Description

Preferred Locations: Washington, DC, London, Nairobi (Open to any Mercy Corps office location) Valid unrestricted work authorization in the country in which you will be based is required at the time of application for this position.

Position Status: Full-time, Regular

UK Starting Salary:
Starting salary for this role will be £76,880 - based on local benchmarking and commensurate with professional experience.

US Starting Salary: Starting salary for this role will be $114,000 - $129,200 - commensurate with professional experience.

The salary range will be based on local benchmark for candidates outside of the US or UK, and will be provided upon request.

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Program / Department / Team

The Talent Acquisition People Team at Mercy Corps drives the organization's mission by attracting and retaining the talent we need to deliver our ambitious Pathways to Possibility strategy and Country Strategic Plans, through innovative sourcing, branding, and DEI-focused hiring practices. We prioritize safe recruiting and cultivate strong partnerships to access the best global talent, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Our strategic approach includes proactive planning, research and data-guided decision-making, and a commitment to aligning hiring culture with our organizational values and P2P commitments. Mercy Corps needs to compete for talent within a competitive international relief and development landscape and this role plays a critical role in ensuring we have a clear and compelling offer and ensure a positive candidate experience from end-to-end of the hiring process.

The Position

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Senior Director of Talent Acquisition to help design and lead our Talent Acquisition Center of Excellence (COE) and drive our efforts to attract, assess, and select the talent we need to meet our evolving organizational needs, deliver our strategy and reflect our mission and values.

The Senior Director of Talent Acquisition (TA) will develop and implement a global talent acquisition strategy that aligns with the global People Team priorities in support of Mercy Corps’ transformative Pathways to Possibility (P2P) strategy, manage and develop a global team of talent acquisition professionals, and partner with key executives to develop talent and pipeline strategies. Key activities ensuring diverse high-quality hires, creating efficient hiring practices and marketing strategies that leverage recruitment technology and data analytics, sourcing for complex programs, and emergency recruitment.

Essential Responsibilities

STRATEGY AND VISION

Develop and implement intentional talent acquisition strategies ensuring effective and creative sourcing, evaluation, and selection of the most qualified and diverse global talent.
Collaborate with others to design and support the implementation of a fit-for-the-future Talent Acquisition strategy for Mercy Corps aligned with evolving needs, our mission, values and P2P commitments.
Collaborate closely with the Chief People Officer, other COEs, the VP People Team and the Regional HR Directors to guide the overall vision and approach to recruiting top talent, delivering clear actionable plans to achieve agreed TA priorities.
Develop appropriate metrics and tracking mechanisms, service-level agreements and other planning and measurement tools to build accountability and measure results, impact and cost-effectiveness of the hiring process and talent acquisition team.
Lead with a continuous improvement mindset, involving the talent acquisition team and hiring managers in identifying process improvements in our hiring practice that will reduce the time to fill and increase the quality of candidates/new hires, such as standardization of the hiring process and improved interviewing tools.
Provide strategic direction, talent acquisition expertise, and guidance to key stakeholders on strategic and emerging talent acquisition trends, benchmarks, and other talent acquisition issues.
Ensure that every new hire has a positive and professional recruitment experience by creating an exceptional experience at each step of the recruitment process, collaborating with other HR and organization leaders to assure a smooth orientation handoff from talent acquisition to the hiring teams.
Ensure compliance with local regulatory requirements.

TALENT ACQUISITION FUNCTIONS

Develop global standards and maintain talent acquisition processes that ensure quality and consistency in attracting, assessing, selecting, and hiring talent.
Develop strategies to address talent acquisition-related challenges and provide appropriate approaches for resolution.
Empower the delivery of a responsive, high-quality candidate experience that aligns with Mercy Corps' values and mission.
Develop and implement strategies to build national recruitment capacity in partnership with country leadership, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and objectives.
Advise on and approve exceptional talent acquisition-related circumstances globally, ensuring compliance with specific labor laws and internal processes.
Ensure legal compliance for talent acquisition processes, maintaining accountability for adherence to relevant regulations and guidelines.
Thoughtfully delegate responsibilities for effective coordination between the Global Talent Acquisition and other HR functions, ensuring seamless collaboration and alignment of priorities.
Represent Talent Acquisition priorities to executives and leadership, advocating for resources and support as needed to achieve strategic objectives.

