Manager HR – Talent and Learning

TITLE: Manager HR – Talent and Learning

TEAM/PROGRAMME: HR

LOCATION: Kabul

GRADE: NAT 2

CONTRACT LENGTH: Fixed Term Annual

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3: the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:

This role will have a specific focus on management of Learning & Development plans and initiatives across the country program which includes, but not limited to, conduct L&D need assessment, develop, facilitate and deliver L&D programs, continuous improvement, nurturing internal talents, mentorship programs for women with leadership potential and keeps records of L&D programs. Moreover, she/he will be responsible for overseeing the effective implementation of Develop to Perform system for SCI-Afghanistan.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: HR & IT Director

Staff reporting to this post: 1 L&D Officer

Indirect report: Provincial HR Leads

Other working relationship: Senior Lead, People Partnering - Asia, ESMT, SMT and Heads of Offices.

Budget Responsibilities: Manage L&D fund across the country program

Travels to the field: Extensive travels required to the provincial offices.

External representation: Interpersonal contact regular and varied, involves negotiation and representation at national and international level within SCI and External Business Partners for L&D initiatives and programs.



KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Manage employee on-boarding:

• Ensure SCI-Afghanistan has robust and comprehensive induction program for new joiners, and all new joiners receive the induction and mandatory trainings within first month, based on guideline of Passport to Success Global Induction.
  
• Maintain the records of staff inductions for tracking and compliance purposes.
  
• Lead and conduct periodic refreshment training.
  
• Ensure that the mandatory trainings and other key trainings are contextualized to the lower-level staff, especially for volunteers.
  
  Develop to Performance (D2P) Management
  
• Oversees the Performance Management process of SCI AFG and ensuring that managers and employees receive necessary support during Quarterly, midterm and annual Performance Reviews though Oracle HR (online).
  
• Ensures that all staff especially new joiners have SMART annual and probation goals.
  
• Conducts coaching, counselling and provides technical support both for managers and staff in relation to staff performance and development.
  
• Prepare reports and conduct analysis on the staff and overall performance of the employees of SCI AFG.
  
• Prepares report and recommends the annual performance appraisals in coordination with line managers, SLT and ESLT.
  
• Provides necessary training and orientation to ensure all staff are aligned are well aware of the organizations performance management system and its relevant goals.
  
  Learning and Development:
  
• In line with the overall strategy of SCI AFG, help identify the learning gaps both for individual staff and teams and provide technical support in addressing these gaps with through learning and development mechanisms
  
• Work with the HR Director and Head of Offices to prepare the L&D Plan for employees, in coordination with the NMT and people’s managers.
  
• Lead the provision of good quality and appropriate learning, training and development for agreed staff groups, including current learning and development programmes such as Managing for High Performance, Leading for high performance and Leadership Development Programme, Mentorship Programs and SHIP.
  
• Ensure that Learning and Development plan are properly budgeted in implemented as planned in the annual L&D Plan/Calendar.
  
• Managing Learning Management System (LMS), generates reporting and analyze training statistics to ensure compliance and effectiveness.
  
• Facilitate and promote in house training programmes as per TNAs conducted.
  
• Carry out assessment and review of impact of L&D activities on individual, project and organizational goals.
  
• Support the HR & IT Director in the Talent Development initiatives such as talent management, succession planning, Afghanistan Next-in-Line Initiatives development of individual development plans to nature national talents at management and leadership level.
  
• Review education assistance requests and recommend for HR Director and CD for approval.
  
  Employee Engagement and Wellness:
  
• Lead the design and implementation of a contextualized Staff Wellbeing Framework for SCI Afghanistan, aligned with SCI global wellbeing principles and adapted to high-risk and hardship environments.
  
• Work closely with HR Director, DCD-Ops, Security, Safeguarding, and Heads of Offices to identify wellbeing risks linked to workload, structural changes, field exposure, and duty of care obligations.
  
• Analyze staff survey data, exit interviews, and absenteeism trends to identify systemic wellbeing issues and recommend evidence-based interventions.
  
• Promote psychological safety and burnout prevention, including manager capability-building on Recognizing stress and trauma symptoms, Supportive people management practices, Reasonable workload and performance expectations
  
• Coordinate and strengthen access to psychosocial support mechanisms (e.g. CIC), including awareness, confidentiality, and uptake monitoring.
  
  Staff Recognition and Engagement
  
• Design and lead a structured staff recognition framework that includes both formal and informal recognition mechanisms across CO and Field Offices.
  
• Ensure recognition initiatives are Inclusive of all staff categories and locations, Linked to SCI values, behaviors, and impact, Sensitive to hardship and field-based contexts
  
• Promote recognition culture that is based on Peer-to-peer recognition mechanisms, Manager-led appreciation practices, Team-based recognition for collective achievements
  
• Work with Heads of Offices and line managers to embed recognition into everyday people management practices, not only annual events.
  
• Monitor staff feedback on recognition and engagement and continuously improve approaches to enhance morale, motivation, and retention.
  
  Other
  
• Support organizational change initiatives by ensuring staff are adequately supported through communication, learning, and wellbeing-focused interventions during periods of transition.
  
• Work closely with DEI focal points to ensure learning, wellbeing, and recognition initiatives are inclusive and gender responsive.
  
• Maintain updated organizational and functional charts of SCI-Afghanistan.
  
• As a core member of the HR team support the Field Offices empowerment efforts on delivery of quality HR services in FOs including quality staff inductions, policy awareness, overseeing D2P processes and etc.
  
  BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)
  
  Accountability:
  
• holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
  
• holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.
  
  Ambition:
  
• sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
  
• widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
  
• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.
  
  Collaboration:
  
• builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
  
• values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
  
• approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.
  
  Creativity:
  
• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
  
• willing to take disciplined risks.
  
  Integrity:
  
• honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity
  
  QUALIFICATIONS
  
• Undergraduate degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Education, or a related field, with at least five (5) years of progressive professional experience, including experience at a senior or managerial level, in HR, learning and development, and/or talent management within a corporate or international NGO environment in Afghanistan.
  
  
  
  EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
  
• Demonstrated experience delivering HR and Learning & Development services, with a strong focus on designing, implementing, and evaluating learning interventions aligned with organizational strategy and operational priorities.
  
• Strong understanding of learning and development standards, adult learning principles, performance management systems, and relevant labor legislation relating to employee development and performance.
  
• Proven ability to assess learning needs, translate them into practical and cost-effective learning solutions, and measure the effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) of L&D initiatives through data, feedback, and performance indicators.
  
• Excellent interpersonal, facilitation, and influencing skills, with the ability to work consultatively with senior leaders, managers, and cross-functional teams to build shared ownership for learning, talent development, and performance improvement.
  
• Strong planning, coordination, and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple L&D initiatives concurrently, work effectively under pressure, and meet tight deadlines in complex and changing environments.
  
• Demonstrated resilience and professionalism, with the ability to remain impartial, provide sound judgment, and support managers and staff through change, performance challenges, and development conversations.
  
• Strong coaching and mentoring skills, with the ability to build the capability of managers and teams and support organizational changes through people-centered and solutions-oriented approaches.
  
  Additional job responsibilities
  
  The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.
  
  Equal Opportunities
  
  The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.
  
  Child Safeguarding:
  
  We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.
  
  Safeguarding our Staff:
  
  The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy.
  
  Health and Safety
  
  The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.