Vacancies at Kenya Airways

Purpose

In the context of Kenya Airways’ strategic recovery and ambitious growth agenda, the Group seeks a Head of Employee Relations of exceptional capability and strategic acumen to serve as the principal architect of the airline's employee relations framework. This is a critical leadership appointment: the Head of Employee Relations holds accountability for the health of the employment relationship across the entire KQ Group, spanning a diverse, multi-union, multi-jurisdictional workforce of over 4,500 employees operating across 30+ countries.

The role reports directly to the Chief People Officer and works in close partnership with the Group Managing Director & CEO, Executive Committee, and Line Leadership across all divisions. The Head of Employee Relations is expected to operate as a strategic adviser to the business, anticipating workforce risks, shaping employment policy, leading complex negotiations, and building a workplace culture that supports KQ's transformation and sustained growth.

The role demands a leader who combines deep technical expertise in employment law and labour relations with the commercial awareness, influencing capability, and personal resilience to navigate the complexities of a unionized, regulated, and operationally demanding aviation environment.

Responsibilities

Employee Relations Strategy & Leadership

• Formulating and leading the execution of KQ's employee relations strategy, aligned to the Group's corporate strategy, People & Culture agenda, and long-term business objectives.
• Providing strategic ER counsel to the Chief People Officer, CEO, and Executive Committee contributing to enterprise-wide decisions on workforce restructuring, organizational change, and employment risk.
• Developing and maintaining a proactive ER risk framework that identifies, assesses, and mitigates workforce risks before they escalate including industrial action, regulatory non-compliance, and reputational exposure.
• Leading the design and implementation of the Group's employee engagement strategy, leveraging people analytics and pulse survey data to drive evidence-based interventions.
• Monitoring the external labour market, legislative developments, and industry trends to ensure KQ's ER policies remain competitive, compliant, and fit for purpose.
• Sponsoring and monitoring ER improvement and transformation initiatives, facilitating decision-making with relevant stakeholders and ensuring projects are delivered on time and within agreed parameters.

Collective Bargaining & Union Relations

• Leading all collective bargaining negotiations on behalf of the Company, developing negotiation strategies that balance employee welfare with business sustainability and financial discipline.
• Managing and maintaining productive, trust-based relationships with all recognized trade unions and staff representative bodies across the KQ Group.
• Overseeing the interpretation, implementation, and administration of all Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), ensuring consistent application across all divisions and outstations.
• Representing KQ in conciliation, mediation, and arbitration proceedings before the Employment and Labour Relations Court, Ministry of Labour, and other statutory bodies.
• Developing and maintaining a union engagement calendar and proactive communication framework to prevent disputes and build collaborative partnerships.
• Advising the Chief People Officer and CEO on the status of union relations, emerging industrial action risks, and recommended courses of action with appropriate urgency and clarity.

Employment Law, Compliance & Governance

• Ensuring full compliance with the Employment Act (2007), Labour Relations Act, Labour Institutions Act, OSHA, WIBA, and all applicable Kenyan employment legislation, as well as host-country labour laws across KQ's international network.
• Overseeing the development, review, and implementation of all employment policies, procedures, and the Employee Handbook, ensuring alignment with legal requirements, industry best practice, and KQ's values.
• Managing all disciplinary processes, grievance procedures, and workplace investigations with fairness, consistency, and legal rigour, ensuring due process and natural justice at every stage.
• Providing expert guidance to Line Managers and HRBPs on complex ER matters including performance management, misconduct, incapacity, redundancy, and termination.
• Ensuring KQ's compliance with data protection requirements (Data Protection Act 2019) as they relate to employee records, investigations, and ER case management.
• Overseeing and coordinating all employment litigation, working in partnership with internal and external legal counsel to protect the Company's interests and minimize legal exposure.

Organisational Development & Change Management

• Leading and supporting organizational development initiatives and workforce transformation programmes in partnership with the Chief People Officer and business leaders.
• Developing and implementing change management frameworks that minimize disruption, maintain employee morale, and protect the Company's legal and reputational position during periods of organizational change.
• Driving culture transformation initiatives that embed KQ's values, promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and foster a high-performance, psychologically safe workplace.
• Supporting the design and implementation of employee wellness and wellbeing programmes, including mental health support, employee assistance programmes (EAP), return-to-work frameworks, and occupational health management.

