Global Human Resources Director
APPOINTMENT BRIEF
OCTOBER 2025
About Us
Relief International is an international organization operating in more than 14 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East to save lives today and to create the foundation for resilient, thriving communities for tomorrow.
Relief International partners with communities impacted by conflict, climate change and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long-term health and well-being. Its programs combine humanitarian action and sustainable development, in areas such as health and nutrition, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) education, and livelihoods, with protection as a cross-cutting principle across all programs.
Our Mission
We partner with communities impacted by conflict and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long term health and wellbeing.
Our vision is simple yet ambitious: that all communities in fragile settings can achieve long term well being.
Who We Are
Relief International is a global humanitarian and development alliance comprised of affiliated organisations in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe. With more than 4300 staff and local volunteers operating in over 14 countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, we deliver critical, life-saving services at scale in some of the world’s hardest-to-reach regions. By combining local leadership with global expertise, we drive sustainable change and build resilience in communities affected by conflict, climate change and disaster.
What makes us different is our commitment to being truly local, with 97% of our in field staff being nationals of the countries where they serve.
What We Do
In complex and fragile settings, Relief International delivers a multi sectoral approach that weaves together:
Health & Nutrition
Primary healthcare, emergency medical care, malnutrition treatment, and integrated support.
Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH)
Ensuring safe water and hygiene practices that prevent disease and promote well being.
Livelihoods
Opening doors to learning, skills training and economic opportunities so communities can recover, rebuild and thrive.
Our signature approach is grounded in strengthening healthcare systems and breaking down barriers to essential services in areas impacted by conflict, climate change, and disaster. By blending local knowledge and leadership with global innovations, we save lives and build resilient systems that foster long-term wellbeing. We work hand in hand with local people, institutions and governments to ensure that our efforts respond to context and are sustained over time.
Our Values & Standards
We operate under the core humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. Our values of integrity, adaptability, collaboration, inclusivity and sustainability guide every decision we make. We hold ourselves accountable to the people we serve, to our donors and partners, and to our own teams through transparent reporting, ethical conduct and safeguarding of rights. We are non-political and non-sectarian in our mission.
Why It Matters
In crisis affected contexts, the social fabric of communities is often torn. Lives are disrupted, services are broken, hope feels distant. Relief International steps in, not just to patch the damage, but to partner with communities and re weave that fabric through support, services and opportunity. In doing so we don’t just relieve suffering: we help build resilience.
Looking Forward
Total number of direct staff:
1400 (1328 national staff and 72 global staff)
Total number of indirect staff:
2928
This includes for example, staff at medical facilities receiving stipends or salary top-ups from RI funded by program grants.
As part of our 2023-2028 strategy, we are aligning and leveraging our core capacities - safe, conflictsensitive, climate-smart, going the distance, truly local, and evidence-based - to strengthen healthcare systems and develop sustainable solutions that address systemic inequities and build long-term resilience in communities affected by conflict, climate change, and disaster.
Total number of direct and indirect staff:
4328
Finances
Our latest publicly available financial statements can be found here for the year ended 31 December 2024 for each of the three entities.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
At Relief International, we are committed to building a representative, inclusive and authentic workplace. We strongly encourage applications from candidates from minoritized backgrounds and those who bring lived experience of the contexts in which we work.
We are proud to be a global recruiter, hiring people from around the world. We offer competitive salaries and benefit packages for all staff, that are applied fairly and transparently.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
It is Relief International’s policy to employ, retain, promote and otherwise treat all employees and applicants on the basis of merit. It has been and will continue to be the intent and practice of RI to provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified people regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, ethnicity, marital status or sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran or disability as prescribed by law.
Role Description
Job title: Global Human Resources Director
Salary: Circa £80,000 per annum with benefits
Location:
Remote position based in the United Kingdom, preferably London area. The candidate must have the legal right to work in the United Kingdom.
Reporting to: Chief Operating Officer
Overview of Role
We are looking for a Global Human Resources Director to rebuild and strengthen the HR function, working on, among other priorities, the structuring of the team and on updating policies and processes at both the global support and Country office levels, in order to re-establish a clear, consistent, and effective foundation for the HR function.
The Global HR Director will report directly to the Chief Operations Officer (COO) and, as such, will be a valued, trusted advisor to the COO and other members of the SLT on HR and people matters.
