Human Resources Manager – Abuja, Nigeria 430 views0 applications

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action – helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future. In Nigeria, Mercy Corps has worked since 2012 focusing its programming on adolescent girls’ empowerment, economic development, conflict mitigation, and humanitarian response.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps has been present in Nigeria since 2012, focusing its interventions on humanitarian assistance, economic development, and conflict mitigation. With the ongoing insurgency in Northeast Nigeria causing the displacement of millions of individuals, Mercy Corps started its humanitarian response in 2014 to address the rising humanitarian needs. As the crisis has persisted, Mercy Corps’ strategy has also expanded to address the root causes of the conflict and seek to build the long-term resilience of communities with integrated programs focusing on governance, the recovery of markets and livelihoods, social cohesion and social protection, youth empowerment, and local conflict management.

The Human Resource Department is responsible for developing and implementing effective HR policies, procedures, and people-friendly guidelines within Mercy Corps Nigeria. This includes but is not limited to: Talent Acquisition & development; employee engagement coordination; country wide training & learning management; compensation & benefits administration; country wide performance management oversight; disciplinary & grievance handling; staff data management; staff disengagement management and 3rd party service provision management.

General Position Summary

The HR Manager is responsible to support the Country Director in all aspects of the Human Resources of Mercy Corps Nigeria. S/he must ensure that the systems of effective Human Resource (global rules and procedures) management is well established and adhered to by all staff and staffing needs are adhered to.

The HR Manager develops strategy for the HR department while focusing on proper implementation of HR procedures in country. S/he ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures and updates National Staff Policy Handbook and local policies. The HR Manager builds the capacity of all team members across all offices. S/he provides support and advises the Country Director on HR issues. The HR Manager works closely with all staff including Senior Management Team (SMT) and Program Managers to bring efficiency in HR procedures. (national & expatriate).

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY & VISION

· Support the Country Director to set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.

· Support the Country director to review the HR Department structure

· Support the Country Director in proposal and budget development process to ensure appropriate HR structure is in place at the level of the mission and also at project level

· Support the Country Director to develop a countrywide HR strategy and ensure mission level HR structure is optimal.

Recruitment, Selection and Placement

· Partner across departments and projects to ensure talent acquisition is integrated with Mercy Corps priorities

· Coordinate with program managers to ensure all hiring requests are complete according to Recruiting Guidelines of Mercy Corps Nigeria.

· Ensure Diversity & Inclusion are integrated in talent acquisition and management initiatives

· Be actively involved in proposal recruitment and pre-positioning of candidates.

· Supervise recruitment process of national staff making sure that staff are following all required steps such as advertisement, shortlisting of CVs and interviews.

· Help design optimal program and shared services staffing plans

· Certify Mercy Corps Country personnel hiring strictly adhere to Country labor law and other laws as applicable. That includes payment of appropriate taxes, benefits, security clearance before hiring etc.

· Ensure that exit process for staff departing Mercy Corps is conducted in line with the HR policies and Mercy Corps requirements.

Onboarding

· Collaborate with HQ to organize and help with the onboarding process for new hires.

· Ensure that orientation is conducted for each newly hired national and expatriate staff.

· Lead the development and implementation of consistent systems of new staff induction and service requests between HR and other departments.

· Ensure HR staff is providing new hires MC ID card, email and all relevant documents upon starting their positions. This includes signing of a Job Description, contract, policies and procedures especially the National Staff Handbook and Security Manual.

· Ensure newly hired national and expatriate team members are informed and have access to global HR & Ethics guidance including MC Essentials, Code of Conduct and Security and all relevant policies and are alerted to benefits. Continue with support and advice on policies, as required.

· Confirm new staff are trained on timesheet procedures.

Human Resource MANAGEMENT

· Work closely with all HR staff in Country/Region and make sure that HR services are provided on time, with high quality and compliant with policies and manuals.

· Verify that personnel and job files are being maintained to the required level in line with Mercy Corps rules and regulations, including recruitment documents, CVs, valid contracts, Personnel Action Forms (PAFs), timesheets, leave days, employee data sheets, disciplinary papers and annual performance evaluations.

