Human Resources Manager

Role Overview

This position serves as the primary human resources lead for a humanitarian field operation based in Kakuma, taking ownership of the end-to-end delivery of people services in a complex, remote environment. You will coordinate hiring, support staff development, oversee payroll and HR data systems, and act as the bridge between field staff and the national HR coordination team. The role is central to ensuring that every worker across the field office receives consistent, lawful, and dignified treatment, while also maintaining operational continuity in a high-pressure, logistically demanding context.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the designated recruiting lead for the field office, coordinating both routine and urgent recruitment drives for technical, administrative, and support positions, and serving as the HR panel member for local staff intake.
• Directly supervise the field HR officer and manage end-to-end talent processes, including structured onboarding, probation reviews, performance appraisals, career development tracking, and offboarding for all field-based personnel.
• Provide clear guidance to line managers on disciplinary matters, grievances, and conflict resolution, while ensuring fair handling of employee relations issues and recording them in monthly updates.
• Oversee all HR record keeping and compliance duties, such as updating personnel files, leave registers, recruitment trackers, and training logs, and verifying that every field employee is enrolled on payroll, benefits schemes, and statutory bodies.
• Maintain and supervise the use of HR information systems, including Cornerstone for talent processes, Workday for HR data, and Paymaster for incentive staff payroll, while responding promptly to staff queries about pay or eligibility.
• Drive retention and institutional memory by running local salary benchmark reviews at least once every two years, identifying retention risk, and supporting internal mobility and promotion pathways for qualified staff.
• Coordinate the monthly payroll cycle, ensuring national staff payroll inputs reach Nairobi by the mid-month deadline and incentive staff payroll processing wraps up before the scheduled cut-off.
• Champion safeguarding practices by modelling professional conduct, preventing harassment or exploitation, promoting a respectful environment for teams and communities, and reporting any concerns through the appropriate channels.

Requirements & Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, or a related field, or a non-HR degree combined with a recognised Postgraduate Diploma in HR Management.
• At least five years of continuous HR work experience, with a minimum of three years spent supervising others in a formal capacity.
• Active certification or practising status under the national HR practitioners’ framework.
• Demonstrated understanding of Kenyan labour legislation, statutory deductions, and workplace safety regulations, including the Employment Act, PAYE, NHIF, NSSF, and related mandatory schemes.
• Working knowledge of compensation structures, benefits trends, payroll systems, and HR information platforms such as Workday or equivalent enterprise tools.
• Proven ability to lead teams, guide managers through sensitive corrective actions, and resolve disputes with cultural sensitivity and sound judgment.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills, with a track record of hitting deadlines and juggling multiple HR functions in a low-resource field setting.
• Excellent verbal and written communication capabilities, including report writing that is clear and actionable for senior HR leadership.
• Demonstrated capacity to work independently, remain resilient under pressure, and adapt quickly to changing field conditions, with prior experience in conflict-affected or remote environments regarded as a strong advantage.