Global Employee Relations Advisor - Remote based where Mercy Corps is Registered

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.

The Program / Department / Team

The ER2 Center of Excellence (COE) – Emergency Response and Employee Relations – is part of Mercy Corps' People function. The COE is responsible for supporting the organization's workforce through effective employee relations case management, policy guidance, conflict resolution, and emergency HR response. The team works closely with regional and country People Teams to ensure consistent application of policies and best practices across Mercy Corps' global operations in more than 30 countries, while also providing rapid HR support during emergency situations and crisis response.

The Position

The Global Employee Relations Advisor provides comprehensive Employee relations support across Mercy Corps' global operations, with a particular focus on regions. This role supports ER case management, contributes to training delivery, assists with HR Acuity case management system administration and data reporting, and provides ad hoc support to the Ethics team on HR investigations. The Advisor works collaboratively with the Senior HR Advisor US and regional/country People Teams to ensure timely case triage, consistent policy application, and effective employee relations support. This position requires strong interpersonal skills, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion.

Essential Responsibilities

ER CASE MANAGEMENT

• Manage and support employee relations cases delegated to ER2 COE from intake through resolution, ensuring consistent application of policies and procedures across assigned regions.

• Provide guidance and support to regional and country People Team practitioners on ER matters, including performance management, disciplinary actions, grievances, and workplace conflicts.

• Conduct initial case triage as needed and assessment to determine appropriate response levels and escalation paths.

• Collaborate with country and regional teams to ensure ER matters are handled in accordance with local labor laws and organizational policies.

HR ACUITY & DATA MANAGEMENT

• Support the Senior HR Advisor US in implementing the HR Acuity case management system notably the roll out with country team HR leader, ensuring proper workflow adherence and data integrity.

• Assist the Senior HR Advisor US with generating reports and analytics on ER case trends, metrics, and outcomes to support leadership decision-making.

• Support the Senior HR Advisor US in reviewing and improving HR Acuity workflows and protocols for sharing confidential information across regional and country teams based on role and seniority.

• Maintain accurate records and documentation in compliance with data protection and confidentiality requirements.

EXPAT SEPARATIONS & TERMINATION MANAGEMENT

• Draft, review, and coordinate separation agreements for redundancy situations and ER-related terminations in partnership with the Legal Team.

• Provide guidance to Regional Teams on separation processes, ensuring consistent application across all locations.

• Maintain accurate documentation of all separation cases and ensure timely completion of offboarding requirements.

LEGAL CASE MANAGEMENT & TRACKING

• Map and track all legal cases across Mercy Corps global operations, maintaining a comprehensive database of ongoing and resolved matters.

• Provide regular status updates and reports on legal case progress to the Interim Senior Director ER2 and relevant stakeholders.

• Partner with Regional and Country People Teams to support the implementation of legal recommendations and corrective actions.

• Collaborate with the Legal Team and Senior HR Advisor US to identify trends, risks, and areas requiring enhanced support or policy updates.

TRAINING & CAPACITY BUILDING

• Support the delivery of ER training programs to regional and country People Team practitioners, including Train-the-Trainer sessions.

• Assist in developing and updating training materials, toolkits, and guidance documents on ER case management and HR investigations.

• Participate in annual refresher training delivery at country and/or regional levels.

• Contribute to the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and best practice documentation.

ETHICS TEAM SUPPORT

• Provide ad hoc support to the Ethics team on HR investigations as assigned, following established investigation protocols.

• Receive training on HR investigation methodologies and participate in investigations as appropriate.

• Maintain strict confidentiality and objectivity when supporting investigation activities.

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.

• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.

• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

Supervisory Responsibility: None. This position has no direct reports.

Accountability Reports Directly To: Senior Director Organizational Resilience and Innovation

Works Directly With: Senior HR Advisor US, Regional and Country People Teams, Ethics Department, Legal Team

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field required; Master's degree preferred.

• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in Employee Relations or HR generalist roles with significant ER exposure preferred.

• Demonstrated experience in ER case management, including intake, documentation, investigation support, and resolution.

• Fluency in English required; fluency in Spanish, French, or Arabic highly recommended.

• Experience with HR case management systems (HR Acuity or similar) preferred.

• Knowledge of employment law principles and ability to apply them across multiple jurisdictions.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to communicate effectively across cultures.

• Experience working in the field within different cultural contexts; international organizations or NGO/humanitarian sector experience preferred.

• Professional HR certification (SHRM-CP/SCP, PHR/SPHR, or equivalent) preferred.

Success Factors

The successful Global ER Advisor will demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity, with the ability to build trust and rapport with colleagues across diverse cultural contexts. They will show excellent judgment and discretion when handling confidential and sensitive employee matters, maintaining objectivity and professionalism at all times. The ideal candidate will be proactive in identifying potential issues before they escalate, solution-oriented in their approach to problem-solving, and committed to continuous learning and professional development. They will possess strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple cases and priorities effectively, while maintaining attention to detail in documentation and reporting. Success in this role requires adaptability to work across time zones, comfort with ambiguity, and the resilience to handle emotionally challenging situations while maintaining appropriate boundaries.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This is a home-based (remote) position. The role may require occasional travel (up to 20%) to support regional training delivery or country-level ER matters, which may include travel to locations where amenities are limited. The position requires flexibility to work across multiple time zones to support global operations.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Team Engagement and Effectiveness

Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work.

We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]).