Multi Country - Senior HR Manager - MENA
Description
Location: Any current MENA locations where Mercy Corps Operates
Position Status: Full-time, Regular
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.
The Program/Department/Team
Mercy Corps implements a variety of programming throughout the MENA/Europe region in response to the diverse humanitarian and long-term development needs of the region. Mercy Corps has ongoing programs in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine. Mercy Corps is committed to delivering high quality, high impact programming that reaches communities or individuals in need, wherever they are.
Mercy Corps just launched its new global ten-year strategy, ‘’Pathway to Possibility’’, which reflects our ambitions to not only meet basic needs of communities affected by conflict and climate, but to achieve lasting, transformational change at scale. Pathway to Possibility (P2P) includes a three-layers resilience approach at its core and aims to deliver impact through four key outcome areas: Food Security, Water Security, Economic Opportunity, and Peace and Good Governance. P2P is also driven by five organizational commitments on being climate smart; evidence-driven; safe, diverse and inclusive; locally-led; and innovative and creative.
As a result of recent funding disruptions, Mercy Corps MENAE Leadership has decided to optimize resources and create efficiencies by creating a new structure for smaller country portfolios under the management of the regional team directly. This role is the product of this structural change decision.
The Position
The Senior HR Manager is a key person within the regional HR management support team to Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Yemen, who ensures the resources are planned and utilized towards effective program support.
The Senior HR Manager plays a key role in the overall leadership of the Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Yemen country programs under the guidance of the Deputy Regional Director – Operations and Regional HR Director.
As a member of the support management team to Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen, the Senior HR Manager shares the overall responsibility for the direction and coordination of the Mercy Corps country operation activities.
Essential Job Responsibilities
1. Strategy & Vision
- Develop and implement multi-country HR strategies that align with organizational goals and country-specific workforce needs.
- Identify opportunities for HR process improvements, talent development, and employee well-being across different country programs.
- Provide HR insights to country and regional leadership to support strategic decision-making.
2. Representation & Stakeholder Engagement
- Serve as the primary HR liaison between country teams, regional leadership, HQ, and external stakeholders.
- Engage with local authorities, legal advisors, and donors to ensure compliance with labor laws and donor requirements.
- Support country teams in preparing for external audits and HR compliance reviews.
3. Multi-Country HR Operations & Compliance
- Oversee the implementation of HR policies, ensuring compliance with local labor laws, donor regulations, and organizational policies.
- Conduct risk assessments on employment contracts, benefits, and labor law changes across multiple countries.
- Ensure consistency in HR policies across country programs while allowing for necessary local adaptations.
- Lead country teams in handling employee relations matters, conflict resolution, and disciplinary actions.
4. Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning
- Oversee recruitment and onboarding processes across country offices, ensuring hiring practices align with organizational and donor requirements.
- Work closely with hiring managers to forecast staffing needs and develop workforce planning strategies.
- Support country teams in attracting and retaining top talent through competitive salary and benefits structures.
5. Compensation, Benefits & HR Systems
- Ensure salary structures, benefits, and compensation packages remain competitive and aligned with market standards.
- Work with Finance teams to monitor payroll systems, taxation, and benefits compliance across different countries.
- Oversee HR data management and ensure efficient use of HR Information Systems (HRIS) for reporting and tracking.
6. Learning, Development & Capacity Building
- Lead talent development initiatives, ensuring staff have access to training, coaching, and leadership development opportunities.
- Develop and implement HR training programs for HR teams, managers, and employees.
- Support succession planning efforts to strengthen leadership pipelines within the region.
7. Team Efficiency and Effectiveness & Employee Well-Being
- Foster an inclusive workplace culture that values equal opportunities.
- Develop and implement initiatives to enhance employee engagement, well-being, and mental health support.
- Ensure HR policies and practices are implemented across country programs.
8. Team Leadership & Capacity Building
- Supervise and mentor country HR teams, ensuring they have the support and resources needed to manage HR functions effectively.
- Conduct regular check-ins and performance reviews with HR teams across multiple countries.
- Build a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and collaboration within the HR function.
Supervisory Responsibility
HR team in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen
Accountability
Reports on Dual Management To: Deputy Regional Director – Operations and Regional HR Director
Works Directly With: Country team in Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen, Regional and Global team.
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in relevant field
- Minimum of 5 years of experience
- Excellent written and spoken English
- Proficiency in Arabic is a plus.
- Previous experience leading the HR department of large teams (100 staff +)
- INGO experience preferred
- Outstanding leadership and communication skills
- Ability to navigate difficult circumstances with a calm demeanor and in a methodical, analytical manner
- History of exhibiting impartial, ethical, and empathetic behavior in the workplace
- Approachable, discreet, and confidential
- Extensive knowledge and understanding of local community and culture
- Demonstrate sound judgment
- Internal or former Mercy Corps staff are highly encouraged to apply
Success Factors
The successful Senior HR Manager will be good at problem solving and have the ability to work out methods to deliver successful programs while demonstrating excellent stewardship of donor funds and compliance with Mercy Corps and donor regulations. They will maintain strong cooperative relationships with other departments and interact effectively with international and national personnel both in a managerial as well as training capacity, while demonstrating the ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities. They will be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment and be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in one of the current MENA office location, and it may require occasional travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited.
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.
Team Efficiency and Effectiveness
Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work.
We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out different 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 and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. 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 elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.