Human Resources, Director

About the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES): IFES advances democracy for a better future. We collaborate with civil society, public institutions, and the private sector to build resilient democracies that deliver for everyone. As the global leader in the promotion and protection of democracy, our technical assistance and applied research develops trusted electoral bodies capable of conducting credible elections; effective and accountable governing institutions; civic and political processes in which all people can safely and equally participate; and innovative ways in which technology and data can positively serve elections and democracy. Since 1987, IFES has worked in more than 145 countries, from developing to mature democracies.

The greatest assets of IFES are our team members. IFES offers competitive benefits and pay, as well as the opportunity to work in a dynamic and collaborative environment. Every member of the IFES team is responsible for carrying out the mission of IFES and integrating IFES values into their work every day: Commitment to Excellence, Effective Communication, High Quality Decision-Making, Accountability, Teamwork and Collaboration.

PRIMARY FUNCTION/PURPOSE: The Human Resources Director is responsible for all talent and human relations operations including, but not limited to talent strategy, recruitment, learning and development, compensation, benefits, performance evaluation, employee engagement, employee relations, compliance, consultancies and special projects. The Director, in collaboration with, and reporting to, the Vice President of Human Resources and Labor Relations, is responsible for ensuring the Human Resources department is directly aligned with the Foundation's culture and strategic plan, as well as its workforce needs in the future. The Director of Human Resources also serves on the senior leadership team as a strategic partner in envisioning the growth and development of IFES's "next chapter" with a specific emphasis on human capital as a key strategic component for success in the future. The Human Resources Department plays an essential role in energizing, retaining and recruiting world-class talent who will serve at the epicenter of IFES's success. IFES is a fast-paced and rapidly growing workplace that has quickly become one of the world's "go to" places for advice and counsel in democratic elections systems and solutions. IFES is committed to recruiting and retaining thought leaders, visionary next generation innovators and change agents.

The Human Resources department is composed of key department segments including recruitment, employee and labor relations, benefits and rewards and recognition, employee engagement, learning and development, HRIS and records management, and other core human resource functions. IFES is in the process of implementing a new institution-wide strategic plan that will help build the Foundation's workforce for the future while implementing the broader strategic objectives. Some of the key strategic plan objectives that directly impact Human Resources include:

• Develop and implement effective and consistent training, including onboard training, and resources for HQ and country offices.
• Institutionalize a global workplace culture and set of values that nurtures all IFES staff and supports their ability to advance the IFES mission, drawing upon diverse expertise in HQ and country offices.
• Institutionalize standard operating procedures, service level agreements, and clear roles and responsibilities between Program/Center teams and Operations/Admin teams.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Talent Strategy Development

• Envision, lead and implement a comprehensive talent strategy that supports IFES's current personnel needs, but more importantly, partners the talented team with cutting-edge human resource practices and technologies to pave the way to the organization's future.
• Position IFES as the "employer of choice" by the best and brightest in the field of international relations. Department Management
• Hire, manage, develop, and coach the talent & human resources staff, encouraging continuous growth and development.
• In partnership with the CEO, develop a foundation-wide Knowledge Management System that provides a centralized place for all IFES policies/procedures, as well as Human Resources department standard operating procedures.
• Develop an internal system that identifies and provides opportunities for employees to access useful tools for success, learn more about their co-workers, make connections, and thus lay an improved platform for collaboration.
• Manage relationships with external partners including consultants, attorneys, trainers/coaches, insurance brokers, and benefit administrators.

Recruitment

• Oversee the foundation-wide recruitment portfolio including senior-level positions, mid-level positions, junior-level positions, subject matter experts (SME's) consultants, interns, and general consultancies.
• Ensure diversity, equity and inclusion priorities are identified, implemented, analyzed, and improved upon, as appropriate, on a pan-institutionalized basis.

