Director of People and Culture

INTRODUCTION TO GIRLS NOT BRIDES

Girls Not Brides is the only global organisation uniquely focused on creating and sustaining a worldwide movement to end child, early and forced marriage and unions (CEFMU) and ensuring that this movement leads to tangible change for the girls at risk or affected by the practice. We are a network of over 1,400 civil society organisations in over 100 countries working in partnership to end child marriage.

Our vision is a world without child marriage where girls and women enjoy equal status with boys and men and are able to achieve their full potential in all aspects of their lives. Our vision challenges deeply embedded social norms that harm the lives of girls, women and their communities.

INTRODUCTION TO THE ROLE

The Director of People and Culture leads on fostering a positive work environment in order to help develop a strong organisational culture, providing high quality leadership and oversight on the development and delivery of Girls Not Brides‘ People and Culture strategy.
The post holder facilitates an organisational culture that supports an ambitious and diverse workforce that demonstrates clear commitment to Girls Not Brides values, mission, and vision, drawing up our principles around collaboration and partnership.

As a people and culture senior level professional, you will have an evidential understanding of all aspects of HR practices, both UK and international. This is a pivotal role supporting the transformation of Girls Not Brides, leading the delivery of a workforce strategy that ensures we have a stable, sustainable, skilled, dynamic, and diverse workforce capable of delivering the goals of the organisation. You will be someone who can balance creativity with pragmatism, and expertise with a desire to learn, and a demonstrable alignment with our commitment to championing well-being, diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI). The role contributes to and plays a crucial role in broad organisational leadership and strategic development, partnering with the Senior Leadership Team in strategic decision-making.

Job location

London, UK (hybrid with up to three days on site per week). May include international travel.

Accountable to

Chief Executive Officer

Salary range

£70,560 (subject to benchmarking) rising on an annual incremental basis. Girls Not Brides also offers a generous 10% pension.

Contract

This is a full time two-year fixed term contract. The successful candidate must have the right to work in the United Kingdom at the time of submitting the application.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic planning and organisational leadership

• Lead the development and implementation of Girls Not Brides‘ people and culture strategies to deliver on the vision, mission and goals set out in the Secretariat and Partnership strategies, 2022-2025.
• Lead the creation of an inclusive organisational culture, values, plans, and HR policies that are rooted in and informed by a deep commitment to the values of Girls Not Brides and to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
• Contribute to broad organisational leadership and strategic development, as a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT).
• Advise and inform the CEO, Board and SLT colleagues on strategic issues relating to human resources, people management and organisational culture.
• Responsible for planning and monitoring the directorate’s budget.

Talent acquisition

• Lead on the development and implementation of Girls Not Brides‘ people management and acquisition strategies to deliver on the vision.
• Oversee the development of strategies to identify talent; establish and oversee equitable and inclusive recruitment and hiring processes for all employees.
• Oversee the development of a comprehensive onboarding and staff orientation strategy.
• Oversee offboarding of staff, including exit interviews; analyse data to surface potential cultural issues or other staff concerns; make recommendations to the SLT for continuous improvements.
• Support line managers to proactively identify new leaders and build opportunities for growth.

Staff well-being

• Lead on the development and implementation of a staff well-being policy and oversee the effective use of processes for day-to-day provision across the organisation.
• Oversee development and implementation of programmes, initiatives, and ideas to enhance and maintain staff well-being across the organisation.
• Provide leadership, direction and coordination for the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and staff support services, including occupational health.

Organisational culture

• Oversee the review and implementation of organisational core values that guide the organisation’s policies and procedures.
• Oversee the implementation of policies and programmes that ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the organisation.
• Oversee development and dissemination of HR policies and procedures that maintain and improve employee relations and shape organisational culture.
• Communicate openly and frequently, keeping staff informed on benefits, resources, organisational events, and other pertinent information.
• Oversee the management and appropriate resolution of complex employee relations issues; where applicable, commission and support effective, thorough, and objective investigations.

Regulatory and compliance

• Provide leadership and direction to ensure compliance with all statutory employment related laws and regulations.
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of changing employment regulations and implement policies, procedures, and systems to ensure regulatory compliance and reduce the organisation’s employment law risks.
• Oversee and lead the review of human resources information systems (HRIS) to ensure they are fit for purpose and support strategic thinking and direction. Apply relevant organisational/human resources metrics; contribute information, analysis, and recommendations to strategic thinking and direction.