People Analytics, Digital ER & Reporting

• Leveraging HR information systems (HRIS) and people analytics to track, analyse, and report on key ER metrics including grievance volumes, disciplinary trends, tribunal outcomes, absenteeism, turnover, and employee engagement scores.
• Developing and presenting regular ER dashboards and insights to the Chief People Officer, translating data into actionable recommendations.
• Driving the digitization of ER processes, including case management, policy acknowledgement, and employee self-service to improve efficiency, consistency, and audit readiness.
• Benchmarking KQ's ER practices against industry peers, aviation sector standards, and global best practice, and making recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Maintaining comprehensive ER records and ensuring audit-ready documentation across all cases, negotiations, and policy changes.

Stakeholder Management & External Relations

• Building and maintaining productive relationships with the Ministry of Labour, Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU), IATA, and other relevant external bodies.
• Managing KQ's representation in all employment litigation, working in partnership with internal and external legal counsel to protect the Company's interests.
• Advising on emerging labour relations risks, legislative changes, and their potential impact on KQ's operations and workforce strategy.
• Representing KQ at industry forums, employer associations, and external engagements on employee relations and labour market matters.
• Building and sustaining trust-based relationships with employees at all levels, ensuring the Company's ER function is seen as fair, accessible, and genuinely committed to employee wellbeing.

People & Leadership

• Building and leading a high-performing Employee Relations team capable of supporting the Group's recovery and growth strategy across ER Advisory, Labour Relations, Policy & Compliance, and Wellness.
• Ensuring all ER team members are competent in their roles, providing coaching, mentoring, and development support to enhance individual and team capability and build succession depth within the function.
• Developing the people strategy for the ER function in liaison with the Chief People Officer, including talent acquisition, performance management, and succession planning for senior ER roles.
• Fostering a culture of integrity, fairness, accountability, and continuous improvement within the ER function and across the broader People & Culture division.
• As a member of the People & Culture leadership team, providing leadership in all ER-related activities of the Group, setting the standard for employment fairness, workforce dignity, and legal compliance across the organisation.

Skills

• An experienced, capable, and resilient employee relations leader with significant experience in a complex, unionized, and preferably aviation or transport environment of comparable size, scale, and regulatory complexity.
• A trusted strategic adviser to the Chief People Officer with credibility, presence, and intellectual rigour to influence senior levels of the organisation.
• Deep expertise in Kenyan employment law, collective bargaining, and dispute resolution combined with an understanding of multi-jurisdictional labour requirements across KQ's African and international network.
• A skilled negotiator with a proven track record of concluding CBAs and managing complex industrial relations situations with composure, commercial awareness, and strategic discipline.
• Strong analytical capability with the ability to leverage people data and ER metrics to drive evidence-based decision-making and present compelling insights to ExCo.
• A leader of high integrity with an unblemished professional track record and the personal resilience to manage high-pressure, emotionally charged situations with fairness, consistency, and sound judgement.
• Genuine commitment to employee wellbeing, diversity, equity and inclusion, and the creation of a psychologically safe and high-performance workplace culture.
• A collegiate team player who fosters collaboration across the People & Culture division and builds strong, trust-based partnerships with business leaders, union representatives, and external stakeholders.
• An understanding of and familiarity with the East African labour market, regulatory environment, and employment landscape, combined with an international perspective and cultural agility to operate across KQ's diverse network.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources Management, Law, Industrial/Organisational Psychology, Social Sciences, or a related discipline (mandatory).
• Master's degree in Human Resources, Employment Law, Industrial Relations, Organisational Psychology, or MBA from a recognised institution (an added advantage).
• Professional HR certification: CHRP (K) from IHRM Kenya, CIPD Level 7, SHRM-SCP, or equivalent international qualification (mandatory).
• Membership of the Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM Kenya) in good standing (mandatory).
• Mediation, arbitration, or dispute resolution certification from a recognised body (distinct advantage).
• A postgraduate qualification in Employment Law, Labour Relations, or Business Leadership will be a distinct advantage.
• Minimum 12 years of progressive HR experience, with at least 7 years in a senior Employee Relations, Industrial Relations, or Labour Relations leadership role.
• Proven track record of leading collective bargaining negotiations and concluding CBAs in a complex, multi-union environment, preferably in a large, regulated, or capital-intensive organisation.
• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale organisational change, restructuring, or workforce transformation programmes with measurable outcomes.
• Deep expertise in Kenyan employment law and labour relations, with working knowledge of multi-jurisdictional employment requirements across KQ's African and international network.
• Experience in the aviation, transport, logistics, or broader capital-intensive, unionised sector is a distinct advantage.
• Proven ability to manage employment litigation and represent the organisation before the Employment and Labour Relations Court, Ministry of Labour, and other statutory bodies.
• Strong people analytics capability with experience leveraging HRIS platforms and data to drive ER strategy and operational improvement.
• Sound understanding of corporate governance best practices and the management of ER within a listed or regulated company environment.
• Excellent cross-cultural people management skills, with the ability to operate effectively across KQ's diverse, multi-country, multi-union workforce.
• Strong networking and interpersonal skills with proven ability to build trust at the most senior levels, including Boards, Governments, trade union leadership, and regulators.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to translate complex ER and legal challenges into clear, actionable business insights for non-specialist audiences.