Financial Management

• Oversee and monitor the annual Human Resources budget and demonstrate principles of fiduciary stewardship in the management of the department's financial resources by finding ways to maximize the value of every dollar spent while minimizing costs and streamlining processes when possible.
• Collaborate with the CEO, and the senior leadership team, to periodically produce for the Board an accurate and insightful report that highlights: staff overview, turnover, compensation, performance ratings, legal challenges, etc.

Compliance

• Comply with USAID and any other donor's rules and regulations with a particular focus on fiscal management.
• Recognize and comply with all existing government and legal reporting compliance requirements with specific attention to anything related to: the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Paid Family Leave (PFL), Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Department of Labor, worker compensation, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
• Manage corporate insurance policies.
• Serve as the Foundation's point-of-contact for international and travel security services.
• Remain current on international, national and local laws, regulations and developments in the human resources field.
• In partnership with legal counsel, manage the petition process for VISA sponsorship.

Policy Development

• Partner with the Foundation's senior leadership team to develop and communicate human resource policies, procedures, programs, and practices to the staff at large and broader audiences.
• Oversee the implementation of human resource policies, monitor the administration of standards and procedures, identify opportunities for improvement, and resolve any and all discrepancies.
• Oversee a comprehensive review of the employee manual at a minimum of every three years; including implementation of annual revisions and updates when new policies and procedures are enacted.

Employee Relations

• Counsel management and staff regarding employee relations matters and legal issues related to personnel policies and laws.
• Work with the staff at large to provide support in communicating issues to their supervisors/colleagues; work with management regarding staff development and disciplinary procedures/terminations.
• Serve as the liaison with outside employment counsel, should the need arise.

Staff Training and Development

• Oversee a robust curriculum of compliance training and staff development programming.
• Investigate new programming that will enhance employee career development and the strengthening of relevant skill sets.

Salary and Benefits

• Oversee yearly salary and benefits analyses; make recommendations and implement approved changes.
• Manage a triennial salary survey and comprehensive review of the foundation's compensation policy, including salary increase guidelines, and competitiveness of benefits.
• Oversee the department's work in negotiating insurance renewals, planning and implementing annual open enrollment meetings, retirement plans, monthly vendor billing, and health and wellness programs.
• Oversee a request for proposal (RFP) process that assesses benefit provider services, analyzes responses, presents analysis and makes contracting recommendations to the Foundation's board, and manages the implementation of any changes.
• Evaluate, redesign if necessary, and manage annual review and assessment process for all

Other

• Participate in the senior leadership team and organization-wide meetings as appropriate.
• Effectively use data analytics to identify areas of strength and improvement; communicate themes to the senior leadership team, recommending efficiencies and resolutions; implement decisions accordingly.
• Perform any special projects as assigned.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

DECISION MAKING/PROBLEM SOLVING: Identify risk factors with potential to disrupt achievement of operational goals. Demonstrate insight, judgment and initiative to resolve unusual challenges. Ability to work effectively and collaboratively, with a high level of personal interaction in the office, across teams and functions with a practical, solution-oriented mindset. Ability to work in a proactive, independent, and reliable manner under tight timeframes in a fast-paced environment. Exhibit excellent judgement, superior leadership, and strong problem-solving skills, and can proactively spot risk and identify solutions.

TEAMWORK AND COLLABORATION: Partners and collaborates with stakeholders across IFES to achieve a common purpose. This involves sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus. Values diverse perspectives and working with others as a way to achieve the best possible outcome. Gains the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.

ACCOUNTABILITY: Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments. Follows through on commitments and makes sure others do the same. Acts with a clear sense of ownership. Takes personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and failures. Establishes clear responsibilities and processes for monitoring work and measuring results. Designs feedback loops into work.

COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE: Continuously striving to improve upon past performance with an orientation towards high quality service delivery and product development that demonstrates creativity/innovation, rigor, and knowledge generation. Understands responsibilities and meets goals for assigned tasks. Strives to eliminate mistakes, and complete work in a timely fashion. Solves problems as requested. Seeks to provide prompt, efficient and courteous service. Demonstrates a desire to contribute to the success of IFES.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: Responsible for procurement process for acquiring services for the department. Research, negotiate, and make decisions regarding purchases of materials, equipment and logistical arrangements.