· Ensure efficient Performance Management Systems is in place and there is a clear understanding of Performance Management Tools

· Ensure the performance review processes are completed on time and with quality results. Train HR team and supervisors on how to properly conduct and track the evaluation processes.

· Ensure Salaries and benefits adhere to Mercy Corps salary scales and standing protocols.

· Collaborate with Country Director to revise salary scale and participate in regular national salary surveys in order to ensure that that salaries and benefits are competitive within the market.

· Ensure monthly payroll in conjunction with payroll coordinator and finance staff and ensure payroll is delivered in a timely manner to all provinces.

· Liaise with program managers to ensure country org charts for programs and operations exist and positions are covered within budgets. Make sure that org charts are updated on regular basis.

· Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

· Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.

· Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.

· Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.

· Proactively update senior management on any issues & grievances and ensure efficient and transparent solutions that protect both Mercy Corps Nigeria Team members and Mercy Corps interests in accordance with policies, regulations and procedures and global guidelines in term of safeguarding.

· Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

· Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.

· Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.**

Policies and Manuals

· Update the National Employee Handbook in line with latest Labor Law and clarify as necessary with staff.

· Monitor HR related laws, policies and “best practices” to ensure that personnel policies, employment practices, and compensation packages are within the limits of established guidelines, procedures, and policies of Mercy Corps and national laws.

· During all parts of the human resource life cycle, promote the Mercy Corps Nigeria goals and targets for gender equity and cultural diversity

· Alongside legal counsellor and Country Director, manage all human resource related legal issues in compliance with Nigeria labor law.

Administrative Support

· Provide HR support to leadership as needed.

· Spearhead incoming requests from HQ related to national or expatriate staff

FINANce & Complaince Management

· Uphold Mercy Corps Zero tolerance policy to corruption

· Support Operations Director to determine HR role in Fraud and PSEA.

· Work closely with finance compliance to mitigate fraud, conflict of interest and legal ramifications of Mercy Corps activities.

· Ensure all internal control procedures are adhered to and that necessary measures are put in place to ensure high standards of accountability and compliance

Security **

· Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

· Promote a safe and inclusive work environment that, regardless of the context, is consistent with Mercy Corps’ culture of care

Organizational Learning **

· As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries **

· Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

· Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibility

HR Team

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Country Director

Works Directly With: Senior Management Team, Ethics & Assurance Manager, Global HR & Talent Acquisition Team, Program Leads, Managers and other hiring managers

Knowledge and Experience

· Bachelor degree or equivalent in relevant field, masters preferred

· Minimum 5 years field experience setting up and managing administration, procurement, logistics, and human resource systems with humanitarian NGOs with supervisory responsibilities.

· Proven understanding of complex emergencies, related security concerns and appropriate responses with experience in Country/Region.

· Highly organized with keen attention to detail and ability to deal with confidential information in a discrete manner

· Demonstrated attention to detail, following procedures, meeting deadlines and problem-solving independently and cooperatively.

· Knowledge of donor regulations including USAID, EC, DFID.

· Excellent negotiation and representation skills.

· Proficiency with MS Office software required (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

· Excellent oral and written English skills required; proficiency in alternate language is a plus.

· Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.

Success Factors

Critical problem solving skills, and the ability to work out methods to deliver successful programs while demonstrating excellent stewardship of donor funds and compliance with Mercy Corps and donor regulations. Maintaining strong cooperating relationships with other departments is crucial. A successful candidate will have the ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel both in a managerial as well as training capacity and demonstrate ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities. S/he will be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment and be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Abuja, Nigeria and it requires up to (30 %) travel to Mercy Corps Nigeria project locations, where security at times is at high-risk.

Security in Abuja is generally good. Housing, health care, water, electricity and consumer goods are all reasonably accessible and there are good international and domestic travel options from Abuja Airport. Air and road travel is necessary to get to some field locations. Mobile phone services are widely available. Internet is available in all Mercy Corps offices, although might be inconsistent. Travel to field sites will be required where living conditions are clean and secure, but basic. There’s reasonable access to most consumer goods, although they can be expensive. There is good number of schools with different education philosophies and curriculum (British, American and French to name the few). Abuja is an accompanied location.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues. Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.