Mary’s Meals (MM) is a global movement supported by people from all walks of life and we are focused on one goal – that every child receives a nutritious daily meal in a place of education.

We continue to change the lives of over 2 million children who today will receive Mary’s Meals.

We offer more than just a job; we offer the opportunity to support our global movement in a dynamic and inclusive environment with a real focus on personal development.

Mary’s Meals Kenya (MMK) operates a School Feeding programme in Primary and Early Childhood Development centres in Kenya and currently feeding 113,000 children in Kenya, across 701 schools.

We believe in the innate goodness of people, respect the dignity of every human being and family life and believe in good stewardship of the resources entrusted to us.

In line with our values, Mary’s Meals is fully committed to a culture of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

We desire that all who are part of Mary’s Meals should embed our values, safeguarding and acceptable behaviours that include Simplicity, Service and Stewardship”.

We are recruiting for an inspirational leader to join Mary’s Meals Kenya, as our new Head of HR & People Development – Turkana County.

As Head of HR & People Development, you will play a key role in our Senior Leadership Team and drive HR excellence across Mary’s Meals Kenya.

Based in Lodwar, Turkana and reporting to the Country Director, you will build and deliver a future focussed HR strategy aligned to our global People Strategy and our dearly held values.

With a strong focus on capacity building, compliance, safeguarding and learning & development, you will provide inspirational leadership for the HR & LD team and support the continuous development of robust people policy frameworks to strengthen our programme and people, as we strive to reach the next child waiting for Mary’s Meals.

You will partner with the organisation to provide expert advice and guidance to managers on all HR matters, including, performance management, recruitment, employee development, complex employee relations issues, organisational design, workforce planning and complex change programmes.

You will lead on the ongoing implementation of our values and leadership behaviours into all aspects of programme operations and will role model simplicity, stewardship and service in every aspect of your role.

Key duties & responsibilities for the role include:

HR Operations and Compliance

• Maintain oversight of the People Frameworks in place in MMK to ensure that policies, procedures and practices are legally compliant and in line with MM’s values.


• Ensure that MM’s Safeguarding Framework and associated initiatives are implemented and ensure safeguarding standards are integrated into all relevant HR and operational processes.


• Take a proactive approach to HR compliance, legislation and risk management, ensuring risks and issues are identified, addressed and reported.


• Support the Senior Leadership Team in the review and implementation of pay and reward policies to ensure compliant, competitive and cost-effective salaries and benefits package are in place.

HR business partnering, advice and guidance

• Provide expert advice and guidance to managers on HR matters, supporting managers in dealing with recruitment, complex casework, performance, attendance, disciplinary, grievance and employee relations issues.


• Ensure that any issues that arise in the programme are managed and resolved efficiently in line with organizational standards and best practice.


• Lead the management of organizational development and change processes including restructures, expansions and contractions. Ensure that any process are effectively scoped and managed with risks identified and minimized and all employees supported throughout.

Management and Leadership

• Lead the HR team and function in Mary’s Meals MMK, ensure the team has the necessary skills, competencies, objectives and development plans in place to provide excellent service to the Programme Affiliate.


• Maintain oversight of the People Team’s work and performance, monitoring activities and ensuring the effective implementation of work and business plans.


• Develop, implement and monitor annual strategic and operational plans that identify HR priorities and translates organisational requirements into effective HR operational workplans.


• Manage delegated resources (e.g. budgets, equipment and contracts) as appropriate, to ensure good stewardship of resources and value for money.

Culture, strategy and engagement

• Ensure the implementation of MMI’s People Strategy in the MMK to ensure that organizational culture and HR operating standards are in line with best practice and organizational values.


• Oversee the implementation and embedding of Mary’s Meals Leadership Behaviours into programme operations. Support the SLT to understand and embed Aspirations into Action into programme management and leadership practices.


• Work with the MMI People Team to coordinate regular culture and engagement surveys. Analyze programme results and develop and implement an action plan in consultation with the SLT.


• Support and advise the SLT to ensure that effective communication and engagement takes place across MMK.


• Work as part of a Global People Team to develop and deliver cross-programme projects that support the development of the global people strategy.

Organisational learning and development

• Oversee the development and implementation of a Learning and Development plan that supports strategy and delivers leadership and management development, team development and capacity building.


• Oversee the development, launch and delivery of the Programme Academy, and ensure continuous performance monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are in place.


• Develop and implement effective evaluation of all learning and development initiatives to ensure impact is being delivered and stewardship of resources.


• Lead, coach and support the senior leadership team in developing, management & leadership skills and styles across the team in MMK.


• Implement a personal development review process and ensure it is aligned to key strategic objectives supporting development of organisational culture in line with Mary’s Meals values.


• Oversee the development and delivery of initiates to improve management capacity and understanding of HR and people management issues across the programme.


• Support line managers to develop and deliver team development and team building initiatives.

Data and HR Systems

• Ensure that HR information systems, processes, documents and records are developed and maintained.


• Oversee the collation, analysis and reporting of meaningful HR data and management information.


• Use this data to make recommendations and develop HR initiatives.


• Develop and maintain processes and reporting mechanisms to monitor implementation of safeguarding standards and ensure compliance.


• Ensure that all internal and external reporting requirements are satisfied.

Other duties

• Represent the organisation externally as required, and appropriate, as a member of Mary’s Meals MMK.’s Senior Leadership Team.


• Ensure the maintenance of excellent relations with all of Mary’s Meals partners, supporters and visitors.


• Occasional travel to Mary’s Meals programmes countries may be required.

Qualifications, skills, and experience

Essential

• Degree level education in a relevant subject or equivalent, with a significant post qualification experience


• Strong track-record of working in a senior generalist HR position with experience of overseeing operational and strategic initiatives.


• Experience of leading, motivating and developing a HR or L&D team.


• Advanced inter-personal skills, with the experience of developing excellent working relationships and partnerships with people inside and outside the organisation.


• Experience of supporting an organisation to identify individual and organisational training needs and designing and implementing solutions to deliver impact.


• Commitment to Mary’s Meals values and leadership behaviours.


• Excellent Microsoft Office skills, particularly Word and Excel with the ability to use IT to develop and produce data and management information.


• Proven ability of developing and effectively implementing complex projects and programmes of work.


• Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively in a busy, dynamic working environment.


• A proactive and positive approach to work with the ability to apply judgement, creativity and flexibility to generate new and innovative ideas and approaches to solve complex problems.


• Strong track record of developing and implementing HR and L&D strategy, policy, procedures and systems that are in line with organisational values and best practice.


• Experience of developing and implementing organisational development and culture change projects and programmes.


• Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines.

Desirable

• Experience of developing workforce plans that reflect organisational need.


• Experience of working in a charity, not for profit or a values-based organisation.

How to Apply

If you are inspired to join our movement and our vision, mission and values resonate with you, we would love to hear from you.

To apply, please click on the Apply Now Button.

Please include your CV, salary expectations and a succinct covering letter, no more than 1 page, telling us why you would be a fantastic Head of HR & People Development for Mary’s Meals Kenya.

Please note this role will be based in Lodwar, Turkana.

The advert closes on 28th April 2022, close of business.

Mary’s Meals never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

APPLY NOW