RELATIONSHIPS: Manage and provide leadership guidance to the HR Team. Maintains effective working relationship with members of other departments, country offices and other stakeholders. Develop and maintain collaborative relationships, which require highly developed interpersonal skills, involving active listening, creativity and problem solving, to assure desired outcomes. Collaborate with HR staff and other departments and country offices in developing and implementing initiatives, policies, and activities and toward departmental and organizational objectives. Work requires a high degree of confidentiality, diplomacy, analytical and communication skills and judgment.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, psychology, organizational development, business or a related field. A master's degree is preferred.
• PHR/SHRM certification is preferred.
• Computer literacy: MS Office, HRIS (e.g., Costpoint, BSwift, UKG, Bullseye), and insurance carrier websites.

Experience:

• A minimum of 12+ years combined experience in employee relations, HR management/compliance, training and development program management, preferably with an international organization.
• Broad-based experience managing a global HR department for an organization of similar size and scope.
• Superior writing and communication skills with unwavering attention to detail.
• Experience with implementing an HR strategy amongst a network of field offices is a significant plus.

Related Skills or Knowledge:

• Knowledge of federal contracting rules and regulations as they pertain to human resources and US labor laws.
• Knowledge of HR law, principles and practices including knowledge of state and federal regulations and laws (EEO, FLSA, ADA, COBRA, FMLA, OSHA).
• Superior writing and communication skills with unwavering attention to detail.

Proven ability to work with diverse stakeholders of many cultures, manage diverse agendas and priorities, and translate complex information across functional arenas.

• The ability to travel to field offices when appropriate (estimated 10-15% of time).

Personal Characteristics

The successful candidate should be:

• Passionate about the field of human resources and talent acquisition and the critical role the department plays in the growth and stability of an organization.
• Intellectually interested in the world of democracy building and international affairs.
• A self-starter that requires minimal direction from the CEO on the fulfillment of her/his specific job related duties.
• An expert coalition builder. Someone with superb people skills and the ability to work well with a wide range of constituencies.
• A consummate communicator. As the public face of the recruitment effort, someone with the ability to define and articulate the Foundation's mission and work across diverse audiences.
• An entrepreneur. Someone who can use natural ingenuity to create new HR strategies and programs.
• A "hands-on" implementer. Someone who can both delegate and roll up their own sleeves when the situation demands various behaviors.
• A driver for success. Someone who demonstrates initiative and is appropriately decisive.
• A team player. Someone whose ego is in check and who will enthusiastically share credit and the spotlight and thrive in the collaborative culture of the Foundation.
• A flexible work style. Someone who can work at times with ambiguity in a fast-paced environment with tight timelines and constrained resources.
• Ability to drive long-term Foundation-wide strategic initiatives while producing a positive employee climate.
• Excellent people skills; must be able to manage and effectively communicate to staff members at all levels of the organization.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED: This position has supervisory responsibility and will manage, coordinate, and monitor activities of others to assure goals are met.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Excellent verbal and written command of the English language. Proficiency in additional languages is a plus.

TRAVEL: The ability to travel to field offices when appropriate (estimated 10-15% of time).

Standard office work environment, with limited field travel. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

OTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTS:

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNITThis position is not in the collective bargaining unit represented by the Office and Professional Employees International Union, Local 2 (OPEIU, Local 2).

POSITION DESIGNATION: This position is subject to mandatory Background Checks.

EEO STATEMENT: IFES is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, matriculation, physical handicap, or political affiliation. If you have diversity, Affirmative Action or Equal Employment Opportunity questions or need Reasonable Accommodation, please contact, Jabari Campbell, at jcampbell@ifes.org.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT: Standard office work environment. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.