Human Resources Director

Job Summary

Action Against Hunger is seeking an experienced and motivated Human Resources (HR) Director to provide leadership for Human Resources function in Ethiopia Country Office.  The HR Director will design and implement the country people strategies and plans in line with the organization’s priorities and country office strategy and program delivery. The HR Director will design and align Human Resource procedures and practices in alignment with Ethiopia labor laws and Action Against Hunger policies and mandate.

 Purpose

The Human Resources Director provides strategic leadership and oversight of the Human Resources function, ensuring that people strategies support the organization’s mission, strategic objectives, and operational priorities. The role is responsible for developing and implementing HR strategies, and initiatives that attract, develop, engage, and retain a high-performing workforce while ensuring compliance with national Labor legislation, donor requirements, and organizational policies and procedures.

As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the HR Director serves as a business partner ad strategic advisor to leadership, fostering an inclusive, high-performance culture that promotes employee well-being, accountability, and organizational excellence in line with Action Against Hunger mandate, core values and charter of principles

 Engagement

The HR Director will collaborate closely with the Country Director, Country HR team, Country Office Senior Leadership team, Regional HR Director, and other key stakeholders at Country and Regional level. S/he will also work with program teams in country to ensure that HR policies and procedures are understood and mainstreamed into Country Office procedures.

Externally, close collaborations and working relationships will be created and maintained with the local Labour office and other relevant authorities, country legal advisor, HR working group in the country, collaborators and other INGOs with the aim of creating positive relationships and share knowledge and practices.

Delivery

Deliver the implementation of strategic organizational HR goals in country. The position will also provide practical and timely support, advice, and directions to staff and management on a range of HR activities in the country office. Essential role responsibilities

 Strategic HR leadership

• Design and implement the Country HR Strategy and plans aligned with the organization global HR priorities
• Provide strategic HR leadership as an active member of the Senior Management Team
• Advise senior leadership on organizational design, workforce planning and change management.
• Co-facilitate Talent review sessions, in coordination with regional and global HR team.
• Ensure HR strategies contribute to organizational growth, operational excellence, and employee engagement.
• Lead organizational culture initiatives that reinforce the organization’s mission, values, and Code of Conduct.
• Support strategic planning, donor proposals, audits, and organizational development initiatives.
• Be a trusted Business partner in providing guidance and collaboration with the leadership team on HR matters
• Lead the digitalization of the country HR processes and systems to improve efficiency, compliance, and decision making
• lead the organizational change management process, workforce restructuring process to support the country strategic priorities, and operational efficiency.

Workforce Planning, Talent Acquisition and staff onboarding

• Provide leadership in strategic workforce planning by collaborating with department heads to identify program and operational staff needs across all functions
• Promote a culture of fair, transparent, efficient and timely recruitment process compliant with the organization’s policies and procedures
• Implement a robust onboarding program for incoming and current staff to create a positive work experience, employee engagement and productivity
• Provide guidance on staffing costs for business development opportunities, financial forecasts, review and approve the creation of new positions.

Performance Management & Staff Development

• Provide leadership and guidance in the implementation and continuous improvement of the organizational performance management process in country
• Support and guide managers in objective setting, coaching, performance reviews, and staff development
• Provide guidance and leadership in calibration process to ensure fairness is maintained in line with the organization procedures
• Provide guidance to managers in identifying training needs and oversee staff learning and development initiatives
• Oversee the annual performance review process and ensure it is following organizational guidelines
• Oversee the staff capacity building and career development initiatives are achieved

Payroll, compensation & benefits management

• Design, implement and oversee administrative and payroll procedures which conform to labor law, Action Against Hunger internal policies and donors’ requirements
• Provide leadership and oversight into benefits administration; staff insurance, leave management, allowances and entitlements etc.
• Following the organizational philosophy and framework, lead regular salary benchmarking exercises and ensuring equitable grading structure is in place.
• Ensure that pay and benefit administration is implemented in line with the organization policies and procedures and aligned to the country’s labor law
• Following the global minimum standards, recommend competitive reward strategies that enhance employee retention and organizational sustainability.

