Talent Acquisition Assistant at Mercy Corps

Program / Department Summary

• The People and Strategy Team ensures that Mercy Corps has the people, strategies and learning that will enable it to be a world-class, cutting edge, humanitarian organization, creating transformational change in the world. We do this through the recruitment, retention, and development of the best global talent.
• Our aim is to drive strategic thinking and planning at all levels of the organization; create a robust body of research to guide us internally and externally and steward the organizational culture.
• To achieve this, we align conversations on learning; keep the organization focused on what has the greatest impact; leverage our comparative advantages in the crowded and competitive international relief and development landscape; and assure we are constantly learning from our work and the external environment.
• The Talent Team is responsible for filling Mercy Corps Nigeria positions in 13 locations on an annual basis and provides guidance on national recruitment best practices. The Talent Acquisition Assistant will support the recruitment efforts in Nigeria.

General Position Summary

• The Talent Acquisition Assistant would be a high-energy individual who ensures timely and efficient recruitment of employees for Mercy Corps Nigeria, s/he will work closely with the Senior Talent Acquisition Officer and other HR Team members in identifying exceptional talent to advance Mercy Corps’ mission. This role is the primary support person for all recruitment activities for nationals in Nigeria and may also support other People related initiatives and projects.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Recruitment Support:

• Advertise positions on Mercy Corps’ website and on external portals; circulate externally and internally
• Source for applicants through resume banks, social networking sites (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook), associations, competitor organizations, and other groups
• Conduct reference checks and share feedback with hiring teams
• Utilize Applicant Tracking System UltiPro to manage recruitment from requisition to hire, ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps practices and applicable state and federal laws
• Shortlist candidates based on established requirements and present them to the hiring manager.
• Revise Position Descriptions ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps standards and job requirements
• Conduct phone interviews and provide notes and recommendations to hiring managers
• Draft interview guides when appropriate and collect interview evaluations
• Guide post-interview discussions, when appropriate, to identify and execute the next steps
• Follow Mercy Corps established approval process to secure approvals for offers and consistently track and make regular updates in the Applicant Tracking System.

Administrative Support:

• Create Job files for completed recruitments
• Ensure required signatories are received on the PRF and PD Documents
• Ensures all job files are well documented, audited and filed
• Update recruitment trackers and share with Hiring Managers on a timely basis for recruitment update

Communication and Influence:

• Communicate effectively about Mercy Corps’ recruitment process and procedures while ensuring they are respected and implemented
• Always ensure excellent relations and communication.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

Organizational Learning:

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries:

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• None.

Reports Directly To:

• Senior Talent Acquisition Officer

Works Directly With:

• Talent Acquisition team, HR Team, Country Directors, Senior Management Team, Program Team, Operation Team and Finance Team.

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Human Resources, Business Administration, Social Science or relevant field.
• 2+ years of experience managing recruitment full cycle/talent acquisition.
• Proficiency in MS Office, internet searching, applicant tracking systems and use of social media for sourcing talent.
• Must have completed the Mandatory NYSC Scheme
• Understanding of talent acquisition in relief and development environments is preferred
• Ability to communicate, influence and problem-solve effectively across diverse cultures and geographical distances with sensitivity.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to multitask and prioritize effectively.
• Excellent oral and written English skills.
• Fluency in English is required. Fluency in any other Nigerian language will be an added advantage.

Success Factors:

• The successful candidate must have excellent interpersonal skills, strong oral and written communications skills and should be an excellent listener. S/ he must have excellent analytical skills, good reasoning abilities, and sound judgment.
• S/he will also be able to thrive in a fast-paced environment, demonstrate a strong understanding of the cultural and social environment that exists both in and out of Nigeria, and have the willingness and ability to work effectively with a wide variety of people.
• S/he will develop and maintain productive professional relationships with a broad spectrum of stakeholders within the organization and throughout the relief and development community.
• S/he will be flexible, resilient and possess the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously. Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions:

• The position will be based in Abuja, FCT and will require little or no travelling to other field locations. Given the nature of the role, working hours require flexibility, and working beyond the official closing hour might be necessary.

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 a 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, colour, 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 the 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 e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.