Head of Reward and HR Solutions

What we do

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) works worldwide to provide humanitarian assistance to people affected by conflict and armed violence. We take action in response to emergencies and, at the same time, promote respect for international humanitarian law. We are an independent and neutral organization, and our mandate stems essentially from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. We work closely with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and with their International Federation to ensure a concerted, rational and rapid humanitarian response to the needs of the victims of armed conflict or any other situation of internal violence. We direct and coordinate the international activities conducted in these situations.

Reports to (role)

• The People and Culture Director

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Context

The Department of People & Culture (PAC) is accountable for attracting, developing and retaining a proficient, diverse, inclusive and engaged workforce to meet ICRC's operational needs worldwide and to allow for its sustainability. It strives to develop employee resilience and protect staff physical and mental health. It drives efforts to ensure the workplace culture and working environment foster strong people management and leadership across the organization and empower all colleagues to deliver on ICRC's mission to protect and assist victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence.

The Head of Reward and HR Solutions is part of the PAC leadership team and reports directly to the People and Culture Director (PAC) at the ICRC. This strategic role encompasses two core dimensions: leading the Total Reward Centre of Expertise and driving the HR Solutions ecosystem. The scope includes managing Compensation and Benefits (C&B), Payroll, Career Development, and Employee Relations.
This role plays a critical part in enabling the ICRC’s humanitarian mission by ensuring coherent and effective reward and HR operations policies and practices that directly impact staff wellbeing and engagement across all contract types at headquarters and in the field, whether resident or mobile.
The position operates within a complex, dynamic environment shaped by the ICRC’s institutional transformation efforts, which aim to strengthen agility, operational efficiency, and workforce sustainability. The incumbent will need to navigate challenges specific to the humanitarian sector, such as working across conflict-affected contexts, managing a globally mobile workforce, and aligning practices with humanitarian principles.
The Head of Reward and HR Solutions oversees a team of twenty people, including five direct reports, based at HQ Geneva, with few team members also located in our Global Shared Services Centre in Manila.

Purpose

The Head of Reward and HR Solutions is accountable for promoting excellence in service delivery, ensuring legal compliance, and enhancing the employee experience. It plays a key role in advancing the organization’s people strategy by developing frameworks, policies, and services that support talent attraction, retention, development, and engagement across the ICRC’s global workforce.

Main duties and responsibilities

Total Reward Leadership

• Lead the COE responsible for Compensation & Benefits (C&B), International Mobility, and Payroll, building strong partnerships with PAC stakeholders and cross-functional teams.
• Design, implement, and continuously enhance the global C&B strategy, frameworks, and practices.
• Oversee and maintain the global job grading framework, ensuring consistent application and relevance.
• Assess the financial impact, supporting decision-making with data-driven insights and risk analysis.
• Promote understanding and application of Compensation and Benefits-related policies through clear communication and training.
• Evaluate the short- and long-term impact of C&B programs through impact assessments and benchmarking.
• Ensure compliance with relevant local and international regulations, particularly for Geneva-based payroll.
• Stay informed of trends in the humanitarian sector, adapting and recommending improvements to ensure competitiveness and talent retention.
• Partner with the Global Shared Services (GSS) team on C&B-related aspects of service centralization and offshoring.
• Manage external service providers to ensure quality delivery and contract adherence.
• Lead, support, and develop the team, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing environment.
• Drive simplification and digital transformation of PAC processes and tools, ensuring sustainable and user-centric solutions.

HR Solutions Leadership

• Lead a team of expert across Career Development, Staff Engagement, and Employee Relations.
• Oversee the development and implementation of HR Solutions policies aligned with organizational priorities and transformation goals.
• Ensure PAC implementing partners and Global Shared Services are supported and equipped to deliver consistent, high-quality HR solutions.
• Maintain subject matter expertise within the COE to support business and transformation needs.
• Collaborate across functions to advance the ICRC employer identity and strategic HR initiatives.
• Drive simplification and digital transformation of PAC processes and tools, ensuring sustainable and user-centric solutions.
• Assess the financial impact of HR initiatives through data-driven insights and risk analysis.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with labor laws, social security, and tax requirements across jurisdictions.
• Proactively identify and address risks related to compensation, benefits, and data management.

Scope & Impact

• Leads in defining and implementing HR Policy, strategy and objectives at global level 
• Manages a team of SME covering a range of HR subject matters including  Compensation & Benefits (C&B), International Mobility, and Payroll, Performance and Career, Employee Relations.

Relationships

• Internally, interacts with ICRC senior management and governance.
• Externally, interacts and negotiates with external vendors and engages with counterparts in other non-for-profit organizations. 

Experience and education required

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• Typically 15 or more years' professional experience with proven successful experience in leading teams.
• Typically 10 years of proven and demonstrated global experience in HR strategy, solution design and policy-making.
• Proven leadership in Total Rewards (Compensation, Benefits, Job Architecture), HR Solutions, and people management in complex international environments.
• Demonstrated strategic thinking, analytical capability, and project leadership.
• Track record of leading or contributing to digital transformation initiatives in HR.
• Calm, decisive, and effective under pressure in fast-paced and dynamic contexts.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluent in English; French is an asset.

Desired profile and skills

• Strong knowledge of various country requirements and regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to transform, lead and empower teams in a dynamic, challenging and fast paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment with a strong focus on stakeholder management and collaboration and building trust
• Demonstrated ability to work with various levels of the organization and across departments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and multiple projects and initiatives. 
• Candidate must feel comfortable with Compensation & Benefits topics and International Mobility.
• Recognized people manager who demonstrates and promotes ICRC key competencies (Accountability, Beneficiary & Client focused, Teamwork & Collaboration, People management, Leadership and Representing the ICRC) and values (Impact, Collaboration, Respect, Compassion).
• Innovator and strategic leader
• Advanced level in policy and strategy design, strategic thinking, stakeholder management, organizational development and communication.
• Strong proven experience in one of the Subject Matter Expertise under the COE.

Additional Information

• Location: Geneva, Headquarter
• Type of contract: Required Rotation
• Length of Assignment: 6 years
• Activity rate: 100%
• Estimated start date: January 2026
• Recruiter:  Diara Niang
• Application deadline: Sunday, 22nd of June 2025

Are you ready to explore the next chapter of your career? Apply now!

The ICRC values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.

Our Values

• At the ICRC, we value impact, collaboration, respect, and compassion. We seek candidates who demonstrate behaviors based on these shared values. For more information on the ICRC values, please visit this