The Kenya Talent Lead is responsible for leading the Talent function and spearheading people strategies within the region. This expansive role covers recruitment, HR operations and compliance, employee relations, talent development, payroll, compensation, and benefits. The incumbent will also partner closely with the Talent team in South Africa to ensure consistency and alignment in practices and systems across both regions.
Key Responsibilities
Recruitment & Selection
- Manage a portfolio of open positions within the region and ensure the Talent team hires high-quality staff in a timely manner to meet business objectives.
- Develop a comprehensive strategic plan for achieving all recruitment and hiring goals across all campuses.
- Liaise with school leaders and hiring managers to design and execute a year-long hiring plan.
- Set up processes and systems that facilitate efficient hiring for every role.
- Develop and implement a clear analytics strategy and approach towards recruitment, utilizing data for decision-making.
- Refine existing and develop new selection tools to ensure alignment between hiring practices and the requirements of each role.
- Support Hiring Managers in making final hiring decisions and play a lead role in all leadership hiring roles.
- Manage reputational risk on platforms like Glassdoor and LinkedIn.
- Develop content on Nova Pioneer’s digital platforms to build the employer brand and encourage employee advocacy.
- Design content, facilitate, and coordinate the onboarding of new teammates to Nova Pioneer.
- Maintain an excellent candidate experience throughout the recruitment process via regular feedback and exposure to the organizational culture.
- Maintain and coordinate the referral scheme program, including pay out periods with Finance.
- Ensure that all job descriptions, interview trackers, and selection tools (such as performance tasks) are updated, maintained, and stored in the relevant team drives.
HR Operations and Compliance
- Comply with local legal requirements by studying existing and new legislation, anticipating legislative changes, enforcing adherence, and advising management on necessary actions.
- Maintain current job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities, reading professional publications, and participating in professional organizations.
- Protect the organization's value by keeping information confidential.
- Lead the creation, review, and updates of company-wide policies, and spearhead HR-related standards of procedures.
- Ensure all employee data is up to date in both the HR Information System (HRIS) and hard copy files for audit purposes.
- Ensure all revised policies are communicated to all employees and accessible via NovaHub.
- Facilitate trainings on the sensitization of sensitive HR policies to ensure managers and employees maintain clarity in the working relationship.
- Carry out audits periodically to ensure employee files are up to date with statutory and academic requirements.
- Safeguard compliance when hiring employees by collecting supportive documentation to ensure adherence to labour laws.
- Ensure Nova Pioneer’s ongoing compliance with the National Employment Authority (NEA), Work Injury and Benefits Act (WIBA), Teachers Service Commission (TSC), National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), and any other relevant Kenyan bodies.
- Establish relationships with these and any other entities requiring compliance.
Employee Relations
- Chair all disciplinary hearings and proceedings, ensuring compliance and fairness as per labour laws.
- Provide talent advisory services to managers and the senior leadership team on disciplinary cases and separation procedures on a need-by-need basis.
- Represent Nova Pioneer during litigation cases and work closely with legal counsel when handling lawsuits.
- During redundancy procedures, liaise closely with labour officers and collaborate during labour inspection audits.
- Work closely with the senior associate in coordinating work injury compensation benefits with employees.
Performance & Talent Development
- Partner with the Academic Leadership Team and other leaders to design and train managers on people processes such as people management, hiring for their teams, and managing performance.
- Act as a facilitator to the Central team when running monthly professional development trainings focused on soft skills and leadership.
- Onboard and train all new managers on hiring and managing teams using the Managing the Nova Pioneer framework.
- Provide direct support to managers to assist in growth and performance plans in partnership with the Talent Associate Manager in South Africa.
Payroll, Compensation and Benefits
- Support the planning, benchmarking, and communication of compensation and benefits by liaising with HR consultants for compensation data and surveys.
- Lead the payroll administration in the region and run payroll audits with Finance to ensure alignment with budgetary staffing spend and projections.
- Together with the Global Director of Talent and People Systems, review employee benefits, revising them to ensure employee happiness and engagement in a sustainable manner.
- Lead the bi-annual medical and wellness campaign across campuses to facilitate employee wellbeing and health.
- Work with partners to ensure medical as well as financial wellness for employees to boost engagement and retention.
Team Leadership & Capability Building
- Hire, train, and provide coaching and performance management to the Talent team in Kenya.
- Support the development of systems and processes that will enhance and strengthen our team and organizational effectiveness.
- Work closely with the Global Director of Talent and People Systems to track budgeting of HR activities and costs in the region.
- Plan for and facilitate team building for the Talent team in the region.
- Work closely with the Senior Director of Schools to support administratively in the planning and coordination of leadership offsites.
Qualifications and Attributes
- A Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent in a related field is required.
- A Masters degree in Business, Management or HR is highly desired.
- At least 5-7 years’ experience in recruitment, specifically institutional (e.g., school-based) recruitment.
- Proven ability to build strong relationships across diverse audiences.
- Extremely detail-oriented and capable of managing many moving parts simultaneously.
- Strive for excellence in every detail and inspire and challenge colleagues to do the same.
- Take pleasure in excellence more than credit or status.
- Great project management skills coupled with quick problem-solving abilities.
- An innovative and strategic mindset when approaching recruitment goals.
- Deep resonance with Nova Pioneer’s culture and values; excited to take risks and receive feedback.
- Able to role-model Nova Pioneer’s mission-driven culture and principles.
- Operates with consistency, fairness, transparency, and accountability.
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