Job
description
Context:
The future of peace
and stability in East Africa lies in the hands of young women who have the
leadership skills and wisdom to create jobs and build businesses that will lift
their communities out of poverty. In East Africa, 85% of women work in
subsistence agriculture, living on less than $2 per day. Furthermore, only 1%
of the population enters university, and less than one-third of those students
are female. We believe that educating young women is simply the wisest and most
effective investment a developing country can make.
Organization:
The Akilah Institute
for Women aims to build future generations of women leaders and professionals
in East Africa through the development of a network of campuses. At Akilah, we
bring together the most promising female leaders from Rwanda and Burundi for an
innovative three-year program
that prepares them for
professional careers and leadership roles. Akilah will graduate 1,000 students
by the year 2020. In 2015, Akilah will enroll a total over 500 students on two
campuses. Our hands-on and project-based curriculum is developed in partnership
with the local private sector. Students start with a foundational year of
English, math and leadership immersion before choosing a specialized track in
Entrepreneurship, Information Systems (IS), or Hospitality Management. Students
graduate with the market-relevant skills required for meaningful employment in
the fastest growing sectors of the economy.
The
Position:
The new Director of
Talent and Human Resources will lead Akilah’s efforts to attract, develop, and
retain the best educators and professionals and further enable the organization
to deliver high-quality education to our students. He/she will serve as the
head of human resources and will oversee a comprehensive human resources and
people development department. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to institute
and direct “best practices” human resources to help a thriving
organization achieve a higher level of effectiveness for the young women it
serves. This position provides an opportunity to gain experience in all aspects
of managing the Human Resources of the Akilah Rwanda and Burundi campus.
Reports to: The Country Director
Duration: Full time, long-term
commitment desired
Key
Responsibilities:
Strategic
Planning
- Collaborate
with senior leadership team to set HR strategic direction and operational
plans; - Analyze,
assist and advise the staffing plans and drive a comprehensive people
management agenda; - Create
a performance-based culture; - Review
all existing policies and procedures, propose and implement relevant changes
to enhance organizational effectiveness and compliance towards policies; - Review
a number of recommended HR systems (Cornerstone, TribeHR, etc.) and
provide recommendations on which one would best fit with the
organizational needs.
Talent
Mobility
- Enable
employees to define and analyze career preferences and oversee the
matching of employees to open roles based on talent profile; - Ensure
clear visibility into internal job opportunities and approach internal
candidates with relevant opportunities.
Staff
Recruitment
- Develop
and lead an organization-wide strategy for recruiting and onboarding a
high quality and diverse workforce; - Cultivate
interdisciplinary relationships that enhance Akilah’s reputation as an
employer of choice across sectors; and implement effective processes for
staff screening and selection.
Performance/Talent
Management
- Develop
and oversee a system of effective performance reviews, which links
individual performance to organizational outcomes, values and core
competencies; - Identify
the core competencies required for excellent performance in each position;
and - Establish
succession planning strategies for identifying, developing, and promoting
high-potential and high-performing staff.
Training and
Development
- Oversee
the planning, implementation and resource development for staff capacity
building; - Design
and deliver effective training to staff in key competency areas; and - Provide
specialized training for managers and prospective managers.
Employee
Relations:
- Counsel
and coach managers on employee related issues and promote an engaged and
positive culture; - Appropriately
investigate and resolve grievances and complaints; and - Establish
effective mechanisms to receive and act on staff feedback.
Compensation
& Benefits
- Manage
the annual compensation process, partnering with senior leadership team to
determine annual salary increases, promotions and other compensation
decisions; and - Oversee
vendor negotiations and monitor benefits to ensure that they are cost
effective and support employee needs.
Employee
Surveys
Gather regular
employees satisfaction surveys from employees about how to continue improving
the Akilah culture and work environment.
Desired
Skills and Qualifications:
- At
least 5 years of progressive human resources leadership experience, in a
majority of the key functional areas of recruiting, performance/talent
management, training and development, employee relations and/or
compensation and benefits; - Bachelor’s
degree in Human Resources required, Masters Degree in related fields
preferred. - Well-honed
people management skills, poised and capable of gaining the trust of the
leadership and the employees while influencing positive organizational
outcomes; - Strong
problem-solving skills, with a track record of implementing new
initiatives with successful outcomes; - Excellent
judgment and listening skills, with the ability to handle confidential and
sensitive issues with diplomacy, discretion and integrity; - Clear
and effective communication and coaching skills; - Strong
project management and operational experience.
How
to apply
Please apply
directly through Akilah’s Careers Page.