Director People & Culture

International Rescue Committee (IRC) Overview

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 – approximately 220 colleagues – 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 across the UK. In Europe, the IRC currently operates in the UK, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Greece and Poland.

The People and Culture (P&C) Director works in a highly matrixed environment with staff from several functions across the global organisation. The postholder manages the HR team in IRC UK and is accountable for effective HR service delivery, HR compliance and continuous improvement within the scope of the People & Culture department, localising the IRC’s global people strategy. This position plays a pivotal role in fostering a positive, inclusive and high-performing workplace culture that aligns with IRC’s values, through exceptional communication skills.

The role jointly reports into the UK Executive Director and Regional Director, P&C Europe – with additional reporting accountabilities to the UK Board’s People and Culture Committee. Working within global frameworks set by Global People & Culture, the role localises the implementation of People & Culture priorities and drives UK-specific change initiatives within IRC UK’s culture and regulatory environment. As a member of the UK Senior Management Team (SMT), the role is jointly accountable for the delivery of IRC UK’s Strategic Plan, and has responsibility for the effective delivery of P&C priorities.

The Director has a keen focus on building leadership competencies and organisational effectiveness. Success in this role requires the ability to build strong relationships, influence decisions, and navigate multiple stakeholder perspectives to deliver effective people solutions within a matrix environment where accountability is shared.

• 1. P&C Leadership (Advisory, Implementation, and Partnering) (25%) As a member of the UK Senior Management Team, assume collective accountability for the effective delivery of IRC UK’s Strategic Plan. Serve as an advisor and thought partner to the Executive Director and fellow SMT members on the UK application of IRC’s Global P&C strategy, and lead on strengthening IRC UK’s kind, inclusive and high-performing organisational culture.
  
  Support talent dialogues, performance conversations, and career development planning for IRC UK staff, embedding a culture of continuous learning. Partner with peers on workforce planning — including managing workforce adjustments such as staff reductions or scale-up, and organisational design work — in partnership with senior management, the Regional Director P&C Europe, and Global P&C Partners, ensuring compliance with local and global policy while minimising risk and supporting affected staff.
  
  Translate data and metrics into actionable items in line with IRC UK’s strategy. Lead, supervise, and develop the UK P&C team, accountable for team quality and effectiveness and for building a skilled, motivated team ready to advance.
• 2. Manage HR Service Delivery and Core Operations (~40%) Manage…