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Purpose

• The Head of Fleet Development holds accountability for the strategic management of KQ's aircraft fleet from sourcing and acquisition through entry into service, lifecycle management, cabin refurbishment, and eventual disposal or redelivery.
• The role reports directly to the Technical Director and works in close partnership with the Chief Finance Officer, Chief Operations Officer, Chief Strategy & Innovation, and the Fleet Steering Group.
• The Head of Fleet Development is expected to operate as a strategic adviser to the business, driving fleet investment decisions, negotiating complex commercial terms with manufacturers and lessors, managing multi-million dollar aircraft transactions, and ensuring every aircraft in the fleet delivers maximum asset value throughout its lifecycle.
• The role demands a leader who combines deep technical knowledge of aircraft engineering and configuration with the commercial awareness, negotiation capability, and project management discipline to manage the full spectrum of fleet transactions in a complex, capital-intensive aviation environment.

Responsibilities

Fleet Strategy & Planning

• Contributing to the development and execution of KQ's strategic fleet plan in partnership with Strategy & Network Planning, Finance, and the Executive Committee.
• Generating commercial, financial, and technical analysis to support aircraft and engine acquisition recommendations to business leadership, ensuring alignment with the Group's network strategy and financial objectives.
• Monitoring the global aircraft market including new aircraft programmes, lessor portfolios, and secondary market opportunities to identify optimal fleet solutions and advise on timing of transactions.
• Advising the Technical Director and Executive Committee on fleet composition, timing of acquisitions and disposals, and fleet transition strategies aligned to network and commercial requirements.
• Supporting the evaluation of sustainable aviation technologies including next-generation aircraft, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) compatibility, and fleet decarbonization pathways.
• Accountable to the Fleet Steering Group for aircraft acquisition progress and fleet development planning.

Aircraft Sourcing, Acquisition & Transactions

• Leading the sourcing and acquisition of aircraft for the Kenya Airways fleet to meet the approved strategic fleet plan.
• Serving as primary negotiator for aircraft and engine purchase and lease agreements, including maintenance reserve rates, coordinating input from Finance, Insurance, Legal, and Technical departments.
• Preparing and presenting aircraft acquisition business cases and Board papers for Executive and Board approval.
• Managing the commercial and contractual aspects of aircraft and engine transactions with manufacturers, lessors, and financial institutions with rigour and commercial discipline.

​​​​​​​Entry Into Service (EIS) & Programme Management

• Holding full accountability for the Configuration, Initial Provisioning, Training, and organisational preparedness for Entry Into Service of new aircraft types and variants.
• Managing the Fleet Development Project Managers to achieve satisfactory and smooth EIS including aircraft specification and configuration, initial provisioning of spares, tools and equipment, and training for pilots, engineers, cabin crew, and other staff.
• Setting up and managing New Aircraft Introduction programme teams and project management offices to govern EIS activities across all workstreams.
• Responsible for the smooth Entry into Service of new aircraft up to and including sign-off that the aircraft is ready for its first commercial flight.
• Managing the formal handover of aircraft to the Operations Control Centre for first commercial flight, ensuring all readiness criteria are met.

​​​​​​​Aircraft Lifecycle Management

• Managing the lifecycle (or lease cycle) of all aircraft in the fleet with a view to preserving maximum asset value throughout the aircraft's tenure.
• Ensuring aircraft documents and records are maintained complete, accurate, and accessible in line with acceptable international airworthiness standards.
• Configuration Management of each aircraft in the fleet to ensure completion, accuracy, and timely updates to documented configuration records.
• Governance of Maintenance Reserves including annual escalation reconciliation, coordination of Letter of Credit adjustments, and negotiation of revised rates with lessors.
• Managing cabin refurbishment and replacement programmes across the fleet to maintain product competitiveness, brand standards, and passenger experience quality.

​​​​​​​ Aircraft Disposal & Redelivery

• Managing the exit of aircraft from the passenger fleet through lease return projects, ensuring compliance with redelivery conditions and minimizing end-of-lease financial exposure.
• Managing the process of sale of aircraft owned by Kenya Airways, maximizing residual value and protecting the Company's financial interests.
• Coordinating aircraft conversion to freighter configuration where commercially appropriate and aligned to the Group's cargo strategy.
• Ensuring all disposal and redelivery activities are completed within agreed timelines, budgets, and contractual requirements.

