Human Resources Officer at British Council

Directorate or Region: SSA    
Pay Band: 6   
Duration: 1 year and renewable    
Reports to: Operations Manager    
Duration of job: One year in the first instance and subject to renewal     
Department: Education & Society
Job Category: Project Management

Purpose of Job

• To support the Operations Manager in providing expert HR advice and support to managers in NSRP on Learning and Development (L&D), Organisational Development, Performance Management, Compensation and Benefits, Terms and Conditions of Service (TACOS), Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), staffing, and disciplinary procedures where necessary.
• To support development and monitoring of HR systems, policies and procedures across NSRP offices in Nigeria
• To support the Operations Manager on consultancy management processes.

Context and Environment

• Nigeria is the British Council’s largest operation in SSA with offices in four cities: Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Kano.
• NSRP is a DFID-funded programme managed by the British Council (who lead a consortium including International Alert and Social Development Direct) that aims to enhance collective efforts to identify and respond effectively to potential sources of violent conflict in Nigeria and reduce the negative impacts of conflict on the most vulnerable among the Nigerian population.
• The programme operates from five regional offices in Nigeria with a programme management unit situated in Abuja. Human Resources & Consultancy Manager will be based in Abuja and may be required to travel to other regional offices periodically.
• The posts will form part of the programme resources team.
• The programme will link closely with BC-operations in Nigeria, and other BC managed programmes.
• The post holder will work closely with the Programme Manager, Deputy Programme Manager (Technical), Deputy Programme Manager (Resources), Interventions & Development Manager, Output Managers, Resources Team, Technical Team and other regional staff, and will report to the Operations Manager.

Accountabilities, Responsibilities and Main Duties: (including people management and finance)
1.) Recruitment, Selection and Induction.

• Lead on the recruitment requisitions, ensuring that managers carry out recruitment and selection according to corporate and equal opportunity standards ensuring adherence to local employment laws. Ensuring utilization of the HRIS; e-recruitment in the selection of new staff.
• Oversee the induction for all new staff and actively quality checking elements of the induction programme to ensure consistency in the process across all offices. Collecting feedback on induction programmes and acting on feedback provided to improve the process.
• Contribute to HR team objectives by attending and contributing to staff meetings.
• Manage employee data with available HRIS (e-HR) system such as hires, promotions, transfers, performance reviews, terminations, and employee statistics for reporting. To prepare regular or special reports necessary for business decisions. This will also include maintaining staff files and records
• Support Operations Manager on the delivery of corporate HR strategies and plans. To ensure HR plans, issues and failings and risk are actively managed and reported to Operations Manager for reporting at FCCF and ERMF meetings.
• Ensure compliance to British Council Information Knowledge Management standards of the team.

2.) Learning/Organisational Development (OD)

• Promote a culture of learning, knowledge sharing and teamwork by aiding collaboration and creating models for change management.
• Assist in arranging regular training on recruitment & selection, performance management etc.
• Support Line Managers in conducting learning needs analysis in-country, understanding changing business needs and defining how learning and development initiatives can support those needs.
• Maintain the annual learning plan in liaison with Operations Manager and Line Managers which meets business needs. Ensuring implementation as well and keeping adequate training records.
• Ensure all learning and development activities are underpinned by British Council’s values and promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within the organisation.
• Support the design and delivery of OD and change management strategies, processes and interventions. This should include initiatives which foster a high performance culture where valuing learning, continuous improvement and diversity are the norm.
• Providing coaching and guidance where necessary
• Take responsibility for personal development by undertaking relevant developmental programmes; self-learning, job shadow, on the job training etc.

3.) Contracting & Consultancy Management

• Support Operations Manager on end to end consultancy management processes and oversee the administration of consultants’ contracts.
• Lead on advertisement of consultancy assignments.
• Manage consultants’ CV database.

4.) Performance Management

• To assist Line Managers in ensuring that their team performance management system operates to corporate standards and guidelines.
• Lead the annual moderations and performance review process

5.) Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI)

• Lead on EDI activities.
• Manage face to face training on specific EDI topics
• Lead on collating evidence for DAF submissions.

6.) Financial Management

• Prepare operational budgets. Ensuring value for money in the procurement of services on behalf of the team.
• In liaison with the Finance team, develop effective strategies for financial wellbeing of the team.

7.) Compensation & Benefits Management       

• To support country staff with pay policy interpretations and responding to queries on pay and benefits
• To assist in managing communications for effective dissemination of information to employees on wages, benefits and other related HR policies and practices.
• To support the finance team in payroll related matters.
• Manage all aspects of benefits associated with managing risk connected with the working staff including Health Insurance, Life Assurance and Employee compensation.
• To ensure that all staff is covered under the health and life insurance scheme. Manage day to day relationship with vendor teams; health maintenance organizations, insurance brokers etc. - providing feedback to vendor on performance and communicating issues back to Operations Manager as needed.

8.) Employee Relations & Engagement

• Enquiry Management for internal and external stakeholders.
• Record management of employee relations issues
• Provide guidance and assistance to Line Managers and Staff on matters relating to employee relations activities.
• To build relationships and collaborate with leads across the business to identify specific employee engagement requirements of differing business areas.

Key Relationships: (include internal and external)
NSRP/BC Employees, Staff Association, Senior Leader team, SSA regional HR team, Local Labour Lawyers, Health Maintenance Organization, Insurance Brokers.       

Other important features or requirements of the job

• Periodic travel to high-risk areas is likely to be necessary following close liaison with British High Commission /BC/DFID.
• Regular unsocial and over-hours will be required to meet operational requirements of the post and programme.
• Carry out other duties not specifically stated in the Human Resources Officer role profile as may be required by the Operations Manager.     

Person Specification
Behaviours:   

• Making it happen (more demanding) Do I regularly review results and look for ways of raising levels of achievement for myself and others?
• Connecting with others (more demanding) Do I integrate people of different backgrounds into teams to achieve business objective
• Working together (more demanding) Do I work with clients to come up with solutions and gain support
• Being accountable (demanding) Do I meet my commitments and take personal responsibility for the results?

Required but not used for recruitment

• Shaping the future (essential)
• Creating a shared purpose (essential)

Skills and Knowledge:    
Managing People (Level 1)

• Provides support to less experienced members of the team and is aware of individual differences. Helps colleagues perform tasks and use systems and processes.

Managing Projects (Level 2)

• Examines project data and performance, reporting on progress and recommending corrective action as needed.

Communication & Influencing (level 3)

• Able to use a range of non-standard and creative approaches to inform, and persuade others, extending beyond logical argument to influence decisions and actions in a way which is inclusive and engaging.

Analysing data (level 2)

• Reviews available data and identifies cause and effect, and then chooses the best solution from a range of known alternatives.

Human Resources Management (Level 3)

• Understanding of relevant areas of HR (employment law ,employment contracts, redundancy, payroll, Reward, Recruitment, Learning & Development, Performance management)       

Experience:

• Experience in HRM in multinational organisation
• Proven track record in
• HR Management, able to demonstrate understanding of best practice in HR processes and systems

Qualifications    

• Degree level education    
• HR qualifications