Regional HR Director - East Africa Aga Khan University

In the last four decades, Aga Khan University (AKU) has built a global reputation for its work to improve the quality of life in developing societies through high-quality teaching, research, and healthcare delivery that reflects its core values of impact, quality relevance and access. A not-for-profit organization and an agency of the AKDN, the University has campuses and programs in Pakistan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Afghanistan, and the United Kingdom. The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi were the first hospitals in their regions to be accredited by American accreditation health organizations such as the Joint Commission International (JCI) and the College of American Pathologists. Currently, in East Africa, AKU offers academic programs in medicine, nursing, teacher education, and journalism. Moreover, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH, N) is a teaching hospital that provides tertiary and secondary level healthcare services along with a number of outreach centers spread across various parts of Kenya. The university in EA currently has a total staff strength of approximately 3000 full time staff and faculty.

Responsibilities

Job Summary Reporting to the Vice President, Human Resources, based in Karachi, Pakistan; the Regional HR Director will lead and facilitate a highly effective, strategic HR function in the East Africa region that ensures AKU has the structure, inclusive culture, and diverse talent needed to deliver on its program goals. You will be managing the HR Business Partners who are strategic advisors to the organisation. They drive HR programs within the business lines in partnership with our HR Centers of Excellence (Talent Acquisition, Talent and Organizational Development, Employee Relations, and Rewards). This includes the execution of activities such as talent reviews and succession planning, promotion planning, organizational design, and compensation planning. You will also serve as the overall strategic business partner to the Hospital Leadership, Deans, and Departmental Chairs to develop medium and long-term plans and work out the strategies for their implementation. Key Responsibilities The Leadership of HR Strategy You will:

• 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;

You will:

• 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 You will:

• 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 You will:

• 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

• You will 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  You will:

• 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 You will:

• 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.

Requirements

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.

Personal Characteristics and Key Competencies

• Organized and detail-oriented with the ability to synthesize large amounts of data, summarize key concepts and articulate appropriately
• Decisive, fair, and firm in leadership.
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills with a proven track record of execution against deliverables
• Excellent oral and written communication and relationship management skills
• Experience in HR Technology (including payroll systems and Help desk functionality)
• Knowledge in preparing feasibility studies, project plans and strategic plans

What's in it for you at Aga Khan University?

• Compensation commensurate to experience with a mix of employee benefits which include but are not limited to quality health care plan;
• A company culture that allows you to build meaningful connections and be involved in work that has immediate meaning and impact on those AKU serves; and
• An opportunity to work in a multi campus multi country university setting which is a unique model and allows ample opportunities to learn develop and grow.

To Apply

There’s much more we can share about Aga Khan University and the role by way of executive qualities and experience required, but if you fully meet the above listed criteria, and are excited by the mission, then please send your application, attaching relevant academic and professional certificates, updated CV together with contacts of at least three (3) professional referees (relatives and friends not acceptable) who can speak objectively on your professional experience, to reach us not later than 27 January 2023 . This recruitment is supported by Yusudi Limited, so please send your application and relevant documents mentioned above to Maggie Wairimu on maggie@yusudi.co No hard copy applications will be accepted. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. The Aga Khan University is an equal opportunity employer. Canvassing or direct lobbying to be recruited will construe to an automatic disqualification. #J-18808-Ljbffr