Position: Director -Human Resource, Administration & Information Technology (1 Position)

Duty Station: Lusaka

ROLE PURPOSE:

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) in Zambia, the HR, Administration & IT Director shares in the overall responsibility for the direction and coordination of the Country Office (CO). The HR, Admin& IT Director in his/her capacity will be accountable for the provision of effective HR, Admin & IT services in both humanitarian and development programming contexts.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Dimensions:

The post holder will work closely with all senior managers in the Zambia programme and will have a direct reporting line to the Country Director.

Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organisation for children and has been operational in Zambia since the 1980s, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners. Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, health, HIV/AIDS, child poverty, nutrition and WASH. In total, we employ around 150 staff in Zambia and had an operating annual budget in 2017 of approximately US$12million.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contribute to:

• Leadership of the Zambia Country Office;
• Support the development of an organisational culture that reflects our values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation, and frees up our people to deliver outstanding results for children and excellent customer service for our members and donors;
• Help design and implement a coherent organizational structure that is consistent with agency practices and appropriate to program needs;
• Help establish, maintain, and improve active and regular working relationships with: host government authorities, partner agencies including humanitarian and development donors, and local and international NGOs;
• Ensure the Zambia Country Office complies with all Save the Children Management Operating Standards and Standard Operating Procedures;
• Ensure that all required support is provided promptly, at scale and in line with the rules and principles during humanitarian response, working closely with the Regional Office.

Policies and Procedures

• Supervise the Human Resource function to ensure that advice and support are provided to managers and staff on interpretation and application of policies and procedures and on other HR related matters;
• Supervise the development of HR practices and processes aligned with the organization’s overall strategy to meet the evolving needs of the organisation;
• Ensure appropriate and adequate humanitarian HR procedures are detailed in the Country Office Humanitarian Preparedness Plan in order to enable rapid scale up ;
• Facilitate the HR aspects (such as deployment mechanisms) of Zambia’s Humanitarian Response Team
• Provide ethical oversight and leadership across the Country Office;
• Ensure that staff and Save the Children and Associates are aware of and adhere to the Child Safeguarding Policies.

Staff Recruitment and Retention

• Ensure appropriate recruitment, retention and succession of staff including orientation programmes; design and implementation of compensation and performance management systems and career development for staff;
• Ensure through thorough review that employment terms, conditions and practices are fair, consistent, compliant with labour law and Save the Children human resource policies and best practice;
• Prepare terms and conditions of employment and issue all employment and consultancy contracts in compliance with Zambia Labour Law;
• In collaboration with Finance Director, ensure maintenance of updated information on staff salaries, allowances and income tax calculations in compliance with current laws and regulations.

Performance Management and Staff Development

• Develop a culture of performance management across the organization, where staff are held accountable;
• Lead implementation and maintenance of performance management system that is in alignment with organizational goals;
• Ensure that performance reviews are conducted regularly by supervisors; provide training and advise to managers on effective implementation of performance management;
• Analyse on an ongoing basis the organisational staffing profile and, in conjunction with senior managers, advising on job holder competencies and skills in light of changing contexts and content;
• Providing guidance on staff capacity building and in formulating the annual training calendar, and offering expert facilitation of in-house training programs such as performance management workshops and orientation programmes;
• Ensure that staff have access to HR guidance on individual development opportunities arising from performance review feedback and personal career development interests;
• Monitor and advise on disciplinary matters in accordance with established policies and procedures;
• Mediate conflict, grievances and harassment cases.

Staff Management, Mentorship and Development – Human Resource, Administration & IT

• Ensure appropriate staffing within the department;
• Ensure that all direct reports understand and are able to perform their roles during a Humanitarian response;
• Manage the Direct reports team; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and evaluate direct reports regularly;
• Ensure the recruitment/ training of staff as appropriate and ensure availability of appropriate professional development opportunities for staff;
• Incorporate staff development strategies and Performance Management Systems into team building process. Establish result based system and follow up
• Manage the performance of all staff:
  • Effective use of the Performance Management System including the establishment of clear, measureable objectives, ongoing feedback, periodic reviews and fair and unbiased evaluations;
  • Coaching, mentoring and other developmental opportunities;
  • Recognition for outstanding performance;
  • Documentation of performance that is less than satisfactory, with appropriate performance improvements/ work plans.

Legal Relationships

• Ensure that Save the Children policies are coherent and relevant to current policies in Zambia and internationally;
• Maintain/Develop further relations with the Ministry of Labour and other relevant legal support services;
• Directs the preparation of information requested or required for compliance with laws;
• Liaise and maintain regular relationship with the Save the Children Lawyer at local and legal office in Save the Children International;
• Protects the interest of employees and the organisation in accordance with organisation Human Resource policies and government laws and regulations.

Administration/Information Technology

• Supervise administrative function to ensure the smooth import of capital assets, monitor visa/work permit process for expatriate staff and liaison with GRZ;
• Ensure sophisticated, efficient, cost effective Information Technology Systems are in place which is also in compliance with SCI Quality Framework;
• Responsible for ensuring CO internal and external communications systems function effectively and efficiently.

Facilities Management

• Oversee the overall maintenance of all Save the Children office premises, facilities assets and equipment (physical work environment) in country and ensure that these are secure, in working order and efficiently utilized;
• Motivate staff to improve appearance of office;
• Review all contracts and leases;
• Responsible for CO Compliance with Health and Safety regulations in accordance with SCI Quality.

*Any other duties as maybe assigned by supervisor

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of 8 years Human Resources experience in a corporate or an NGO environment, including experience in the development of strategic and operational support services plans and their implementation in a professional work environment over a sustained period of time
• Bachelor degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or other related academic disciplines, and/or a postgraduate specialisation in Human Resources
• Willingness and ability to travel in country
• Ability to plan and organise a substantial workload that includes complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities in both development and emergency contexts
• In-depth knowledge of employee relations and develop and maintain knowledge of current employment legislation;
• Experience in capacity building and setting frameworks for staff development;
• Resourcefulness and creativity in developing the role of HR within the programme and ensuring the most effective support to line management; Willingness and ability to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergencies
• Demonstrated credibility with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels of an organization
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to demonstrate skills in leading a multi- disciplined team through a period of change
• Leadership skills, including the ability to supervise and motivate qualified professional staff with strong personal value systems
• Analytical, decision making and strategic planning skills and the ability to handle multiple priorities
• Ability to coach, mentor, delegate appropriately and provide developmental guidance to supervised staff
• Team building skills
• A commitment to the values and principles of SC
• Experience of exposure to developing countries
• High level of commitment to the principles of development and to the organizational and programmatic goals of Save the Children

Child Safeguarding:

Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post may require the post holders to have regular contact with or access to children or young people. In this regard, the job holder should be in a position to work and uphold the interest of Children and uphold the organization’s Child Safeguarding policy.