HR Operations Manager (Fixed term - 12 months Maternity Cover)

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.

IRC UK
IRC UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its global headquarters in New York. Our team in the UK works to raise profile, deliver policy and practice change, and increase funding to help restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Since 2021, IRC UK has also provided integration services directly to refugees in England.
In Europe, the IRC also has offices in Berlin, Bonn, Brussels, Geneva and Stockholm. 

The Purpose of the Role

The HR Operations Manager has oversight of IRC UK’s onboarding processes, HR data, payroll, and wellbeing initiatives for approximately 200 UK-based staff.

The role exists to:
•    Lead Operational Delivery: Drive the implementation of the UK People & Culture (P&C) workplan, collaborating closely with European and global colleagues.
•    Ensure Excellence in HR Operations: Manage HR systems, processes, and compliance requirements to deliver a positive and seamless employee experience across IRC UK.

Key Working Relationships
•    All IRC UK-based staff and their line managers, both in the UK and globally
•    IRC global People & Culture colleagues
•    External suppliers, including pension providers, outsourced payroll provider, and benefits partners

Key Accountabilities

•    Lead HR Operations: Oversee and develop the HR Operations team’s core functions, including onboarding, HR administration, and payroll.
•    Safer Recruitment & Compliance: Act as IRC UK’s lead on Safer Recruitment processes and Right to Work requirements, including visa administration and advising on pre-travel preparations, security training, and medical requirements in line with IRC policies.
•    Payroll & Benefits Management: Oversee payroll and benefits administration, serving as the escalation point for HR and Finance colleagues, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
•    Customer-Focused Service: Ensure a high-quality, customer-focused approach to People Administration across all HR processes.
•    HR Systems & Data: Collaborate with colleagues to maintain and optimise HR systems, data management, and reporting capabilities.
•    Legal & Policy Compliance: Ensure operational compliance with UK employment law and internal policies across all HR activities.
•    Vendor Management: Manage relationships with external providers, including payroll, pension, and other benefits partners.
•    Information Governance: Implement robust data protection practices, ensuring secure handling, storage, and sharing of employee data in compliance with GDPR and other relevant legislation.
•    Audit & Continuous Improvement: Lead and coordinate HR Operations audit activities in collaboration with Finance and global teams, using audit outcomes to drive process improvements.
•    Project Delivery: Manage the implementation of projects aligned with the People & Culture workplan, including GEDI (Gender, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion) initiatives.
•    Employee Relations Administration: Coordinate and administer employee relations matters, including flexible working requests, probation reviews, and redundancy processes, directly managing when possible and escalating risks, for example related to disciplinaries or grievances as appropriate.

Person Specification

•    Passion for Humanitarian Work: Demonstrated commitment to working within the humanitarian sector and supporting IRC mission and values.
•    HR Leadership Experience: Significant experience in leading HR operations, ideally within the charity or non-profit sector.
•    Recruitment Onboarding Expertise: Proven ability to lead safer recruitment practices and deliver effective recruitment initiatives.
•    HR Systems Management: Experience in managing and optimising HR systems and processes to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and meaningful data reporting. Experience of Workday would be helpful. 
•    Leadership & Communication: Excellent leadership, project management, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
•    Process Improvement: Ability to apply process improvement methodologies to streamline workflows, enhance operational efficiency, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
•    Employment Law Knowledge: Up-to-date knowledge of UK employment law and regulatory requirements, ensuring compliance across payroll, contracts, policies, and employee entitlements.
•    Team Development: Strong leadership and emotional intelligence, with the ability to mentor HR staff, delegate effectively, and foster a high-performing, supportive team culture through clear communication and constructive feedback.
•    Time Management: Exceptional organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, meet tight deadlines, and maintain accuracy in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications
•    CIPD qualification or equivalent (Level 5 or above) preferred

Standard Responsibilities

Promote and actively participate in initiatives and efforts to build team engagement, inclusion and cohesion in IRC team.

Foster ongoing learning, honest dialogue and reflection to strengthen safeguarding and to promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies.

Related standard content: 

IRC strives to build a diverse and inclusive team at all levels who as individuals, and as a group, embody our culture statement creating a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a team and deliver the best possible services to our clients.   

UK: 
Narrowing the Gender Gap: The IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including flexible hours (when possible), enhanced maternity/adoption leave and pay and gender-sensitive security protocols.

The salary for the role is £50,000-£55,000.

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.

The application deadline is 14th December 2025.

Interviews will be on MS Teams on Thursday 18 December 2025. We may close this role early due to volume of applicants 

Recruitment Process
The process for this role will be as follows
•    First round panel interview online – including assessment

IRC UK strives to be an equal opportunities employer. IRC UK is committed to equality of opportunity and to non-discrimination for all job applicants and employees, and we seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce regardless of gender, race, religious beliefs, nationality, ethnic/national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

IRC UK welcomes applications from all candidates, including underrepresented groups and refugees who have the right to work in the UK. 

IRC UK will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided with reasonable adjustments to participate in the job application and/or interview process, and for essential job functions if appointed to a role. Please contact us if you may need such adjustments.  

If you have any questions or need assistance with the online recruitment process, please contact the IRC UK HR team at applications@rescue-uk.org  #IRC-EUROPE

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

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