Compensation and Benefits Specialist

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), is seeking an innovative, self-motivated, candidate for Compensation and Benefits Specialist. The position will be based at CIMMYT’s Main Campus located 45 km northeast of Mexico City, Mexico.

The Compensation and Benefits Specialist/Manager will be responsible for the design, development, implementation, management and communication of the organization's International and several national compensation and benefits policies and programs. The Specialist will ensure that all financial and non-financial reward elements are competitive, sustainable and consistent with CIMMYT’s overall strategic direction, business objectives, and culture. The specialist will utilize his/her well developed communication and presentation skills to educate as well as to obtain feedback to ensure that reward programs are well understood, utilized, and add their intended value.

Specific responsibilities of this position will include:

• Consistent with CIMMYT’s reward philosophy, develop and propose reward strategies and policies for International staff and national staff in various countries.
• Keep updated on market trends and propose responses including what-if scenarios and models to explore new possibilities to ensure the competitive edge of CIMMYT in recruitment
• Plan, Manage/coordinate compensation surveys and ad hoc reviews. Analyze and interpret survey results including non-financial benefits. Propose fully costed C&B options
• Implement approved compensation and benefits schemes.
• Manage expatriate compensation and relocation programs
• Develop and maintain mechanisms for dealing with cost of living, location-based benefits, currency exchange protection etc.
• Manage the performance appraisal system and related rewards and other related actions.
• Develop and propose Performance – based reward schemes.
• Prepare communication documents and presentations on Compensation & Benefits (C&B) changes
• Conduct regular reviews / staff surveys to ensure that the C&B elements add to competitiveness in the market as well as value to staff members.
• Assist in setting of recruitment salaries.
• Manage and maintain the job grading system including all related documents.
• Maintain HR database related to compensation and benefit systems
• Provide regular and special reports and analyses
• Support Reviews and audits
• Support process automation
• Supervise assigned HR Associates

We are seeking candidates with the following qualifications and attitudes:

• MBA in a Human Resources related field with experience or education in International Compensation and benefits.
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in expatriate and international human resource management with in-depth understanding of international compensation and benefits.
• Experience in the NGO/not for profit sector will be an advantage.
• Excellent computer skills
• Creativity and proven skills in developing and implementing new models and approaches.
• Excellent communication skills in English
• World at work certification will be an advantage.

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, known by its Spanish acronym, CIMMYT® (www.cimmyt.org), is a not-for-profit research and training organization with partners in over 100 countries. The center works to sustainably increase the productivity of maize and wheat systems and thus ensure global food security and reduce poverty. The center's outputs and services include improved maize and wheat varieties and cropping systems, the conservation of maize and wheat genetic resources, and capacity building. CIMMYT belongs to and is funded by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (www.cgiar.org) and also receives support from national governments, foundations, development banks, and other public and private agencies.

CIMMYT has had enormous impact in the developing world. It is the center of excellence for work on two of the three most important food crops in the developing world. Its most famous employee, Dr. Norman Borlaug, is credited by many with saving more lives than any other individual in the history of the world. Borlaug’s work dramatically increased yields of wheat in the Indo-Gangetic plains in the 1960s and 1970s, staving off starvation for hundreds of millions. For this work, Borlaug received the Nobel Prize in 1970. Scores of other CIMMYT efforts have saved or enriched millions of lives, from releasing disease-resistant varieties and varieties resistant to drought and heat and soil deficiencies, to dispersing techniques to reduce farmer costs and post-harvest losses. In developing countries, wheat varieties developed by CIMMYT and its partners cover 75% of the area planted to modern wheat varieties.

CIMMYT offers an attractive remuneration package paid in tax free US dollars, with a wide range of benefits including housing allowance, life and health insurance, education allowance, home leave, retirement fund, and relocation shipping assistance.

CIMMYT is an equal-opportunity employer and actively seeks and encourages diversity in gender and nationality.

Apply online no later than July 15, 2012

The vacancy will remain open until filled

At www.cimmyt.org, click on “About us – Job Opportunities- Position” -2012-28. Please complete the online application, including your cover letter, competencies and experience for the position, and a detailed CV/resume.

For further information, contact Nellooli P Rajasekharan, Director-International HR at n.rajasekharan@cgiar.org or the Human Resources Office, jobs-cimmyt@cgiar.org. Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.