The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Senior Manager, People and Culture provides oversight over the People and Culture team supporting the Darfur region of the Sudan West team. This role ensures effective delivery across recruitment, contract management, staff development, performance management, and employee engagement. The Senior Manager works closely with the People and Culture Lead for West Sudan to implement key initiatives, including on diversity and inclusion, Safeguarding, Duty of Care, and broader employee engagement efforts. They play a central role in fostering a positive organizational culture, ensuring adherence to IRCs compliance procedures, and minimizing operational risks. The position holder partners with leadership at all levels to strengthen and uphold an organizational culture aligned with IRCs values.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

P&C Leadership and Management

Proactively meet with leaders to clarify changing talent needs, identify cultural, resource or competency gaps, and devise workforce plans that facilitate and support staff retention.

Actively participate in proposal design and grants opening and review meetings (GRMs, GOMs) specifically advising on organizational structure, position scoping, demographic/staffing analysis and other inputs critical to ensure strong HR foundation to support program quality.

In collaboration with the Recruitment Team, set strategy for recruitment; develop candidate rosters, actively network and employ innovative, creative recruiting methods to attract and hire the best talent.

Review job position requests and job descriptions, making recommendations, ensuring accuracy, consistency.

Offer strategic and contextualized guidance on organizational culture/values to align with the mission and goals.

Serve as an advocate for Gender Equality Diversity and Inclusion, support Duty of Care, and Safeguarding priorities within Darfur operations.

Promote initiatives that enhance the employee experience, team engagement, inclusion, and cohesion.

Ensure the implementation of high-quality, context-specific strategies and practices in areas such as recruitment, compensation and benefits, employee relations, on boarding, and off boarding.

Oversee payroll process ensuring accurate and timely equitable compensation for all staff.

Escalate code of conduct issues and lead or co-lead investigations in collaboration with the Global Employee Relations unit and, when needed, the Ethics and Compliance unit (ECU).

Ensure that issues are thoroughly resolved, and appropriate follow-up actions are implemented to maintain integrity and compliance within the organization.

Information Systems and Tracking

Manage and overseeing accurate people information for staff based in Darfur.

Produce P&C database reports and ensure data confidentiality and accuracy for all IRC personnel.

Analyse people data generated from integrated from IRC People/ employee systems to develop key statistics and metrics with a GEDI lens.

Recommend innovative solutions for improving people data capture and management.

Duty of Care

Develop action plans aimed at enhancing morale and supporting the social, physical, and psychological well-being of staff in Darfur, seeking guidance from the P&C Lead and the Duty of Care team.

Maintain a healthy and empowering office environment that promotes open, honest, and productive communication.

Actively organize and facilitate regular check-ins, team-building activities, and open communication channels amongst staff to build a cohesive and supportive team environment.

Safeguarding

Foster a healthy organizational culture that is free of unequal power dynamics, discrimination, bias, harassment, bullying, and abuse of power.

Ensure that all IRC employees receive orientation to IRC’s Safeguarding Policy and behavioural expectations, collaborating with the Safeguarding Manager function where it exists and/or Regional Safeguarding Advisor.

Ensure that the IRC Way and information on reporting channels are sign-posted in all IRC office locations (in all relevant local languages).

Team Culture

Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, and providing regular and timely performance feedback.

Improve staff coaching and mentorships for national colleagues.

Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices.

Maintain a healthy and empowering office environment that encourages open, honest and productive communication among IRC staff by delivering an employee engagement and communication strategy.

Build and maintain strong working relationships with the IRC Global P&C Department and regional colleagues and continually promote a culture of partnership and collaboration.

Cultivate and maintain a positive, collaborative, safe and protective work environment, while additionally setting an example of One IRC-way of working within the team and the wider organization.

Initiate team activities that motivate staff and create team morale.

Expats Management

Lead and oversee the visa and immigration matters of expatriates while ensuring full compliance with Chimmigration regulations as well as Sudan cross border regulations at all time.

Ensure all expatriates hold valid visas, entry permits, travel authorizations, and border-crossing permissions prior to deployment and throughout their assignment.

Provide and arrange pre-arrival briefings to all incoming expats covering the culture context, Security, and other Darfur specific processes and procedures.

Keep a track of the validity of the International Long-Term Assignments, as well as Temporary Transfer Assignments, and initiate timely renewal/extension as deemed necessary by the in country management.

Administration

Work closely with teams in different locations to ensure smooth cross border movement of staff.

Collaborate with Field Managers to oversee facilities management including office and guest houses and ensure appropriate standards and accurate allocation of rooms to staff.

Ensure adequate accommodation for staff travelling between Geneina/Zalingei and Tawila.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Position Reports to: Senior Field Coordinator and P&C Lead for West Sudan

Position directly Supervises : Senior Liaison Officer, Operations Officers and technically supervise the senior HR officer and HR officers in the respective locations

Works closely with: East Sudan P&C staff, Coordinators/ Unit Heads, Regional and Global HR teams

Indirect Reporting: P&C Compensation & Benefits, Talent Management, Employee Relations, Duty of Care and HROps, General Counsel Office, Ethics & Compliance Unit (ECU).

External Relations: Working with the INGO HR forums and working groups; INGO and UN HR staff; Legal counsel; Social Security, SARHO and ; Ministry of Labor, etc.

REQUIREMENTS

A minimum of 6 years of progressive professional experience in Human Resource Management (People and Culture), with demonstrated success as in emergency response, conflict zones and/or humanitarian aid sector required.

Proven ability to operate effectively in high-pressure emergency settings, where resources are limited, basic comforts may be unavailable, and adaptability is essential to maintaining professionalism and effectiveness in rapidly changing…