Context
As a result of the disruption in and changing priorities of global development funding, significant adjustments have been made to Relief International’s staffing and structure with a view to right-sizing the organization in a manner that will put it in position to be sustainable in the new financial reality. We currently have a global support HR team of 5 staff based across different countries, in addition to HR staff based in the various country offices. An internal audit carried out a few months ago highlighted the need to harmonize practices and update HR policies, processes and tools.
Key Priorities
This position offers a unique opportunity to leave a lasting mark on the organization. The future Global HR Director will be expected to:
• Harmonize and modernize HR policies and processes to make them clear, consistent, and adapted to field realities.
• Review and update staff handbooks and procedures to provide the organization with reliable and practical tools.
• Restructure the global support HR team, clarify roles and responsibilities, and create a new positive team dynamic to support Country offices and Program teams.
• Ensure appropriate persons, systems and tools are in place to maintain compliance with relevant labor laws and to reduce HRrelated operational and financial risks in countries of operation.
• Provide the necessary HR support to Country teams to implement quality programming on time, in line with RI policies and donors’ requirements.
A stimulating role that requires both vision and pragmatism, and is aimed at those who are ready to roll up their sleeves to turn challenges into concrete solutions.
Key Responsibilities
• Oversee and harmonize HR policies, processes and practices across all countries of operation.
• Manage and restructure an international HR team spread across several countries.
• Ensure compliance with local and international regulations, and guarantee consistent application of internal procedures.
• Develop and update HR systems (including BambooHR), staff handbooks, and management tools.
• Strengthen employee lifecycle management: recruitment, onboarding, development, performance management, mobility, and well-being.
• Support the Country offices HR team and Program desk on HR related matters
• Support organizational change and assist managers and teams throughout the transition.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and respect, in line with Relief International’s values.
• Support and advise the COO and other SLT members on key HR matters and priorities.
Candidate Profile
• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Law, or equivalent experience.
• Experience as HR Director or HR Manager in an international NGO.
• Experience of working in complex international organizations ideally including countries where Relief International operate.
• Solid expertise in designing, revising, implementing and monitoring the implementation of policies.
• Ability to manage and support a remote team, to unite and develop staff.
• Operational, pragmatic, and solutions-oriented approach.
• Ability to collaborate with diverse personalities and communicate assertively.
• Excellent communication skills in English and French (Arabic is an asset).
How to Apply
To apply for the role, please upload your CV together with a supporting statement (of no more than 1000 words) onto the Prospectus website via the link.
For guidance on formulating your Supporting Statement, please review our guide here.
Please ensure that you have included a telephone number, as well as any dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the recruitment timetable.
If you wish to apply using an alternative format please contact Prospectus on 020 7691 1920 or email: executive.admin@prospect-us.co.uk
Applications via the Prospectus website should be made at:
https://jobs.prospect-us.co.uk/jobs /193262
At Prospectus we believe passionately that a truly inclusive workplace leads to increased social impact. We are committed to supporting our clients build more inclusive teams. To understand how we are performing, we ask that you kindly complete the brief equal opportunities questionnaire when you submit your application via our website. Please be assured that your responses are kept confidential, separate from your candidate record, are not part of any application you make, and that the consultants never see individual responses to the questionnaire.
Recruitment Timetable
Deadline for applications: Sunday 16th November, midnight
Interviews with Prospectus: w/c 17th November
First stage panel interviews with Relief International: w/c 1st December
Final stage panel interviews with Relief International: w/c 8th December
Queries
If you wish to have an informal discussion about the opportunity, please contact our retained advisors Harjit Bola or Erica Ritchie at Prospectus on 020 7691 1920, or email:
harjit.bola@prospect-us.co.uk erica.ritchie@prospect-us.co.uk
Benefits
• Life Insurance is paid for 100% by RI (3 x annual salary, capped at 200,000 per year).
• Health Cash Plan for employee is paid 100% by RI and for dependants under the age of 23. Option to add adult dependants for a cost to employee or change plan level for a cost to employee.
• Private Medical Insurance for employee is paid 100% by RI and 50% paid by RI for dependants.
• Employee Assistance Program is paid for 100% by RI.
• Annual leave/vacation is 24 days.
• Paid public holidays.
• Sick leave is 12 days annually.
• Other leave given are 80 hours of bereavement, special leave (jury duty), 80 hours of parental leave, plus any country mandated leave.
• Pension contribution.