Reports to: Director General
Location: Cairo, Egypt
The Director of Human Resources and Administration(DHRA)will be responsible for providing leadership to the Human Resources and Administration function and for the oversight of HR and administration operations in multiple countries.
The successful candidate will serve as a strategic partner to the Director General and the senior management team, providing guidance and expertise in all HR functions. This position requires a deep understanding of HR best practices, labour laws, and government regulations in jurisdictions of ICARDA’s operations and will be responsible for developing and implementing HR strategies, policies, and programs that align with our organizational goals and objectives. The candidate will also be a key driver of organizational change and fostering a positive work culture. The role is further charged with overseeing and managing the administrative functions of the organization. This role will be pivotal in ensuring that ICARDA’s administrative operations run smoothly, resources are managed effectively, policies are implemented consistently, and relationships with external stakeholders are well- managed.
The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is an international autonomous, non-profit research organization supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
ICARDA's mission is to reduce poverty and enhance food, water, nutritional security, and environmental health in the face of global challenges, including climate change. We do this through innovative science, strategic partnerships, linking research to development, and capacity development that consider gender equality and the role of youth in transforming the dry areas. ICARDA works in partnership with governments, universities, civil society, national agricultural research organizations, other CGIAR research Centers, and the private sector. With its temporary Headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, ICARDA operates in regional and country offices across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. For more information: www.icarda.org.
All 12 CGIAR Centers are currently engaged in a transformation effort (the 'One CGIAR') that will help the CGIAR achieve better impact through more strategically integrated research, unified governance, an integrated structure, and new research modalities.
The role of the Director of HR and Administration includes, but is not limited to:
Human Resources
· Lead the Human Resources function:
- Ensure that the function serves the strategic and operational objectives of the organization by shaping the organization of the function accordingly,
- Continuously improve policies, processes and standards taking technology into consideration in light of lessons learned, best practices and organizational changes,
- Ensure that the data used or generated by the HR function is well-managed and follows GDRC standards to the extent possible,
- Ensure that all services are rendered in a proactive, timely, reliable, accurate and consistent fashion,
- Regularly evaluate performance of the function,
- Represent the function internally and externally,
- Ensure staff and managers are aware of all applicable policies and key processes and know how to access services.
· Lead and manage the Human Resources Team:
- Organize the team optimally and keep job descriptions updated,
- Lead the development of the team workplans and monitor and adjust implementation; project manage as needed,
- Plan and prioritize workloads and problem solve as needed,
- Coach and supervise team members, provide feedback and support,
- Set individual yearly workplans and performance objectives and carry out regular performance appraisal processes, Identify and facilitate opportunities for development,
- Ensure information flows easily within the team,
· Ensure the effectiveness of the recruitment and selection process of regular and complementary staff, including compliance with existing policies and guidelines;
· Oversee the effective management of employment contracts and benefits for regular and complementary staff, including offers of employment, issuing of contracts, enrolment in social security schemes, and ensure effective on-boarding of staff;
· Effectively manage the annual performance management cycle, including the delivery of training and other forms of support to managers and staff;
· Organize the annual meetings of and directly support the rewards and regrading committees;
· Oversee the effective management of the staff separation process;
· Ensured appropriateness and accuracy and approve HR-related transactions in the ICARDA ERP
(OCS);
· Help define HR agenda for Board level and draft HR documents for the Board of Trustees;
· Raise awareness of and ensure compliance with HR policies and procedure; working closely with the Legal Counsel provide advice on policy interpretation when required;
· Manage staff occupational health and safety matters and ensure compliance with national standards;
· Make recommendations to the DG on improvement initiatives and project-manage related projects as necessary;
· Provides strategic and tactical advice to the DG on a diverse range of HR issues;
· Prepare analytical reports on HR metrics for senior management and the Board of Trustees;
· Provide advice and support on HR matters to managers across different countries;
· Takes a leading role in enhancing employee relations by proactively engaging with staff associations, managers and staff across different countries, identify staff and managers’ concerns and initiative to address them;
· Monitor the implementation of ICARDA Gender and Inclusion Action Plan;
· Support management with improving the effectiveness of internal communication;
· Engage with the CGIAR HR Community of Practice on system-wide HR initiatives.
Administration
· Oversee the function areas of facilities, travel, logistics. Ensure efficient use of assets, budget control, compliant practice and effective service delivery;
· Ensure that the Administration Community of Practice proactively discusses issues and challenges and takes coordinated and controlled action,
· Ensure that policies and standards are clear, well documented and easily accessible to staff; organize training as needed,
· Coordinate hosting arrangements in coordination with PGDMU, Legal, Finance and IT mostly (e.g. Cairo, Tashkent, Addis),
· Ensure records and agreements on ICARDA locations are up to standard and kept up to date,
· Ensure that security and safety at all ICARDA sites are monitored and maintained.
Supervision
· Effectively lead, motivate, and manage the performance of all human resource and administration staff across ICARDA, ensuring that appropriate policies are developed and implemented and adherence to standards is made.