Regional HR Business Partner / Advisor Middle East

Your Challenge

We are looking for an HR Business Partner/Advisor Regional Middle East for War Child Alliance who is hands on delivering a professional, business partner service to designated teams, staff and managers with various people related issues covering the full employee life cycle with a focus on actively supporting regional staff, Country Directors’s (CD) and expats in their employee life cycle and support in country HR with HR matters.

Working as part of a proactive and responsive HR team, the Regional HR Business Partner/Advisor provides pragmatic, creative and business-focused HR solutions and support and functions as a linking pin between local HR staff, the alliance HR team and country management.

The HR Business Partner / Advisor Regional acts hands-on in the preparation, development, implementation, evaluation and improvement of HR policies and practices and is a point of contact for advice and clarity to ensure implementation and compliance.

The HR Business Partner/Advisor Regional hierarchically reports to the Regional Operations Support Manager (OSM) and a functional line to the People & Culture Director and Regional Director (RD).

Your Responsibilities

• Strengthen HR and People management capabilities of managers. Build effective relationships and develop a good understanding of regional teams to be able to act as a true HR business partner;
• Provide effective and high-quality advice to country HR colleagues and senior managers on all aspects of people management;
• Strengthen the HR and people management capabilities of HR colleagues in our country programmes, and influence decision making in compliance with organisational policies and HR practices;
• Jointly lead and further strengthen the global HR team, ensuring it is a well-functioning platform of mutually supportive and aligned members;
• Lead on the regional implementation of specific HR policies and improvement projects, including communication and change management;
• Develop and maintain global HR frameworks and minimum standards across all country programmes;
• Work closely together with country HR representatives and Country/Regional Directors to ensure that HR remains high on their agenda;
• Guide and contribute to the development of regional and country-specific HR strategies and the translation into action plans and activities, in line with the global HR strategic priorities;
• Support country HR colleagues in meeting their country HR priorities and objectives;
• Support the development of locally specific policies and procedures in accordance with the global HR framework, local employment law and best practice;
• Develop and review HR policies and systems, researching best practice and legislative requirements;
• Support with employee relations processes in country programmes, including investigations, disciplinary cases and facilitating conflict resolution.
• Support the development of locally specific policies and procedures in accordance with the local employment law and best practice;
• Ensure that the HRIS in country programmes is used to its maximum potential and that there is an effective flow of people-related information to and from our country programmes;
• Monitor, identify and analyse relevant internal and external trends / developments within the HR field;
• Translate such developments into opportunities for improvement of HR policy and services, advising and coaching managers to support implementation of changes;
• Develop new HR policies and procedures, from scratch, roll out and coach managers / train staff to ensure full understanding and sound implementation;
• Evaluate existing polices, SOP’s and processes as part of continuous improvement based on organizational changes and needs, user feedback and external HR developments;
• Undertake local benchmarking analyses for salaries and benefits for local staff.
• Support the full recruitment process for regional roles: development job description, vacancy text writing, publishing of vacancies, screening, long/shortlisting, etc.)
• Facilitate, as required, recruitment and selection processes;
• Support the development / revision of job descriptions and their translation into vacancy texts;
• Advise Managers with regard interview question templates and assessments including interview techniques. Participate in interviews if required;
• Oversee background checks, including (Misconduct Disclosure Scheme) MDS references, and the job offer process;
• Ensure full adherence to Recruitment SOP.
• Support countries by ensuring quality recruitment systems are in place for in country HR to recruit national staff

Your Profile

• Holistic HR background, experienced in handling all aspects of the employee life cycle and people management issues;
• Experienced in acting as a business partner and adviser to HR colleagues and senior managers and being able to quickly gain credibility and influence;
• Experienced in working with international offices and overseas employment laws and regulations;
• Able to communicate sensitively and effectively with a wide range of people, including across cultures and with those at a distance, building positive working relationships;
• Experienced in managing and delivering projects autonomously or with little guidance, including implementing effective change;
• Experienced in dealing with sensitive and complex employee relations cases, including carrying out and supporting investigations and disciplinary proceedings;
• Experienced in helping others develop and grow, through a variety of means, including remotely;
• Willing and able to adjust to multiple demands and shifting priorities;
• Willing to travel to War Child countries of operation within the region, subject to security considerations;
• Ideally, experienced in the international NGO / not-for-profit sector, with an understanding of the HR challenges within the contexts that War Child operates in.
• Fluently in English and Arabic are mandatory. Preferably good understanding of Dari and/or Ukrainian are a bonus.
• Knowledge of and insight into the humanitarian sector and developments in society;
• Established knowledge of the HR field and relevant laws and regulations, procedures and processes with practical experience of application;
• Ability to build strong relations, engage with others, influence, coach and deliver directional advice;
• Effective interpersonal skills, like sensitivity, and a strong communicator across a range of cultures and locations, and with regard to varied matters / issues;
• Strong communicator and negotiator; with a proven ability to engage and persuade people managers on a course of action, instill confidence and provide clarity, direction and evidence to support proposals;
• Ability to independently manage project based work from onset through to completion;
• Comfortable managing multiple lines of work at the same time and balancing competing demands;
• The regional HR business partner for Middle East is based in any Middle Eastern country where War Child has an office. Limited relocation opportunities.

Our Offer

• Conditions and benefits will depend on the hiring WCA office and will be discussed further throughout the interviewing stage
• Possibility to follow training and/or courses and attend War Child’s events.
• Pleasant working conditions, good atmosphere, great colleagues and of course the meaningful purpose of our work!

The Organisation

War Child is a dynamic organization. We try to keep an informal ambiance within our offices, with a lot of room for creativity, inspiration and self-initiative from employees. We practice what we preach: dynamic, innovative, integrity focused, and a drive to reach the highest possible results against the lowest possible costs. War Child Alliance offers a challenging job in an inspiring workplace.