People and Culture Officer

Starting Date: As soon as possible

Contract type: Full-time and open-ended

Salary: PKR 2,524,700, commensurate with relevant experience and skills

Location: Lahore, Pakistan

Application closing date: 10th December 2024

About The Job

Are you passionate about making a difference and ready to help shape the future of sustainable cotton? Join us at Better Cotton as People & Culture Officer and be part of a global team that fosters a positive and inclusive workplace for the world's largest cotton sustainability initiative – we support more sustainable farming practices and farm livelihoods for nearly 3 million farmers in the Better Cotton network in 23 countries around the world.

We are searching for a skilled and hands-on People and Culture Officer – someone who works well in a fast-paced not-for-profit setting. Supporting the People and Culture Senior Coordinator, you will provide practical and timely support to Better Cotton staff in our Lahore office on the full life cycle of HR activities. You will be responsible for HR administrative tasks and delivery of objectives in line with a wider HR work plan. 

If you are passionate about HR and highly efficient, give us a chance to meet you! We want to see a committed and approachable individual and be impressed with your character and skills. The goal will be to provide excellent assistance and support to employees and managers and contribute to making Better Cotton a better place to work. 

The Challenge

Looking ahead to 2030, we are targeting reducing GHG emissions from cotton production by half, big cuts in synthetic pesticide use, improve soil health across our network, improve farm income and support women’s empowerment among farmers and farm workers.

As People and Culture Officer, you will provide comprehensive HR support, including administrative tasks and practical, timely advice, to Better Cotton staff in Lahore, Pakistan.

Areas that play to your strengths

(All the responsibilities we’ll trust you with)

Responsibilities

We are seeking a motivated People and Culture Officer to join our People and Culture Team. In this role, you will be responsible for the following workstreams:

• Be the first point of contact for all day-to-day HR administration enquiries in Pakistan;
• Provide administrative support to ensure that HR works in compliance with the appropriate country legal and regulatory framework;
• Supporting the development and implementation of HR initiatives and systems;
• Policies and projects to support with;
• Be actively involved in recruitments by preparing JD’s, posting job adverts on different platforms and managing the hiring process;
• Create and implement effective onboarding plans in coordination with line manager;
• Support with data collection and various HR stats and reports, per need;
• Support with HR minutes, investigations and contribute to HR projects;
• Support the development of training programs in coordination with line manager;
• Updates physical and digital copies of employee records in line with global HR policy and country laws;
• Perform routine archiving, scanning and copies for records, transcripts as per needs and per record retention policy;
• Preparation and administration of contractual letters and notifications such as probationary period notifications, extensions, re-designations, increments, reference letters, issuance of experience certificates at the time of separation from employment;
• Liaise with government departments on social contributions and needed payments/submissions by BCI Pakistan entity (EOBI, etc) per law requirements;
• Support People and Culture Senior Country Coordinator on other compliance requirements per BC global HR and in country laws;
• Ensuring employee health and safety as per BC policies;
• Support administration of employment contracts and follow-ups;
• Support the Senior People and Culture Coordinator on internal communications for the Pakistan team;
• Arranges conferences, trainings, workshops as per departmental needs;
• Work on trainings and capacity building initiatives for Country team as per guidance from line manager;
• Support the Senior People and Culture Coordinator and team on any other specific projects/requirements, as per need.
  
  

Beyond these specific responsibilities, the People and Culture Officer is expected to collaborate with the Better Cotton Pakistan and global team as and when required under the guidance of People and Culture Senior Country Coordinator.

We Are Looking For Someone Who Has

the following skills, knowledge, and experience:

Essential

• Graduate level degree preferably in Human Resources, Social Sciences or a related discipline with a minimum of three (3) years of relevant experience.
• Experienced in supporting HR related processes/programs,
• Knowledgeable of employment law and other government compliance regulations in Pakistan.
• Resourceful and proactive and a problem-solver.
• Professional, compassionate and discrete.
• Able to work accurately and efficiently as part of a team.
• Familiarity with e-learning platforms and practices and HRIS.
• Fluent in English, working language at Better Cotton.
  
