People & Culture Manager at African Development Solutions (Adeso)

• The People and Culture Manager will lead and manage the organization’s human resources (HR) functions, while fostering a healthy, inclusive, and productive organizational culture. This role will support strategic workforce planning, HR operations, staff development, and employee engagement to ensure the organization attracts, retains, and nurtures talent in alignment with its mission, values, and goals.

SPECIFIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Reporting directly to the Adeso Chief of Staff, the People and Culture Manager is responsible for shaping organizational culture and ensuring employee engagement and development, while fostering a positive work environment with the following responsibilities:
• Talent Acquisition & Onboarding
• Lead end-to-end recruitment processes including drafting job descriptions, advertising roles, screening candidates, and facilitating interviews.
• Develop and implement onboarding programs to ensure smooth integration of new staff.
• Maintain an inclusive and equitable recruitment strategy aligned with organizational DEI goals.
• Collaborate with programs and operations teams to forecast staffing needs in line with strategic plans
• HR Operations & Compliance
• Maintain and update Adeso HR policies, procedures, and employee handbooks in compliance with local labor laws and international best practices.
• Manage employment contracts, personnel files, and the HRIS (Human Resources Information System).
• Ensure legal and regulatory compliance across all HR activities in multiple jurisdictions.
• Oversee a robust Performance Development & Management system within the organization that includes continuous improvement of the performance appraisal process.
• Work with line managers to identify learning and development needs for Adeso staff and facilitate training plans.
• Promote a culture of feedback, coaching, and professional growth within the organization.
• Employee Relations & Engagement
• Serve as a trusted advisor to Adeso leadership and staff on employee relations issues.
• Mediate conflict resolution and promote a positive working environment within Adeso.
• Lead initiatives to boost staff morale, wellness, and engagement.
• Develop and manage staff recognition and reward programs within the organization.
• Conduct regular staff pulse surveys and follow up with action plans.
• Support and strengthen remote work policies and distributed team engagement.
• Organizational Culture & DEI
• Champion the organization’s values and lead initiatives to build a strong, inclusive, and missionaligned culture.
• Design and implement diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and practices.
• H.R Strategy & Planning
• Contribute to strategic planning by forecasting HR needs and aligning talent strategies with
• organizational objectives.
• Analyze HR metrics (e.g., turnover, absenteeism, engagement) to inform decisions and continuous improvement.
• Develop and track key HR KPIs to measure success across talent retention, engagement, and policy effectiveness.
• Benefits & Compensation
• Work with finance and leadership to design fair and competitive compensation and benefits packages.
• Oversee employee benefits administration and respond to related staff queries.
• Lead in conducting compensation benchmarking studies annually.
• Support and strengthen remote work policies and distributed team engagement

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, Psychology, or related field.
• At least 7 years progressive HR experience, with 2+ years in leadership or managerial roles.
• Knowledge of labour laws across East Africa or other relevant jurisdictions.
• Proven experience managing employee relations, conflict resolution, people and organizational culture initiatives