What does it take to lead HR teams in some of the world’s most complex humanitarian settings?

We spoke to Antonia Spanaki, Head of Talent Management, to learn how People and Culture roles support humanitarian teams behind the scenes, especially in times of crisis. Having worked in the intergovernmental and humanitarian sector for over two decades, first as a protection delegate and then as a HR professional, Antonia brings a rare dual perspective and is well-versed in the challenges of delivering humanitarian aid in high-stakes environments. She has a proven track record of designing and managing impactful programmes in complex and conflict-affected regions. Her expertise lies in building strategic partnerships, leading diverse teams and driving sustainable solutions. She has worked in both field operations and headquarters settings.

From protection delegate to HR leader

Antonia, you've spent years supporting field operations and building humanitarian teams. Can you share how your career has evolved from working as a protection delegate to taking on a leadership role in HR?

Interestingly, the transition from protection delegate to HR leader happened quite naturally for me. My experience in protection gave me a deep, first-hand understanding of the needs of people affected by conflict and the struggles they face. When I moved into HR, I realized there were clear similarities to protection – just as protection is about caring for those impacted by crises, HR is about caring for the people that are delivering the response to those crises.

To support my career shift, I did formal studies in HR, which helped me combine my field experience with people management skills. An opportunity arose to build and manage pools of protection professionals, and over time, that responsibility expanded into broader HR leadership roles.

The connection between protection and HR runs deep. Both are grounded in core values like compassion, emotional intelligence and humanity. I firmly believe that no one can truly succeed in HR without these qualities. After all, the people we manage are the ones driving our organization’s mission forward.

What does People and Culture mean in a crisis?

You lead the People and Culture vision across the MENA region. What does that look like in practice?

Leading the People and Culture vision across the MENA region means I work to turn our strategic goals into day-to-day realities that shape how our people experience work, even in highly complex and volatile environments, like the ones we have experienced over the past two years across the MENA region. Strategically, my role involves ensuring our regional HR agenda is aligned with global priorities, while adapting it to the realities on the ground.

Over the past two years, we’ve had to respond to escalating crises across the region in Israel and the occupied territories, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran and beyond. This has meant we have had to coordinate closely with delegations in Egypt, Jordan and other countries to support operations and staff across the region.

Our focus has been on ensuring business continuity and preparedness, from staffing and safety to mental health and clear communication. We’ve supported scenario planning, emergency HR protocols, and sensitive staff decisions in fast-moving, high-stress contexts, while ensuring that employee well-being and team cohesion remain front and centre.

Alongside crisis response, our day-to-day work includes:

• closing talent gaps through succession and capability-based planning
• working with the Learning and Development team to provide region-specific training
• embedding values into leadership and performance culture
• strengthening employee engagement through dialogue, listening, and action
• helping senior managers lead with both compassion and resilience.

Ultimately, we aim to build a people-centric culture that not only survives crisis but grows stronger through it.

What makes a good humanitarian?

Having worked in both protection and HR, what do you think it takes to be a good humanitarian aid worker at the ICRC, especially in complex settings?

Humanitarian motivation is key. This work must be more than a job – it’s about being part of something larger.

Beyond that, personal qualities make all the difference. Humanitarian aid workers need to be:

• resilient
• humble
• compassionate
• curious
• culturally aware
• diplomatic
• emotionally intelligent.

Professional skills are also essential, of course. But these traits are what allow people to thrive in the ICRC’s unique and often unpredictable contexts.

What we look for during a recruitment process

It can be difficult to tell how emotionally intelligent a candidate is during the recruitment process. What key indicators do you look for during screenings or interviews that make a candidate stand out?

I still place great value on cover letters, even in the age of artificial intelligence. They provide insight into how candidates connect with the role, how thoughtfully they reflect on the mission, and whether their personal values align with those of the ICRC. Emotional intelligence often starts to become apparent there – you can pick up on how self-aware and compassionate candidates are by looking at the way they express their purpose and motivation.

When I conduct interviews, I look for:

• openness and active listening
• thoughtful reflection rather than rehearsed answers
• curiosity and composure under pressure.

That said, candidates must also fulfil the core requirements of the role, for example, language fluency, relevant academic background, strong communication skills and a sound understanding of humanitarian law and international relations.

Role plays and simulations are also valuable – they show how candidates react in real-life scenarios and how they work with others to diffuse stressful situations or resolve ethical dilemmas. These activities often reveal a lot more than a formal interview ever could.

Crucially, I believe recruitment should be a shared responsibility. It’s important that HR professionals, operational colleagues, both from the field and headquarters, and functional experts all have a voice in the process. Having a range of perspectives helps us to evaluate candidates more holistically.

And even after we have recruited somebody, we continue to assess them during our staff integration programme, where their interaction with peers and trainers often reinforces or challenges our initial impressions. Recruitment is not a one-off judgment. It is a continuous process of learning and validation.

What makes a good protection delegate, even if someone isn’t a technical specialist yet?

Not every candidate that applies to be a protection delegate has technical expertise in detention, reconnecting families links or other protection specializations, and that’s okay. We provide comprehensive training and on-the-job learning.

But some qualities can’t be taught, such as:

• maturity
• judgment
• self-care
• respect for human dignity
• realistic risk assessment.

Protection work also requires interpersonal agility – you may need to interact with detainees one day, and then detention authorities, refugee camp leaders or staff from other humanitarian organizations the next. Being able to build trust with all of these different people is really important.

Heroism has no place in humanitarian work. What matters is staying grounded, being pragmatic and working effectively. It is important to always keep the needs of the people we serve as your primary focus, while also safeguarding our own teams.

Advice for future humanitarians

If you could give one piece of advice to someone applying to the ICRC, what would it be?

Take the time to reflect deeply on why you want to join this organization. Can you see yourself not just doing the job, but truly embracing the mission and the purpose behind it?

Working at the ICRC demands more than just technical skills. It requires you to be present, resilient, and incredibly committed. This is work that touches lives in difficult contexts, and being aligned with that purpose is what sustains you through the challenges.