Director of Human Resources and Administration at Save the Children

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Director of Human Resources and Administration Ref Id: 200000IC Location: Abuja with field travel Contract Length: Fixed Term Renewable Team: Nigeria Country Office Employee Status: Fixed Term

Details

• Save the Children is looking a Human Resources and Administration Director in Nigeria to bring their experience to bear in leading a dynamic and diverse workforce and drive global organizational changes within the organization.
• We employ approximately 550 people across 10 states [and growing] in Nigeria to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realize the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

Child Safeguarding:

• Level 3: A police check will be required since the role holder is responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process and supervising the staff who carry out the checks.

Role Purpose

• As a member of the Nigeria Senior Management Team (SMT) the Director of HR& Administration you will have shared accountability for Save the Children’s international development and emergency programming in a program of approximately $60 million each year through an organization of more than 450 staff.
• You will also share in the overall responsibility for the direction and coordination of the Country Office (CO).
• The Director of HR& Admin in his/her capacity will be accountable for the provision of effective HR services.
• In addition, the Director, HR& Administration will be accountable to the Country Director for the provision of effective administrative and Child Safeguarding services. The remit covers both emergencies and development programming contexts.

Scope of Role:

• Reports to: Country Director
• Dimensions: Save the Children works in over 10 states in Nigeria with and through partners. The headquarters is in Abuja with State offices in Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kaduna, Lagos, Cross River, Benue, Gombe, Yobe and Borno.
• Staff directly reporting to this post: HR Manager, Admin Manager, Child Safeguarding Adviser with dotted line reporting for HR in the field.

Key Areas of Accountability As a member of the Senior Management Team, contribute to:

• Leadership of the Nigeria Country Office
• Support the development of an organisational culture that reflects our dual mandate values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation, and frees up our people to deliver outstanding results for children and excellent customer service for our members and donors
• Help design and implement a coherent organizational structure that is consistent with agency practices and appropriate to program needs
• Help establish, maintain, and improve active and regular working relationships with: host government authorities, partner agencies including humanitarian and development donors, and local and international NGOs
• Ensure the Nigeria Country Office complies with all Save the Children Management Operating Standards and Standard Operating Procedures
• Ensure that all required support is provided promptly, at scale and in line with the rules and principles during emergencies, working closely with the Regional Office

Policies and Procedures:

• Supervise the HR and support services function to ensure that advice and support are provided to managers and staff on interpretation and application of policies and procedures and on other HR, general administration and Child Safeguarding related matters
• Ensure all HR, Administration and Child Safeguarding policies and procedures manuals are in developed and implemented, comply with government of Nigeria legal requirements and are in  line with SCI global policies
• Ensure appropriate and adequate humanitarian HR procedures are detailed in the Country Office Humanitarian Preparedness Plan in order to enable rapid scale up
• Facilitate the HR aspects (such as deployment mechanisms) of Nigeria’s Humanitarian Response Team
• Provide ethical oversight and leadership across the Country Office
• Ensure that staff and Save the Children Associates are aware of and adhere to the Child Safeguarding and code of conduct Policies.
• Ensure appropriate personnel files and HR documentation is maintained and secure
• Supervise the development of dual mandate HR & SS practices and processes aligned with the organisation’s overall strategy and SCI Essential Standards to meet the evolving needs of the organisation

Strategic Human Resources Planning:

• Design and manage staffing strategies to ensure that the organisation acquires and retains a qualified workforce capable of meeting organisational challenges in both development and emergency contexts
• Institute and manage an appropriate performance management and succession planning system to ensure that the organization has a ready supply of staff with the requisite skills and competencies.
• Ensure appropriate and adequate emergency HR procedures are detailed in the Country Office Emergency Preparedness Plan in order to enable rapid scale up
• Facilitate the HR aspects (such as deployment mechanisms) of the Country's Emergency Response Team
• Work closely with the program departments to ensure that adequate HR inputs are provided and incorporated during development and implementation of all projects/programs
• Lead long range people forecasting & HR planning for the organization

Staff Recruitment and Retention:

• Ensure appropriate recruitment, retention and succession of staff including orientation programmes; design and implementation of compensation and performance management systems relevant for both development and emergencies, and career development for staff
• Ensure design and management of competitive and appropriate compensation and benefits policies for all employees; and conduct compensation reviews ensuring cost effective, and equitable
• Develop and maintain appropriate job descriptions that reflect Save the Children’s dual mandate, and ensure they are evaluated according to SCI Job Evaluation Guidelines
• Ensure through thorough review that employment terms, conditions and practices are fair, consistent, compliant with labour law and Save the Children HR policies and best practice, and appropriate to the context

