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Employee Relations Manager

New York, New York, United States

About MSF USA | Doctors Without Borders

 

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent international organization that provides medical care to the people who need it most. The organization cares for people affected by conflict, disease outbreaks, disasters, and social exclusion in more than 70 countries. MSF offers medical humanitarian assistance solely based on need, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or politics. Our international project teams include medical, logistical, and administrative staff, most of them hired locally and working with their own communities. Our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of independence, impartiality, and neutrality. We also bear witness and speak out about the experiences of our colleagues and patients. 
 
MSF USA is one of 24 sections supporting the global movement, primarily through staff recruitment, fundraising, advocacy, and communications. We welcome candidates who bring a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences to join us in working toward MSF’s social mission.  

Role Overview

The Employee Relations Manager will provide a broad range of professional employee relations activities, including but not limited to employee consulting, conflict resolution, complaint investigation, policy interpretation, and the preparation and delivery of related summary reports and recommendations. The position will interact with all levels of leadership regarding investigations, discipline, performance management, terminations, and negotiated separations.

 

Department Accountabilities

Organizational Culture & Create a Safe Space
Set and drive transparent goals, targets and ADEI&B initiatives that yield the most significant, scalable, quantifiable, and sustained impact for a more human-centered, engaged, and productive workplace.; building a culture that fosters trust, collaboration high performance, respect, and belonging among diverse  teams and peoples.

Performance Management & Talent Development
Develop and implement policies and processes that provide an integrated, structured approach to individual development planning, performance goal setting, performance feedback, and formal appraisal to meet business needs and to support individuals in realizing their potential. The review is done one-time per year after which decisions are taken on whether the employee's pay should be changed or increased.

Employee Engagement
Create a workplace culture that is engaging and motivating for employees. This involves creating opportunities for employees to connect with each other, providing professional development opportunities, and creating a positive work environment.

Compliance and HR Operations
Execute and manage P&C operations using predetermined protocols and procedures to achieve specified operational performance standards.

Compensation & Benefits Review
Designed and administered compensation and benefits packages for staff. This includes setting salaries, providing health insurance and other benefits and managing payroll.

Talent Acquisitions 
Fill permanent or temporary positions within an organization by attracting, shortlisting, selecting, hiring, appointing, and integrating the best-qualified candidates in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Payroll Administration
Carry out the payroll administration processes required to ensure that employees are paid correctly at the right time.

 

ROLES SPECIFIC OUTCOMES

Employee Relations Case Management
Investigate and propose solutions for very complex and/or contentious employee relations cases in liaison with line managers; coordinate the organization's response to legal cases brought by individuals; contribute to the preparation of legal submissions and ensure all parties complete casework accurately and within deadlines.

Policies and Procedures Development
Collaborate with the Director of People Operations to draft investigation and case management policies, procedures, and related guidelines and ensure compliance with external requirements.

Solutions Analysis
Analyze specific problems and issues to find the best solutions. Solutions could be technical or professional in nature.

Operational Compliance
Maintain and renew a deep knowledge and understanding of the MSF-USA's policies and procedures and of relevant regulatory codes and codes of conduct, and ensure own work adheres to required standards.

Stakeholder Engagement
Develop stakeholder engagement by identifying stakeholders; by finding out their needs, issues, and concerns; and by reacting to these needs, issues, and concerns to support the communication of business information and decisions.

Performance Management and Talent Development
Contribute to the design and delivery of performance management and talent development methods and processes; deliver elements of the technical design; plan and deliver job evaluation programs or ad hoc evaluations; and monitor outcomes and propose remedial actions where appropriate.

These core accountabilities should not be construed to contain every function/responsibility that may be required to be performed by an incumbent in this job.  Incumbents are required to perform other functions as assigned.

 

COMPLEXITY AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS

Works with full competence to shift into and out of a mental mindset associated with assessing the facts and circumstances of the current situation and/or environment and making the appropriate/innovative adjustments to thinking and work habits to thrive in any scenario. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.

BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES 

THOUGHT: How MSF USA staff understand the organization, manage complexity, and contribute by creating the new and different.

People Focus
Builds strong relationships and delivers solutions geared to aiding others. Solicits feedback and data; conveys a clear understanding of the level of service the team is providing; takes action when standards are not met by team; aligns processes with organizational needs.

