1. 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.
  

2. 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.
  

3. 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.
  

4. 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.
  

5. 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.
  

6. 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.