Overview

The HR Manager - Kenya works as part of the CIMMYT Regional office management team in Kenya, working alongside the CIMMYT Country Representative (CCR) for Kenya and Regional HR Manager, Africa to oversee all the human resources function of the CIMMYT Country Office in Kenya.

Duties and responsibilities

Strategic HR Leadership & Business Partnership

• Serve as the principal HR advisor to the Country Representative and Country Management Team on all people-related matters.
• Develop and implement the Kenya HR strategy aligned with global organizational priorities.
• Identify organizational capability gaps and design talent management strategies to address them in alignment with the Global Talent Team.
• Provide data-driven HR insights and workforce analytics to support leadership decision-making.
• Lead change management initiatives, including restructuring, growth, or policy implementation in collaboration with global HR.
• Position Kenya HR within the broader Africa regional context, fostering cross-country collaboration and sharing of best practices in partnership with regional HR counterparts.
• Foster a culture of accountability, inclusion, performance excellence, and employee engagement.

HR Operations, Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure end-to-end oversight of HR operations for Locally Recruited Staff (LRS), covering recruitment, onboarding, contract management, performance management, employee relations, and separation processes.
• Ensure full compliance with Kenyan labor legislation and applicable host-country and CIMMYT HR policies across the employee lifecycle.
• Oversee statutory compliance, including payroll-related obligations and reporting requirements.
• Establish and maintain controls for casual and short-term labor engagements to ensure cost efficiency, compliance, and risk mitigation.
• Lead employee relations processes, workplace investigations, disciplinary matters, and conflict resolution.
• Represent CIMMYT HR in engagements with CIFOR-ICRAF on employment and host-country framework matters.
• Coordinate internal and external HR audits and ensure timely implementation of audit recommendations.
• Lead development and implementation of the Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Plan in line with statutory and organizational requirements.

Compensation, Benefits & Performance Management

• Oversee governance and administration of employee benefits, ensuring transparency and employee understanding.
• Facilitate and ensure timely completion of annual performance reviews and promotion processes.
• Advise leadership on performance improvement strategies and workforce optimization.

Talent Development & Organizational Effectiveness

• Advise Global HR on country-specific labor market trends and training needs.
• Lead training needs assessments and coordinate implementation of development initiatives for LRS and IRS (where applicable).
• Drive structured onboarding and induction programs.
• Promote leadership development and succession planning within Kenya operations, in alignment with the Global Talent Management Team.

HR Governance, Communication & Policy Localization

• Develop and implement the annual Country HR work plan and budget in collaboration with Global HR
• Contribute to the localization of global HR policies to ensure alignment with Kenyan labor law and operational realities.
• Ensure effective communication of HR policies, updates, and organizational changes.
• Serve as a member of the CIMMYT Country Management Committee (CCMC – Kenya), facilitating HR-related governance matters.
• Provide HR oversight and compliance assurance for employment-related aspects of the Host Country Agreement and other institutional frameworks.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, coach, and develop HR staff to ensure high-quality, timely, and solutions-oriented HR service delivery.
• Set clear performance objectives and accountability standards for direct reports.
• Build team capability in both strategic HR and operational execution.
• Drive continuous improvement in HR processes, systems, and service delivery standards.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive HR experience, with at least 3–5 years in a senior HR leadership role.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across multi-country environments in Africa, building strong partnerships beyond country and global interfaces.
• Strong knowledge of Kenyan labor legislation and employment practices.
• Demonstrated experience leading HR teams and partnering with senior leadership.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
• High level of integrity, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.

• Serve as the principal HR advisor to the Country Representative and Country Management Team on all people-related matters.
• Develop and implement the Kenya HR strategy aligned with global organizational priorities.
• Identify organizational capability gaps and design talent management strategies to address them in alignment with the Global Talent Team.
• Provide data-driven HR insights and workforce analytics to support leadership decision-making.
• Lead change management initiatives, including restructuring, growth, or policy implementation in collaboration with global HR.
• Position Kenya HR within the broader Africa regional context, fostering cross-country collaboration and sharing of best practices in partnership with regional HR counterparts.
• Foster a culture of accountability, inclusion, performance excellence, and employee engagement.
• Ensure end-to-end oversight of HR operations for Locally Recruited Staff (LRS), covering recruitment, onboarding, contract management, performance management, employee relations, and separation processes.
• Ensure full compliance with Kenyan labor legislation and applicable host-country and CIMMYT HR policies across the employee lifecycle.
• Oversee statutory compliance, including payroll-related obligations and reporting requirements.
• Establish and maintain controls for casual and short-term labor engagements to ensure cost efficiency, compliance, and risk mitigation.
• Lead employee relations processes, workplace investigations, disciplinary matters, and conflict resolution.
• Represent CIMMYT HR in engagements with CIFOR-ICRAF on employment and host-country framework matters.
• Coordinate internal and external HR audits and ensure timely implementation of audit recommendations.
• Lead development and implementation of the Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Plan in line with statutory and organizational requirements.
• Oversee governance and administration of employee benefits, ensuring transparency and employee understanding.
• Facilitate and ensure timely completion of annual performance reviews and promotion processes.
• Advise leadership on performance improvement strategies and workforce optimization.
• Advise Global HR on country-specific labor market trends and training needs.
• Lead training needs assessments and coordinate implementation of development initiatives for LRS and IRS (where applicable).
• Drive structured onboarding and induction programs.
• Promote leadership development and succession planning within Kenya operations, in alignment with the Global Talent Management Team.
• Develop and implement the annual Country HR work plan and budget in collaboration with Global HR
• Contribute to the localization of global HR policies to ensure alignment with Kenyan labor law and operational realities.
• Ensure effective communication of HR policies, updates, and organizational changes.
• Serve as a member of the CIMMYT Country Management Committee (CCMC – Kenya), facilitating HR-related governance matters.
• Provide HR oversight and compliance assurance for employment-related aspects of the Host Country Agreement and other institutional frameworks.
• Lead, coach, and develop HR staff to ensure high-quality, timely, and solutions-oriented HR service delivery.
• Set clear performance objectives and accountability standards for direct reports.
• Build team capability in both strategic HR and operational execution.
• Drive continuous improvement in HR processes, systems, and service delivery standards.

• Stakeholder management
• Influencing skills
• Analytical skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Decision-making capabilities
• Integrity
• Discretion
• Sound judgment
• Leadership
• Coaching
• Team development
• Strategic HR
• Operational execution
• Process improvement
• System improvement
• Service delivery improvement

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive HR experience, with at least 3–5 years in a senior HR leadership role.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across multi-country environments in Africa, building strong partnerships beyond country and global interfaces.
• Strong knowledge of Kenyan labor legislation and employment practices.
• Demonstrated experience leading HR teams and partnering with senior leadership.