Manages Complexity
Makes sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems. Consistently looks at complex issues from many angles; obtains a rich and deep understanding; swiftly cuts to the core issue; skillfully separates root causes from symptoms.

Global Perspective
Takes a broad view when approaching issues, using a global lens. Shows global thinking at work; adjusts organizational practices to meet the unique needs of different regions or countries. Uses a broad perspective when addressing issues and challenges.

Cultivates Innovation
Creates new and better ways for the organization to be successful. Approaches professional work in unique or innovative ways. Offers original ideas. Appreciates others' creative ideas and solutions and provides helpful input to enhance them.

RESULTS: MSF USA staff achieve results by cultivating a forward-thinking environment that produces solutions for changing stakeholder needs.

Drives Results
Consistently achieves results, even under tough circumstances. Regularly pushes self to achieve outstanding outcomes; consistently establishes bold goals for own performance; is passionate about excellent results and significant contributions. Shows great tenacity to complete goals/initiatives in a timely way.

PEOPLE: MSF USA staff understand their impact on others through collaboration and inclusion of different perspectives to achieve common goals.

Collaborates
Builds partnerships and works collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives. Readily involves others to accomplish goals; stays in touch and shares information; discourages "us versus them" thinking; shows appreciation for others' ideas and input.
 
Values Differences
Recognizes the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization. Confronts stereotyping and offensive comments promptly. Consistently behaves with great sensitivity toward differences in cultural norms, expectations, and ways of communicating.

Communicates Effectively
Develops and delivers multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences. Listens attentively and takes an interest. Keeps others well informed; conveys information clearly, concisely, and professionally when speaking or writing.

SELF: MSF USA staff demonstrate self-awareness by having an open mindset and by continuously seeking opportunities to learn, grow, and improve. 

Instills Trust
Gains the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity. Models honesty and authenticity and encourages others to be up front with one another. Demonstrates reliability and places a strong emphasis on the team meeting its commitments. Fairly represents others' positions.

Manages Ambiguity
Operates effectively, even when things are not certain or the way forward is not clear. Responds effectively to unclear situations, seeks to resolve ambiguity and make progress. Seeks guidance on how to adapt to changes, responds with appropriate composure and effectiveness.

Situational Adaptability
Adapts approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations. Serves as an example of adaptability and provides guidance and support to help others adapt to new situations. Considers the needs of clients, constituents, and the organization; shifts priorities appropriately.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

Plans and Aligns
Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with MSF-USA goals.

Financial Acumen
Interprets and applies understanding of key financial indicators to make better business decisions.

Tech Savvy
Anticipating and adopting innovations in organizational digital and technology applications.

Data Collection and Analysis
The ability and skill to determine and analyze trends from data that is collected to assist in compiling reports that will help in decision-making. 

Project Management Skills
The ability and skill to plan and manage small project work assignments within desired cost, time, and quality parameters.

Presentation and Written Communication Skills
Adapts approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations. Serves as an example of adaptability and provides guidance and support to help others adapt to new situations. Considers the needs of clients, constituents, and the organization; shifts priorities appropriately

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibility over direct reports.

Desired Qualifications & Experience

At a minimum, the Job Holder should possess:

  • Minimum of 5+ years of employee relations experience and/or legal employment, preferably with a global workforce.
  • Expertise in consultation, investigations, guidance, policy development, and coaching to managers to address sensitive and/or difficult employee behavior and performance concerns.
  • Proven ability to establish influential partnerships with peers and senior leaders across organizational lines to provide practical and strategic ER counsel.
  • Prior experience executing HR compliance and ER processes, policies, and systems that work at scale.
  • Effectively manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines, prioritize conflicting demands, and execute initiatives with a bias towards actions and solutions.

  • Proven track record of consultative HR experience and working autonomously in a non-profit setting.

Travel Requirements 

Must be willing to travel for work as needed.

Compensation

$88,822 to $133,233; New employees will be compensated from the minimum to midpoint based on experience.

 

MSF-USA is dedicated to creating a diverse, impartial, and inclusive workforce. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, pregnancy status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other differences as per applicable laws. We also provide reasonable accommodation for disabilities or religious beliefs and practices. We encourage individuals from underrepresented communities in the Humanitarian Aid sector to apply.

 

If you have a disability and require accommodations to use our website to apply for a position, please contact Human Resources at employment.msfusa@newyork.msf.org. We consider reasonable accommodation requests on a case-by-case basis.

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