ACBAR

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity, and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.
The IRC opened the country program in Afghanistan in 1988. Our programs span the range from humanitarian relief to early recovery and development activities, focusing on child protection, education, economic wellbeing, health, and power. The IRC works in 10 provinces throughout Afghanistan, among which some of the most security volatile, and employs over 1000 staff.

Compliance with Policies:

• Compliance with the IRC WAY (our standards for professional conduct) is a responsibility shared by all involved in delivering on the IRC’s mission. We must abide by the IRC Way and Safeguarding Policies all the time. 
• The IRC has zero tolerance approach to the IRC Code of Conduct including safeguarding violations being committed by its staff, consultants, contractors, volunteers, interns, suppliers, vendors, sub-grantees/partners, implementing partners or any other associate.

P&C Strategic Leadership and Management

• Serve as a strategic advisor to the Country Director and Senior Management Team (SMT) in the Country Program on Succession Planning, providing key insights to facilitate future leadership transitions.
• Act as a thought partner to the SMT, offering strategic guidance on People & Culture (P&C), and organizational culture/values to align with the mission and goals.
• Supervise and be a supportive leader to all P&C staff within the Country Program, ensuring the leadership and management of direct reports are handled with excellence. Accountable for the overall quality and successful delivery of P&C services, actively monitoring progress against established goals.
• Take the lead on conducting talent dialogues, recommending development opportunities, and coaching on conducting high-quality conversations during performance reviews.
• Serve as an advocate for Duty of Care, and Safeguarding priorities within the Senior Management Team (SMT) and role model safe, inclusive, and caring leadership standards. Collaborate closely with regional and country counterparts to prioritize and support these efforts effectively, enhancing staff engagement, promoting their wellbeing, and raising awareness across the Country Program.
• Promote initiatives that enhance the employee experience, team engagement, inclusion, and cohesion within the Country Program, fostering an environment conducive to continuous learning and honest dialogue.
• Provide constructive feedback and guidance on career paths and professional development for the P&C team and IRC staff; establish a culture of continuous learning opportunities.
•  Advise supervisors on appropriate disciplinary actions, serve as an impartial mediator in disciplinary proceedings, and oversee follow-up measures to ensure fairness, compliance with employment laws, and adherence to labor regulations.
• Co-lead and facilitate the workforce planning for the country program, including, managing workforce adjustments, such as staff reductions, or scale up, including organizational design work, in partnership with senior management team and the regional P&C Director, ensuring these actions comply with legal requirements and IRC's country and Global policies while minimizing risks and supporting affected staff, including, engaging actively in proposal design and grant review meetings to provide expert advice on organizational structure, position scoping, demographic and staffing analysis to build a robust P&C foundation that supports high program quality.
• Support the management, coaching and development of national P&C staff to build a team of skilled, committed, and motivated staff, ready to advance in their career.
• Implement an employee engagement and communication strategy tailored to suit remote management contexts, ensuring it supports effective interaction and staff integration across all levels of the organization.

P&C Operations/ Foundational

•  Develop HR Information System (HIS) for the Country Program.
•  Oversee the creation and tracking of P&C objectives at the Country Office, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
•  Drive informed decision making by using data to support people and culture functions, ensuring all data reporting, monthly HR metrics, SG data; Leadership Diversity Goals, are accurate and timely delivery.
•  Oversee the payroll process ensuring accurate and timely compensation for all staff.
•  Ensure the development and implementation of high-quality, context-specific strategies and practices in areas such as recruitment, compensation and benefits, employee relations, onboarding, offboarding, employee experience and overall wellbeing, contract management, learning and development,
• performance management, leave management, code of conduct compliance, legal compliance, HR Information Systems, coordination of policy development and implementation, etc.
• In alignment with our PEERS framework, we promote mutual learning and capacity sharing on P&C standards with our local partners and ensure their ways of working are healthy and in compliance with IRC's standards.
• Escalate code of conduct issues and lead or co-lead investigations in collaboration with the Global Employee Relations unit and when needed Ethics and Compliance unit (ECU). Ensure that issues are thoroughly resolved, and appropriate follow-up actions are implemented to maintain integrity and compliance within the organization.