Performance Management and Staff Development:

• Develop a culture of performance management across the organization, where staff are held accountable and rewarded for high performance
• Ensure a robust Induction on all SCI policies and procedures for all staff, visitors, and consultants is implemented
• Providing guidance on staff capacity building and in formulating the annual training calendar, and offering expert facilitation of in-house training programs such as performance management workshops and orientation programmes
• Ensure that staff have access to HR guidance on individual development opportunities arising from performance review feedback and personal career development interests
• Monitor and advise on disciplinary matters in accordance with established policies and procedures
• Mediate conflict, grievances and harassment cases
• Lead implementation and maintenance of performance management system that is in alignment with organizational goals
• Ensure that performance reviews are conducted regularly by supervisors; provide training and advise to managers on effective implementation of performance management
• Analyse on an on-going basis the organisational staffing profile and, in conjunction with senior managers, advising on job holder competencies and skills in light of changing contexts and content

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development – Human Resources:

• Ensure appropriate staffing within Human Resources and Support Services
• Ensure the recruitment, training, and promotion of staff as appropriate and ensure availability of appropriate professional development opportunities for staff
• Incorporate staff development strategies and Performance Management Systems into team-building process.  Establish result based system and follow up.
• Ensure that all HR and Support Services staff understand and are able to perform their roles in an emergency
• Manage the HR/Support Services teams; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and evaluate direct reports regularly

Administration:

• Supervise administrative function to ensure the smooth running of the CO, monitor visa process for international staff and liaison with Government of Nigeria
• Ensure that appropriate, efficient, cost effective Information Technology Systems are in place and in compliance with SCI Essential Standards
• Ensure standard hard-copy and electronic filing system is in place across departments and the country office and develop/roll out polices and guidelines

Facilities Management:

• Oversee office facilities management – including telephone system, photocopier lease and maintenance, computer network and office supplies – ensuring the most environmentally friendly approaches are used
• Review and annually update all contracts and leases before forwarding them to the Country Director for signature
• Ensure compliance with Health and Safety regulations
• Support Field offices by ensuring operations support – ensure there are mechanisms in place to support sub-office issues
• Ensure maintenance of office facilities to achieve the best working environment possible
• Oversee the overall maintenance of the office premises, facilities assets and equipment (physical work environment) and ensure that these are secure and efficiently utilized

Child Safeguarding:

• Work closely with the Child Safeguarding Adviser to ensure Child safeguarding is institutionalized, and that the country programme has a clear complaint, reporting and investigation mechanisms; compliance and accountability is effectively monitored
• Ensure that partners, suppliers and others associated with SCI are aware of and are compliant with the child safeguarding policy
• Ensure all SCI employees receive through Child Safeguarding and Code of Conduct policy induction, and refresher training

Government Relationships:

• Ensure Support Services and HR maintain strategic links with Government of Nigeria’s key ministries/departments at national and provincial levels, identify opportunities and ensure Save the Children’s participation in key activities of the national and provincial and local level government
• Ensure that Save the Children policies are coherent and relevant to current policies in Nigeria

Qualifications And Experience

• A minimum of 7 years management and HR experience in a corporate or an NGO environment, including experience in the development of strategic and operational support services plans and their implementation
• Master's and/or postgraduate specialisation in Human Resources or Business Administration (MBA) with specialisation in HR.
• Ability to plan and organise a substantial workload that includes complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities in both development and emergency contexts
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to demonstrate skills in leading a multi- disciplined team through a period of change
• Leadership skills, including the ability to supervise and motivate qualified professional staff with strong personal value systems
• Analytical, decision making and strategic planning skills and the ability to handle multiple priorities
• Ability to coach, mentor, delegate appropriately and provide developmental guidance to supervised staff
• Team building skills
• Competent level skills in core IT applications, particularly MS Office, EXCEL
• A commitment to the values and principles of SCI
• High level of commitment to mission, vision, and values of  Save the Children
• Experience in capacity building and setting frameworks for staff development;
• Resourcefulness and creativity in developing the role of HR within the programme and ensuring the most effective support to line management;
• Willingness and ability to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergencies
• Demonstrated credibility with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels of an organization
• Strong motivator and proven track record of demonstrating leadership

Skills And Behaviours (our Values in Practice) Accountability:

• Holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency.

How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply online Important Information / Notice

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures
• We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse
• The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy
• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures
• Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process