PEOPLE & ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR - GOMA, DR CONGO

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.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since August 2007, with a staff of over 400 people working in Eastern DRC. The overall country goal is to support vulnerable communities through crises, while fostering programs that build resilience and promote long-term change. Mercy Corps’ national office is in Goma with sub-field offices in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri. Mercy Corps DRC’s key programming areas include a combination of longer-term development and immediate humanitarian response programs in order to 1) Improve water service delivery and ensuring equitable access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene services, in urban and rural areas; 2) Improve food security and nutrition; 3) Promote diversified livelihoods, economic recovery and development; 4) Support peacebuilding and local governance. Mercy Corps DRC’s humanitarian programs aim specifically to assist populations affected by the conflict and crisis in Eastern Congo.

Mercy Corps DRC’s portfolio is one of the largest (implementing 50M USD annually in programming) and most complex across the agency. Mercy Corps DRC is recognized as a leader in humanitarian and development programming in Eastern Congo, with large-scale impact in communities.  We champion and lead innovative solutions in a complex operating environment and are well positioned to influence stakeholders (donors, peer organizations, private sector and government) to implement solutions that will have a lasting impact and bring about real change at the community level. 

General Position Summary

The People and Administration Director (People Director) is responsible for ensuring Human Resources and Administration functions to support the staffing needs. The People Director develops strategy for the HR and administration 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 People Director builds the capacity of all team members across all offices. S/he provides support and advises the Country Director on HR issues. The People Director works closely with all staff including Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Program Managers to bring efficiency in HR and administrative procedures.

Essential Job Responsibilities

TALENT ACQUISITION, ONBOARDING & MANAGEMENT

In collaboration with the Recruitment Specialist:

●        Develop and implement a country-level recruitment strategy that is inclusive of gender and diversity ambitions.  This includes setting clear performance indicators (or targets) and regularly monitoring progress, capacity building of hiring managers and HR/recruitment team to adopt approaches that enable meeting gender, diversity and inclusion targets. 

●        Ensure recruiting and hiring practices are in compliance with government regulations and organizational policies, and align with the country and global gender, diversity and inclusion strategies. 

●        Work with the Department and Program Directors to ensure all hiring is completed according to Recruiting Policies and Procedures.

●        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 of candidates before hiring etc.

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

●        Work with the senior leadership team, department heads and program managers to ensure org charts for programs and operations exist and positions are covered within budgets. Ensuring strategic reviews of org structure by team/dept. are conducted on a semi-regular basis and recommendations on adjustments provided as required.

●        Oversee the management and archiving of recruitment related exchanges between hiring teams, HR, and candidates.

●        Provide strategic leadership on orientation practices for newly hired national and expatriate staff, ensuring all staff are onboarding in line with global policies and in order to promote a positive starting experience with Mercy Corps.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS RESPONSIBILITIES

In collaboration with the HR Manager:

●        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.

●        Collaborate with Country Senior Leadership team and Global HR to review salary scale and participate in national salary surveys in order to ensure that that salaries and benefits are competitive within the market.

●        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. 

●        Assist with operational budget for staff as requested. 

●        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.

●        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.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT & MANAGEMENT

In collaboration with HR Manager:

●        Act as HR partner to all Mercy Corps DRC Team members

●        Use available HR data agree and deploy annual employee relations calendars to provide a positive employer-employee relationship and promote a high level of employee morale and motivation within our offices.

●        Ensure effective implementation of MC DRC performance management system

●        Support management’s goal of continuous capacity development of national staff through the provision of internal and external trainings.

●        HR focal person during internal compliance activities including of routine audits, investigations and disciplinary meetings

●        Alongside our legal counsel, support the management of all human resource related legal issues in compliance with DRC labor law.

●        Proactively update senior management on any issues & grievances and ensure efficient and transparent solutions that protect both Mercy Corps DRC Team members and Mercy Corps interests in accordance with policies, regulations and procedures

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

●        Manage and maintain office/work spaces in such a way that fosters a harmonious work environment that reinforces Mercy Corps’ culture of accountability and ethics.

ADMINISTRATION AND LEGAL ASPECTS

In collaboration with Administration Manager:

• Ensure that the guest houses management is followed and well supported by the Admin Manager
• Support the Admin Manager to ensure that all official documents such as visas and identification of international personnel are secured and renewed in a timely manner and the list of pending visas and other official documents is updated weekly.
• Ensure that any process that is legally binding Mercy Corps’ DRC office is as riskless as possible.
• Ensure that the Country Office has the necessary network of contacts to smoothly operate

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback and assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

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

Supervisory Responsibility: HR Manager, Admin Manager, Recruitment Specialist, Senior Legal Advisor, Senior Protocol Advisor, Medical Advisor

            Reports Directly to: People and Administration Director

            Works Directly with: Senior Management team, HQ HR Team, HQ Talent Acquisition Team, Program and Department Leads, hiring managers

Required profile for job ad : People and Administration Director

Knowledge and Experience

•  Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in relevant field, masters preferred
• 7-10 years of professional HR experience, including at least 5 years as a manager or business partner, preferably in the Humanitarian NGO sector.
•  Experience managing or advising a multi-national HR function.
• Understanding and experience navigating multiple regulatory sources (labor laws, donor requirements, etc) and developing HR policies and procedures that ensure compliance with each.
• Demonstrated understanding of complex emergencies, related security concerns and appropriate responses with experience in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in insecure environments.
•  Demonstrated attention to detail, following procedures, meeting deadlines and working and problem-solving independently and cooperatively.
•  Knowledge of donor regulations including USAID, EC, DFID regulations is considered an advantage.
•  Demonstrated experience developing and implementing strategies to diversify teams taking into consideration targets on gender, diversity and inclusion.
•  Excellent negotiation and representation skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication, organizational, prioritization and Microsoft Office applications.
• Excellent oral and written in French and English skills required; proficiency in Swahili is a plus.
•   Strong collaboration skills required, particularly across teams/departments.
•  Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.
• Demonstrated understanding of complex emergencies, related security concerns, and appropriate responses to such emergencies.