Senior Manager, Human Resources

At USA for UNHCR, our people are the driving force behind our mission of delivering hope and opportunity to refugees worldwide. We're not just a workplace - we're a vibrant community of passionate, forward-thinking professionals committed to making a real difference. If you thrive in a dynamic, transparent, and data-driven environment, and want your career to directly impact lives across the globe, we invite you to join us!

SUMMARY

The Senior HR Manager plays a central role in ensuring people leadership across the organization is clear, consistent, and effective. This role is responsible for the execution of people and performance practices, supporting people leaders in making timely decisions, addressing issues early, and applying standards consistently.

This is a hands-on, execution-focused role for an experienced HR leader who enjoys translating expectations into action, closing loops, and strengthening how people leadership works day to day. This role also serves as a visible champion of HR practices across U4U, helping to drive understanding, adoption, and consistency. Success in this role is defined by follow-through, sound judgment, and improved consistency in people decisions across the organization. This role stabilizes the organization during growth and change by ensuring people decisions, career movement, and leadership actions remain clear, fair, and consistent.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

People, Performance & Risk Execution

Partner with people leaders on complex performance, behavior, and employee relations matters, providing structure, judgment, and follow-through

Lead execution of performance management cycles, including sensitive and senior-level performance actions

Own formal employee relations investigations and related documentation, ensuring consistency, timeliness, and compliance in partnership with HR Operations as needed

Set and enforce clear expectations, timelines, and documentation standards to ensure timely, fair, and consistent outcomes

Apply policies, role scope, and performance expectations consistently, intervening early to prevent escalation

Monitor emerging people and performance risks, escalating appropriately and ensuring legally compliant resolutions

Role Clarity, Job Architecture & Career Pathing

Apply job architecture and career frameworks to support consistent role scoping, performance expectations, and growth conversations

Partner with leaders to align role expectations with career pathways, identifying when development, role redesign, or movement is appropriate

Maintain job descriptions as active tools for role clarity, performance discussions, and development planning

Partner with Talent Acquisition on role design, scope clarification, and hiring readiness

Identify and address misalignment between role expectations and actual work

Leader Effectiveness, Accountability & Change Adoption

Hold people leaders accountable for effective people management practices and follow-through

Coach leaders through difficult conversations while reinforcing expectations for action and ownership

Translate organizational and people-practice changes into clear guidance, timelines, and required leader actions

Identify patterns in leader effectiveness, resistance, or adoption gaps and intervene directly

Partner with Learning and Development to address capability gaps and reinforce new expectations

Data, Insight & Continuous Improvement

Use people and performance data to identify trends, surface risks, and drive leader action

Translate insights into practical decisions and interventions, not reporting alone

Partner with HR Operations to ensure data integrity and appropriate use

Contribute to continuous improvement of people processes, tools, and guidance

Cross-Functional Partnership

Work closely with HR Operations, Talent Acquisition, and Learning & Development to ensure aligned and coordinated people practices

Support onboarding, role transitions, leadership readiness, and organizational change initiatives

Serve as a visible, trusted partner across functions during periods of growth and change

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

At least 8-12 years of progressive HR experience, with increasing responsibility across performance management, employee relations and leader support.

Demonstrated experience leading or directly supporting complex performance management and employee relations actions, including senior-level performance plans or escalations

Experience operating in a growing or evolving organization, holding people leaders accountable for timely action, documentation, and follow-through, and partnering cross-functionally to drive consistent adoption of people practices

Advanced expertise in performance management, corrective action, and employee relations, including policy application, employment risk awareness, and compliance in complex and sensitive situations

Strong understanding of job architecture, role scoping, and career frameworks, and their application to performance evaluation and development decisions

Broad knowledge of HR principles and best practices across the full employee lifecycle

Proven ability to lead the people side of change initiatives by driving adoption through leader accountability and organizational alignment

Understanding of refugee issues, humanitarian contexts, and global affairs as they relate to organizational mission and workforce dynamics

WORK LOCATION

Hybrid + Washington,DC + May also involve travel to some locations within the company's region of operations.

COMPENSATION

$118,794 - $142,553

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Please apply immediately or by February 6, 2026.

WHY YOU'LL WORKING HERE

We're proud to be consistently recognized as a Great Place to Work, a reflection of our deep commitment to employee well-being, growth, and purpose. Our benefits are designed to support your whole life, not just your work life. While specific offerings may evolve over time, highlights currently include:

Comprehensive health coverage, including employer-paid employee medical options (traditional and HSA plans)

Flexible savings accounts, including FSA and HSA

Industry-leading 401(k) match

Lifestyle Spending Account to support your wellness

Mental and financial wellness resources

Paid time off, including a paid winter break and sabbatical leave at key milestones

Volunteer Time-Off to support your community engagement

Professional development support

Access to tools like Headspace for mindfulness and mental health

Please note: Benefits are reviewed regularly and subject to change.

DISABILITY SPECIFICATIONS

USA for UNHCR will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

USA for UNHCR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Refugees and all other protected classes are encouraged to apply.

Why Join USA for UNHCR?

Joining USA for UNHCR means becoming part of a people-first organization that lives its values every day. We're passionate about creating meaningful change, dynamic in our collaborative approach, and transparent in how we work together to support refugees. By embracing cutting-edge solutions and a data-driven mindset, we stay forward-thinking, ensuring your unique talents fuel innovation and impact. Here, you'll grow alongside a supportive team, develop your skills in a nurturing environment, and see the transformative power of your work - on the lives of refugees and on your own journey.