Head of Human Resources

Job Purpose

• The Head of Human Resources will provide strategic and operational leadership for the full people agenda across a large, labour-intensive manufacturing environment. The role will oversee industrial relations, HR administration, employee welfare, compliance and stakeholder engagement for a multi-site workforce, ensuring that people practices directly support production continuity, workforce productivity, quality, safety, cost discipline and responsible business performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the HR strategy for a large, labour-intensive, multi-site manufacturing operation, ensuring alignment with production continuity, workforce productivity, quality, safety, cost efficiency and business growth.
• Lead end-to-end HR operations across factory, technical, supervisory, administrative and leadership teams, ensuring consistent service delivery across shifts, sites and employee categories.
• Partner with operations leadership on manpower planning, workforce deployment, organization structure, labour utilization, absenteeism, overtime, attrition and labour cost controls required to meet production targets.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, deployment and retention of employees, with emphasis on speed, quality of hire, workforce readiness and continuity of critical skills.
• Maintain a stable industrial relations environment through proactive union engagement, collective bargaining, grievance handling, disciplinary processes, dispute resolution and fair application of employment policies.
• Ensure compliance with Kenyan labour laws, occupational health and safety requirements, social compliance standards, buyer codes of conduct, ethical sourcing expectations and global labour practice requirements.
• Lead social compliance audits, customer assessments, statutory inspections and remediation plans, ensuring audit readiness, accurate records, disciplined documentation and timely closure of corrective actions.
• Drive employee engagement, welfare, workplace dignity, inclusion, safeguarding, anti-harassment and well-being initiatives that improve morale, retention and productivity across the shop floor.
• Build capability through training systems, supervisory development, performance management, succession planning and career progression pathways that support operational excellence and leadership depth.
• Oversee administration services including transport, security, accommodation where applicable, canteen operations, general services, vendor management, emergency preparedness and cost-efficient service delivery.
• Manage relationships with labour authorities, regulators, government agencies, industry bodies, community leaders, NGOs and development partners, representing the company professionally in employment and community matters.
• Establish HR dashboards, governance routines and executive reporting that track workforce availability, labour cost, absenteeism, turnover, productivity, employee relations, compliance, audit actions and people-related business risks.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master's degree in HR, Industrial Relations, Business Administration, Psychology, Law, or related field.
• Professional HR qualification (CIPD, SHRM, HRCI, CHRP-K or equivalent).
• Additional qualifications in Industrial Relations, Labor Law, or Organizational Development are advantageous.
• Minimum of 15 years of progressive HR leadership experience with at least 8 years in a management role within large-scale manufacturing environments.
• Proven experience in labour-intensive industries.
• Strong experience in unionized environments and CBA negotiations.
• Demonstrated success managing multi-site manufacturing operations.
• Experience working with international customers, compliance standards, and export-oriented businesses will be an added advantage.

Key Competencies

• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Excellent communication, coaching and change leadership skills.
• Strong analytical orientation.
• High integrity
• Resilience, cultural sensitivity and sound judgment.

End Date Octorber 9th 2026

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