Head of Operational Human Resources

SOS MEDITERRANEE; Marseille; On-site; EUR 39,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Food vouchers

Complementary health insurance 100% by

25 annual leaves + 15 rest days pro‑r/

Job summary

SOS MEDITERRANEE seeks a Head of Operational Human Resources to lead HR activities within the Operations department, ensuring policies and processes align with the organisation’s HR framework.

You will supervise a multidisciplinary team (HR, Crewing, staff care), shape HR strategy, support managers, and drive organisational development while focusing on working conditions, wellbeing and an evolving operational environment.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in HR, business administration or related field.
• 7+ years of professional HR experience, including 3+ years in a managerial role.
• Solid experience in policy development, processes and tools.
• Knowledge of employment law and remuneration frameworks; NGO experience required.

Responsibilities

• Oversee HR strategy, organisational development and policy implementation for Operations.
• Manage HR, Crewing and Staff Care teams; coordinate with Operations leadership.
• Ensure compliance with employment law and HR policies; manage risk and investigations.
• Budget management for Operations and support recruitment, onboarding and development.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Analytical skills

Autonomy

Communication & negotiation

Conflict resolution

Discretion & confidentiality

Team development

Collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in Human Resources or Business Administration

Tools

HRIS

MS Office

Excel

Job description

As Head of Operational Human Resources, you will oversee HR activities within SOS MEDITERRANEE's Operations department, ensuring that HR policies, processes and practices meet the specific needs of the operations department while remaining consistent with the organisation's overall HR framework.

Reporting to the HR Director and working in close collaboration with the Director of Operations and the Operations leadership team, you will contribute to the HR strategy and priorities, oversee their implementation and support managers in addressing HR challenges.

You will manage a multidisciplinary team covering HR, Crewing, and Staff Care activities, ensuring effective coordination between these functions and the operational teams.

The role combines strategic HR management, operational oversight, support to managers, team leadership and organisational development, with particular attention to working conditions, staff wellbeing and the challenges of an evolving operational environment.

Main responsibilities

HR strategy and organisational development

• Contribute to the HR strategy definition
• Implement the HR strategy and roadmap for the Operations department.
• Develop, harmonise and formalise HR policies, processes, tools and practices.
• Ensure a consistent HR framework across Operations
• Support the development and evolution of new operational activities.
• Provide advice and support to managers on organisational matters, team management, conflicts and disciplinary situations.
• Contribute to the development of recruitment, onboarding, professional development and internal mobility processes.
• Oversee personnel administration, employment contracts, payroll variables, classification and remuneration processes.
• Support social dialogue, staff representation and initiatives related to health, safety, quality of life at work and psychosocial risk prevention.

HR compliance and risk management

• Ensure compliance of HR practices with applicable employment legislation and organisational policies.
• Maintain an active legal watch on employment law.
• Monitor HR-related risks and ensure that alerts are appropriately escalated.
• Contribute to investigations and the implementation of appropriate follow-up actions.

Budget Management

• Lead the development and monitor the HR budget for Operations.
• Contribute to budget revisions.

Team management

You will directly supervise a small multidisciplinary team covering HR, Crewing, and staff care activities. You will:

• Set objectives and support the professional development of team members.
• Ensure effective workload distribution and a positive working environment.
• Provide leadership, guidance and regular feedback.
• Support recruitment and onboarding within the team.

Experience & qualifications

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or a related field.
• At least 7 years of professional experience in Human Resources, including at least 3 years in a managerial position.
• Solid experience in developing and implementing HR policies, processes and tools.
• Good knowledge of employment law, job classification and remuneration frameworks.
• Previous experience in a humanitarian NGO is required.
• Experience in budget management is an asset.
• Experience in project management is a plus.

Skills & competencies

We are looking for someone who combines strategic thinking with a strong ability to operate in a complex and changing environment. You should demonstrate:

• Strong organisational and analytical skills.
• Autonomy, adaptability and a sense of initiative.
• Leadership and the ability to motivate and develop a team.
• Strong communication, negotiation and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to make decisions while maintaining perspective and sound judgement.
• Rigor, discretion and confidentiality.
• Ability to analyse, synthesise and formalise information.
• Ability to work collaboratively with different teams and stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including active listening and non-violent communication.

Languages & IT

• Fluent French and English, both written and spoken.
• Excellent command of standard office tools, including MS Office and Excel.
• Experience with HR Information Systems (HRIS).

Conditions:

• Starting date: Mid December 2026
• Fixed term contract of 6 months, extendable according to the date of return of the employee on the job
• Salary: From 3 450€ to 4000€ gross/month
• Food vouchers, complementary health insurance taken in charge at 100% by the employer
• 25 annual leaves per year and 15 days of additional rest days (pro-ratized to the contract duration)

SOS MEDITERRANEE is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage and welcome applications from individuals of every race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, and ability status.