Consultant - Employee Handbook Creative & Technical Advisor & Writer - Remote

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

Mercy Corps People Team:

The People Team ensures that Mercy Corps has the people, strategies and learning that will enable it to be a world-class, cutting edge, humanitarian organization, creating transformational change in the world.  We do this through the recruitment, retention and development of the best global talent.  Our aim is to drive strategic thinking and planning at all levels of the organization; create a robust body of research to guide us internally and externally and steward the organizational culture.  To achieve this, we align conversation on learning; keep the organization focused on what has the greatest impact; leverage our comparative advantages in the crowded and competitive international relief and development landscape; and assure we are constantly learning from our work and the external environment.

Background:

The main purpose of an employee handbook is communication of an organization’s policies and standards as they apply to the employee relationship. An effective handbook provides value to the employer and employees in several ways including communicates and outlines expectations for team members, explains Mercy Corps mission, culture and values, showcases total rewards (benefits and compensation), addresses states and federal employment laws, and informs team members where to go for information and additional assistance.  An employee handbook should be well organized and cover a range of topics that are important to the employment relationship.

The employee handbook should be a foundational tool/resource of our business and culture. It should be a LIVING DOCUMENT and the ‘go-to’ document for most policies related to our People.

Mercy Corps has at least three different employee handbooks depending on employment classification or type. They are:

1. International Assignment Employee Handbook
2. US Based Team Member Handbook
3. National Team Member Handbook Template (customized by Country HR per the local employment laws)

#3 template was recently overhauled and revised (June 2021) and is in good operating order.  The last updates to #1 and #2 were over ten years ago. A significant number of policies within these handbooks are outdated, while several are documented outside of these handbooks. Mercy Corps needs to overhaul these two handbooks with the goal to innovate and create a durable framework to create one handbook template that can serve as a foundation regardless of the employment type, while remaining compliant and adaptable, as needed. Our next priority is to update policies to be contained either in the handbook template OR in the appropriate Annexes.

Consultancy Purpose / Project Description:

Phase I. Restructure and redesign what is currently two employee handbooks into 1 with annexes where appropriate. The consultant’s first phase products will not contain policy content, but rather provide a consistent framework with Mercy Corps ‘look, feel and tone’ for containing the policies.

Phase II.  Policy development/writing and handbook redesign.

Consultant Objectives:

Phase I. Objectives of this consultancy are to:

1. Advise and provide recommendations to the People team on a framework to support redesign and configuration of these handbooks
2. Assist with the development of the framework

Phase II.  Objectives of this consultancy are to:

1. Redesign handbook, policies (using Mercy Corps policy template) and annexes

Consultant Activities:

The Consultant will:

• Conduct a cover-to-cover review of both the U.S. based and International Assignee (Expat) handbook
• Cover-to-cover review of the National Country Team Member handbook for comparison
• Research and cull policies not contained within the handbooks
• Review all policies and guidelines existing outside of the handbooks
• Catalog all policies, identifying ‘owners’ (teams, not individuals), policy location and recommendations as to inclusion in handbook or in annex of handbook
• Interview members of the People team directly responsible for carrying out handbook policies and are directly impacted by the handbook
• Develop a working draft framework (this may undergo a few drafts)
• With People team subject matter experts, and using Mercy Corps’ policy template, develop and draft

Consultant Deliverables:

The Consultant will provide the following deliverables:

• A catalog of policies and their locations, both inside and outside handbooks
• An analytical narrative of observations based on above activities
• A report or spreadsheet of recommendations for restructuring the handbook
• A documented framework represented by an outline or anatomy of a handbook template. This will be informed by a comprehensive understanding and analysis of Mercy Corps’ culture and values.
• Assistance with proofreading draft policies, handbook document and annexes (budget permitting)

Timeframe / Schedule:

This timeframe is approximate, contingent on start date.

Phase I - 12 days

1/24/23 – 1/31/23

1. Meet with ;team leads; Gather information (1 day)
2. Review handbooks and policies documenting observations (3 days)

2/1/23 – 2/17/23

1. Interview relevant People team members impacted by handbook for gathering reflections (1 day)
2. Create policy catalog (2 days)
3. Draft narrative & recommendations (1 day)

2/21/23 – 2/28/23

1. Draft framework and consult with Director Total Rewards and U.S. HR Manager (1 day)
2. Submit recommendations to Director Total Rewards and U.S. HR Manager (1 day)

3/1/23 – 3/7/23

1. Finalize recommendations & framework (1 day)
2. Meet with key stakeholders with PPT (1 day)

Phase II - 60 days

3/13/23 – 4/29/2023 – 11 calendar weeks (40 days)

1. Collaborate with Sr. Advisor, People Comms & RD – scope and design
2. First draft handbook content, policies, and annexes
3. Submit first draft by May 29

5/1/23 – 5/26/23 – 4 weeks – (12 days)

1. Receive and review feedback
2. Iterative integration

5/29/23 – 6/9/23 – 2 weeks – (8 days)

1. Finalize draft of handbook policies, and annexes
2. Submit final draft by June 9

Note: Legal review of specific policies may take place anytime between May 1 and June 9.

The Consultant will report to:

Primary:  Director, Total Rewards

Secondary:  U.S. HR Manager

The Consultant will work closely with:

HR Business Partners, HR Senior Advisors, members of Compliance and Legal teams

Required Experience & Skills:

• 10+ years as a Human Resources professional, SHPR certification preferred
• 10+ years developing organizational and Human Resources policies and standards
• 10+ years’ experience in technical and narrative writing
• Experience working with organizations or companies with 1000+ employees
• Well developed communications skills, verbal and written
• Proofreading and editorial skills
• Project management skills - ability to organize and document project benchmarks and progress and issues, and meet project deadlines

**Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
**Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment OpportunityWe are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & EthicsMercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.