Description

PEOPLE & CULTURE DIRECTOR – DRC

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 (Program / Department Summary) 

Mercy Corps is present in the DRC since August 2007 with a current workforce of more than 300 national and expatriate employees and operational presence in Goma and Beni (North Kivu Province), in Bunia (Ituri Province), and in Tshikapa, Kalonda West and Ndjoko Punda (Kasai Province), and representation in the capital city, Kinshasa. As a leading NGO in DRC working with more than 40 partners in 2024, Mercy Corps reached 2.12 million people in North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri and Kasai with integrated programs that ensured equitable access to improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in humanitarian and development settings; supported a comprehensive, rapid response to ongoing humanitarian needs; promoted economic and livelihood development to strengthen food security and resilience; as well as institutional capacity strengthening and social cohesion to foster peace and good governance.

THE POSITION (General Position Summary)

The People and Culture (P&C) Director is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping, leading, and delivering people-centered, compliant, and future-ready People & Culture function for Mercy Corps DRC. As a core member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the role provides strategic leadership on workforce planning, organizational culture, staff wellbeing, talent management, and risk mitigation in a complex humanitarian and development context.

The incumbent serves as a trusted advisor to the Country Director and SMT, ensuring that people strategies directly enable program quality, operational excellence, safeguarding, and sustainability, while reflecting Mercy Corps’ values and global People & Culture standards.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

VISION, STRATEGY, AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

• Lead the development, articulation, and execution of a long-term People & Culture vision aligned with Mercy Corps DRC’s country strategy and global P&C priorities.
• Translate strategic objectives into annual P&C work plans with clear priorities, resourcing, timelines, and measurable results.
• Drive organizational change and culture transformation initiatives, ensuring the P&C function is proactive, adaptive, and future-oriented.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the Country Director and SMT on workforce design, succession planning, leadership development, and culture-related decisions.
• Inspire, lead, and manage a high-performing P&C team, fostering accountability, innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning. 

STRATEGIC WORKFORCE PLANNING AND HR LEADERSHIP

• Design and implement a comprehensive People & Culture strategy aligned with Mercy Corps DRC’s operational, programmatic, and growth ambitions.
• Lead workforce planning to ensure timely, agile, and cost-effective staffing solutions in a volatile, high-risk and legally complex operating environment.
• Integrate HR considerations into proposal development, program design, and operational planning, including staffing models, risk assessments, and budgets.
• Establish and monitor HR performance metrics, dashboards, and analytics, providing regular, data-driven reporting to SMT, regional and global HR.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, WELLBEING, AND ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

• Develop and implement a contextually appropriate staff wellbeing framework, integrating psychosocial support, resilience-building, duty of care, and recognition initiatives.
• Work closely with Safety, Security & Access and Operations teams to ensure staff in high-risk and remote locations have tailored wellbeing, support, and debriefing mechanisms.
• Engage and manage psychological and wellbeing service providers to support individuals, teams, and families as required.
• Champion Mercy Corps’ SDI (safe, diverse and inclusive) principles, promoting a culture of trust, accountability, and respect across all levels of the organization.
• Lead follow-up actions from staff engagement surveys, translating insights into practical initiatives that improve morale, retention, and work-life balance.

TALENT ACQUISITION, EMPLOYER BRANDING, AND ONBOARDING

• Oversee end-to-end recruitment and onboarding processes, ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps policies, DRC labor law, and donor requirements.
• Ensure recruitment practices are timely, inclusive, transparent, and aligned with workforce plans.
• Promote equity and inclusion in hiring, including setting and monitoring targets for female representation in shortlists and leadership roles.
• Strengthen Mercy Corps DRC’s employer brand to attract, develop, and retain high-caliber national and international talent in a competitive labor market.

 COMPENSATION, BENEFITS, AND JOB ARCHITECTURE

• Lead the implementation and ongoing management of country-level compensation and benefits in line with Mercy Corps’ Global Compensation Philosophy.
• Ensure all staff are appropriately covered by required insurance schemes and benefits.
• Regularly benchmark salary scales and benefits against the local and regional market to ensure competitiveness, equity, and sustainability.
• Oversee job evaluations, grading, and country-wide job audits to ensure internal equity, compliance, and alignment with market conditions.