TEAM LEADERSHIP

Ensure the growth and effective resourcing of the Global Talent Acquisition team, with a deep understanding of roles and responsibilities.
Foster a work environment of mutual respect, excellence, and continuous learning, where team members are empowered to thrive.
Engage in close partnership with the larger People Team and agency to share ideas, develop standard practices, and implement best practices across Mercy Corps programs.
Design and streamline processes in collaboration with People Team leaders to enhance the Global Talent experience across the organization, focusing on efficiency and effectiveness.
Guide project management efforts within the Global Talent department, prioritizing process, and system improvements to drive operational excellence.
Ensure effective systems are in place in all country offices for the management of talent acquisition processes, providing support and guidance as needed.
Review and support country team adherence to Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures, contextualizing them to local labor laws and ensuring compliance.
Provide dedicated support to country teams during emergencies or complex program startups, leveraging resources and expertise as needed.
Collaborate with country finance leads in producing bi-annual master budgets, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and financial guidelines.

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

Supervises a TA Manager and TA Technical Advisor. Will lead the strategic development of the TA Center of Excellence in partnership with the VP People Team and COE leads.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Chief People Officer

Works Directly With: People Team Leaders, Organizational Leadership, COE Directors & Regional HR Leads

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 Qualifications & Transferable Skills

Bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
8+ years of progressive experience in talent acquisition, including at least 5 years in a leadership role within a global organization or NGO.
Experience personally managing executive/senior level recruitment within the past 5 years.
Demonstrated success in developing and implementing talent acquisition strategies that support organizational objectives and foster a diverse and inclusive workforce.
Experience developing and improving talent acquisition systems and tracking talent metrics.
Deep understanding of recruitment best practices, including candidate sourcing techniques, assessment methods, and employer branding strategies.
Demonstrated experience and expert ability to create, implement, maintain, and improve recruitment strategies and systems in a high-volume context.
Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire and empower a diverse team of professionals.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
Ability to communicate and problem-solve effectively across diverse cultures with sensitivity.
Demonstrated ability to facilitate senior-level conversations.
Strategic mindset with the ability to think analytically, solve complex problems, and drive continuous improvement.
Commitment to Mercy Corps' mission and values, with a passion for humanitarian aid and sustainable development.
Experience leading and advocating for a diverse team of high performers.

Success Factors

A successful Senior Director of Talent Acquisition at Mercy Corps embodies forward-thinking, avid learning, innovation, and action-orientation. This individual thrives on collaborating with a globally diverse team, influencing within a global context, and contributing compelling ideas while adhering to project objectives. They excel in professional communication, interact productively with headquarters staff and global colleagues, and adapt swiftly to change in a fast-paced environment. Their positive approach, commitment to teamwork, personal accountability, and flexibility ensure effective communication is prioritized in all situations, ultimately contributing to Mercy Corps' mission of alleviating suffering, poverty, and oppression worldwide.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in any Mercy Corps Office location, and it requires limited travel (up to 10%) to support country programs and team support, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Some evenings/weekends may be required during emergency responses.

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.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse 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. 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 (integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).

Covid-19 Vaccine Policy for US-Based Employees

Mercy Corps has determined that, in an effort to protect the health, safety, and well-being of all Mercy Corps employees working in the United States, all U.S.-based employees must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, regardless of prior COVID-19 infection status. This policy is necessary to ensure not only the safety of our workforce, but the ongoing functionality of the organization.

This policy will be revised as needed to comply with federal, state, and local requirements, and to respond to changing guidance from public health authorities.

For new employees this requirement goes into effect within 10 business days of employment.  Team members that travel are expected to comply with host-country requirements, including vaccinations.  Failure to comply may impact your employment.  Proof of vaccination or exemption must be provided.

Keywords

Talent Acquisition Global Strategy Leadership Recruitment Diversity Inclusion Humanitarian Development Compliance Team Management