Job Description

Associate Director of International Human Resources - Employee, HR & Administration

Location:
District of Columbia
United States

POSITION: Associate Director of International Human Resources
DIVISION/DEPT: Human Resources
REPORTS TO: Chief People Officer
LOCATION: Washington DC - Hybrid
FLSA STATUS: Exempt - Full‑Time

The Associate Director of International Human Resources provides strategic and operational HR leadership that advances organizational priorities while ensuring compliance with U.S. and international employment laws and best practices. This role is responsible for the oversight of all international HR matters, including recruiting and general HR operations. The Associate Director will oversee a team of regional HR Officers, who collectively will work with regional HR teams to support HR operations in each field office.
This role partners closely with senior leaders, managers, and the global HR team to design and deliver effective HR programs across talent management, employee relations, compliance, compensation, benefits, and organizational development. The role has primary responsibility for the international workforce and oversight of HR team members and service delivery for international operations.

The Associate Director will play a critical role in shaping a positive employee experience and translating people strategy into effective, compliant execution across the international workforce.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

HR Operations & Team Leadership
Ensure a high‑quality onboarding experience that sets new hires up for success and compliance.
Lead and develop HR staff, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Oversee HR operations within each region and country HR staff.
Develop and recommend improvements to international HR policies, programs and procedures to improve effectiveness of HR and operations.
Oversee effective use and continuous improvement of HR systems (e.g., HRIS) to ensure data integrity, reporting accuracy, and operational efficiency.
Establish and monitor service standards to ensure timely, consistent, and high-quality HR support to managers and employees.

Strategic HR Leadership & Analytics
Translate people strategy into specific plans that reflect legal, cultural, and operational realities.
Provide consultative guidance to international staff at all levels while serving as subject matter expert on best practices and issues related to Expat, local and national staff.
Partner with Global Health on HR components of strategy to ensure successful implementation.
Contribute to enterprise‑wide HR initiatives, including performance management, workforce planning, and HR systems enhancements.
Champion Belonging and Impact practices across talent processes and employee experience initiatives.
Establish and monitor key HR metrics (e.g., turnover, engagement, performance) and use data insights to drive continuous improvement and inform leadership decisions.
Management and cultivation of a consultant database to allow for quick engagements of technical resources.

Employee Relations & Performance Management
Lead complex employee relations matters, including investigations, performance concerns, disciplinary actions, and conflict resolution, ensuring consistency and fairness.
Partner with country level staff to improve HR service delivery and applicable HR practices while addressing country-specific HR concerns and challenges.
Oversee field office handbooks, compensation and other related business concerns to ensure compliance with local labor laws and Project HOPE business operations.
Advise managers on performance management, coaching, and corrective action in alignment with organizational values and international policies.
Ensure consistent application of policies and equitable outcomes across employee relations matters to mitigate organizational risk.
Compliance & Risk Management
Support and monitor compliance with all U.S. employment laws (e.g., FLSA, FMLA, ADA, EEO, wage and hour) and international country laws.
Collaborate with the Legal & Compliance team to ensure proper hiring mechanisms are in place for Expat and local national staff where not registered at country level.
Partner with Legal counsel on sensitive personnel matters and employment‑related risk.
Maintain accurate, compliant HR documentation and records to support internal audits, reporting requirements, and legal defensibility.

Recruiting, Compensation & Benefits
Manage international recruitment for local and program positions, in partnership with talent acquisition team and local HR staff.
Partner with compensation and benefits team to ensure consistent and compliant application of compensation and benefits programs globally and provide input on international benefits, including R&R Policy, Danger/Hazard Pay, etc.
Partner with leadership and Finance to ensure compensation decisions are aligned with organizational strategy, budget, and market competitiveness.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
At least 8 years of progressive HR experience, including leadership and management responsibility across core HR functions.
Experience in nonprofit, humanitarian, global health, or international development organizations preferred.
Strong knowledge of U.S. and International employment laws and HR best practices, including Expats, in-country local, and US multi-state compliance.
Demonstrated experience supporting a distributed or multi-state U.S. and international workforce.
Proven ability to lead HR functions in growth, transformation, or changing environments.
Experience working with HRIS systems and leveraging HR data and analytics to inform decision-making.
Strong leadership, people management, and team development skills.
Excellent communication, influence, and stakeholder management capabilities.
High attention to detail with a commitment to operational excellence and compliance.
Ability to balance urgency with risk mitigation, quality, and sound judgment.
Strategic thinker with strong execution skills and the ability to translate strategy into action.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
The physical demands and work environment described below are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of this role. Reasonable accommodation may be provided for individuals with disabilities.

Physical demands:
Ability to work in a typical office environment and operate standard office equipment.
Ability to communicate in verbal and written form.
Ability to travel as needed

Work environment:
Typical office or hybrid work environment with minimal noise exposure.
Travel for extended periods by air and other modes of transportation. Project HOPE employees work in the global health field and may be required to travel or work in countries where working conditions are classified as “hardship”.

Salary range for this position is $115,000 – 125,000. Compensation for the role is dependent on several factors including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, and experience. Project HOPE offers comprehensive benefits as part of the total compensation package, including health, dental, vision and life insurance, 403(b), paid leave, and much more. For more information about our benefits please visit our benefits page.

Notice to applicants: Project HOPE does not conduct direct solicitation/recruitment via email. Project HOPE never asks job applicants for payment or financial information at any stage of the recruitment process. Project HOPE will never send you a third-party check and ask you to cash it. If you have been recruited via email, please contact Compliance@projecthope.org

Due to the substantial number of inquiries, we receive, only candidates who have met the required experience & qualifications for this position will be considered.However, since we are active around the world in the field of public health, we may wish to retain your CV in our database for other/future opportunities, unless you direct us otherwise. No phone calls please.

Thank you very much for your interest in Project HOPE and this exciting project opportunity.