Professional development and performance

• Assess organisational needs with the SLT to identify professional learning and growth opportunities to support employees’ ongoing professional development.
• Steward a culture of learning and growth.
• Implement a standard of supervision grounded in inclusive leadership practices such as building strong relationships, active listening, clear and transparent communication, consistent and timely feedback, and clear expectations.
• Ensure coaching and resources are provided to help build interpersonal and team resilience, address conflicts and adapt to different leadership styles.

Compensation and benefit management

• Develop and ensure the administration of a consistent, equitable, and progressive compensation program, including salary surveys and market research, to ensure Girls Not Brides is competitive within our market and in line with our budget.
• Monitor budgets for recruiting, training/staff development, and benefits programs in partnership with the Director of Operations & Finance.
• Oversee all HR functions including benefits programs; have oversight of/lead relationships with benefit providers, coordinate annual staff forums and address employee benefits questions; propose additional benefit options pertinent to the organisation’s workforce in partnership with the Director of Operations & Finance.

Wider contributions to the team

• Commit to the mission and vision of Girls Not Brides, putting these at the forefront of all planning, work and actions.
• Uphold the core values of Girls Not Brides in all areas of work and interactions with colleagues, members, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Comply with Girls Not Brides policies and processes, with note for safeguarding, diversity and inclusion, the code of conduct and data protection.
• Ensure that internal databases and monitoring information are kept fully up-to-date.
• Commit to ongoing personal development and learning.
• Fulfil any other reasonable requests for the advancement Girls Not Brides.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential experience

• Significant professional experience in a similar level role in the international not-for-profit sector, international/intergovernmental organisation, or social enterprise.
• Qualified HR professional.
• Significant HR generalist experience, with extensive exposure to benefit administration, employee relations, performance management, recruitment, Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS), and training and development.
• Experience supporting a diverse workforce, including working in international contexts (e.g. a globally diverse workforce).
• Demonstrated leadership skills.
• Highly relational and able to build strong connections and relationships across differences.
• Proven ability to design and maintain operational systems and controls in line with best practice.
• Deep understanding of international compensation, benefits, and performance and evaluation frameworks.
• Confident and experienced in overseeing varied legal and compliance issues.
• Ability to deal with competing demands, multiple priorities, time constraints and unanticipated external events.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Experience of successfully managing teams, including geographically dispersed staff, with the ability to support and develop staff.

Essential skills and knowledge

• A deep personal and professional commitment to equity, understanding of best practices, and experience in building inclusive and engaged workplaces, cultural awareness, and sensitivity with lens on racial and gender equity.
• Familiarity with strategic planning, including compensation practices, data analysis, and organisational development.
• A strong understanding and ability to contribute to the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at organisational and partnership levels.
• Ability to deal with conflict effectively, and to manage difficult situations confidently and calmly; demonstrated ability to coach and counsel both executive-level management and employees.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong project management skills; ability to effectively plan, implement and manage HR programs and functions; ability to implement, explain, and apply relevant policies, procedures, laws, and regulations.
• An innovative and initiative-taking approach, with the vision and practical skills to assess, develop, and improve systems and processes.
• Proven ability to inspire and create a healthy organisational culture.
• Up-to-date knowledge of relevant UK and international employment laws and best practice in people management.
• Excellent strategic thinking and practical planning ability.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, including the ability to work with a diverse range of actors at different levels and from different cultural contexts.

Essential values and attributes

• Strong commitment to the mission and values of Girls Not Brides and our vision in relation to addressing child marriage and gender justice.
• Skilled team worker with an inclusive and collaborative approach.
• Proactive and able to confidently take initiative and make appropriate decisions.
• Willingness to work flexibly and regularly travel internationally, as necessary.

Desirable

• Experience managing or supporting organisational change processes.
• Relevant and direct experience implementing DEI initiatives.
• Knowledge of non-profit administration.

Safeguarding

Girls Not Brides is committed to safeguarding all children, young people and adults at risk with whom our staff and representatives work and interface. Any employment with Girls Not Brides may be subject to the satisfactory completion of a background check and criminal records check which can include but is not limited to: an overseas police record check, a Disclosure and Barring Service Check (for those based in the UK) or an International Criminal Record Check (if applicable).

How to apply

Girls Not Brides is an equal opportunities employer. We embrace diversity, equal opportunity, and inclusion in a serious way. We are committed to building a staff body that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

The closing date for this role is 23:59 BST (GMT+1) on Sunday 2 June 2024.
In-person interviews will be held on-site on Friday 14 June 2024.

To apply, please click on the ‘Apply now‘ button on the job page and submit your CV and a brief cover letter (no more than two pages) clearly demonstrating how you meet the criteria.

We regret that due to the large number of applications anticipated, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.