Senior HR Manager (Senior HR Business Partner)

Role Overview

This is a senior, hands-on HR leadership position within a global development organisation, supporting a remote team of roughly 100 people across multiple countries. You will take direct ownership of employee relations, management coaching, and safeguarding, working closely with the Chief Operating Officer to shape people strategy and navigate organisational change. Day to day, you move between resolving sensitive casework, advising managers, and strengthening HR frameworks that keep a dispersed workforce safe, supported, and effective.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a personal caseload of employee relations matters from initial concern through resolution, including performance issues, disciplinary processes, and informal workplace conflicts, while keeping all records and templates accurate and up to date.
• Advise and coach line managers on how to handle people challenges with sound judgement, consistency, and clear documentation, helping them feel equipped to manage their teams confidently.
• Identify patterns and recurring themes in employee relations cases and share actionable insights with the COO to drive proactive improvements across the organisation.
• Act as a trusted coaching resource for managers and staff at all levels, with particular attention to colleagues in remote or underserved locations where formal development opportunities are limited.
• Take leadership of the organisation's safeguarding programme as Designated Safeguarding Lead, overseeing policy, training, case triage, investigations, referrals, and escalation in line with best practice and funder requirements.
• Partner with programme teams to embed safeguarding and PSEAH principles into due diligence, sub-grant agreements, programme design, and field delivery.
• Work with the COO and legal colleagues on organisational change, workforce planning, role design, and people strategy, ensuring HR considerations are integrated into major decisions.
• Provide HR guidance across multiple jurisdictions, navigating local employment law variations and engaging external legal advisers where needed to support sound decisions.

Requirements & Qualifications

• At least 10 years of senior HR generalist or HR Business Partner experience, including substantial time working within an international NGO or development-focused organisation.
• Proven end-to-end management of employee relations casework, demonstrating strong judgement on proportionality, risk, and fairness.
• Prior experience as a Designated Safeguarding Lead or in an equivalent senior safeguarding role, covering case management, training, and policy development.
• Demonstrated coaching and mentoring ability, ideally supporting managers and staff across dispersed, multicultural, remote teams.
• Working knowledge of employment law and HR practice in multiple countries, plus experience collaborating with external employment lawyers.
• Experience advising senior leadership (such as a COO or equivalent) on organisational change, workforce planning, and people strategy.
• A calm, steady, and compassionate approach to sensitive or high-pressure situations, balanced with professional rigour and a focus on good outcomes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to work confidently and independently across time zones and cultural contexts.