Regional HR Advisor International/ HECA/Nairobi/Kenya

Regional HR Advisor International/ HECA/Nairobi/Kenya
Salary based on the Kenya National Salary Scale Category: National (open ended)

OXFAM PURPOSE: To work with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering TEAM PURPOSE: To work as a business partner by supporting the managers and staff with advice, utilising effective tools and strategies to address people management issues, ensuring best practices within the organisational value framework.

JOB PURPOSE: To provide HR policy interpretation/ guidance, and HR customer service management with a generalist focus. Applying HR policy solutions that support business needs within a timely case management approach. Working together with managers to support delivery of various HR solutions and ensure legal compliance in the areas, such as recruitments, rewards, contract management, employee relations, humanitarian preparedness and response management, HR systems, etc. Ensuring quality of HR basics and cost effectiveness HR operations.

REPORTING LINES: Postholder reports to: Regional HR Manager Staff reporting to this post: Regional HR Administrator(s) - TBC BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY: Signing authority for certain budget lines, and an active role in preparation and monitoring of the HR budget

DIMENSIONS: • Contributes to the development of departmental/divisional strategic priorities and influence operational planning. • Managing/supervising resources within defined boundaries or specialist area, which may include people, asses and/or budgets. • Interprets and applies operational and specialist information in a variety of formats from a variety of sources. • Work with HR Business Partners to help inform their knowledge of business needs on HR policies solutions within the context of OXFAM’s Single Management Structure (SMS), providing support and collaborating with other Affiliates, when needed • Design HR standards and processes best practices to enhance the overall HR delivery capability • Act as the ongoing single point of contact between the customer and the HR support team for queries and requests that need to be resolved over an extended period of time i.e. queries that cannot be resolved within 1st line support - complex Case management and problem solving ensuring quality HR delivery. • Responsibility for keeping in contact with HR Business Partners and/or Centres of Expertise and line managers to broker appropriate HR solutions; taking a project management approach. • Provides support to the support services team to ensure HR operational excellence to agreed standards. • Assists with the development of solutions to diverse and complex problems and develops solutions to more routine problems. • Applies information received in a variety of formats primarily from internal sources. • Impact of this role is significant within the department and could have some impact division(s)-wide. • Influence staff and volunteers in Oxfam and develop effective relationships with external bodies. Draws from a number of information sources to inform individual and group decisions. • Communicates widely within the department, region, and HQ, and within OXFAM International, as well as with wider external contacts

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Learning & Development –
• Provide expert technical advice, to both staff and managers, on organisational development issues, specifically, on change management/ realignment processes. • Contribute to strategy and implementation of management and staff capacity development, retention, and succession planning to ensure that the organisation manages its people effectively. Humanitarian Response Management and Surge Capacity – • To take responsibility in coordinating potential humanitarian scale-up responses, based on the level/ category of the humanitarian response, ensuring effective collaboration between the relevant country, the Regional Centre, and the Humanitarian Department (HD), is maintained to the highest standards, based on the agreed ways of working and service standards. • To occasionally fill-in, as the HR support person in the field level, when required, during large humanitarian responses (CAT2s and1s). • Actively assist in humanitarian preparedness activities, both at the regional and country levels. To be part of the “Regional Emergency Response Team” preparation, including maintaining the membership roaster. Business Process Management – • Lead and contribute to the design and implementation of HR standards and best practices to enhance the overall HR delivery capability across the region. • Support country programmes in both strategic and operational HR issues, ensuring that the matrix/ technical support relationship is continually enhanced and effective within the context of empowerment and accountability. • Responsibility for keeping in contact with HR Business Partners and Centres of Expertise and line managers (country-region- and the Corporate Head Office) to broker appropriate HR solutions. • Project managing HR policy /systems roll out, ensuring that stakeholder relationships are maintained and communication channels are working effectively to produce the required results.
• Maintain a quarterly regional compliance-monitoring framework on business processes and produce relevant management information to assist in decision-making and/or strategic alignment • Support continuous HR business processes reengineering efforts in order to continually enhance service delivery. • To advise country programmes, possibly, across all OXFAM Affiliates in the region, regarding best solutions to shared service models, to ensure both programme quality and efficiency. • Managing human resources information system (GOLD) effectively by providing a regional oversight on compliance, and possible capacity building of country HR teams on business processes and monitoring of the organisational HR standards and best practices. Rewards & Benefits – • Ensure rewards and benefits implementation in practice is aligned to OXFAM’s reward principles and in compliance to local legal framework, and advise countries on rewards harmonization processes.
• To advise managers on various strategies in order to address issues around competitiveness and market position in the region, specifically within the context of Fragile States • Process all regional level business transactions/administration, which require local knowledge and a higher level of expertise (eg. Pay and Benefits Reviews, Job evaluations and grading, performance related pay, etc) • Oversee and resolve payroll management issues in a timely manner • Case-manage trouble-shoot to assist in resolving complex cases around pension, insurance, medical, Staff Handbooks, etc., in consultation with the relevant colleagues and/or external service providers. Resourcing – • Build the image of OXFAM as an employer of choice in the region and develop links wide networks with external placement agencies, and sources to attract diverse talented people developing links with educational institutions, education and training authorities, networks and other related sources for recruitment. • Support country programmes and the Regional Centre in workforce planning and resourcing strategies, with clear action plans that would achieve the desired results. • Provide expert advice to on Job Analysis/ Evaluations to internal stakeholders, using OXFAM’s policy framework, to ensure clarity on job specifications, person specifications and effective choice of selection methods to influence successful recruitments. • Provide advice and support to the region on recruitment tactics for key vacancies and support specific recruitment campaigns. • Implement and maintain regional skills register and other proactive recruitment initiatives • Provide operational support to regional support services team. • Management and oversight of relationships with key service providers in relation to recruitment, training and development • Capacity build and advise recruitment managers to fulfil their role effectively • Monitor recruitment processes to address any issues emerging without delay and in consultation with the stakeholders; maintaining high HR efficiency, effectiveness and credibility. Employee Relations – • Managing employee relations issues, including contract management, managing poor performance, Disciplinaries, prevention of Sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), and Code of Conduct issues, etc., ensuring the highest level of professionalism and best practices are applied. • Act as a confidential advisor to both staff and managers on sensitive issues, and assist in resolving relevant matters with creativity and flexibility within the Oxfam’s policy framework and the legal context. Budgeting - • Take active role in the HR budgeting process and forecasting, and monthly monitoring of spends and expenses. • To assist country HR teams and the Regional Finance team in the annual budget process, ensuring quality and the organizational timelines are met.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCE:

