Human Resource Lead

Role Overview

This role leads the people agenda for a vertically integrated textile solutions provider based in Ruiru, Kenya, reporting to the Head of Human Resource and Administration. The Human Resource Lead manages the full shop-floor employee experience: recruitment, contracts, records, welfare, discipline, grievances, union engagement, and workmen compensation. The position is critical because fair, legally sound, and fast-moving HR support keeps production teams stable, protects the employer from labour risk, and maintains constructive relationships with employees, shop stewards, and the union.

Key Responsibilities

• Recruit and place production employees in partnership with the Head of Production, department managers, and the HRD team, ensuring workforce needs are identified and filled efficiently.
• Implement and maintain labour relations programs, policies, and procedures that promote a positive, productive working environment across the production function.
• Handle individual and collective grievances, disciplinary actions up to release, counselling, and guidance on work-related and emerging domestic issues to support optimised output.
• Manage employee files, including wages adjustments, annual leave, sick-off, disciplinary records, and safe custody of records for six years after exit as required by law.
• Oversee preparation and issuance of employment contracts with Legal and Regulatory Compliance, ensuring alignment with current Kenyan labour laws.
• Resolve escalated operational disputes, work with shop stewards and the Union Branch Secretary on informal disputes, and support the Head of HRM and Regulatory Affairs in CBA negotiations with timely, actionable insight.
• Lead the WIBA and workmen compensation process, including internal injury investigations within one day, timely claim handling, and satisfactory resolution that protects company interests.
• Make hiring and termination decisions for shop-floor employees up to Chargehand level, manage contract renewals, enforce CBA/HR policy on attendance, performance, absence, leave, and sick-off, communicate labour relations updates, ensure new joiners understand company policy, address minor community concerns, and counsel employees on financial and mental wellbeing.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Strong working knowledge of Kenyan labour laws and regulations, including CBA application, disciplinary and grievance procedures, and WIBA/workmen compensation requirements.
• Experience in an HR generalist, labour relations, or industrial relations role, ideally within a unionised manufacturing, textile, or production environment.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate and mediate with shop stewards, union representatives, managers, and employees, including informal dispute resolution.
• Practical experience managing employee records, contracts, leave, sick-off, wage adjustments, disciplinary files, and post-exit record retention.
• Confident handling of escalated operational issues, court evidence preparation, and coordination with compliance, legal, and production teams.
• Strong conflict resolution, change management, collaboration, and people-relations skills, with sound judgement in balancing employee welfare and business needs.
• Ethics, integrity, confidentiality, and accountability in handling sensitive people matters, including counselling employees on work-related, financial, and mental wellbeing concerns.
• A relevant qualification in human resource management, industrial relations, business administration, or a related field.
• Commitment to upholding the organisation’s core values and driving its S&S culture.