Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
The Department
The People Team ensures that Mercy Corps attracts, develops, and retains the best global talent who will enable it to be a world-class, cutting edge, humanitarian organization, creating transformational change in the world. Our aim is to drive strategic thinking and planning at all levels of the organization; create a talent management framework that supports team members achieve their highest potential, and drive people practice that promote the organizational culture. To achieve this, we align conversations on developing team members and leaders; enhance team member experience with HR services; keep the organization focused on what has the greatest impact; leverage our comparative advantages in the crowded and competitive international relief and development landscape; and assure we are constantly learning from our work and the external environment.
The Position
This position is accountable for effective and service-oriented Human Resources support to all Mercy Corps programs within the Americas Region (including Colombia, Guatemala, Haiti, Venezuela, and other jurisdictions and islands across the Caribbean), ensuring a positive, equitable and consistent employee experience for team members. This position serves as a strategic HR partner to regional and Country leadership teams to ensure their evolving HR needs are met. The Americas HR Manager is accountable for developing the HR capacities and capabilities required at regional and country-level in the Americas to reflect evolving organizational and team member needs. The post-holder will work with others to ensure Mercy Corps can attract and retain the talent it needs to meet its goals in the region. This person will be seen as an ambassador of our priorities and culture, focus on well-being and duty of care, a problem solver, highly service-oriented and proactive in finding ways to maximize the impact of Mercy Corps’ People Team.
Essential Job Responsibilities
STRATEGY & PLANNING
Accountable for proactive people focused services and initiatives that align with Mercy Corps’ strategic priorities, the implementation and realization of our P2P strategy, and promotes a positive organizational culture in the Americas region.
Collaborates closely with members of the Global People Team, regional and country-level leadership, field-based HR practitioners and peers in other HQ departments to deliver results, increase impact and ensure seamless HR delivery for all team members.
Contributes to global HR strategy and prioritization, provides inputs to People Team Centers of Excellence on systemic challenges and helps to co-create solutions.
Anticipates and adapts to changing HR and organizational design needs within the region and is an active participant in change management, including new ways of working associated with the updated Global People Team operating model and structures, and with the implementation of the P2P strategy.
Accountable for ensuring HR-related legal and regulatory compliance in the new jurisdictions (e.g., employment law, tax) in coordination with other internal stakeholders.
Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to regional and country strategy development.
Works to proactively identify and mitigate people and OD risks for Mercy Corps within the region.
PERSONAL LEADERSHIP
Build positive relationships across the organization, even in challenging situations.
Build a culture of integrity by maintaining high ethical standards and treating people with respect.
Create an inclusive environment where all team members can thrive.
Promote innovation and growth by nurturing ideas and people.
Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews and / or interactions with CO HR team members and Country Directors.
Provide team members and CO HR team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
Contribute to team-building efforts, help regional and country team members identify problem-solving options and ensure their integration into relevant decision-making processes.
HR SERVICE DELIVERY
Drives the process to identify HR initiatives and solve people management issues in a manner that complements Mercy Corps culture and programming priorities.
Develops meaningful relationships with the leadership teams in the region that facilitates joint problem solving and strategic planning, while demonstrating confidence in their role as a leader and advocate on HR issues.
Manages and resolves complex employee relations issues. Conducts effective, thorough, and objective investigations of all HR referred complaints raised through the Integrity Hotline and the Global People Team.
Maintains in-depth knowledge of legal and donor requirements related to day-to-day management of team members, reducing legal risks, and ensuring regulatory and donor compliance. Partners with the legal department as needed/required.
Develops and utilizes global, regional, and departmental data to identify trends, metrics and KPIs.
Participates as a first point-of-contact for performance management issues and concerns and participates in the development and roll out of global performance management policies, templates, and guidelines.
Works closely with management and team members to improve work relationships, build morale, and increase productivity and retention.
Conducts exit interviews for team members completing service with Mercy Corps and escalates issues as needed.
Provides guidance and input on business unit restructuring, transfers, hiring and succession planning.
Works with other stakeholders to ensure fair and equitable application of compensation policy as well as assisting team members with pay related issues as needed.
In collaboration with the HR country leaders and Senior Management Teams, support the implementation of HR Internal Audit recommendations.
Supports a community of information sharing, inter-regional problem solving and creates a vibrant community of practice.
Creates peer global mentorship opportunities for country HR team members.
Works with the department or country team to take appropriate corrective action addressing and resolving issues related to recommendations outlined in investigation reports.
Supports deploying of All Voices surveys and development of action plans in conjunction with leadership.
Serve as part of the Crisis Management Team, and assist Security and Public Health Teams during emergency situations as they relate to the Mercy Corps’ benefits for team members or communications with team and family members.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
HUMAN RESOURCE OPERATIONS
Supports the resolution of escalated issues within the employee life-cycle process, ensuring the consistent, equitable and respectful application of Mercy Corps’ policies and processes.
Understands the intent and purpose of Mercy Corps policies and procedures. Be able to resolve escalated issues when existing tools do not provide a clear answer.
Assumes responsibility for the impact of policies, processes and procedures within the People team. Proactively assess and address where intended outcomes are not being realized due to existing ways of working.
Ensures efficiency and consistency in the People Teams’ engagement in all processes and procedures.
Supervisory Responsibility: N/A, Dotted line of support to HR leaders in country within the Americas Region, dotted line on TA US/Americas Advisor
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Vice President People and Deputy Regional Director for Operations
Works Directly With: Global People Team COEs; Finance & Compliance; Corporate Accounting; Regional Program Teams; Regional and country- level leadership; other internal stakeholders.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
A demonstrated top performer with energy, intelligence, strong analytical skills and highly evolved interpersonal skills.
Minimum of 6-8 years of experience working in Human Resource, including Talent Acquisition. Experience in roles consulting with management on management practices (i.e. HR Business Partner) highly preferred.
BA/BS in Human Resources, Business Administration or related field, preferred.
English & Spanish language proficiency required, other major languages such as French could be strongly appreciated.
Experience working in an international or insecure environment.
Keeps up to date on trends in global human resource management, particularly in the international humanitarian aid sector.
Highly service-oriented and a demonstrated track record of delivering high levels of customer service.
Demonstrated knowledge of human resource management techniques that meet the needs of a globally dispersed workforce.
Demonstrated experience working to solve emergency and crisis situations, as they relate to Human Resource best practices and People related coordination.
A historically demonstrated ability to maintain confidential information.
Must have strong analytical, data-driven and problem solving skills, effective organizational and interpersonal skills; strong written and verbal communication.
Demonstrated ability to manage workload in a remote work arrangement. Able to maintain operational consistency with other team members and actively keep management informed.
Proven experience and intermediate skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook, as well as the ability to navigate the Internet/intranet.
Success Factors
The successful team member will be an avid learner, self-directed, innovative and action orientated. Furthermore, they must have the ability to work independently, employ effective time management skills, handle frequent interruptions and shift priorities, exhibit effective customer service skills and work effectively with a wide variety of individuals including team members based overseas. Additionally, the individual will thrive in a fast paced environment prone to rapid change and be willing to increase his/her responsibility level in the assigned areas. The most successful Mercy Corps team members have a positive approach, a strong commitment to team work and personal accountability and the ability to be flexible and ensure that effective communication is a priority in all situations.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in a relevant regional Mercy Corps’ location and may require travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited.
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.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.