Human Resource Specialist (Nationals Only)

ROLE PURPOSE

The HR Specialist will lead end-to-end recruitment talent acquisition and onboarding for the Sri Lanka Project Office. S/He will serve as the focal point for staff learning and development overseeing the design and delivery of capacity-building initiatives and development plans. The role will also provide leadership in employee relations supporting managers and staff to resolve HR issues while ensuring adherence to SCI policies and safeguarding standards. Through proactive HR management the Specialist will help strengthen organisational culture enhance staff wellbeing and drive operational excellence across all HR functions.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

Talent Acquisition Recruitment & Onboarding

• Lead and manage end-to-end recruitment for the PO positions based on the harmonized org chart ensuring timely transparent and compliant hiring processes.
• Develop sourcing strategies manage shortlisting interview coordination and evaluation processes in partnership with hiring managers.
• Ensure strict adherence to SCI Recruitment Policies safeguarding requirements RRC recommendations and donor compliance standards.
• Oversee onboarding processes ensuring new staff receive all required orientation induction and mandatory training.
• Maintain accurate recruitment trackers dashboards and documentation for audit and donor reporting.

Learning and Development

• Lead the development implementation and monitoring of the Project Office Learning & Development (L&D) Plan ensuring alignment with organizational project regional and global L&D strategies.
• Continuously identify learning needs through annual training needs assessments job analysis D2P plans performance discussions and ongoing consultations with managers and teams.
• Manage LMS platforms e-learning solutions leadership development initiatives and all L&D products to strengthen staff capability and organisational performance.
• Track training participation evaluate learning effectiveness and prepare L&D related reports for management and donors ensuring data accuracy and compliance with audit requirements.

Performance Management

• Ensure effective management of the probation process including setting probation objectives conducting timely reviews and supporting managers to address underperformance promptly and in accordance with SCI policies.
• Provide guidance and coaching to line managers on managing performance challenges ensuring fair consistent and timely interventions.
• Oversee the full performance management cycle across the Project Office ensuring consistent applicationof the D2P framework and rigorous follow-up with managers to achieve meaningful and high-quality performance outcomes.
• Lead and deliver awareness sessions training and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen staff and manager understanding of the SCI D2P performance management system.

Payroll Support & HR Operations

• Prepare verify and submit monthly payroll inputs including attendance overtime allowances contract changes and any other payroll-related variations.
• Ensure payroll documentation is complete accurate compliant with SCI policies and supported by appropriate approvals.
• Coordinate closely with Finance and HR teams to ensure timely processing of payroll and resolution of payroll discrepancies.
• Monitor statutory deductions benefits and compliance with labour regulations (EPF ETF taxes gratuity and other statutory requirements).
• Maintain personnel data accuracy in Oracle and ensure consistency between HRIS contracts and payroll records.
• Support HRIS and ensure the system aligns with payroll audits spot checks and donor verification requirements by providing timely and accurate documentation.

Employee Relations

• Support the Head of HR in strengthening staff relations and ensuring all Project Office staff are fully aware of grievance appeal and conflict-resolution procedures.
• Under the guidance of the Head of HR manage disciplinary and grievance cases for staff below managerial level ensuring timely fair and policy-aligned resolution and ensuringstrict adherence to SCI Policies and requirements
• Under the guidance of the Head of HR support case management activities including conducting independent investigations serving as HR representative in hearings and preparing high-quality investigation reports outcome letters and related documentation.
• Contribute to the review update and implementation of HR policies procedures and staff guidance notes.

• Lead staff engagement initiatives and ensure implementation of activities aimed at monitoring and improving staff satisfaction including coordination of the annual internal survey.
• Design and deliver programmes that strengthen staff wellbeing productivity and a safe working environment including stress-management support and wellbeing-focused interventions.

Reporting & Analytics

• Design develop and disseminate periodic HR reports for the Sri Lanka Project Office ensuring accuracy analysis and timely submission.
• Analyse learning and development trends and provide actionable insights to the Head of HR for presentation to the Project Office Senior Management Team (PO-SMT) supporting strategic workforce planning and continuous organisational improvement.
• Collect analyse and interpret employee feedback regularly using insights to recommend improvements to HR policies processes engagement efforts and people-focused programmes.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelors degree in human resource management Business Administration Social Sciences or related field.
• A postgraduate qualification or professional HR certification (CIPM CIPD SHRM) is an added advantage.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in Human Resources including learning and development employee relations and HR operations.
• 03 years of work experience as a Learning and Development Specialist Training and Development Manager or a similar role.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing employee development programs.
• Experience of planning and undertaking training programs and workshops
• Up-to-date knowledge of effective instructional models and resources.
• Familiarity with e-learning platforms and practices
• Good understanding of local labour regulations and ability to comprehend interpret and apply the appropriate sections of applicable laws guidelines regulations ordinances and policies.
• Deep understanding and commitment to child rights child safeguarding or SGBV issues and practice in development sector
• Demonstrated negotiating cultural sensitivity and diplomatic skills;
• Demonstrated success working well in a team environment while having a high level of coordination skills with actors from non-line management.
• Demonstrated ability to plan and organise self and deliver quality results within deadline
• Willingness to travel across the Sri Lanka CO.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with fluency in written and spoken English Sinhala and/or Tamil
• Readiness to travel to humanitarian response site within 24 hour notice