Recruiting and managing the employee life cycle

1Fair and safe recruitment

1. Need and job description: responsibilities, essential and desirable qualifications, salary scale, available budget.
2. Vacancy notice that is widely circulated and accessible (job sites, radio, local notice boards), in the local language if needed, stating that recruitment is free of charge.
3. Shortlisting against written criteria, by at least two people.
4. Written test and interview by a panel, with the same questions for everyone and a scoring grid.
5. Reference checks (at least two, including a former supervisor), with explicit questions on safeguarding and conduct, and verification of qualifications.
6. Documented decision, written offer, signing of the contract and the code of conduct.

Declare any conflict of interest (a relative among the candidates) and withdraw from the panel. Exchanges of "jobs for money or favours" are prohibited and must be reported.

2Contracts, local law and policies

• The country's labour law applies to national staff: types of contract, probation period, working hours, leave, social security contributions, notice and severance pay.
• The organisation's policies (HR manual, salary scale, code of conduct, PSEA, safeguarding, anti-fraud, whistleblowing) complement this framework; as a general rule, whichever provision is more protective of the employee applies.
• A complete and confidential personnel file: contract, identity documents, qualifications, appraisals, any disciplinary sanctions.
• Equal treatment: same work, same scale; transparency about the differences between national and international staff.

3Induction and onboarding

• An induction programme in the first week: presentation of the organisation, the teams, key policies (security, PSEA, safeguarding, fraud), the position and objectives.
• A mandatory security briefing before any travel.
• A focal point or "buddy" for the first few weeks.
• Clear objectives for the probation period and a formal review before it ends.