  

Desirable

• Experience of working in culturally diverse and dispersed organisations.
• Experience of working in both not-for-profit and profit-making organisations.
• Excellent communication and writing skills. Knowledge of MS Office.
• Proficient use of ICT tools and data management systems;
• Good knowledge on HRIS systems and processes;
  
  

What We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Hybrid working – Two to three days/week in the office in Lahore.
• The opportunity to work from anywhere in the world for up to one month per year
• Flexible working, with core hours from 10 am to 4 pm local time
• Continuous learning and development
• A warm, positive working environment where everyone is valued
• The opportunity to make your mark and make a difference.
  
  

Working arrangements

The position is full-time (40 hours per week) and will be based in Lahore. Better Cotton offers flexible working, with core hours being 10 am – 4 pm.

Apply now

Send us your CV (2 pages maximum) and a brief cover letter (1-page maximum) by or before 10.12.2024 via this link.

In your cover letter, please include an explanation of why your experience is specifically relevant to this role at Better Cotton. We want to see your personal style – what makes you tick and why you think your next opportunity is here with us.

Our hiring process

Initial Screening

Applicant screening is a crucial step in our recruitment process. This stage may involve a brief phone interview or video call to evaluate your suitability for the position. During this screening, we review resumes and cover letters, and may conduct initial background checks to narrow down the pool of applicant. Internal candidates are encouraged to inform their line manager about their application to promote transparency and help facilitate a smooth transition if selected.

Interviews

If you successfully pass the initial screening, you will be invited for interviews. The interview process at Better Cotton may include one or more rounds of interviews with various stakeholders, such as the hiring manager, team members, and potentially senior management. As an internal candidate, you may have discussions regarding your current responsibilities and how they will transition to the new position.

Assessment And Testing

Depending on the role, you might be required to complete assessments, technical tests, or skills evaluations to gauge your competency and suitability for the position. Internal candidates may have the option to demonstrate their existing skills through current job performance or past project outcomes.

Reference Checks

Once you progress further in the process, reference checks are conducted to validate your work history, skills, and qualifications, and for some roles, your education and criminal history. Internal candidates may be asked for references from current or previous supervisors within Better Cotton to provide insights into their performance and capabilities.

Offer Stage

After completing interviews, assessments, and reference checks, the hiring team evaluates your performance and fit for the role. If you are selected and your references are relevant and satisfactory, you will receive a formal job offer letter outlining the terms of employment, compensation, benefits, and any other relevant details. For internal candidates, the offer process may include a discussion about how your transition to the new role will be managed and any support needed for a smooth handover.

About Better Cotton

Better Cotton is a global not-for-profit organisation supporting the production of more equitable and sustainable cotton at farm level. We exist to catalyse the cotton farming community with partners, governments and others to continuously drive positive impact by setting standards and facilitating the supply and demand of more sustainable cotton from farm to brand. In just 15 years we have aligned more than a fifth of the world’s cotton with our standard and helped farmers and farming communities thrive. Join us in building a better, more sustainable future for cotton worldwide.

About Our Values

The post holder will be expected to operate in line with our workplace values which are:

• Trustworthy (including honest, transparent, credible)
• As having Integrity (including responsible, authentic)
• Positive (including problem-solving, pragmatic)
• Engaging (including adaptable, inclusive, holistic)
• Daring (including courageous, innovative, game-changing)
  
  

Being you @ Better Cotton

Better Cotton is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to good practice and transparency in the management of natural, human, and financial resources.

We have a zero-tolerance approach to any attitudes or behaviours that put children or adults at risk of harm. Safeguarding incidents are acts of serious misconduct and are grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including, dismissal and referral to relevant authorities for criminal prosecution. Therefore, all offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks.