People Operations Associate
Highlands Drinks Limited, a pioneer in the East African beverage industry with a 69-year history, is seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented People Operations Associate to support daily human resources operations, employee administration, and workforce governance.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
HR Operations & Employee Administration
- Support day-to-day HR operations and ensure timely execution of employee lifecycle processes including onboarding, confirmations, transfers, exits, and employee documentation.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date employee records, HR databases, personal files, and workforce information in line with company standards and compliance requirements.
- Coordinate preparation, issuance, and filing of HR documents including contracts, letters, employee correspondence, and other HR operational documentation.
- Support employee onboarding processes including induction coordination, documentation collection, system setup coordination, and employee orientation activities.
- Ensure proper administration and tracking of leave, attendance, absenteeism, off-days, overtime records, and other workforce operational data.
- Support payroll preparation processes through timely submission and validation of workforce data including new hires, exits, attendance inputs, and employee changes.
- Coordinate employee medical, welfare, and insurance administration activities in liaison with employees, service providers, and internal stakeholders.
- Support implementation and consistent application of HR policies, procedures, and workforce governance standards across the business.
- Assist in coordination of employee disciplinary processes, investigations, hearings, and documentation while ensuring confidentiality and proper record management.
- Support HR audits, compliance reviews, statutory documentation management, and workforce compliance tracking activities.
Workforce Reporting & Data Support
- Support preparation and maintenance of accurate workforce reports and HR operational trackers covering headcount, attendance, leave, workforce movements, and employee records.
- Maintain and update HR data trackers, employee databases, and workforce reporting templates to ensure data accuracy and operational visibility.
- Support generation of weekly and monthly HR operational reports and workforce updates for management review.
- Assist in maintaining workforce records required for labour reporting, audits, statutory compliance, and operational decision-making.
- Ensure timely filing, tracking, and retrieval of HR operational records and workforce information.
Employee Support & Coordination
- Serve as a first point of contact for routine employee HR queries and support employee communication and coordination activities.
- Coordinate employee engagement, welfare, communication, and HR support activities as assigned.
- Support coordination of employee training logistics, meetings, induction sessions, and HR operational activities.
- Promote professionalism, confidentiality, responsiveness, and positive employee experience in all HR interactions.
Operating Governance
- Support implementation of operational HR controls, process discipline, and workforce administration standards across the organization.
- Identify gaps and support continuous improvement of HR operational processes, documentation standards, and administrative efficiency.
- Ensure confidentiality, accuracy, and proper handling of employee information and HR records at all times.
- Support People & Culture projects, operational initiatives, and other HR activities as may be assigned from time to time.
Working Relationships
Internal Relationships:
- Head of People & Culture: To support day-to-day HR operations, employee administration, and policy implementation.
- Workforce & Operations Lead: To coordinate workforce administration activities, attendance management, and leave tracking.
- People Business Partner: To support employee relations administration and onboarding coordination.
- Finance: To support payroll input preparation and employee data validation.
- Commercial, Manufacturing, Operations, Supply Chain & Distribution Teams: To support workforce coordination and operational HR processes.
- Employees: To provide first-level HR operational support.
External Relationships:
- HRMIS Providers: To support employee data management and system updates.
- Medical and Insurance Providers: To support medical benefits administration.
- Outsourced Workforce Providers: To support outsourced employee administration.
- External Auditors, Regulatory Bodies, and Training Providers: To support audits, statutory compliance, and training logistics.
Knowledge, Experience and Qualifications Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, Business Administration, Commerce, Social Sciences, or a related field.
- 2–4 years’ experience in HR operations, HR administration, employee records management, payroll coordination, or workforce administration within FMCG, manufacturing, distribution-led, or operational environments.
- Experience supporting employee lifecycle processes including onboarding, employee documentation, leave administration, attendance management, payroll input preparation, and HR operational coordination.
- Good understanding of HR operational processes, employee records management, labour law administration, and workforce governance practices.
- Experience working with HR systems, employee databases, attendance records, and HR documentation processes is preferred.
- Strong organizational, coordination, administrative, and record management capability required.
- Good Excel and reporting capability required, including ability to maintain workforce trackers, employee records, and operational HR reports.
- Strong attention to detail, confidentiality, responsiveness, and ability to manage multiple operational priorities effectively.
- Good interpersonal and communication skills with ability to support employees and work effectively with internal stakeholders across the business.
Technical & Behavioural Competencies
- HR Operations: Strong understanding of day-to-day HR operations, employee lifecycle administration, HR documentation processes, workforce coordination, and operational HR support.
- Employee Records & Data Management: Ability to maintain accurate employee records, workforce trackers, attendance data, leave records, and HR documentation while ensuring confidentiality.
- Payroll & Workforce Administration Support: Understanding of payroll input preparation, attendance validation, employee movement tracking, and workforce administration processes.
- HR Systems & Data Management: Experience working with HR systems, employee databases, and attendance systems.
- HR Reporting & Operational Coordination: Ability to prepare and maintain HR operational reports, trackers, and records.
- Labour Law & HR Compliance Administration: Basic understanding of labour law requirements, statutory compliance, and HR governance.
- Employee Support & Coordination: Ability to handle employee queries, coordinate training, and support onboarding.
- Documentation & Record Management: Strong capability in maintaining organized HR files, documentation, and correspondence.