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES: • Extensive generalist HR experience, within a large size, complex organisation, preferably gained working in a role with a “regional remit”. • Excellent knowledge and experience in the latest developments, thinking, trends, and best practices in the HR management field. • Advise and inspire confidence using professional/ specialist knowledge to overcomes challenges, despite hurdles, and resolves challenges consistent with Oxfam's values and ways of working. • Ability to support staff and managers from a distance to influence positive change. • Budgeting and numerical skills /Attention to detail • Skills in computer applications, including MS Office Suite and relevant HR information management software • Well-developed interpersonal skills and demonstrable ability to work as a member of a diverse team. • Ability to gather and analyse critical information and data for reporting and producing meaningful management information, which are used to make both operational and strategic people management decisions. • Gender and cultural sensitivity and commitment and understanding of the values of Oxfam and the principles of diversity and equal opportunity.

BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES: Knowing the Business – Understands the Business and how HR can best contribute to its success • Demonstrates basic financial awareness and how business works • Ensures resources are used economically and takes action to avoid unnecessary waste • Compiles people information to assist others in decision making in the line • Recognises primary competitors in the marketplace Demonstrating HR Expertise – Understands and delivers suitable HR practices for the organisation which lead to organisational success. • Provides clear technical/ professional information to others on request, and also proactively. • Has a strong customer orientation and focuses on customer needs and satisfaction • Proactively shares own know-how with other colleagues. • Volunteers expertise to help others solve problems and tackle issues. • Develops job knowledge and expertise through continual professional development • Ensures confidentiality and practices HR to the highest ethical standards Acts as a Change agent – helps make change happen • Is open minded and demonstrates a positive attitude to change. Results oriented • Makes use of existing ideas and adapts them to own area of work • Discusses ideas with others to make the most of their experiences • Tweaks established ways of doing things to make them more effective Builds Personal Credibility – personally demonstrates the organisation’s values, builds trust with colleagues in the organisation, and proactively contributes to organisation success. • Maintains effective working relationships with colleagues • Listens, questions and communicates in an influential and engaging way • Presents clear and concise information in response to queries. Delivers outputs on time and to the agreed standard. • Reinforces Oxfam values and desired behaviours through example. • Demonstrates a proven track record for customer service, delivery and capability

How to apply:

How to apply: To find out more about this role and to apply, visit www.oxfam.org.uk/jobs and quote reference INT5935.

Closing date: 20 January 2013 Interview date: 24 January 2013