Human Resources Expertise (company or consultant) Open to Firms

The Human Resources expertise liaises with the Head of Support Services to ensure professional and effective management of HR components within HQAI.

Background

The Humanitarian Quality Assurance Initiative (HQAI) is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening quality, accountability, and risk management in the aid sector. With more than a decade of audit and standard-setting experience, we support organisations working with vulnerable populations to improve programme quality, demonstrate compliance with humanitarian principles, and embed continuous improvement into their systems. HQAI’s services respond to growing donor and stakeholder expectations for transparency, efficiency, and accountability.

HQAI is registered as a Swiss association. Its Secretariat operates from Geneva, Switzerland and is comprised of a mix of Geneva-based personnel (5 persons) and global staff hired on EOR services (7 persons). HQAI also works with a pool of auditors working as independent consultants from all over the world (50 persons).

In this context HQAI is looking to externalise selected HR services as detailed in the three Lots below. Companies or Independent Consultants can offer their services for individual Lots or as a combined offer for several Lots. Offers by consortia are also permitted. Successful applicants for the different Lots will collaborate on various cross-cutting topics.

Extra Key information

HQAI possess its own ERP and will accept proposals for work through its own ERP system as the preferred option, or, if necessary, from the company’s own systems. Please specify in the offer which option is presented.

All three categories of personnel, as outlined above, are considered part of HQAI’s key workforce, and should be fully covered under the HR management approach described in the offer.

Lot 1- Strategic and operational Human Resource management

This Lot involves a combination of advisory and hands-on activities and can be provided from worldwide.

Policy, Processes and Frameworks

• Ensure policies, procedures, oranogram, tracking and reporting tools are regularly reviewed and enhanced.
• Ensure policies and procedures include best practice from the sector and include all relevant components of HQAI’s present and future HR models (e.g. EOR and worldwide consultant work)

HR Advice

• Assess and advise on new emerging models and HR practice in line with HQAI’s needs.
• Benchmark other Geneva-based organisations and good practice in the sector to assess and advise on relevant reward models and coherently update HQAI’s reward/compensation system, across all types of hiring models in the organisation and in compliance with employment law(s) and HQAI’s aspirations.
• Support robust governance, risk management and compliance in HR matters.

HR Operations

• Provide operational HR support to managers and ensure that staff management practices are understood and applied consistently.
• Work with managers on staff development, identification of training needs and lead on improvements in training record management.
• Lead on the effective, respectful management of change across all types of hiring models in the organisation.
• Lead on, and collaborate with other stakeholders such as the Safeguarding Focal point, on cases of harassment, grievance, staff well-being, as well as disciplinary cases.
• Manage absences, sick leaves, and ensure appropriate tracking and reporting internally and externally (collaborate with Lot 3 for Swiss-based).
• Manage the processing and filing of HR data in line with GDPR and HQAI data protection policies.

Lot 2- Recruitment and employee cycle management

This Lot requires solid experience with recruitment processes and employment models across the globe and can be provided from worldwide.

• Manage the end-to-end recruitment process for all personnel (Geneva-based and worldwide) including adapted packages (compensation, employment terms) for the countries where positions are opened.
• Ensure all administrative documentation of onboarding is managed properly and in line with laws and HQAI regulations (also see Lot 3).
• Manage efficient pre-employment administration, including reference checks, MDS and anti-terrorist checks, and other regulatory checks or tests in line with the expectations of the recruiting manager.
• Lead on the management of existing EOR companies, benchmark and recruit new EOR companies and effectively manage recruitments through EOR companies.
• Develop, implement and manage a consistent induction and onboarding process and tools for all types of personnel, considering IT needs, country-based obligations, and oversight of probation periods.
• Lead on contractual updates as required.

Lot 3- Payroll and administrative management for Swiss-based personnel

This Lot requires specific experience with Swiss law and can only be offered by Swiss-based companies or consultants.

• Ensure management of the payroll as well as all annual declarations on behalf of HQAI, preferably within HQAI’s current ERP (Odoo and Ferciam e-salaries), or within in the systems used by the applicant party.
  • Manage onboarding, offboarding and other administrative needs as required by law for HQAI Geneva-based personnel (collaboration with Lot 2 for Swiss-based)
  • Ensure management of absences, sick leave, insurances and retirement packages (collaboration with Lot 1).
  
  

Qualifications

Applying companies or individual consultants should demonstrate a solid track record on HR services as relevant for the 3 Lots and be able to propose a focal point with the following minimum qualifications.

1. Recognised qualification in HR management
2. Minimum 7 years’ professional experience of working as a general HR professional.
3. Up-to-date knowledge of employment laws and new emerging global HR practices. Experience in the aid sector an asset.
4. Practical experience of advising on people management, Human Resources set-up, and HR policies in a multicultural multi-country context
5. Solid understanding of data sensitivity and protection in line with GDPR requirements.
6. More particular specificities depending on lots might require, Swiss labour law obligations.

Interested candidates or companies should submit their application file (in English) by email to: recruitment@hqai.org and mention the consultancy title in the subject line.

Deadline for applications: April 15th, 2026.

The application file should include a draft incepction not outlining the proposed approach as well as details of the proposed team, including their CV’s, and a financial proposition. Applicants are also invited to provide the names of two references; these will not be contacted prior to the final stage of the selection process.

Please note that HQAI practices a reference check through the Misconduct Nondisclosure Scheme (MDS) for consultants. By applying to the opening position inside HQAI, you agree in advance to this reference check. For more information on MDS, please visit https://misconduct-disclosure-scheme.org

Worldwide Applicants must be based in a time zone reasonably compatible with Switzerland, to ensure effective collaboration with HQAI staff and other Swiss partners or governmental authorities.

Due to the expected high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you don’t get any return from HQAI within six weeks after closing date, please consider that you have not been selected.

Tagged as: Agriculture, Food Security and Livelihoods