Regional Human Resources Director at Aga Khan University (AKU)

Key Responsibilities:

The Leadership of HR Strategy

In consultation with VP HR, set vision, goals, and expectations to accelerate the team for scale and dynamic growth by developing organization strategies and identifying and researching human resources issues; contributing information, analysis, and recommendations to the organization’s strategic thinking and direction; establishing and human resources objectives in line with organizational objectives;

• Drive organizational change management and help leaders align communication, behavior, and infrastructure to support their desired changes; and
• Facilitate the adoption of HR policies and practices including educating leaders and managers regarding HR capabilities;

Team Leadership

• Provide dynamic and effective leadership and day-to-day management of the department and operational activities including the effective, efficient, and economic deployment of human resources;
• Serve as a consultant and advisor to HRBPs and various centers of excellence on aspects of HR knowledge-based activities, initiatives, and programs;
• Take overall responsibility for the management and development of staff within the HR unit including enabling process to develop, motivate, coach, and provide training and support to members of the team;
• Plan and organize the appraisals of staff within the HR unit, identifying staff development needs within the HR unit and continually updating people management skills in order to comply with employment legislation, and with human rights, equality, diversity, and data protection legislation; and
• Provide project leadership and change management for HR Services in order for them to support business units adequately.

HR Operations Oversight

• Offer technical leadership to Hospital Executives, University Deans, and Departmental Chairs to ensure that operational goals are delivered whilst implementing collaborative actions to facilitate the evaluation and development of HR services and infrastructure;
• Evaluate HR functional capacity and service delivery for the East Africa Region with the collaboration of the central expertise team;
• Serve as a resource to employees on regional HR policies and procedures, providing interpretation and guidance as needed;
• Manage the Regional HR budget and approve expenditures in accordance with company guidelines; and
• Partner with other units and finance teams to develop insightful reporting, focusing on drivers, understanding context, and developing opinions on the next steps.

Talent Management Oversight

• Implement human resources strategies by establishing department accountabilities, including talent acquisition, staffing, employment processing, compensation, succession planning, employee relations, and retention;
• Work with the L&D head to plan and organize employee orientation, carry out a training needs assessments in consultation with the business heads, and through performance assessment programs, facilitate appropriate training and development programs;
• Lead guide and facilitate the University and Hospital leadership in East Africa to plan and recruit the best candidates and develop recruitment strategies by participating in recruitment drives and enabling opportunities for applicants using different approaches to continually improve employment services;
• Continuously review performance management processes along with the HR team and ensure compliance with the system;
• Participate actively as a team member in planning and developing compensation programs, benefits policies and procedures to meet the changing needs of employees; and
• Work closely with the University leadership in EA to develop strategies to support the retention of key staff and build growth plans to enable career management and internal mobility.

Overseer of Employee Relations Activities

• Facilitate and assist senior leadership and department heads regarding specific employee-related issues, conflict resolutions, and compliance on policies and Labor Laws that impact the work environment and employee/employer relationships.

Caretaker of Workplace Culture

• Represent AKU values and design change initiatives and programs to support organizational culture;
• Assess employee satisfaction and track trends in employee behaviors;
• Develop an employee-oriented company culture that emphasizes quality, continuous improvement, and high performance;
• Support the ‘One HR’ culture, mutual accountability, and respect within the HR team; and
• Oversee the overall organizational health of the business line by using and communicating key KPIs, data analytics, and develop strong relationships with leadership and staff.

Others

• Lead and guide the HR team to appreciate and be aware of the subtle differences between the people and cultures of the 3 countries where we operate in EA and provide country-specific solutions to HR issues;
• Analyze and take decisions to resolve complex issues where policies and procedures may not be clearly defined;
• Maintain knowledge of industry trends and best practices in human resources and make recommendations accordingly;
• Prepare and deliver regional HR reports and presentations as needed in accordance with the company's standards and policies;
• Collaborate with business partners across AKU HR to ensure the timely, accurate and effective delivery of recurring and ad-hoc initiatives; and
• Promote and uphold the highest level of conduct and leadership practices, including positive leadership through strong partnerships with the business and its staff.

Key Experiences and Qualifications:

• Must have at least 10+ years of experience working with a service delivery model that includes shared services, with at least 5 years in a leadership position;
• Must be a holder of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Human Resources, Business, Management, Organization Development, or a related field. A Master's degree in similar or related fields is also preferred;
• Be a holder of an accreditation from the Chartered Institute of Professional Development (CIPD) or any other international accreditation body;
• Proven track record of providing People/HR administrative support to a large, multi-site, multi-country, and multi-disciplined business is key for this role;
• Proven and extensive experience working in organizations with robust digital strategies and technological advancements is a key requirement; and
• Have extensive demonstrable experience in partnering and leading specialty functions of Human Resources (e.g., compensation, learning & development, mobility, employee relations) with a mix of operational, strategic, and systems thinking.