HR Officer – Surge Roster/Interim

Job Advertisement

Position Title: HR Officer – Surge Roster/Interim
Location: Turkey
Country: Turkey
Deadline Date: Please apply immediately; we will be reviewing applicants on a rolling basis.

Job Details

Job Posting Organization:
Relief International (RI) is a prominent non-profit organization established to alleviate poverty, ensure well-being, and promote dignity across 16 countries globally. The organization specializes in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises, and chronic poverty. RI combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact and resilience. The organization focuses on health/nutrition, education, economic opportunity, and water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) programming, while integrating protection, environment/climate change, and conflict mitigation in partnership with the communities it serves. RI operates under a shared management structure through its three corporate members: RI-US, RI-UK, and MRCA/RI-France. With approximately 5,000 staff members, 97% of whom are local nationals, RI is active in some of the most fragile countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen. The organization had a 2021 program budget of about $125 million and receives funding from a diverse range of institutional donors, including the US, UK, Europe, and the UN, to deliver life-saving and resilience-building programming with communities and local and international partners.

Job Overview:
The HR Officer position is designed to support the day-to-day HR administration, recruitment, training, and employee queries, ensuring compliance with RI policies and procedures as well as HR best practices. The HR Officer will provide advice and guidance to staff on HR policies and procedures, playing a crucial role in maintaining a well-functioning HR department. This position is particularly important in the context of RI's Surge Roster, which is activated during emergencies and transitions, requiring the HR Officer to be adaptable and responsive to the dynamic needs of the organization. The role involves not only administrative tasks but also strategic input into HR processes, ensuring that the organization can effectively manage its human resources in challenging environments.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The HR Officer will be responsible for a variety of key tasks, including but not limited to: supporting recruitment processes to ensure compliance with RI’s policies and national labor laws; ensuring a transparent, timely, and efficient recruitment process; determining salaries for selected candidates in consultation with the HR Manager and preparing employment offers; ensuring that pre-employment requirements are submitted and that personnel files are opened for new staff in a timely manner; supporting staff orientation; assisting with payroll; accurately tracking employee leave; participating in periodic salary reviews and analyses; processing new contracts, contract extensions, staff transfers, promotions, and other changes in status; responding to employee-related queries and providing services for all HR-related inquiries; ensuring compliance of employee files with RI standards and donor requirements; collaborating with the Training Manager to implement capacity-building initiatives; promoting RI’s commitment to safeguarding and safety; and contributing to the development of systems that prevent sexual exploitation and abuse while promoting the implementation of the Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a degree level education along with a professional qualification in HR. A strong knowledge of labor law in Turkey is essential, and experience working with international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) is strongly preferred. The ability to prioritize tasks and manage competing demands is crucial, as is fluency in spoken and written Turkish. Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills are required, along with the ability to work effectively in a multicultural team environment. A team-oriented approach and cultural sensitivity are vital for success in this role.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a degree in a relevant field, complemented by a professional qualification in Human Resources. This educational foundation is necessary to ensure that the HR Officer is well-equipped to handle the complexities of HR management within an international non-profit context, particularly in a country like Turkey where labor laws and practices may differ from other regions.

Experience:
The HR Officer should have a solid level of experience in human resources, ideally within the context of international non-governmental organizations. Experience in recruitment, employee relations, and compliance with labor laws is essential. Candidates should demonstrate a proven ability to manage multiple HR functions effectively and efficiently, particularly in high-pressure environments that require quick decision-making and adaptability.

Languages:
Fluent spoken and written Turkish is mandatory for this position, as it is essential for effective communication with staff and stakeholders. Proficiency in Arabic is considered a bonus, as it may enhance the HR Officer's ability to engage with a broader range of employees and communities served by Relief International.

Additional Notes:
This position is classified as requiring standard pre-employment checks, and due to the nature of this emergency role, only candidates already based in Turkey will be considered. The role does not have direct reports or budget responsibilities. The recruitment process will include a criminal records self-declaration, references, and other pre-employment checks, which may include police and qualifications checks. Relief International has a zero-tolerance policy for unlawful harassment, sexual exploitation, and abuse, and all staff are expected to abide by the organization's Code of Conduct. The position is part of the Surge Roster for short-term assignments, which may vary from weeks to months, depending on the needs of the organization.