constituency, through our Voices of Youth Coalition, to advocate and campaign for youth-inclusive policies at all levels.

Purpose of the role:

As the Human Resources & Administration Lead, you will spearhead the administration and human resources management efforts of the organisation, ensuring that YOTA is transparent, accountable, and able to mitigate risks as it moves forward. The role will involve maintaining oversight of human resource strategy and policy management, workforce planning, monitoring and reporting, compliance and risks management, recruitment and placement, contract management, staff development & career support, and administration. You will be a committed and talented individual who will be part of our Management Team, and will proactively engage in supporting leadership of the organisation. Within this body you will provide technical advice on human resources management and planning. As part of the Management Team you will ensure teams meet all key performance objectives.

Responsibilities:

i. Human Resource (HR) Strategy & Policy Management

· Link HR key objectives and priorities to the organisation’s strategic objectives; coordinate HR practices and priorities across the organisation in order to provide and reinforce the recruitment and ongoing development of a competent and efficient workforce

· Revamp HR policies, practices and systems to the highest standards and ensure their implementation in a fair, consistent and transparent manner to support the achievement of the organisation’s goals

· Participate in discussions about structure and organisational development and change

· Ensure that the organisation’s policies for safeguarding children and young people, and gender equality and inclusion are fully embedded in day-to-day work

ii. Workforce Planning, Monitoring and Reporting

· Take lead in understanding upcoming HR needs (and surpluses due to project closeouts) and rationally reconcile the redundancies with new hiring

· Provide direction in the annual HR planning process and prioritise activities for the HR department; reinforce HR reporting and planning by developing key performance indicators in order to develop an informed and accountable HR management

· Oversee the implementation of a performance management system, advising management on guidelines, and developing the capacity of supervisory staff in managing the performance management system

· Ensure that an attractive and competitive compensation and benefits package programme is maintained; develop specific programmes to attract and retain high performing staff

· Develop the HR budget and ensure that the same is adequately provided for in annual budgetary projections

iii. Compliance and HR Risks Management

· Review and ensure compliance with HR policies and procedures; coordinate the development of policies, handbooks and support their implementation and dissemination

· Counsel employees on their terms and conditions of service, problems and grievances; manage staff issues (e.g. disciplinary, grievance) in line with the HR policy and in line with relevant legal provisions to minimise all associated risks; take lead in arbitrating disciplinary issues and performance management issues

· Track audit reports, lead the HR team in developing action points, and follow up the implementation of the audit actions points

· Ensure that all contracts, including employment, insurance and consultancy, adequately protect the organisation’s interests

iv. Recruitment & Placement

· In collaboration with the Hiring Managers, support in the development of selection tools

· Design the selection matrix for choosing the optimum recruitment channel and recruitment source

· Explore market best practices in the recruitment and staffing and implement appropriate best practices in the organization

· Identify upcoming vacancies in coordination with team leads and management; prepare job openings, review applications under HR assessment, and release all eligible candidates for review

· Participate in interviews and prepare interview reports; serve as ex-officio for interview processes

· Prepare offer letters and contracts for new staff

· Manage all documentation related to the administration of staff contracts, benefits and maintain adequate records of all correspondence; manage employee ID numbers and maintain individual staff files; maintain a database and monitor contract records system to ensure timely offers, contract renewals, termination or transfer, and similar staff movement issues

v. Staff & Contract Management

· Provide overall vision and direction to the team in coordination, planning, prioritisation, coaching and supervision

· Support staff to understand and comply with the organisational vision, mission, strategic direction and other organisation policies; socialise and nurture organisation’s values and behaviours

· Ensure that staff are operating as high-performance teams and have clear accountability lines (direct and matrix)

· Create an enabling working environment across different department units to foster excellent teamwork and high performing staff; engage staff to foster and implement a creative and productive workplace that actively promotes learning and staff development

· Provide direction and supervision of the HR and Admin team, including preparing job descriptions, monitoring and providing feedback on performance and providing coaching for performance results

· Build HR and Admin management capacities to ensure qualified and trained staff across the organisation; champion quality, productivity, and continuous improvement within the HR and Administration team

· Keep up-to-date and timely employee records and all relevant data using a modern HR information system; ensure appropriate data protection policies are applied in the recruitment and employment data management system

· Lead and develop the organisation’s HR and Admin efforts by ensuring staff understand and apply best practices and organisation’s policy;

vi. Staff Development & Career Support

· Identify and analyse staff development and career support needs and design programmes to meet identified needs; prepare monitoring reports on staff development and career support programmes

· Design and manage all forms of leave as per the HR handbook, including maintaining and leave roster, monitoring staff absences and leave, and ensuring that the appropriate documentation is filed

· Provide advice on mobility and career development to staff

· Support the design and delivery of inductions and onboarding to new staff members

· Provide performance management advice to staff; assist supervisors and staff to understand and use the performance appraisal system

· Support the assessment of training needs and support the provision of training services

vii. Administration

· Improve and maintain a modern system of documentation and file management

· Improve and operate efficient system of receipt, recording and distribution of mails

· Supervise administrative and operational backstopping for project activities

· Ensure that the organisation complies with required insurances and certifications for effective operations management in the country

· Develop mechanisms to ensure regular communication and planning of priorities take place across the main office and field-based teams

· Uphold the organisation’s codes of conduct and staff policies at all times, personally and as a team

viii. Other duties

· Other duties may be required from time to time, including responsibilities which require work on weekends and holidays for which time off in lieu (TOIL) may be taken

Person specification:

· Degree in relevant subject areas from a reputable institution; professional qualification will be considered an added advantage

· Minimum five years proven experience in a similar role, including high performance in the full range of human resource management activities (recruitment and selection, performance management, development, talent management, reward, employee relations etc.)

· Knowledge and understanding of HR issues related to safeguarding, gender, diversity, equality and inclusion

· A strong leader with ability to motivate and inspire teams to achieve superior standards in all aspects of human resource management

· Demonstrated experience using sound judgment in resolving problems

· Ability to initiate and complete assignments and to work under demanding circumstances with minimal supervision

· Proven ability to establish priorities and to plan, organise, coordinate and monitor own work plan and provide advice and supervision to others

· Professional and independent working style, highly motivated and well-organised with the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects at a time

· Proven professional demeanour; able to present a professional image of the organisation at all times

· Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, as well as electronic communications

Salary & benefits:

· Competitive salary structure

· Accra Cost of Living allowance

· 13th month salary

· SSNIT contributions

· Medical and dental cover

· Group Personal Accident cover

· Time off in lieu (TOIL)

· Annual leave

· Sick leave

· Parental leave (maternal and paternal)

· 2 weeks Christmas and New Year break

· Professional development initiatives