Human Resources Business Partner, Developing Countries Unit at World Relief

This position is only open to candidates located Lilongwe, Malawi; Nairobi, Kenya or Kigali, Rwanda

POSITION SUMMARY:

The HR Business Partner (HRBP) position is responsible for managing and representing department initiatives, priorities, and goals between five country offices, and WR headquarters HR office. The position formulates partnerships across HR offices and regional institutions to deliver value-added service to management and employees that reflects the objectives of the DCU within the international programs division.

The HRBP maintains a current understanding of shifting country labor laws, and adjusts practices and documentation accordingly, as well as identifying country-specific training needs for national staff, including training required for grant compliance. This role will assist in developing, harmonizing, and promoting new and updated country office HR manuals and policies. This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities but does serve as a coach and mentor for staff within the department.

*For the first two years, this position will be responsible for guidance and leadership in meeting the HR requirements for Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) certification.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Provide guidance and assist with CHS certification compliance.
• Conducts regular meetings with the country office HR representatives.
• Consults with Country Directors and Human Resource staff in the DCU, providing HR guidance and expertise when appropriate.
• Works with country teams to develop relevant manuals, policies and improved and harmonized systems between country offices. Communicates regional priorities with headquarters HR office.
• Analyzes trends and metrics in partnership with the home office HR team to develop solutions, programs and policies, especially in regard to recruitment and onboarding of new staff.
• Manages and resolves complex employee relations issues. Conducts effective, thorough and objective investigations in liaison with relevant country leaders.
• Maintains in-depth knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management of employees, reducing legal risks and ensuring regulatory compliance. Partners with the headquarters’ legal department as needed/required.
• Provides day-to-day performance management guidance to supervisors (e.g., coaching, counseling, career development, disciplinary actions) and promotes consistency in conducting staff performance assessments.
• Works closely with management and employees to improve the organizational culture, work relationships, build morale, and increase productivity and retention, including creating a culture where complaints are received and addressed with the necessary confidentiality.
• Implements staff care policies and provides options/maintains relationships with regional physical/mental healthcare facilities.
• Provides HR policy guidance and interpretation and adapts policies for local context, especially in regard to Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) policies and complaint mechanisms. Ensures HR staff in DCU offices are aware and able to access policies that are relevant to them.
• Streamline and standardize HR processes for local offices as they relate to manuals, trainings, and policies.
• Assists international employees with expatriate assignments and related HR matters.
• Provides guidance and input on business unit restructures, workforce planning and succession planning.
• Identifies training needs for country offices, including leading the yearly compliance with training and other requirements related to PSEA and child protection.
• Participates in evaluation and monitoring of staff training programs to ensure success. Follows up to ensure training objectives are met.
• Provide guidance with performance management, functional reviews, and staff capacity assessments. Research ways to build staff capacity to meet performance goals and update job descriptions regularly.
• Provide guidance for site security plans, making sure local HR staff regular update and communicate them to staff.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Ability to work on a remote team across time zones.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, with communication skills in French.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Excellent planning and organizational skills, and attention to detail.
• Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply the appropriate sections of applicable laws, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, and policies.
• Ability to acquire a thorough understanding of the organization’s hierarchy, jobs, qualifications, compensation practices, and the administrative practices related to those factors.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software as well as previous experience working with HRIS/ATS/LMS.
• Knowledge of regional human resources networks and online networks.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with all levels of staff

REQUIREMENTS:

• Mature and personal Christian faith.
• Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief.
• Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in human resources, as an HR business partner preferred.
• Working knowledge of multiple human resource disciplines, including compensation practices, organizational culture, employee relations, diversity, gender, PSEA, coaching for performance, mentorship, performance management, and country-specific employment laws.
• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree.
• Ability to travel to multiple countries 30-35%of the time (once it is safe to do so).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to have ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to visit other locations
• The ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and manipulate (lift, carry, move) light to medium weights of 10-15 pounds.
• Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, hand and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard, operate equipment and read application information.
• The employee frequently is required to sit, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• General office setting.
• Great lengths of time working on computer, reading from computer screen, entering information, standing at copier or fax machine, and some time on the phone or in skype meetings may be required.
• Year-end archiving activities involve repeated lifting and bending.
• Physical, emotional and intellectual demands
• Equipment used: Employee computer (desktop or laptop), printer, and copier.
• All of the above duties and responsibilities are essential job functions subject to reasonable accommodation. All job requirements listed indicate the minimum level of knowledge, skills and/or ability deemed necessary to perform the job proficiently. This job description is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. Individuals may be required to perform any other job-related instructions as requested by their supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodation. This position description is not all-inclusive and is always under review.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.
For World Relief staff, strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief is essential, and Christian faith is a prerequisite for employment, based upon United States federal guidelines provided in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Legal Background in the United States

World Relief is both an equal opportunity employer and a faith-based religious organization. This means that we conduct hiring without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, marital status, parental status, membership in any labor organization, political ideology, or disability of an otherwise qualified individual. The status of World Relief as an equal opportunity employer does not prevent the organization from hiring staff based on their religious beliefs, so that all staff share the same religious commitment.
Pursuant to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 702 (42 U.S.C. 2000e 1(a) World Relief has the right to, and does, hire only candidates who agree with World Relief’s Statement of Faith.