Senior Employee Relations & Staff Welfare Manager (Nairobi) at Kenya Airways

About the job

Reporting to Head, Employee Relations & Staff Welfare, the ideal candidate will be responsible for co-developing and implementing strategies, policies, procedures, and programs that will promote productive and positive relationships between managers, employees, and co-workers; developing and reviewing employee experience initiatives across all touchpoints in our employees’ life cycle by using employee feedback to design employee-centered experiences and a happier workplace where employees can thrive.

Additionally, this role will implement the disciplinary and grievance handling policies and procedures, considering the application of the law, organization values, operational policies, and procedures.

Key Duties and Responsibilities 

Employee Experience – 40%

• Co-create employee experience strategy and journeys for the company as part of the customer-centric culture by understanding company culture, using employee feedback, and investing resources into making changes and improvements.
• Designing employee experience frameworks and creating exciting ways to measure and assess employee engagement (for example, surveys, forum groups, etc.)
• Reviewing management practices and their impact on the employee experience and improve management practices and behaviour to create a better employee experience.
• Creating proactive approaches to well-being in the organization to drive the physical and mental well-being of employees as part of the corporate wellness and staff welfare agenda.
• Reviewing and enhancing the employer brand internally by assessing the impact that people practices and policies have on the employee experience and shaping people policy frameworks that positively impact the employee experience.
• Using agile methodologies to map out essential employee journeys, address pain points, and make recommendations on enhancing the employee experience by focusing on the employee and developing processes and policies using employee feedback as a valuable tool.
• Co-developing and providing expert guidance on the company recognition programs that help the company acknowledge employee milestones, like work anniversaries or workplace achievements. 
• Aligning and evaluating ‘voice of the employee’ tools and approaches and drive forward the outputs on a better organization climate and employee experience.
• Co-developing initiatives that create a unique employer brand internally aligned to culture, mission, and values.
• Be part of the team designing communication plans that positively impact the employee experience and design approaches to communications that provide employees with a voice to enhance employee experience.

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Grievance Handling, Disciplinary & Labour Relations – 40%

• Guide the line management and staff on grievance related matters to resolve any grievance-related matters.
• Liaise with line managers to ensure consistency of implementation of disciplinary procedures in the organization.
• Investigate and respond to all queries raised by the Union or Line Managers on staff discipline matters in a fair and timely manner.
• Work in liaison with the concerned departments, line management, and staff to ensure that cases relating to disciplinary and grievance matters are handled to their conclusion within the stated timelines.
• Manage the staff disciplinary process end to end, including providing support for panel hearings, organizing for staff disciplinary meetings, preparing and be the custodian of the relevant documentation, among other critical elements of the disciplinary process.
• Be a key contributor in liaison with the Industrial Relations manager and the legal department on litigation cases for ex-staff and provide critical information and support on such litigation cases.
• Provide expert advice to line Managers on legal implications of disciplinary actions as they relate to the Labour Laws.
• Act as the centre of expertise for the organization on all matters pertaining to employee relations and staff welfare and be an advisor to team leaders and staff and on issues that involve external parties.
• Handle the more complex and sensitive ER matters at their location, including certain head-level and other key position ER issues, and investigate any formal charges from government agencies.
• Monitor regularly changes in Labour laws and keep line managers informed.
• Ensure that the company’s HR policies are aligned with the existing labour laws.

Staff Welfare Activities – 20%

• Guide Line Managers on general techniques of behaviour management.
• Provide practical guidance to staff on employee welfare issues, in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders.
• Initiate and lead company-driven staff welfare campaigns to address different employee needs and develop relevant interventions.
• Facilitate staff satisfaction and other employee relations and staff welfare surveys to inform interventions for resolution of crucial employee issues and company climate.
• Collaboration with other stakeholders to organize staff functions, including staff end-year party, family days, and staff caravans.
• Prepare, monitor, and control Employee welfare budgets to ensure effective cost control.
• Manage insurances benefits (GLA, GPA, LOL) and ensure speedy claim settlement under the guidance of the Head of ER and Staff Welfare.
• Oversight of the administration of Staff welfare benefits in consultation with the Head of ER and Staff Welfare.
• Provide leadership to the ER and Staff welfare team of ER officers.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in HR, Psychology, Business, Social Sciences or related field.
• Additional qualifications in Employee or Industrial Relations would be an added advantage.
• Postgraduate Higher Diploma in HR.
• Member of IHRM.
• 6+ years of experience in employee relations environment, preferably in a large organization.
• Previous experience in an Industrial /Employee relations position will be an added advantage.
• Previous experience in administering discipline & grievance procedures within a large/Multi – national organization.
• Experience in designing of employee experience journeys and employee-centered engagement initiatives.
• Knowledge of Labor /Employment law and its practical application.
• Knowledge of employee experience management and progressive internal employer brand building.
• Knowledge of current trends and best practices of employee involvement and industrial relations.
• Good awareness of the internal and external industrial environment and successful adaptation to changing demands and conditions of ER landscape.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead and advise on HRM and change management initiatives.
• Experience in administering and managing employee medical benefits plans and welfare services.
• Experience in organizational culture initiatives.
• Strong negotiation and persuasion skills – effectively influence all stakeholders to result in acceptance, agreement, or behavior change.
• Strong analytical, problem solving, critical thinking, and organizational and advanced computer skills.
• Strong communicator, presenter, influencer, and conflict management skills, with a history of success coaching all levels of management and employees through complex, challenging, and emotional issues.
• Good coaching and mentoring skills.
• Resilience – Ability to remain calm, stable, and maintain self-control in potentially emotional grievance handling and disciplinary situations.
• Good self and team leadership skills.