People & Culture Director at Shining Hope For Communities

Job Purpose

The Director of People & Culture is a new role that serves as a strategic and operational leader of SHOFCO’s human resources function. This role is responsible for building a high-performing, values-driven workforce that enables SHOFCO’s mission for our communities.

With the support of several P&C Managers, the P&C Director will lead aspects of P&C including workforce planning, recruitment, employee relations, performance management, safeguarding alignment, compliance with Kenyan labor law, talent development, comp & benefits, and culture-building initiatives.

This position is a key member of the senior leadership team and works closely with Programs, Legal, Finance, Safeguarding, and Risk functions to ensure people systems SHOFCO to meet its impact and grow.

In the first year, the right candidate will likely deliver:

• Clear P&C strategy aligned with SHOFCO’s growth plan
• P&C team operating with defined KPIs and strong service orientation.
• Strengthened org-wide performance management and learning framework
• Reduced employee relations risk through consistent policy application and safeguarding supports.
• Optimized/automated P&C systems with improved data and reporting.

Key Responsibilities and Job Dimensions

Strategic Leadership, Business Partnering & Workforce Planning

• Develop and implement a multi-year People & Culture strategy aligned with SHOFCO’s growth and programmatic goals.
• Serve as a strategic business partner to senior leaders and Heads of Department, proactively advising on organizational design, workforce planning, team effectiveness, and change management.
• Advise the senior leadership on succession planning and leadership pipelines.
• Strengthen P&C governance frameworks, internal controls, and risk reduction

Building & Leading a High-Performing P&C Function

• Lead, mentor, and develop the P&C team across Kenya to operate as a high-performing, service-oriented, and strategic function.
• Establish clear roles, KPIs, and accountability mechanisms within the P&C team.
• Build capability in P&C business partnering, employee relations, and systems
• Standardize P&C practices while allowing for appropriate contextual flexibility.

 Talent Acquisition & Development

• Oversee recruitment strategy for senior roles
• Ensure equitable, transparent, and competency-based hiring processes.
• Strengthen onboarding systems to improve integration and performance
• Design and oversee a clear, consistent performance management framework, including leadership development options.
• Support managers in coaching, feedback, and performance improvement

Employee Relations & Culture

• Ensure SHOFCO is a great place to work, matching our practices and policies to our desired impact in the world.
• Ensure consistent, fair, and legally compliant procedures and policies
• Strengthen employee engagement and internal communications and promote a culture of teamwork and cohesion.

Compliance, Policy & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with Kenyan labor laws and statutory requirements.
• Oversee regular updating of P&C policies and employee handbook.
• Partner with Legal and Safeguarding to manage investigations, disciplinary processes, and grievance procedures.
• Identify and mitigate P&C-related risks in collaboration with the Risk functions.

Safeguarding & Ethics Integration

• Partner with Safeguarding leadership to embed safeguarding principles into recruitment, onboarding, and performance systems.
• Ensure background checks and vetting processes are consistently applied.
• Support investigation processes for any misconduct reports, working closely with the Safeguarding and Gender teams, as well as legal.

Compensation, Benefits, Technology & P&C Operations

• Oversee payroll processes in partnership with Finance.
• Lead benefits administration and periodic compensation benchmarking.
• Optimize P&C systems and technology (HRIS, payroll systems, performance platforms) to improve efficiency, data accuracy, and reporting.
• Strengthen automation to reduce manual burden and increase transparency.
• Monitor P&C metrics (i.e turnover, engagement, diversity, and performance).

Job Competencies (Knowledge, Experience and Attributes / Skills).

Academic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or related field (Master’s preferred).

Professional Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of HR experience, including 5+ years in senior leadership.
• Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP)
• Valid Practising license with Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM)
• A true values-driven leader who cares deeply about people, their growth, and their professional achievements.
• Experience in nonprofit, multi-site, or rapidly scaling organizations
• Proven experience building and leading high-performing, remote P&C teams
• Experience building P&C systems and infrastructure in growing organizations.

Functional Skills

• Change management and organizational development
• Strong conflict resolution skills
• Technology fluency and process optimization mindset
• Strong experience implementing or optimizing P&C technology systems (HRIS, payroll, etc).
• Strong knowledge of Kenyan labor law.

Behavioral Competencies/Attributes

• A people-first leader who cares deeply about colleagues
• Strategic thinking and business partnership
• Organizational design and change
• High integrity and discretion
• Commitment to safeguarding and ethical leadership
• Commitment to inclusion and community-centered leadership