Senior HR and Administration Officer (Bilingual Labor Compliance & Employment Transition Lead)

1. Job Summary

The Senior HR and Administration Officer serves as the primary on-the-ground resource supporting candidate recruitment, onboarding, orientation, and new hire integration for response operations. This role ensures newly hired personnel successfully complete onboarding requirements, understand organizational expectations, and are prepared to contribute effectively from their first day.

The role assists candidates with required documentation, payroll and banking information, access to onboarding platforms, and completion of onboarding paperwork while helping remove barriers that could delay hiring or deployment.

The Senior HR and Administration Officer also facilitates practical orientation sessions for contractors, introducing them to the response operation, local team members, organizational policies, and required conduct standards. This position combines a senior facilitator and bilingual liaison role with labor law advisory and organizational change leadership responsibilities beyond traditional onboarding coordination.

In addition, this role serves as the organization's subject matter expert on Venezuelan labor law and employment regulations. As the organization moves toward formal legal registration in Venezuela, the Senior HR and Administration Officer will lead and facilitate the transition of current independent contractors to direct employees under the new Venezuela-based legal entity, advising Country Senior Leadership and HQ Leadership on the legal, financial, and operational implications of that transition and ensuring the process is carried out in compliance with local labor law.

The Senior HR and Administration Officer also assists the support team with organizing paperwork and processes, providing functional support to the logistics, finance, and management teams.

2. Key Responsibilities

Recruitment and Staff Selection

• Organize interviews with candidates.

• Participate in interviews.

• Follow up with candidates and provide information on their application status.

• Contribute to a unified message on CORE standards and office regulations.

• Suggest and provide input for interviews, such as questions or content.

Onboarding & Candidate Support

• Serve as the primary point of contact for candidates throughout the onboarding process.

• Guide candidates through the completion of onboarding documentation.

• Review onboarding paperwork for completeness and follow up on outstanding items.

• Assist candidates with payroll setup, banking information, and onboarding documentation.

• Support candidates experiencing challenges with onboarding platforms, document completion, or system access.

• Track onboarding progress and provide status updates to Recruitment and operational leadership.

• Coordinate onboarding activities to ensure timely completion of hiring requirements.

• Maintain accurate and confidential onboarding records.

Orientation & New Hire Integration

• Facilitate in-person orientation sessions.

• Introduce contractors to local response leadership, team members, and operational structures.

• Provide an overview of response operations, organizational expectations, and workplace practices.

• Support new hires with communication and collaboration tools, including Microsoft Teams and Outlook.

• Respond to questions and provide practical guidance to help new hires successfully transition into their roles.

Bilingual Liaison Support

• Serve as a language and cultural liaison between candidates and organizational stakeholders.

• Provide interpretation and translation support during onboarding activities when appropriate.

• Explain onboarding requirements, forms, and processes in a clear and culturally appropriate manner.

• Assist candidates in navigating administrative processes and resolving onboarding barriers.

Venezuela Employment Transition & Labor Law Compliance

• Lead and facilitate the transition of current independent contractors to direct employees under the organization's Venezuela-based legal entity once registration is complete.

• Advise Country Senior Leadership and HQ Leadership on the legal, financial, and operational implications of the contractor-to-employee transition, including severance, statutory benefits, social security (IVSS), and other mandatory obligations.

• Partner with legal, finance, and global HR to design and implement a transition plan, including timelines, required documentation, and staff communications.

• Monitor changes in Venezuelan labor law and proactively flag compliance risks or required policy updates.

• Serve as an internal resource for interpreting labor law requirements and helping mitigate legal and financial risk throughout the transition process.

3. Required Skills & Qualifications

Required Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.

Required Experience:

• Five (5) years of experience in human resources, administration, employee relations, or a related field, including experience in onboarding, recruitment support, or customer service.

• Experience handling confidential or sensitive documentation.

• Demonstrated experience with Venezuelan labor law (LOTTT) and statutory employment requirements, including experience with employee registration, benefits administration, or contractor-to-employee transitions.

Required Skills & Competencies:

• Ability to serve as an on-the-ground liaison for candidates, helping bridge language and process barriers throughout recruitment and onboarding.

• Strong working knowledge of Venezuelan labor law, employee classification, and statutory compliance requirements, with the ability to advise Country Senior Leadership and HQ Leadership on legal and financial risk during organizational change processes.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with diverse populations.

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple onboarding activities simultaneously.

• Ability to explain forms, processes, and requirements in a clear and supportive manner.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Teams, Word, and Excel.

• Ability to troubleshoot basic onboarding and technology-access issues.

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism.

• Customer-service oriented approach with patience and a solutions-focused mindset.

Required Language:

• Fluency in English and Spanish (spoken and written).

4. Preferred Skills & Qualifications

Preferred Education:

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, social sciences, education, international development, or a related field.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience supporting onboarding, recruitment, or workforce mobilization activities.

• Experience facilitating orientations or group onboarding sessions.

• Experience working in nonprofit, humanitarian, emergency response, or community-based programs.

• Experience managing or advising on contractor-to-employee transitions, legal entity registration, or workforce restructuring in Venezuela.

Preferred Skills & Competencies:

• Strong cross-cultural communication skills.

• Ability to work effectively in fast-paced and evolving operational environments.

• Experience supporting field-based or geographically dispersed teams.

Scope and Travel

This position requires a consistent on-site presence and regular face-to-face interaction with candidates and operational leaders. The role is primarily field-based rather than office-based, though it may occasionally involve office-based work.

Local travel may be required to support onboarding activities, orientation sessions, document completion, candidate support, and staffing-related operational needs. Travel requirements will vary based on response activities and workforce demands.