Talent Acquisition Officer at Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action – helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Mercy Corps Nigeria implements a variety of programs with the ultimate goal of building productive, secure and just communities. The organization’s programs are implemented in twelve states, mainly in North and North East Nigeria and Lagos. Our work covers the following sectors: economic development, livelihoods/food security, adolescent girls & boys’ empowerment, financial resilience, conflict management and humanitarian response. Common themes include community engagement, inclusive development, gender and working in partnership with local government, the private sector and civil society actors.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Talent Acquisition Officer

Location: Abuja (FCT)

Program / Department Summary

• Mercy Corps has been present in Nigeria since 2012, focusing its interventions on humanitarian assistance, economic development, and conflict mitigation. With the ongoing insurgency in Northeast Nigeria causing the displacement of millions of individuals, Mercy Corps started its humanitarian response in 2014 to address the rising humanitarian needs. As the crisis has persisted, Mercy Corps’ strategy has also expanded to address the root causes of the conflict and seek to build the long-term resilience of communities with integrated programs focusing on governance, the recovery of markets and livelihoods, social cohesion and social protection, youth empowerment, and local conflict management.
• The Human Resource Department is responsible for providing effective HR policies, procedures, and people-friendly guidelines and support within Mercy Corps Nigeria. This includes but is not limited to: Talent Acquisition & Development; employee engagement coordination; countrywide training & learning management; compensation & benefits administration; performance management oversight; disciplinary & grievance handling; staff data management; staff disengagement management and 3rd party service provision management (HMO, Group Life, etc).

General Position Summary

• The Talent Acquisition Officer will be responsible for active and passive recruitment.
• S/he will responsible for ensuring all recruitment is according to Recruiting Guidelines of Mercy Corps Nigeria. S/he will be responsible for update and upkeep of Application Tracking System (ATS) as well championing national hiring, management of the talent pool, communication between both successful and unsuccessful candidates and national & expatriate onboarding process.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy:

• Support the HR Manager in successful implementation, adherence, and common understanding of Recruitment Guidelines in all MC-N Offices
• Support the HR Manager to ensure that controls are put in place to allow for transparent and unbiased recruitment processes and systems
• Track and ensure progress on active recruitment and upcoming talent needs
• Keep up to date on trends in talent acquisition, particularly in the humanitarian aid sector.
• Support the HR Manager to attract and retain senior national talent with a diversity focus.
• Identify areas of opportunity to strengthen recruitment function and proactively offer recommendations to hiring teams.

Talent Acquisition

• Execute full lifecycle talent acquisition activities for multiple disciplines and levels of positions activities in line with the set recruitment process and applicable staffing plans
• Provide required training to all HR team members, hiring managers and recruitment stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition to Application Tracking System (ATS)
• Support the HR Manager to develop tools that support national recruitment processes aligned with global MC practices with the focus on transparency and diversity, and consistent with local labour context.
• Assist in providing Position Descriptions to management for the recruitment of new positions as required.
• Ensure the right person is put in the right place and work closely with hiring managers to identify personnel needs, job specifications, job duties, qualifications and skills
• Review recruitment results for all positions, run the full post recruitment activities for all new hires including review of applications/resumes; provision of long lists; conducting of interviews; compilation of results and contact of unsuccessful candidates
• Support in finalizing negotiations and prepare documentation including remuneration package attached to offers for new hires in accordance with MCN guideline
• Perform all required reference, background, and documentation checks for new hires and discuss results with hiring managers
• Organize, lead and document post-recruitment conversations with managers and candidates
• Screen, refer and maintain a talent pool of external and internal candidates for additional interviews as applicable
• Builds diverse applicant sources by researching and contacting community services, colleges, employment agencies, recruiters, associations working for women and minority groups, and internet sites; providing organization information, opportunities, and benefits; making presentations; maintaining rapport
• Develop strategic relationships with strategic hiring sources (e.g. colleges, universities, networks, associations), ensuring awareness of MCN as a destination employer
• Develop and maintain a network of contacts to help identify and source qualified candidates
• Actively source for candidates for hard to fill positions.
• Ensure effective implementation of onboarding mechanism and all team members receive complete orientation within 15 days of hire in all MC-N offices
• Ensure pre-hire new hire starter pack is available for all new hires
• Run onboarding activities for all Abuja based national staff, expatriate hires, MCN staff and interns
• Monitor and ensure completion of all MC Mandatory onboarding and Safeguarding courses with one week of hire and full use of Talent Portal
• Ensure positive and similar employee onboarding experience in all MCN offices
• Manage communication between both successful and unsuccessful candidates
• Adherence to all MC policies and procedures as outlined in MC policies and procedure manuals.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

Collaboration & Networking:

• Assist in promoting Mercy Corps as an employer of choice by attending events, promoting through social media, job boards and developing talent communities.
• Build effective partnerships with internal stakeholders to support current needs and develop plans for future needs.

Security:

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

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.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves professionally and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• Talent Acquisition Assistant

Accountability:

• Reports Directly To: HR Director
• Works Directly With: HR Administrative Manager, Field HR Officers, All Hiring Managers, Senior Management Team, Mercy Corps Operation staff, Finance, Program team and Partner organizations.

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in HR Management / Administration or relevant field.
• 2 – 5 years of professional experience in multiple human resource disciplines specifically Recruitment, Selection, Orientation, Onboarding and Talent Management.
• Demonstrated understanding of staffing and talent planning in international relief and development environments.
• Proven experience of recruiting and onboarding systems management for multiple positions within a multi-project/program environment
• Proven experience with successful sourcing strategies for diverse candidates
• In-depth knowledge and experience of the NigeriaLabor Act, compensation, benefits administration, recruitment, selection and onboarding
• Proficiency in MS Office, internet searching, and applicant tracking systems and use of social media for sourcing talent.
• Ability to communicate, influence and problem solve effectively across diverse cultures and geographical distances with sensitivity
• Fluency in English is required. Fluency in any other Nigerian languages 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 and will demonstrate a strong understanding of the cultural and social environment that exists both in and out of Nigeria and will have the willingness and ability to work effectively with a wide verity 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 professionally and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Application Closing Date
5th April, 2021