Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

Through large-scale restoration and rewilding, NATURAL STATE secures biodiversity, sequesters and stores carbon, and helps achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our goal at the NATURAL STATE research centre is to develop technology and financial systems that will catalyse large-scale restoration globally as well as help train future leaders for this...

Responsibilities or duties

As the Head of People & Culture Global, you will be the architect of our global people strategy and the guardian of our organisational culture. You will be responsible for building and leading a world-class HR function that supports Natural State's ambitious mission across diverse international landscapes. This is a strategic, hands-on role requiring equal expertise in developing global frameworks and managing complex, localised HR operations from U.S. and African employment contracts to fostering leadership development in remote field locations. You will translate our conservation mission into people practices that attract, develop, and retain exceptional talent worldwide.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic HR Leadership & Global Framework:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive global HR strategy aligned with Natural State's 3-year strategic plan and mission
• Design and implement standardised, yet locally adaptable, HR policies, processes, and systems (HRIS) across all entities (Kenya, U.S., South Africa, and future locations).
• Establish and monitor key global HR metrics and analytics to drive data-informed decision-making on talent, engagement, and organisational health.
• Lead global HR projects, including HRIS implementation, compensation benchmarking, and talent management framework development.

Talent Acquisition, Management & Development:

• Design and oversee a global talent acquisition strategy to attract diverse, high-caliber professionals in conservation, technology, finance, and field operations.
• Drive the development and implementation of a global performance management system, succession planning, and leadership development programs.
• Create and manage career pathing and professional development initiatives that support staff growth across technical and managerial tracks.
• Foster a strong talent pipeline and internal mobility to support organisational scaling.

Global Compliance, Contracts & Employee Relations:

• Mandatory Expertise: Serve as the ultimate internal authority on employment law and contract management across key jurisdictions: United States (Federal & State), Kenya, and South Africa. This includes the independent review, drafting, and standardisation of all employment, consulting, and service provider contracts.
• Ensure 100% compliance with all local labor laws, regulations (including 501(c)(3) rules, data protection/GDPR), and best practices in every country of operation.
• Develop and manage a robust global employee relations framework, providing direct guidance and support to management on complex issues, dispute resolution, and disciplinary processes.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate HR-related risks across the global portfolio.

Mandatory Expertise: Compensation & Rewards; Culture & Engagement:

• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing global HR team, comprising country HR managers, generalists, and coordinators.
• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the Vice President, Senior Management Team, and Board of Directors on all people-related matters.
• Partner closely with global department heads (Finance, Programs, Technology) to understand their goals and provide integrated HR solutions.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Must Have:

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, or a related field
• At least 5 years in a direct global or regional HR leadership role overseeing multiple countries
• Mandatory legal/contracts expertise: Proven, hands-on experience independently reviewing, drafting, and managing employment and consulting contracts under U.S. (Federal/State), Kenyan, and South African legal frameworks
• Global compliance knowledge: In-depth, practical knowledge of employment laws, regulatory compliance, and labor practices in the U.S., East Africa, and Southern Africa
• Strategic systems skills: Proven experience in selecting, implementing, and leveraging a global HRIS (Human Resources Information System) and HR analytics
• Leadership & communication: Exceptional leadership, influence, and communication skills with ability to operate at board, executive, and field staff levels across cultures

Strong to Have:

• Experience designing and implementing succession planning and leadership development programs
• Experience creating career pathing frameworks across technical and managerial tracks
• Track record of establishing global HR metrics and analytics dashboards for data-informed decision-making
• Experience managing HR for 501(c)(3) organisations including understanding of related compliance rules
• Knowledge of data protection/GDPR requirements as they apply to global HR data

Nice to Have:

• Non-profit or mission-driven organization experience (highly preferred in the advert)
• Experience scaling HR functions in a high-growth international organization
• International professional HR certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR, GPHR)
• Experience working in conservation, climate action, international development, or related fields
• Proven experience managing employee relations including dispute resolution, disciplinary processes, and complex cross-cultural employee issues
• Demonstrated success in global talent acquisition for diverse roles (conservation, technology, finance, and field operations)

• Develop and execute a comprehensive global HR strategy aligned with Natural State's 3-year strategic plan and mission
• Design and implement standardised, yet locally adaptable, HR policies, processes, and systems (HRIS) across all entities (Kenya, U.S., South Africa, and future locations).
• Establish and monitor key global HR metrics and analytics to drive data-informed decision-making on talent, engagement, and organisational health.
• Lead global HR projects, including HRIS implementation, compensation benchmarking, and talent management framework development.
• Design and oversee a global talent acquisition strategy to attract diverse, high-caliber professionals in conservation, technology, finance, and field operations.
• Drive the development and implementation of a global performance management system, succession planning, and leadership development programs.
• Create and manage career pathing and professional development initiatives that support staff growth across technical and managerial tracks.
• Foster a strong talent pipeline and internal mobility to support organisational scaling.
• Serve as the ultimate internal authority on employment law and contract management across key jurisdictions: United States (Federal & State), Kenya, and South Africa. This includes the independent review, drafting, and standardisation of all employment, consulting, and service provider contracts.
• Ensure 100% compliance with all local labor laws, regulations (including 501(c)(3) rules, data protection/GDPR), and best practices in every country of operation.
• Develop and manage a robust global employee relations framework, providing direct guidance and support to management on complex issues, dispute resolution, and disciplinary processes.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate HR-related risks across the global portfolio.
• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing global HR team, comprising country HR managers, generalists, and coordinators.
• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the Vice President, Senior Management Team, and Board of Directors on all people-related matters.
• Partner closely with global department heads (Finance, Programs, Technology) to understand their goals and provide integrated HR solutions.

• Exceptional leadership, influence, and communication skills with ability to operate at board, executive, and field staff levels across cultures
• Proven experience in selecting, implementing, and leveraging a global HRIS (Human Resources Information System) and HR analytics
• In-depth, practical knowledge of employment laws, regulatory compliance, and labor practices in the U.S., East Africa, and Southern Africa
• Proven, hands-on experience independently reviewing, drafting, and managing employment and consulting contracts under U.S. (Federal/State), Kenyan, and South African legal frameworks

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, or a related field
• Minimum 10–15 years of progressive HR leadership experience
• At least 5 years in a direct global or regional HR leadership role overseeing multiple countries
• Experience designing and implementing succession planning and leadership development programs
• Experience creating career pathing frameworks across technical and managerial tracks
• Track record of establishing global HR metrics and analytics dashboards for data-informed decision-making
• Experience managing HR for 501(c)(3) organisations including understanding of related compliance rules
• Knowledge of data protection/GDPR requirements as they apply to global HR data
• Non-profit or mission-driven organization experience
• Experience scaling HR functions in a high-growth international organization
• International professional HR certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR, GPHR)
• Experience working in conservation, climate action, international development, or related fields
• Proven experience managing employee relations including dispute resolution, disciplinary processes, and complex cross-cultural employee issues
• Demonstrated success in global talent acquisition for diverse roles (conservation, technology, finance, and field operations)