Risk Management, HR Governance and Compliance

• Lead and provide guidance in ensuring that the country office HR policies and procedures are updated and fully compliant with the organizational policies, Ethiopian labor law and donor regulations.
• Lead and provide guidance on HR audits and ensure corrective actions are implemented.
• Provide leadership in identifying and mitigating HR-related risks, including legal and reputational risks.
• Participate in the process of partners selection and validation of Human Resources risk analysis, define modes of Human Resources management with partners working with Action Against Hunger.
• Support partnership due diligence processes relating to Human Resources compliance.

Employee Relations, Staff well-being and Duty of Care

• Foster a respectful, diverse, inclusive and safe environment and organizational culture
• Lead employee relations initiatives including grievances handling, disciplinary processes, investigations and conflict resolutions in line with organizational policies and procedures
• Promote employee wellness, mental health, staff welfare and staff engagement initiatives
• Ensure duty of care standards are upheld, particularly in high-risk environments like field offices
• Collaborate closely with Safety and Security and Safeguarding team to support staff welfare and safety and operational readiness

HR Operations, documentation, Reporting and Representation

• Ensure efficient HR Operations and service delivery across all offices and functions
• Ensure personnel files meet legal, donor, and organizational compliance standards.
• Prepare and present HR reports, workforce analytics, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership and regional office.
• Monitor HR key performance indicators and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Represent the country office in external meetings/communication on Human Resources matters and develop a network for the exchange of information and good practices

Leadership and team management

• Provide leadership, guidance, coaching and mentorship to the HR team, both at the capital and field offices
• Build a high-performing HR function through effective performance management and staff development
• Promote continuous professional development within the HR department.
• Ensure effective succession planning within the HR function.

Partnerships and external engagement

• Create close work relationships with the HR team members in the Region, US and Countries
• Engage with peer agencies and HR forums to understand the current trends and practices in the sector
• Representing the organization in HR networks and platforms

Safeguarding

• Ensure the safeguarding policy is known, understood and followed by all employees
• Work closely with Safeguarding focal point to promote a culture of safeguarding in the organization
• Engage with the regional and global safeguarding leads and Regional HR Director to ensure the proper response protocol is followed in case of a case is identified.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The HR Director will be the overall supervisor of the Human Resources team with direct line management and technical support responsibility as per the country office structure.

Fiscal Responsibilities

The HR Director will have an accountability in ensuring organization people and HR related financial resources are planned, managed and used effectively in alignment with Action Against Hunger procedures, donor requirements and legal obligations.  The role will involve making strategic people and HR decisions that maximizes impact while maintaining compliance and financial sustainability.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with interruptions.

To travel to the field, the employee must attest to a level of physical fitness capable of enduring physically difficult, highly stressful situations which may include the necessity to walk long distances, to eat a limited diet and/or to reside in potentially uncomfortable housing or tents.

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

Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

The duties of the job require regular job attendance of at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or during the weekends as may be required.

Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases.

Help to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment and sexual abuse and exploitation.

Gender Equality Commitments and Zero Tolerance to Abuse

Foster an environment that reinforces values of people of all genders equal access to information.

Provide a work environment where people of all genders must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.

Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all stakeholders, particularly for children, beneficiaries, and members of staff.

Help to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment and sexual abuse and exploitation.

Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.

Value and respect all cultures.

Required Qualifications,

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Human Resource Management, Business Administration or related field.
• A master’s degree in human resource management, Strategic Management, Business Administration or related field is an added advantage
• Professional HR Certification as applicable

Professional Experience and Skills

• Minimum 10 years’ experience of progressive Human Resources leadership with at least 5 years’ experience in a senior HR management or director level position
• Demonstrated experience leading HR functions and teams within international organizations or NGOs
• Proven experience working with leadership teams, providing guidance on operational and strategic HR
• Strong understanding of employment legislation in Ethiopia, donor compliance requirements and humanitarian operating contexts
• Experience managing large, diverse and multicultural teams
• Highly confidential and integrity, cultural sensitivity and adaptability
• Good IT skills and experience using HR systems like HRIS or its equivalent
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Amharic and other local languages is an added advantage