 PEOPLE OPERATIONS, COMPLIANCE, AND RISK MANAGEMENT

• Ensure all People & Culture policies, practices, and systems are legally compliant, ethical, and aligned with DRC labor laws and Mercy Corps global standards.
• Ensure full compliance with complex and evolving DRC labor laws, including statutory benefits, taxation, social security (INSS), termination procedures, collective agreements, and employment classifications.
• Interpret, monitor, and proactively advise SMT on changes in national labor legislation, case law, and administrative practices, assessing organizational impact and recommending timely adjustments.
• Serve as the primary focal point for engagement with labor authorities, inspectors, social security institutions, and legal counsel on employment-related matters.
• Lead regular reviews and updates of the staff handbook and HR policies, incorporating legal advice, organizational learning, and staff consultation.
• Oversee safeguarding, ethics, and adherence to the Code of Conduct, embedding a culture of accountability and zero tolerance for misconduct.
• Manage employee relations, grievances, disciplinary processes, and conflict resolution with fairness, consistency, confidentiality, and transparency.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate HR-related risks, including labor compliance, duty of care, fraud, and reputational risks.

 TEAM LEADERSHIP AND CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

• Build the capacity of the People & Culture team through coaching, mentoring, performance management, and targeted learning opportunities.
• Clearly communicate expectations, promote accountability, and provide timely, constructive feedback to enhance individual and team performance.
• Foster an inclusive, respectful, and collaborative team culture focused on service excellence and continuous improvement.
• Recruit, onboard, and manage P&C team members in line with organizational needs and growth.

 SAFETY AND SECURITY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Proactively ensure that People & Culture staff operate in a safe and secure environment and are fully aware of Mercy Corps security policies and procedures.
• Integrate duty of care considerations into HR policies, practices, and decision-making.

 SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g. Integrity Hotline and other options.

 SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

• Directly supervise the managers of all P&C units including but not limited to HR, talent acquisition, employee relations, and staff wellbeing/duty of care 
• Has technical oversight and indirect supervisory responsibilities for field-based HR personnel – team leaders, coordinators, officers, assistants, etc.

ACCOUNTABILITY

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 in human management, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, Organizational Development, or related field.
• A master’s degree in a relevant discipline is highly preferred.
• Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive HR and P&C experience, including at least 4 years in a senior P&C leadership role within an INGO or similarly complex organization.
• Professional HR and/or P&C certification (e.g., SHRP, CHRP or equivalent) strongly preferred.
• In-depth knowledge of DRC labor law, employment regulations, and HR compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated experience navigating multiple regulatory frameworks, including donor compliance and international labor standards.
• Proven track record in people and HR strategy development, talent management, learning and development, staff wellbeing, and organizational change.
• Strong experience managing complex employee relations issues and fostering inclusive, high-performing, safe, diverse and inclusive workplace cultures.
• Demonstrated understanding of humanitarian and development contexts, including complex emergencies, security constraints, and duty of care obligations.
• Experience implementing and managing HR information systems and digital HR tools.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to use HR data and metrics to inform decision-making.
• Excellent negotiation, influencing, and representation skills.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and problem-solving skills; ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Fluency in both French and English is required.

SUCCESS FACTORS

Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority. The successful People & Culture Director is a strategic thinker with the ability to balance immediate operational demands with long-term planning and vision. They possess a strong leadership presence and can effectively influence decision-making at senior levels. Demonstrating high cultural sensitivity, they are adept at working across diverse teams and fostering inclusive collaboration. The candidate is skilled in conflict resolution, negotiation, and building trust in complex and high-pressure environments. Resilient and adaptable, they maintain a strong commitment to staff wellbeing, particularly in challenging and dynamic contexts. The incumbent will demonstrate:

• Strategic Impact: Clear alignment between people strategies and Mercy Corps DRC’s programmatic and operational success.
• Credibility and Influence: Trusted advisor to the Country Director and SMT, able to influence complex decisions with confidence and integrity.
• People-Centered Leadership: Strong commitment to staff wellbeing, SDI (safe, diverse and inclusive), safeguarding, and ethical leadership in high-risk environments.
• Operational Excellence: Robust, compliant, and efficient HR systems that reduce risk and enable agility.
• Change Leadership: Ability to lead organizational change, manage ambiguity, and build resilience during periods of growth or transition.
• Talent Outcomes: Improved recruitment timeliness, retention, engagement, and leadership pipeline development.
• Team Effectiveness: A capable, motivated, and service-oriented People & Culture team delivering high-quality support across the country program.

LIVING CONDITIONS / ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

The position is based in Kinshasa. It requires up to 40% travel (sometimes at short notice) to field locations which are sometimes in unsecure environments in support of Mercy Corps DRC’s programs.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the organization both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit to a field office. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect.

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 ENGAGEMENT 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 committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.

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. By applying for this role an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or trafficking policy. 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.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]).