P&C Safeguarding

• Promote best practice through the integration of safeguarding considerations in hiring, recruitment and onboarding practices (e.g., ensure delivery on Safeguarding Minimum Standard
• Ensure that all IRC employees receive orientation to IRC's Safeguarding Policy and behavioral expectations, collaborating with the Safeguarding Manager function where it exists and/or Regional Safeguarding Advisor.
• Ensure that the IRC Way and information on reporting channels are sign-posted in all IRC office locations (in all relevant local languages).
• Collaborate with country and regional specialized safeguarding staff and Country SMT members to convene functional stakeholders within the country and promote adoption and progress of the Safeguarding Minimum Standards.
• Partner with IRC global investigations teams and the Country Director to ensure that recommendations from safeguarding investigations, particularly those involving disciplinary actions, are implemented within two weeks.

P&C Duty of Care (DoC)

• Responsible for country staff's wellbeing following critical incidents, ensuring that best practices are followed in aftercare responses to critical incidents. Prioritize the recovery and ongoing support of affected staff, with advisory support and guidance provided by the DoC team. Support DOC, GREWS, GEDI, and SG teams to promote safe, healthy, and inclusive workplaces through global and local initiatives.
• Actively facilitate regular check-ins, team-building activities, and open communication channels among P&C staff to build a cohesive and supportive team environment.
• Develop country program action plans aimed at enhancing morale and supporting the social, physical, and psychological well-being of staff, seeking guidance from DoC team. Maintain a healthy and empowering office environment that promotes open, honest, and productive communication.

•  Master's university degree in HR management, International Relations or Development, MBA, Law, or related field is preferred.
•  A minimum of 10 years of progressive professional P&C experience
•  Strong familiarity Afghanistan local labor laws.
•  Demonstrated success as a P&C leader supporting groups of 500+ employees at multiple organizational levels, cultures, and locations within a regional or global environment required.
•  Demonstrated success as a P&C professional in emergency response, conflict zones and/or humanitarian aid sector preferred.

•  Proven track-record of excellent management and leadership skills including capacity-building, coaching, mentoring, performance management and delivering individual and group training.
•  High degree of comfort and successful track record supervising in matrixed environments.
•  High levels of integrity and empathy, with the ability to understand, engage, and inspire others.
•  Skilled in collaborating with operational and technical focal points to ensure organizational best practices are represented in work.
•  Broad knowledge and experience across the broad spectrum of People & Culture competencies including Diversity and Inclusion
•  Strong collaborator with effective interpersonal and analytical skills who can work seamlessly across countries, cultures, and organizational units required.
•  Demonstrated ability to work, manage, and meet competing deadlines in a fast-paced, high-volume environment and on deadlines; aptitude for problem solving and decision making needed.
•  Excellent inter-personal, written, and verbal communication skills required.
• Must possess a highly collaborative, inclusive, consultative, and resourceful workstyle that balances required compliance/policy enforcement with a steadfast commitment to client service and support.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills including detailed work planning and superior time management skills.
• Proficient in people analytics and data management and interpretation, with an aptitude for translating datasets into actionable people insights.

Language/Travel:

•  Pashto and/or Dari and English is a must.
•  Travel: minimum travel is required - not to exceed 25%.

For IRC- Afghanistan Internal Candidates:

(“ The IRC encourages employees to remain in a position for at least one year and be in good standing before applying for another position within the organization. if an employee is interested in a vacant position within the organization, he/she must inform his/her supervisor in advance before applying for a new position”)

(However, 1 year is a must to complete but to encourage IRCA employees somehow we are flexible who work in the current IRC position for at least 6 months or above and are given chance to compete for an opportunity in the organization)

All qualified candidates are requested to open the given link and follow the instructions:

https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/58344?c=rescue

applications received without a given link and/or online system will be disqualified and removed from the entire process. 

Shortlisted candidates will be directly contacted for a written test and after that for interviews. If you are not contacted TWO or FOUR WEEKS after the closing date .please know that your application has not been successful for the post. IRC Afghanistan Country Office, Qala-e-Fathullah, Street # 3, District 10, Old UNOCHA Office, Beside Fatemia Mosque.

Refer to submission guideline