Human Resources Director

Purpose of the Position
The Human Resources Director is a strategic leader responsible for shaping and overseeing the human resources function across all the African countries in which the Organisation operates, as well as selected affiliate countries. The role involves providing leadership in aligning HR policies and processes with the overall business strategy, fostering a high-performing and inclusive organisational culture, and ensuring that the Organisation attracts, develops, and retains top talent.
In collaboration with senior leadership, the Human Resources Director will play a critical role in workforce planning, talent management, and risk mitigation, ensuring compliance with local, regional, and international employment laws.

This position is also responsible for managing an outsourced HR team, ensuring the effective delivery of services such as recruitment, payroll, employee relations, and compliance. The HR Director will work closely with the Group Finance Director and legal counsel to address HR-related risks, ensuring the Organisation’s practices remain compliant, competitive, and legally sound across diverse regions. Ultimately, the position is essential to ensuring that HR functions support the Organisation's mission, operational efficiency, and long-term sustainability.

Key Roles and Responsibilities
1. Leadership + Management = Accountability (LMA)

• Establish and maintain a high-performance culture by setting clear expectations on all HR management levels, including performance standards and accountability measures, embedding ForAfrika’s core values (Deep Love for Africa, Dependability, Compassion, Initiative, Discipline).
• Provide leadership across multiple countries through the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) and other organisational platforms to ensure all HR functions align with organisational goals, values, and performance standards.
• Lead the outsourced HR team with clarity and direction, ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery in recruitment, payroll, compliance, and benefits administration across Africa and affiliates.
• Mentor and manage direct reports by establishing clear roles, quarterly objectives (Rocks), and measurable outcomes, creating a continuous improvement and feedback culture across the HR team.
• Work with senior leadership to address strategic human capital issues, such as workforce planning, performance metrics, talent development, and compensation, across the Organisation’s diverse geographic footprint

2. Strategic Human Resources Planning

• Develop and implement HR strategies that support the Organisation’s mission, vision, and goals while addressing regional and affiliate differences, including tailored policies for local markets.
• Lead workforce planning efforts, including succession planning, talent acquisition, retention, and employee development, to ensure a sustainable and high-calibre workforce across operational regions.
• Oversee policies and practices for attracting, retaining, and developing a diverse workforce. Collaborate with regional department heads to address staffing needs and align HR services with operational demands.
• Collaborate with finance and regional heads to develop competitive, fair, and legally compliant compensation and benefits structures, ensuring they align with local and international standards and meet organisational objectives.
• Partner with department heads in each region to anticipate staffing and compensation needs, ensuring the HR framework supports ForAfrika’s long-term success and resilience.

3. Talent Management and Development

• Lead initiatives focused on employee engagement and performance management, ensuring individual goals align with organisational objectives and driving a high-performance culture across diverse regions.
• Implement talent acquisition, onboarding, and retention strategies tailored to each region, ensuring the Organisation attracts and retains top talent.
• Oversee learning and development programmes to meet evolving organisational needs in African and affiliate countries, promoting professional growth, skill-building, and succession readiness.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and mentorship across ForAfrika’s geographic footprint to support employee development and growth.
• Establish a performance management system that ties individual and team achievements to organisational goals and integrates recognition and reward systems that reflect ForAfrika’s values and mission.

4. HR Compliance, Compensation, and Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with local and international employment laws and regulations across all operational regions, developing policies that meet diverse legal requirements.
• Lead the development of fair and transparent total rewards compensation, benefits, and employee relations practices, ensuring all structures are competitive, equitable, and legally compliant.
• Partner with the Group Finance Director and legal counsel to manage HR-related risks, including labour disputes, compliance, and regional variations, ensuring proactive identification and mitigation of risks.
• Oversee health and safety regulations and maintain data integrity and security standards for HR information, adhering to best practices and regulatory requirements.
• Manage employee relations practices, including fair and balanced conflict resolution and labour dispute management, to uphold a respectful, inclusive, and legally sound workplace.

5. Outsourced HR Team and Vendor Relations

• Select, evaluate, and manage outsourced HR vendors, including payroll, recruitment, employee relations, and legal compliance services, ensuring they meet organisational expectations and legal requirements.
• Set performance standards and regularly evaluate outsourced HR vendors' effectiveness, providing feedback and holding them accountable for delivering high-quality service across ForAfrika’s geographic footprint.
• Oversee cost-effective outsourced HR functions, ensuring they deliver quality within budget and contribute to the Organisation’s financial goals.
• Act as a bridge between internal leadership and external HR vendors, ensuring outsourced services align with organisational values, strategic goals, and local HR needs.
• Provide guidance and training to outsourced HR partners to ensure they understand and uphold ForAfrika’s HR standards, including supporting payroll, compensation, compliance, and performance management functions effectively across regions.

Qualifications and competencies

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, in a relevant field (Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field); an advanced degree is preferred;
• Leadership capabilities that include coaching staff to high level of performance and engaging in effective cross-cultural and cross-functional working to achieve shared goals and effective indirect line management;
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive HR leadership experience, with a strong background in managing outsourced HR functions and multi-country operations;
• Experience in a large humanitarian or development organisation, especially with operations across Africa and affiliate countries, is highly desirable;
• Proven ability to develop and execute HR strategies aligned with organisational objectives across diverse geographic regions;
• Demonstrated experience in managing compliance with local and international employment laws;
• Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to drive results through outsourced teams across multiple regions;
• Comprehensive understanding of HR best practices, talent management, and risk management in the non-profit sector;
• Good appreciation of diversity, equality, and inclusion in building a diverse workforce and executing fair and equitable initiatives
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, particularly in cross-cultural and cross-functional contexts;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience in using HR data to inform decision-making across different countries;
• Ability to work in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities effectively across various regions;
• Proficient in SAGE 300 People, with the ability to leverage its functionalities for efficient HR and payroll management and strategic decision-making.