Senior Regional HR Business Partner, Europe - UK

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Department

Our One People Team ensures that Mercy Corps has the people, HR systems, and culture to support our managers and allow our team members to thrive. We comprise of teams of HR professionals at country, regional and global level who work together to foster engaged, equitable, inclusive, diverse, and high performing global teams. We do this through building systems and supporting managers to recruit and retain the diverse and high-performing talent we need to meet our goals, shaping this talent into our future leaders through equitable development opportunities, and by driving strategic partnerships at all levels within and outside of our organization. We work with others to steward our organizational culture through our systems, structure, and processes, to create safe, diverse and inclusive teams, and to ensure a positive employee experience for all our people. 

Our presence in Europe represents approximately 180 team members based primarily in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Ireland and Switzerland. Europe provides Head Office support to programming and development teams across our global locations. Our strategic priorities focus on enabling innovation and new ideas to be implemented using unrestricted revenue streams, becoming the “go-to” partner for European stakeholders delivering climate resilience programmes around the world in fragile locations, creating a healthy and happy workplace full of creativity, experience and positive energy for all those who work at Mercy Corps and delivering thriving country and regional programmes aligned to our global and country strategies, with efficient and clear support structures in place. Europe serves as a hub of global talent to support delivery of our strategic priorities.

The Position

This position is responsible for executing strategic senior HR business partnering support to teams working across Europe, overseeing people operations tasks and leading the resolution of escalated issues within the employee life-cycle process, ensuring a positive, equitable and consistent employment experience for team members. This position serves as a deputy to the Regional HR Director, and a partner to people managers, and team members ensuring the “people need” of Mercy Corps team members align and are accounted for within the organisation’s strategic initiatives.

The Senior Regional HRBP collaborates with other One People team members as an ambassador of our priorities and culture, focus on well-being and duty of care, problem solver and proactive in finding collaborative, cross-functional ways to maximise the impact of Mercy Corps’ People Team.

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY & PLANNING (10%)

• Partner with Regional HR Director to deliver strategic people priorities across Europe.
• Lead people initiatives across Europe, in collaboration with People team Centres of Excellence, to deliver outcomes for each initiative. Monitor and report on successful delivery.
• Contribute to co-creation of solutions with People team Centres of Excellence, regional leadership and team members.
• Lead deployment of All Voices surveys and development of action plans in conjunction with leadership.
• Anticipate and adapt to changing HR support needs within the organisation; be an active participant in change management. 
• Support Regional HR Director in setting the goals and targets, plans and KPIs for the regional People Team.

HUMAN RESOURCES ADVISORY (40%)

• Drives the process to identify HR initiatives and solve people management issues in a manner that complements Mercy Corps culture and strategic priorities.
• Develops meaningful relationships with people managers facilitating joint problem solving and strategic planning, while demonstrating confidence in their role as a leader and advocating on People matters.
• Lead and manage employee relations issues for MCinE. Conduct effective, thorough, and objective investigations of all HR referred complaints raised through the Integrity Hotline, global People team across Europe. Takes appropriate corrective action addressing and resolving issues related to recommendations outlined in investigation reports.
• Review and evaluate themes identified during performance reviews leading to Performance Improvement Plans; collaborate with Centres of Excellence and people managers to develop excellence to more effectively manage performance. .
• Maintains in-depth knowledge of legal requirements and local labour laws related to day-to-day management of team members, reducing legal risks, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Partners with the legal department as needed/required.
• Work closely with leaders and team members to improve work relationships, build morale, and increase productivity and retention.
• Conduct exit interviews for people managers completing service with Mercy Corps; escalate issues as needed.
• Provide guidance and input on business unit restructuring, transfers, hiring and succession planning.
• Support the country handbook review process to ensure compliance with MC global guidelines and policies as well as local labour law requirements.
• Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Europe as defined by Regional HRD and aligned with evolving business needs.  
• Advise managers, leaders on compensation issues including but not limited to salary analysis, benchmarking, promotions, and salary increases to ensure fair and equitable application of compensation policy. 
• Communicate effectively. Understand how to approach conversations differently, given audience and situation dynamics, to achieve desired results.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

PEOPLE OPERATIONS (40%)

• Oversee administration and operational tasks conducted by Europe People team, ensuring all requests and tasks are conducted accurately and in a timely manner, adhering to the Mercy Corps regulations and policies and to the local labor laws.
• In collaboration with Compliance prepare for and respond to HR Internal Audit recommendations.
• In collaboration with other COEs, identify areas of opportunity to strengthen operations and proactively offer recommendations to RHRD.
• Understand the intent and purpose of Mercy Corps policies and procedures. Be able to resolve escalated issues when existing tools do not provide a clear answer.
• Approve all offer letters, new hire paperwork, and changes to team member employment.
• Identify trends in commonly escalated issues and recommends/ implements solutions as appropriate.
• Escalate issues internally as necessary.

TEAM DEVELOPMENT (10%)

• Maintain knowledge on trends in global human resource management, particularly in the international humanitarian aid sector.
• Develop junior team members to support them in their roles and assist with their career development.
• Provide constructive feedback informally and formally to colleagues to support their ongoing development.

Supervisory Responsibility: None

Accountability

• Reports Directly To: Regional HR Director
• Works Directly With: Global People team; Finance & Compliance; Corporate Accounting; Leaders across region and globally; other internal and external stakeholders.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

●        Minimum of 5 years of experience working in Human Resources, including Talent Acquisition. Experience in consulting of management practices (i.e., HR Business Partner) highly preferred.

●        BA/BS in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field, preferred.

●        CIPD membership desirable.

●        Fluent English language proficiency required, other languages desirable but not essential (Dutch, French, German).

●        A demonstrated top performer with energy, intelligence, strong analytical skills and highly evolved interpersonal skills.

●        Experience working in an international or insecure environment desirable.

●        Demonstrated history of providing excellent customer service and a high level of attention to detail.

●        Demonstrated knowledge of human resource management techniques that meet the needs of a globally dispersed workforce.

●        Demonstrated experience working to solve emergency and crisis situations, as they relate to Human Resource best practices and People related coordination.

●        A historically demonstrated ability to maintain confidential information.

●        Must have strong analytical, mathematical, and problem-solving skills, effective organizational and interpersonal skills, strong written and verbal communication.

●        Demonstrated ability to manage workload in a remote work arrangement.  Able to maintain operational consistency with other team members and actively keep management informed.

●        Proven experience and intermediate skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook, and the ability to navigate the Internet/intranet.

Success Factors

The successful team member will be an avid learner, self-directed, innovative and action orientated.  Furthermore, they must have the ability to work independently, employ effective time management skills, handle frequent interruptions, and shift priorities, exhibit effective customer service skills and work effectively with a wide variety of individuals including team members based overseas. Additionally, the individual will thrive in a fast-paced environment prone to rapid change and be willing to increase his/her responsibility level in the assigned areas.  The most successful Mercy Corps team members have a positive approach, a strong commitment to teamwork and personal accountability and the ability to be flexible and ensure that effective communication is a priority in all situations.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This role is based in UK with regular travel to office locations in London and Edinburgh, UK, and The Hague, Netherlands.

Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision.  Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.