The British High Commission (BHC) Accra has a vacancy for a B3 (L) Human Resources Manager.

The successful candidate will play a leading role, as part of the senior management team, in communicating and embedding The Foreign Office’s HR policies overseas in our Post in Accra. These include: promoting continual professional development (what the FCO calls ‘Diplomatic Excellence’), promoting and explaining the values and purpose of the organisation, helping staff to recruit and retain the right people for the right jobs, ensuring that the Mission’s employment standards are in line with the FCO’s Global Minimum Requirements, and maintaining efficient, reliable and clear HR systems.

The Human Resources Manager works closely with Team Leaders, reporting to the Head of Corporate Services and Deputy High Commissioner. The FCO is in the process of regionalising some of the more routing HR functions to Pretoria in the course of the next 18 months so the job holder will help with the transfer of such functions and need to develop a strong relationship with colleagues in the Pretoria hub.

As functional services are hubbed into Pretoria, we expect the job to focus increasingly on the learning and development, values and Accra-specific aspects of the role (such as local employment law), and less on the business processes that will be regionalised.

The main elements of the job include:

•   Keeping up to date with the FCO’s overseas HR policies and communicating and managing change and embedding a culture of Diplomatic Excellence (including administering the High Commissioner’s Awards for Excellence).
•   Reviewing and implementing HR policies (e.g. terms and conditions, performance management, equality and diversity, disciplinary procedures and absence management). Advising on pay and other remuneration issues, including benefits, SSNIT
•   Staff recruitment and retention strategy, and recruitment processes including (at present) ensuring consistency in job descriptions, preparing job adverts, checking application forms, short listing, interviewing and selecting candidates (aspects of this likely to be regionalised)
•   Promoting a culture of continuous professional development. Lead officer for Accra’s Learning and Development plan, liaising with the Regional Learning and Development Centre (based in Accra) and overseeing the induction process for new staff;
•   Working closely with Team Leaders, increasingly in a consultancy role, helping line managers to understand and implement policies and procedures consistently across the Mission;
•   Promoting equality and diversity as part of the culture of the organisation
•   Administering payroll and maintaining employee records (likely to be regionalised)
•   Interpreting and advising on employment law especially Ghana Labour Act 651, 2003
•   Dealing with grievances and implementing disciplinary procedures

The skills/attributes of the successful applicant will include:

•   Excellent spoken and written communication and influencing skills and enjoyment of engaging with people, including a strong sense of customer service
•   Ability to prioritise and deliver to deadlines
•   Ability to think strategically, propose solutions to problems and be self-starting
•   Understanding of Ghana labour law
•   Awareness of risk and the importance of reputation

Qualification Required & Experience

The successful applicant is likely to have one or more of:

•   A university degree in human resources, industrial psychology, social sciences or a related field
•   Communications expertise
•   3-5 years workplace experience of as a human resource generalist
•   Membership of professional associations such as Institute of Human Resource Management Practitioners (IHRMP) or Chartered Institute of Personnel and development (CIPD)

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job
Information for applicants
This position is within the B3 (L) range of responsibilities. The monthly gross salary range for B3(L) positions in the BHC is GHc 2,061 (rising in increments of GHc 91 based on performances) to a maximum of GHc 3,335. The starting salary will be GHc 2,061

The appointment will be offered on a 1 year contract and subject to the satisfactory completion of a probationary period. Thereafter, the appointment will be renewed subject to satisfactory performance, by mutual agreement.

Specific training and mentoring for the role will be provided for the successful candidate.

Candidates should complete an application form, which can be obtained from this link: www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-high-commission-accra/about/recruitment#current-vacancies

add a cover letter and their CVs to completed application form and send for the attention of

HR Manager
British High Commission
Osu Link, off Gamel Abdul Nasser Avenue
PO Box 296, Accra

with the envelope clearly marked B3(L) HRM

or to this email address:

Jobs.BHCAccra@fco.gov.uk

•   The subject line should read B3(L)HRM
•   The closing date for applications is 3rd October 2013.
•   Regrettably only those candidates short-listed for interview will be contacted. Interviews will be conducted soon after, with a view to the successful applicant commencing work in November 2013.

The successful applicant will need to demonstrate that they meet the necessary requirements under Ghanaian law to work in Ghana, and to pass (or have passed) a BHC internal security clearance process.

The British High Commission Accra is an Equal Opportunities Employer
More information about the work of the British High Commission in Ghana can be found at http://ukinghana.fco.gov.uk/en/