International HR Expert

Duration : 6 months
Start date : ASAP

You’ll contribute to ending world hunger by …

• Ensure the setting up and follow up of the mission’s HR policy and coordinate its implementation in the capital and Hassakeh base and HuB in order to provide the best support to the programs in accordance with the Syrian legislation, HR policy and Action against Hunger staff development
• Capacity building of the future national HR Coordinator

Key activities in your role will include

Objective 1: Ensures the mission implements comprehensive HR policies and procedures, and remains compliant with local labour laws and Action Against Hunger guidelines.

• Participates in the definition of the Mission HR strategy and makes proposals to achieve mission objectives
• Monitors mission activity to ensure teams remain compliant with the mission HR policies and procedures, established according to the Action Against Hunger HR Tool Kit.
• Maintains Internal Regulations up-to-date, reviews the document periodically, in case of any modification that should be implemented and immediately after any change in labor law.
• Ensures that any HR policy/procedure is effective both in general operations and emergencies.
• Supports the Country Director and other supervisors whenever staff management issues require informal or formal action, ensuring each case is appropriately documented.
• Serves as the mission’s focal point for all HR issues
• Liaises with other NGOs working in country to compare policies and establish best practices

Objective 2: Ensures HR administration is accurately maintained as per Action Against Hunger and local regulations, Personnel files, employment contracts and organizational charts in the HRIS

• Ensures complete and up-to-date personnel files are maintained for all locally hired staff in the People Management Software.
• Prepares and monitors the details of all local labour contracts. Ensures all staff has valid employment contracts and updated job descriptions.
• Keeps the country organization charts up-to-date.
• Supervises the travel and visa arrangements
• Facilitates the arrival and departure of expats into and out of the country including ensuring VISA, travel arrangement, etc.…, are managed in a timely manner

Objective 3: Lead the National Salary grid Review

• Define each position for which Action Against Hunger wants to set a competitive pay scale
• Lead the benchmarking and research wage scales in other NGOs and companies
• Forecast the growth and size of the workforce for the next years
• List the type of non-salary compensation to measure the overall competitiveness

Objective 4: Oversees the Payroll and Benefits Administration for the mission

• Ensure that financial and none financial benefits are in compliance with the Syria laws and AAH guidance
• Validates expat Leave entitlements

Objective 5: Supports the mission’s recruitment of national and expatriate staff

• Reviews all job descriptions at the start of the recruitment process to ensure that they are standardized across the mission. Suggests changes to the supervising manager so that they reflect the current and upcoming program needs and activities, identifying required qualifications as well as both essential and preferred selection criteria.
• Implements standard and best practice recruitment procedures for all locally hired staff.
• Wherever possible, assists all program managers and coordinators with interviewing and selecting new staff (especially for new positions and key line management positions).
• Lead the implementation of the decentralization of expat recruitment
• Prepare and up-date the annual HR forecasting plan
• Leads and implements staff retention initiatives

Objective 6: Communicates HR matters both internally (within the mission) and externally (to Madrid HQ)

• Ensures all expat documentation is complete: Contracts Return Forms, insurance forms, Performance Appraisals, Time Sheets, among other. Works closely with the HR Manager in Madrid to ensure that missing documentation are identified and addressed.
• Delivers an HR briefing to all new staff, both locally hired and expats. Ensures that briefing and debriefing schedules are prepared for all staff, as well as preparing country ‘Welcome Packs’.
• Identifies local legal representation and consults with him/her on all matters pertaining to local employment contracts, disciplinary actions and matters in which Action Against Hunger may have legal or financial responsibilities.
• Ensure HR reporting is delivered timely and in due form to HQ, both monthly reporting and any other required reports.
• Respond to internal and external HR related enquiries or requests and provide assistance
• Redirect HR related calls or distribute correspondence to the appropriate person of the team
• Assist supervisors in performance management procedures
• Perform orientations, on-boarding and update records with new hires
• Contributes to create a good environment, teambuilding, showing transparency, working closely with staff

Objective 7: Lead HR Projects at mission level

• Identify and follow-up on talent staff
• Implement HTP program for national staff and follow-up on international HTP staff
• Train managers and coordinators in development conversations
• Leads and implements wellness strategy

Objective 8: Capacity building of the team

• Capacity building of the future HR Coordinator (national profile)
• Monthly reporting on progress / challenges

Do you meet the profile required criteria?

• Academic Background in HR Management and/or Administration – Master Degree preferred Minimum 5 years of previous experience at similar or equivalent positions Familiar with international NGO culture or multicultural environment
• Confirmed knowledge in HR and management in Humanitarian context
• English (compulsory working language, spoken, read and written); Arabic (useful)
• Proficient in use of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint + People Management Software
• Excellent team management skills, high communication skills
• Strong leadership capabilities with an ability to role model and Mentor the Team
• Knowledge of the Syrian context/ Law is a plus

Our remuneration package:

We offer immediate incorporation to a dynamic international network with the following remuneration package:

Duty Station : Syria/Damascus

3 months in Syria, 3 months remote work

Not a family duty station Position

• Salary: according to Action Against Hunger salary scale and according to candidate’s previous experience.
• This packaged includes:
  • Expatriate insurance (health, live, repatriation, travel, etc.)
  • Break flights/trips to defined area: (break per diem: 215 EUR)
  • Yearly holiday return flight ticket
  • Accommodation and housing expenses (in shared guest house)
  • Travel costs to and from the mission.
  • 25 working days of paid leave per year.
  • Extra per month and per child (Under 18 years old): from 100€ to 225€ monthly (according to standard list of Action Against Hunger -Spain).

– Candidates may be contacted for other suitable positions within Action Against Hunger.

– Due to the high-number of application received, only potential applicants will be contacted.

-Applications will be assessed and vacancy might be closed before the end of the announcement as per qualifications availability.
– The organization is committed to the principles of non-discrimination and diversity and is particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of qualified people.

In the process of recruitment, selection and appointment Action Against Hunger implement a range of procedures and actions including Criminal Background Checks/ International vetting/Certificate of good conduct to ensure children and vulnerable adults are safeguarded and abuse is prevented.

Action against Hunger is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work such as but not limited to sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and/or financial misconduct; We expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through endorsing our code of conduct and other related policies and only those who share our values and code of conduct will be recruited to work for us.