Head of Talent and Culture at BFA (Bankable Frontier Associates)

About the Role 

The Head of Talent and Culture will report to the BFA Global Management Team and will be in charge of nurturing our most precious asset: our Talent! The Head of Talent and Culture will work with senior leadership to help our talent continuously develop in their jobs, learn from the projects we implement and the communities we serve, and realize their full potential. The Head of Talent and Culture will also provide leadership and programming to foster a high-performing environment, and a collaborative and inclusive culture where people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, nationalities and ambitions can thrive and generate the impact we seek

Responsibilities

The Head of Talent and Culture will be responsible for the following:

Talent and Staff Development

• Build a talent pipeline strategy by partnering with recruiters or other organizations 
• Design and implement inclusive recruitment strategies, selection processes and evaluation systems that drive the growth and effectiveness of BFA’s staff
• Monitor and ensure timely filing of hiring positions by established policies and procedures (advertising to BFA Global Website, LinkedIn, Head-hunters), taking into account gender balance and geographical distribution
• Develop and implement all-new hire onboarding programming to ensure that staff members are effective and efficient in their jobs
• Identify employees’ professional development and career support needs in coordination with senior managers and promote professional development programs 

HR Strategy and Management

• Provide leadership to develop BFA HR strategy and supervision of all human resources planning and budgeting 
• Provide consultations on HR related matters with the Professional Employment Organization Partner and all the HR functions for PEO’s employees 
• When requested by the CEO, represents BFA Global in legal and compliance matters.
• Advice Management team on international HR issues, especially pertaining to the US, Kenya, India, Colombia (experience in these countries is a plus)
• Manage market competitiveness assessments and recommend compensation strategies that invest in current staff, attract new talent and retain strong teams.
• Collaborate with the finance department on the transactional elements of Human Resources, including payroll, compensation and benefit administration across all markets.  

Policy

• Diagnose, develop, and deliver timely, relevant, and forward-thinking HR solutions, policies, practices and procedures to meet the evolving and growing needs of BFA Global. 
• Provide advice on interpretation and application of policies, regulations and rules and makes recommendations on exceptions to policies, regulations and rules.
• Advise the CEO and Management Team on all aspects of human resources policies and procedures and provide proactive and innovative approaches to the delivery of human resources services and strategic and policy issues.
• Keep track of and analyze compliance with established HR policies and advise the CEO and Management Team accordingly.

Culture and Employee engagement

• Create compelling, engaging initiatives and learning opportunities to encourage employee development and maintain the company culture
• In partnership with the CEO and Management Team, lead efforts to gather and understand staff input and create actionable steps to further describe and improve our culture, creating an environment that fosters continuous learning and staff who are engaged and energized by the work they do 

Performance management

• Assist the senior leadership (team managers) with the implementation of the performance appraisal system via 15Five
• Provide advice on the handling of difficult and/or argumentative cases with employees; and provide support to employees in resolving internal conflicts via coaching methods 
• Monitor, advise and act on disciplinary matters by established policies and procedures. Mediates conflict, grievance and harassment cases as necessary with senior leadership
• Represent BFA Global in negotiations with employees in dealing with human resources questions when required or in case of any legal matters 

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in human resources management, business or public administration, social sciences, education or related areas. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted instead of an advanced university degree.
• 5-10 years of experience in human resources management, with at least 5 years in an international organization, including compensation, benefits, employee relations, recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, employment law and compliance.
• Strategic, cross-functional thinker with a strong bias for action and implementation.
• Proven ability to coach and mentor individuals and teams with a high level of emotional intelligence.
• Excellent command of both written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of other languages is desirable.
• Demonstrated emotional intelligence and conflict-resolutions skills 
• Certified coach or other certification is a plus 

Soft Skills

Candidates need to succeed in technical skills and build a strong portfolio of soft skills to achieve long-term success at BFA Global.

• Emotional intelligence, communication & empathy – You need to have a strong ability to collaborate effectively with others and work in teams, build relationships, share ideas, and manage conflict.

• Creativity & problem-solving skills – You must have analytical and critical thinking skills that can help them find creative solutions to problems. Solid judgment, problem-solving aptitude, flexibility, creativity, diplomacy are traits we look for.
• Adaptability & flexibility – You need to be agile and adaptable to effectively deal with the rapid changes (both financial and technological) occurring in the industry.

Anticipated Start Date: Immediate

Preferred location: The full-time position will be based in either Boston, US, Nairobi, Kenya, or London, UK. Candidates need to have valid work permits. Compensation will be commensurate with experience.