People & Culture Lead, West Sudan

Job OverviewThe P&C Lead plays a crucial role in leading a high-performing P&C team for the Sudan West team. Their primary focus is to establish effective systems and a strong workplace culture that work harmoniously in a complex and changing contexts, while ensuring the necessary talents and resources are in place to achieve program goals and serve clients effectively.This role collaborates closely with department leaders and their teams to oversee all people-related policies, programs, and systems. Specifically, they ensure that these are:1. Aligned with IRC S100, country goals and SAP-IP (including the People & Culture Strategy), as well as IRC’s GEDI and Safeguarding Commitments. 2. Properly implemented to support organizational objectives. 3. Delivered at the highest standard of best practices.A member of the Sudan West Senior Management Team (SMT), the P&C Lead acts as a strategic leader, advisor, and coach. They drive organizational performance by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of P&C operations across the response, and work in partnership with the Director, West and the regional P&C to ensure that key People & Culture strategies, services, and infrastructure are successfully implemented at multiple levels.This is a limited-term position, with opportunity for extension.Major Responsibilities:P&C Strategic Leadership and Management* Serve as a strategic advisor to the Director, Sudan West 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 human resources, compliance practices, and organizational culture to align with the mission and goals. * Supervise and be a supportive leader to all P&C staff within Sudan West, 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. * Co-lead and facilitate the workforce planning for the team, including managing workforce adjustments (such as staff reductions, mergers, and scale-ups) and organizational design work in partnership with the SMT and the P&C Director. Ensure actions comply with legal requirements and IRC's local and global policies while minimizing risks and supporting affected staff. * 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 Gender Equality, 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 and raising awareness across the response. * Promote initiatives that enhance the employee experience, team engagement, inclusion, and cohesion within the response, fostering an environment conducive to continuous learning and honest dialogue. * 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. * Support the management, coaching and development of national staff to build a team of skilled, committed, and motivated staff, ready to advance in their career.P&C Operations* 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, contract management, learning and development, performance management, leave management, code of conduct compliance, legal compliance, HR Information Systems, and more, as required. * Lead development and ensure full implementation of relevant people policies across the Sudan West team, in close consultation and coordination with the East Sudan peers. * Oversee the creation and tracking of P&C objectives for the team, ensuring alignment with organizational goals. Actively engage in proposal design and grant review meetings, providing expert advice on organizational structure, position scoping, demographic and staffing analysis to build a robust P&C foundation that supports high program quality. * Drive informed decision making by using data to support people and culture functions, ensuring all data reporting, monthly people metrics, and more are accurate and timely delivery. * Oversee payroll process ensuring accurate and timely compensation for all staff. * In alignment with our PEERS framework, provide technical P&C support to our local partners, and ensure their ways of working are aligned and in compliance with IRC’s standards.P&C GEDI* Lead the implementation of GEDI action plans within the response, ensuring effective execution and measurable outcomes. * Coordinate and facilitate the implementation of GEDI strategies and strategic initiatives across the response, ensuring alignment with the P&C mandate. With support from the GEDI unit, facilitate discussions on GEDI topics, ensuring these conversations extend beyond compliance to genuinely enhance practices, particularly in recruitment and selection processes. * Foster a healthy organizational culture that is free of unequal power dynamics, discrimination, bias, harassment, bullying, and abuse of power. Oversee the integration of inclusive actions throughout the employee lifecycle, providing guidance and direction to ensure they are embedded in all P&C practices, including regular reporting, and measuring progress on the S100 people goals. * Champion inclusive practices as part of the GEDI initiative, organizing cultural exchanges and culture-building activities to enrich team cohesion. Ensure the incorporation of GEDI best practices into the employee lifecycle and day-to-day operations, maintaining accountability for the continual improvement of diversity and inclusion 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 Standards). * Ensure that all IRC employees receive orientation to IRC's Safeguarding Policy and behavioral expectations. * 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 the DDP and other 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 Crisis Lead to ensure that recommendations from safeguarding investigations, particularly those involving disciplinary actions, are implemented within two weeks.P&C Duty of Care* With the support of the Duty of Care team and EPCD, provide guidance and support for all staff-related duty of care initiatives, ensuring adherence to organizational standards. * Partner with the Duty of Care and S&S teams to ensure best practice aftercare response to critical incidents. * Ensure strong connectivity and communication among HR staff to foster a cohesive team environment. * Develop country program action plans aimed at enhancing morale and supporting the social, physical, and psychological well-being of staff. Maintain a healthy and empowering office environment that promotes open, honest, and productive communication. 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.Other Responsibilities:* Actively participate in and support staff meetings to foster a collaborative work environment. * Conduct listening sessions to gather insights and feedback from staff, enhancing organizational communication and employee satisfaction. * Support the Director West with ad hoc tasks as needed, addressing requirements that may arise outside of the usual responsibilities. * Remain vigilant for any signs of discrepancies or irregularities in operational and administrative procedures, ensuring organizational standards are upheld. * Escalate code of conduct issues and lead or co-lead investigations in collaboration with the Employee Relations unit (ER) 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.Key Working Relationships:Position Reports to: Director WestDirect Reports: Approximately 2-4 technical reports.Key Internal Relationships:* Sudan West Senior Management Team * Sudan East HR coordinator * Regional Functional Leads * Global P&C Functional LeadsKey External Relationships: INGO HR counterparts (in non-SAF controlled areas); legal counsel; P&C associations and networksJob Requirements:* Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s university degree in HR management, International Relations or Development, MBA, Law, or related field is preferred. * Approximately 8 years of progressive professional HR experience. * Demonstrated success as a P&C leader supporting groups of 200+ 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. * Demonstrated success in supporting key senior management and building strong, trusted relationships. * 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. * 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:* English is a must, while Arabic is highly desired. * A minimum of 40% travel to project field sites.HOW TO APPLYPlease apply on our website: https://theirc.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/External_Careers/job/Sudanese-Territory-Sudan/People---Culture-Lead--West-Sudan_JR00002176