Chief Human Resources Operations Officer at African Development Bank - AfDB

Location: Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
Position Number: 50106139
Position Grade: PL3

The Complex

• The (new) People and Talent Management Complex (PTVP), will retain overall responsibility for attracting, developing, motivating and retaining a strong complement of professionals, support staff and contingent staff to deliver the business of the Bank into the future. The PTVP is responsible for ensuring effective systems and controls in HR administration from hire to retirement. The PTVP is also responsible for the effective administration of the Bank’s benefit plans (medical and staff retirement) and ensuring the financial sustainability of these plans.
• The PTVP Complex, through several dedicated teams, supports the organization by recruiting and developing talented professionals, growing performance capability, providing best practices in talent management and contributing to higher levels of employee engagement. These will ensure the building of organizational capabilities for delivering the Bank’s strategic business agenda and retaining the competitiveness of the Bank as the leading MDB on the continent.
• This Vice Presidency directly oversee the unit responsible for administering benefit plans (Staff Retirement Plan and the Medical Plan) as well as three dynamic HR Departments. The first of these focuses on interfacing directly with staff clients through integrated client services to internal and external stakeholders (through HR Operations, Recruitment and Talent Acquisition, HR Business Partnering, and Staff Engagement initiatives).
• The second team hosts the HR Centers of Expertise focusing on Talent, Performance and Staff Development, and is responsible for developing insights, programs and policies in the areas of Performance Management, Staff Recognition, Careers, Learning and Staff Development.
• The third team hosts Staff Welfare Services and the various elements of Employment Policy (Reward & Compensation, Employment Policy and Program Management), as well as the Medical Services & Staff Welfare Unit.

The Hiring Department / Division

• The Human Resources Operations, Recruitment & Client Services Department (PTCS) focuses on interfacing directly with staff clients through integrated client services to internal and external stakeholders (through HR Operations, Recruitment and Talent Acquisition, HR Business Partnering, and Staff Engagement initiatives). This will help the Bank to achieve its strategic agenda through attraction, development, engagement, motivation and retention of a best-in-class workforce.
• PTCS.2 Division is responsible for the administration of the employee lifecycle, management of staff benefits, HR transactional processing, and management of the employee personnel data. Additionally, this Division is tasked for ensuring that HR leverages on the capability of technology to not only automate processes but to ensure full benefits by digitizing processes for efficiency.

The Position

• The Chief HR Operations Officer will be responsible for supporting the Division Manager (PTCS2), in the administration of employee related transactions, management of benefits and HR processes. The incumbent will provide consistent, efficient customer service to the Bank’s employees, managers, and HR personnel on the basis of the Service Level Agreement.

Key Functions
Under the immediate supervision of the Division Manager PTCS2, the incumbent will undertake the following Key Responsibilities:

HR Administration:

• Prepare HR Administration documents relating to regular and short-term staff, Technical Assistants, Secondees, Project Staff and others.
• Design templates and letters for staff separation, staff assumption of duty, transfers, promotions, contract renewals, confirmations, leave without pay and staff testimonials.
• Coordinate the administration of assumption of duty of Bank staff, Technical Assistants, Secondees, and Project Staff and also the administration of assumption of Staff transfers/Staff movements including Promotions, employment terminations.
• Analyze any trends related to the administration of contracts and movement of staff including Technical Assistants, Secondees and Project staff, and present the related reports to management.
• Identify areas requiring automation and improvement of HR Administration processes, procedures and forms in view of optimizing the efficiency and reliability of the unit and recommend improvements in processes and documents in other areas impacting the efficiency and reliability of the HR administration.
• Monitor Contract renewals/staff probation periods, process staff confirmation and undertake the maintenance of the contract renewals/probationary periods in the Bank HRIS systems.
• Collaborate with Legal Officers and units which provide support, advice and assistance in HR decisions related to Contract Administration, Separations and ethical issues including the Staff Council, Ombudsman, Ethics Office and Staff Appeal Committee.
• Provide advice and guidance to staff, peers, HR Business partners and managers on matters related to the application of the Staff rules and regulations, Bank policies and procedures, HR administrative issues and Staff Contract administration (Renewal of contracts, Separation, Suspension….).

Records & Data Management:

• Establish, manage, and keep all HR related staff records.
• Maintain oversight of the Sanctions screening process to ensure validity of staff against potential crime warnings.
• File and archive all HR related staff transactions (e.g., loans, mortgages, customized evaluation requests for staff and retirees, Sanction Screening, File Requests, etc.).
• Administer data analytics and standard HR reports.
• Manage self-service requests for standard letters, verifications, and certification.

Benefits Administration:
Administer and process staff benefits for active and retired staff, including:

• Medical and Life insurance.
• Dependency Allowance.
• Leave with or without pay and external service with or without pay.
• Annual merit and performance-based pay.
• Expatriation benefits such as education benefits, Home Country travel, Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA).
• Field Benefits (Hardship, Fragile states allowance, etc.)
• Probation/Confirmation.
• Financial assistance and emergency travel reimbursements, shift allowance, split payments, and salary plan changes.
• Performs HR actions such as reassignments, transfers, contract extensions, graduation of dependents from benefits entitlements, etc.
• Termination benefits.
• This unit also conducts monthly reconciliation of eligibility of benefits with Payroll records, as well as retro payment reconciliations after each pay period. It also conducts related audits such as Dependency benefits, etc.
• The Unit also consults with and maintains regular relations with the policy unit regarding changes and new provisions.

Shared Services / Helpdesk:

• The HR Operations Intake Team is responsible for assisting internal and external clients on HR related queries. The team will provide 24/7 service coverage.
• The team will receive calls and requests pertaining to issues such as staff hiring, transfers, Benefits, Performance Management, Organizational Learning, HR systems, Admin Portal, policies relating to conditions of service for consultants and short-term staff (STS), retiree Insurance, etc.

Contingent Staff Processing:

• Process appointments of consultants and short-term staff.
• Recommend rates for new hires.
• Handle queries relating to consultant/STS process and policies.
• Complete (automated) appointment closure process for consultants and STS.

Competencies (skills, experience and knowledge):

• Hold at least a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Information Technology, Auditing / Accounting, Law or other related disciplines.
• A qualification in accounting will be an added advantage.
• Have a minimum of seven (7) years of relevant practical working experience in a large volume and busy HR Unit.
• A relevant and practical experience in Human Resources Management, Staff and Legal counselling will be an asset.
• Proactive, solution oriented individual, keen to resolve challenges through innovation;
• Ability to implement continual improvement activities to processes, with attention to details.
• Ability to multitask, meet strict deadlines and work under a pressure.
• Ability to work independently and coordinate with peers and other HR experts in a multidisciplinary multicultural team.
• Demonstrates tact and diplomacy in dealing with clients and other team members.
• Operational Effectiveness.
• Communication.
• Problem Solving.
• Client Orientation.
• Team working and relations.
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, preferably with a working knowledge of the other.
• Excellent knowledge of the use of standard desktop software (Visio, Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint).