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WWF Greater Mekong

Chief Operating Officer

About WWF
For 50 years, WWF has been protecting the future of nature. The world’s leading conservation organization, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by 1.2 million members in the United States and close to 5 million globally. WWF’s unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature.

About WWF in the Greater Mekong
The Mekong River flows for some 4,500 kilometres through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam before discharging into the South China Sea. Its catchment area – home to more than 60 million people – encompasses an extraordinary range of vegetation and geographical features. Recent political upheavals in the Indochina region have, ironically, protected the Mekong from the dramatic changes in landscape and flood patterns that have damaged the ecology of many of the world’s rivers. This offers a unique opportunity to become a model for sustainable development by improving living standards without destroying the environment.

Mission Talent has been tasked by WWF Greater Mekong Programme Office (WWFGM) with providing an exclusive search for the position of a Regional HR Director.

The successful candidate will ensure the development and implementation of Human Resources policies, procedures and systems for GMPO, which are aligned to the Programme’s Strategic and Business Plans; and ensures adherence to Network Standards for Human Resources good practice, and compliance with all local labour laws and other statutory requirements in the countries of operation. As a member of the Regional Management Team, he/she shares responsibility for the overall performance of the Programme Office. He/she will build and implement an HR strategy for the Programme Office in line with that of WWF International.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

1. Management Team

  • Reports to the Regional Representative with matrix functional link to the Asia Regional HR Director (based in Singapore);
  • Provides effective participation to the RMT meeting;
  • Maintains an awareness of matters relevant to the RMT and ensures that reports and information of interest are brought to the attention of RMT members;
  • Maintains an effective working relationship with all other RMT members to ensure that there is effective coordination of all activities in support of organisation objectives.


2. Strategy Development and Implementation

  • Develops, implements, reviews and updates the strategy in human resources for GMP to ensure the attainment and delivery of plans and objectives and to reflect the global HR Strategy and Operations of the WWF Network and alignment with the rest of the GMP Business Plan;
  • Communicates the HR strategy to all staff and ensures that these are effectively implemented;
  • Provides inputs and endorses the action plan in human resources of country programmes to ensure the alignment with overall HR strategy for GMP and all aspects of monitoring and reviewing are in place;
  • Assists the Representative with structuring the organization to facilitate delivery of the organization’s strategy.


3. Budgeting

  • Develops, monitors, and updates the annual budget for human resources to ensure the sound management of the organisation’s HR and that the Function has all the resources required to meet its objectives within agreed financial parameters.


4. Proposal Development

  • Provides inputs to the development of proposals to ensure exact information of HR is reflected where necessary.


5. Workplan Development and Implementation

  • Develops HR activity workplan;
  • Monitors progress against activity workplan to ensure that the organisation attains its objectives as cost-effectively and efficiently as possible;
  • Reviews and updates activity workplans.


6. System, Policies and Procedures Management

  • Develops all necessary HR systems, policies and procedures (at regional and country level) including recruitment and selection, compensations and benefits, training and development, health and safety, security to ensure the compliance with WWF International standards and local relevant laws and regulations, and reflect the needs and objectives of the organisation and staff, and in line with market practice;
  • Advises the RMT on the staffing implications of new system, policies and procedures;
  • Plans and organises the effective communications of all personnel policies to employees;
  • Monitors the implementation of the HR systems, policies and procedures to ensure that they are followed by managers and staff;
  • Reviews and updates the HR systems, policies and procedures to adapt to changes in the countries in which WWF GMPO operates and to respond to changes in WWF International standards and in local labour laws and regulations, and ensures that they provide an effective control system and identifies any weaknesses;
  • Develops and implements an annual internal audit plan to ensure that the country programmes comply with HR standards and recommend changes where necessary;
  • Liaises and cooperates with WWF Internal auditor related to HR audits and self-audits if required, and ensures audit recommendations are implemented;
  • Presents audit reports to the RMT to identify areas requiring attention and ensures implementation of any actions agreed.


7. People Management

  • Analyses strategy to determine likely future staffing needs
  • Reviews staffing requirements with the Representative to maintain HR functions at region and country programmes, and with Country Directors to maintain HR functions at country programmes
  • Develop and maintain personnel planning to ensure the organisation has staff of the right calibre to enable it to meets its overall objectives
  • Addresses and implements leadership development, talent management, succession planning and performance management in line with that of WWF International policies, with the aim of building performance culture and also a strong team of local senior managers
  • Involves in the recruitment and selection of all staff at regional office and HR staff at country programmes to ensure the compliance of recruitment and selection policies and procedures
  • Provides orientation and reorientation to all staff at regional office to help them understand the HR systems, policies and procedures of the organisation
  • Provides induction, training, coaching and advice to all HR staff at regional and country offices to ensure that they understand and carry out their responsibilities effectively
  • Works with Directors and Managers to identify training needs and development opportunities for all regional staff and develops annual training plan
  • Provides inputs to the identification of training needs and career development for HR staff at country offices
  • Provides training to all staff on HR when required
  • Updates Country Directors on performance of HR staff under technical supervision


8. Issue Resolutions, Crisis/Risk Management

  • Provides comprehensive advisory to the Representative, the Directors, Programme and Project Managers, staff on all aspects of HR and provides virtual leadership, support and coordination to the field based HR team across a range of locations (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam) to ensure that the organisation follows policies, procedures, legal requirements, and makes best use of its staff;
  • Advises the Representative on all statutory and constitutional requirements to ensure the organisation operates in a proper and effective manner;
  • Recommends to the Representative any changes that might be required to develop or improve the organisation;
  • Maintain an awareness of any possible crisis or risk to the organisation and develop plans that will provide for such contingencies;
  • Encourages and maintains sound employee relations by undertaking all necessary consultation and negotiation with staff on personnel issues to ensure that harmonious relationships and effective communications are maintained between management and staff;
  • Investigates and reports on accidents and related incidents, recommending any changes that may be necessary, to ensure that the organisation complies with health and safety regulations;
  • Maintains an awareness of staff comments and any complaints to identify any areas that may need development of improvement.


9. Monitoring and Evaluation, Reporting

  • Provides support to the M&E in human resources management;
  • Makes reports in HR to International and Asia Pacific, governments when required;
  • Oversees HR data and statistics and provide regular reports and analysis to the Representative to facilitate continuous improvement.


10. Other Technical Specifics

  • Follows up with Finance Function to ensure accurate and timely payment of all staff salaries and expenses;
  • Participates in and makes recommendations on annual remuneration reviews; responsible for development and maintenance of region-wide approach to compensation and benefits;
  • Carries out and participates in salary surveys, and analyses data, to ensure that the organisation has accurate and up to date information relating to external pay relativities;
  • Supports managers at disciplinary or grievance hearings, or in the event of collective disputes;
  • Ensures hosting agreements or appropriate documentation between hosting and recipient office for staff secondments, exchange programmes within WWF or external partner organisations, to and from GMPO;
  • Negotiates contracts with external consultants, suppliers and other organisations to provide services in support of organisation activities where these cannot be met from in-house resources;
  • Develops, reviews and revises personnel database to serve all HRM purposes;
  • Develops and maintains an up to date and accurate database of training suppliers, HR service providers, lists of jobs and vacancies within the organisation to be able to identify staffing needs,  reference library of employment law information, etc.;
  • Maintains an awareness of developments and up-to-date knowledge of the human resources management and employment legislation to ensure that the organisation complies with its statutory obligations and continues to take advantage of best practices.


11. Networking

  • Facilitates knowledge exchange between countries and the Asia Pacific and International Network;
  • Establishes and maintains effective formal and informal links with suppliers, service providers, agencies to ensure that the organisation is providing the appropriate range and quality of services;
  • Promotes the organisation’s image in the community by attendance at meetings and fora in human resources management.

    
Required Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in Human Resources Management, Organisation Development or in relevant fields;
  • Programmatic understanding of environmental and conservation issues in Greater Mekong Region;
  • Current working knowledge of national level laws and regulations for labor, health and safety in a country of Greater Mekong Region;
  • Up to date knowledge of HRM practices in countries in Greater Mekong Region;
  • Seven (7) years practical experience in human resources management at regional level; three (3) years within Greater Mekong Region or Southeast Asia;
  • Proven experience in developing and rolling out international and regional level HR programs and monitoring compliance of HR system, policies and procedures; 
  • Hands-on multi-cultural, regional management experience.