Employee & Industrial Relations Manager at Watu Credit Limited

Job Purpose:

• The focus of this role is manage and maintain positive relationships between the business and its employees. It is responsible for overseeing various aspects of employee relations, labour relations and ensuring compliance with relevant employment laws and regulations.

What you will do:
Employee Relations:

• Develop and implement strategies to foster positive relationships between employees and the business.
• Provide guidance and support to managers and employees on employee related matters, including conflict resolution, performance management, and employee engagement.

Policy Development:

• Collaborate with HR and legal teams to develop and update policies and procedures related to employee and industrial relations.
• Ensure policies align with applicable laws, regulations and business objectives.
• Proactively assess and analyze the potential impact of new developments in ER and in collaboration with management, develop and recommend appropriate responses.

Compliance:

• Stay informed about relevant employment laws, regulations and labour contracts.
• Ensure compliance with legal requirements, including fair employment practices, equal opportunity, and labour standards.
• Address any issues, suits or complaints related to non-compliance.
• Provide guidance on employment related matters including workplace policies, benefits and performance management.

Grievance and dispute resolution:

• Handle employee grievances, complaints and disciplinary matters in a fair and objective manner.
• Conduct investigations, facilitate dispute resolution processes and recommend appropriate actions to resolve conflicts.
• Act as a resource and advocate for employees, ensuring their rights are protected, and their concerns are addressed.
• Advise senior management in complex employee relations matters and on the appropriate approach to effectively minimizing legal risk.

Occupational Health & Safety

• Comply, maintain, review, and recommend OHS policies and processes.
• Communicate and guide employees on relevant OHS policies and procedures.
• Ensure compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety act.

Change Management:

• Develop and implement effective communication strategies to keep employees informed about organizational changes, policies and labour related matters.
• Develop and deliver training programs for managers and employees on employee and industrial relations topics, including conflict resolution, company policies, employment laws, procedures etc
• Promote a culture of awareness and compliance in partnership with various stakeholders i.e departmental heads, HRBPs, Managers and Senior Management.

Business Partnership and Collaboration:

• Build strong relationships with business leaders, managers, and employees.
• Actively engage with stakeholders, participate in business meetings, collaborate on projects to understand business needs, influence decision making, and provide strategic HR guidance.
• Serve as a trusted advisor, leveraging HR expertise to support and align HR initiatives with organizational goals.

What we are looking for:

• Bachelor’s degree in law
• Diploma from Kenya School of Law
• At least 7 years of experience in employee and industrial relations
• Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with not less than three (3) years post-admission experience
• Sound knowledge of the principles and practices of employee labor relations.
• Good understanding and application of employment law and regulations.
• Demonstrable experience executing programs that positively impact employee relations.
• Ability to coordinate and prioritize conflicting assignments
• High sense of professionalism and confidentiality