​​​​​​​Stakeholder Management & External Relations

• Maintaining and developing productive, trust-based relationships with aircraft manufacturers (Boeing, Embraer, and others), leasing companies, and financial institutions as the primary point of contact on all fleet matters.
• Building and sustaining relationships with aviation regulators (KCAA), industry bodies, OEM partners, and relevant external stakeholders to support fleet development objectives.
• Timely escalation to management of risks and issues related to aircraft transactions, ensuring appropriate visibility and governance at all times.
• Representing Kenya Airways at industry forums, manufacturer engagements, and external events on fleet management and aircraft transaction matters.

​​​​​​​ People Performance & Leadership

• Building and leading a high-performing Fleet Development team.
• Managing a direct budget in support of aircraft acquisition and introduction activities, determined annually on a project-by-project basis, with full financial accountability.
• Developing the people strategy for the Fleet Development function, including talent acquisition, performance management, and succession planning.
• Fostering a culture of project excellence, commercial discipline, safety, and continuous improvement within the Fleet Development function.

Skills

• An experienced, commercially astute fleet management professional with significant experience in aircraft acquisition, disposal, and lifecycle management in a complex airline environment of comparable size, scale, and capital intensity.
• A trusted strategic adviser to the Technical Director and Executive Committee with the credibility, presence, and commercial rigour to influence fleet investment decisions at the most senior levels of the organisation.
• Deep expertise in aircraft and engine lease and purchase negotiations, maintenance reserve management, and aircraft financing structures, with a demonstrable track record of concluding complex multi-million dollar aircraft transactions.
• A skilled negotiator with a proven track record of concluding complex aircraft transactions with manufacturers, lessors, and financial institutions delivering favourable commercial outcomes while managing transaction risk and protecting the Company's interests.
• Strong project management capability with demonstrated experience managing multi-disciplinary Entry into Service programmes on time, within budget, and to the required airworthiness standards.
• A leader of high integrity with strong technical knowledge of aircraft engineering, configuration management, and airworthiness regulations, combined with an unblemished professional track record.
• Genuine understanding of aviation financing, legal contracts, and the commercial dynamics of the global aircraft leasing and trading market, including OEM relationships and lessor negotiation strategies.
• A collegiate team player who fosters collaboration across Technical, Finance, Legal, Commercial, and Operations divisions, and builds strong, trust-based partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
• An understanding of emerging trends in fleet strategy including sustainable aviation, next-generation aircraft technologies, digital asset management, and fleet decarbonization — bringing an international perspective and forward-looking approach to fleet planning.

Qualifications

• University degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Aeronautical, Electrical/Electronics, Mechatronics, or equivalent), Finance, or Law.
• Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA), Aviation Management, Engineering Management, or equivalent from a recognised institution (an added advantage).
• Professional certification in Project Management: PMP (Project Management Professional), PRINCE2, or equivalent from a recognised body (distinct advantage).
• Understanding of current airworthiness regulations, aviation financing precepts, and basic legal and contract principles (mandatory).
• Additional qualifications or certification in Aviation Law, Aircraft Financing, or Aviation Asset Management will be a distinct advantage.
•  Minimum 10 years of progressive work experience, with at least 7 years in a senior airline industry role directly relevant to fleet management, aircraft transactions, or aircraft engineering.
• Minimum 5 years of demonstrable experience managing aircraft acquisition, disposal, or fleet transaction projects with direct accountability for commercial outcomes.
• Minimum 4 years of aircraft delivery and redelivery experience with direct involvement in acceptance inspections, documentation review, and technical delivery negotiations.
• Proven track record of negotiating complex aircraft and engine lease and purchase agreements with major manufacturers and lessors, achieving favourable commercial outcomes.
• Strong project management experience with demonstrated ability to lead multi-disciplinary Entry into Service programmes covering configuration, provisioning, training, and organizational readiness.
• Deep understanding of aviation financing structures, legal contracts, airworthiness regulations, and aircraft configuration management requirements.
• Experience with both wide-body and narrow-body aircraft platforms; Boeing and Embraer experience preferred given KQ's current fleet composition.
• Knowledge of aircraft configuration management systems, maintenance reserve governance frameworks, and international records management standards.
• Experience in cabin refurbishment programme management and product upgrade initiatives (a distinct advantage).
• Demonstrated knowledge of computer systems and digital tools used in aircraft lifecycle management, fleet planning, and project management.
• Sound understanding of inter-departmental coordination across Technical, Finance, Legal, Insurance, Operations, and Commercial functions in the context of aircraft transactions.