People & Culture Coordinator (Rwanda & Senegal) – Practical Action

ABOUT US

We are an International Development Organization putting ingenious ideas to work so people in poverty can change their world.

We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems. Challenges made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. We work with communities to develop ingenious, lasting and locally owned solutions for agriculture, water and waste management, climate resilience and clean energy. And we share what works with others, so answers that start small can grow big.
We are a global change-making group. The group consists of a UK registered charity with community projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, an independent development publishing company and a technical consulting service. We combine these specialisms to multiply our impact and help shape a world that works better for everyone.

OUR AIMS
We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems, made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. Our aims are to:

• Make agriculture work better for smallholder farmers, many of them women, so they can adapt to climate change and achieve a good standard of living
• Help more people harness the transformational effects of clean affordable energy and reduce avoidable deaths caused by smoke from indoor stoves and fires.
• Make cities in poorer countries cleaner, healthier places to live and work.
• Build disaster resilience into the lives of people threatened by hazards – reducing the risk of hazards and minimizing their impact on lives and livelihoods.

PRACTICAL ACTION IN EAST AFRICA

In East Africa, Practical Action has a long history of addressing systemic barriers that prevent people from accessing energy that transforms their lives, helping communities and government make cities healthier and safer, making agriculture and markets work better for small holder farmers and supporting communities and government to become more resilient.
We use a mix of programming with communities and consultancy services with shapers of policy and practice to achieve our aims in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania with offices in Nairobi, Kigali, Lodwar and Kisumu.
In Rwanda, we are recognized leaders in clean cooking and sustainable energy solutions. This includes ground-breaking work in solar, wind and water powered electricity generation, often delivered through independent mini-grids. We bring rural communities, people in refugee camps, energy providers and decision makers together to put sustainable, clean energy solutions to work for the people who need them most.
In our strategic business plan 2021-2025, we propose to extend our current reach and scope in Rwanda by deepening our energy work and stretching our portfolio to work with small holder farmers to make agriculture work better for them.

ABOUT THE ROLE
This post is for a People & Culture Coordinator based in Rwanda leading the HR activity for two locations – Rwanda in East Africa and Senegal in West Africa. The majority of the time (around 80%) will be focused on activity in Rwanda. The People & Culture Coordinator is accountable for providing both strategic and operational management in the area of human resources for both locations. Particularly, he/she is accountable for leading on planning and delivery of our people, leadership and culture enabling objective, ensuring alignment to our global approach and supporting management in strengthening our investment in people.
In Rwanda and Jordan, Practical Action is implementing a four-year Renewable Energy for Refugees (RE4R) project in Rwanda and Jordan. This project will be led by Practical Action and UNHCR to deliver renewable energy investments through an innovative approach in humanitarian settings, working directly with refugees and host communities in Kigeme, Nyabiheke and Gihembe refugee camps in Rwanda and with urban refugees in Irbid in Jordan. The project will provide access to affordable and sustainable sources of renewable energy, and improve the health, wellbeing and security of target populations. It will draw on Practical Action’s considerable existing experience of renewable energy programmes in developing countries – working directly with communities to deliver the best energy services and products possible for local people. The project is a component of a wider programme which includes renewable energy implementation activities in Rwanda and Jordan. The UK office will oversee the implementation of the overall programme including technical leadership.
In West Africa, we operate a consulting model that offers a unique approach to achieving impact through a consultancy business. We use our know-how and expertise to influence and shape the policies, strategies and approaches of governments, the private sector, donors, UN agencies, development banks and NGOs so that the needs of people living in poverty or vulnerable to climate change are integrated within development processes. The strategy in West Africa has a twin focus:
(a) building resilience to climate change with small-holder farmers and low-income households, and
(b) using energy to enable farmers and displaced people to transform their lives. We also have scope to explore new areas of work on regenerative agriculture and urban water and sanitation. From a central office in Dakar, Senegal, our West Africa work covers several, mostly francophone, countries.
The People & Culture Coordinator will lead the following:

• Set and support the organization to deliver on a viable HR plan in support of the strategy
• Ensure alignment with our global People & Culture approaches and workstreams,
• Build and foster an organizational culture of collaboration, learning and a focus on impact
• Ensure we have the right people in the right structures to support our strategy
• Ensure compliance with local labor laws and organizational standards
• Work collaboratively with leaders and managers

SCOPE

Title: People & Culture Coordinator

Reporting to: Rwanda Country Manager

Unit: People & Culture

Direct reports: None

Matrix reports: HR assistants in Rwanda and Senegal, Receptionist/Admin assistants

Matrix reporting: Head of People, Culture & Administration, East Africa

Location: Rwanda (Remotely supporting Senegal)

Grade: 7

Travel requirements: Limited travel within Rwanda and Senegal

ACCOUNTABILITIES
Delivering Quality

Policies & Procedures

• Support in the development of essential HR documents for a new office. This will involve implementing any legal required policies, and ensuring contracts of employment are up-to-date.
• Develop and update of Human Resources policies and procedures in line with changes in the regulatory and labor environment and organizational requirements.
• Ensure that all employment practices, compensation, employee benefits, and human resources activities are within established standards, procedures, guidelines, and policies of Practical Action.
• Oversee, or directly deliver, a quality HR administrative service that includes record keeping for the whole employee lifecycle and consultants e.g. contracting, annual leave, policy sign up etc.
• Coordinate the quarterly performance management process to ensure that it is completed in a timely and effective manner and is linked to staff training & development plans.
• Maintain staff lists and organograms and update /circulate them as required.
• Maintain accurate employee files that document all stages of the employee lifecycle and meet minimum standards of governance and organizational standards; including accurate job descriptions, contracts, qualifications, references, pay changes etc.
• Liaise with Finance Department on the preparation of payroll and processing of staff benefits.
• Lead remuneration activities. This may involve reviewing of benefits, salary scales proposing inflationary increases.
• Oversee all administrative functions in the Rwanda office.
• In coordination with Programme Staff, ensure that all HR and administrative functions in field offices are carried out according to established policies and procedures.
• Organizing for management and governance meetings, take minutes and make follow up on action points
• Preparation of Board meetings, compilation of Board papers / outcomes and resolutions
• Oversee all issues related to NGO registration and liaison with the relevant government authorities

Leadership and Strategic Alignment

• Support the learning organisation culture through coordination of staff training and development programmes and activities: work with line managers to identify staff learning and development needs, compile, prepare and coordinate needs and support managers and staff to access L&D opportunities, including E-learning platforms.
• Support the resolution of employee relations matters such as grievances and disciplinary which may include liaising with employees and managers, attending investigation meetings, writing notes and updating personnel files.
• Prepare and offer analysis of staff survey reports, promoting the survey and resulting actions to build employee engagement.
• Contribute to the quarterly reporting against the SBP for Rwanda office.
• Actively contribute to the development of annual Strategic Business Plan, ensuring that it incorporates our people plan and supporting all teams to incorporate our people priorities in their planning and budgeting to achieve change ambitions.
• Foster an environment that embraces and enables change
• Raise awareness of existing policies and procedures a with employees, consultants and other relevant people with privacy and data protection requirements.
• Act as Safeguarding focal point, ensuring that all staff and consultants understand our policies and reporting mechanisms.
• Be an advocate of gender, social inclusion and diversity
• Work closely with staff welfare committee and facilitate staff welfare activities and issues.
• Support the safety and security focal point in implementation of staff health, safety and security.
• Collaborate with recruiting managers to co-ordinate an effective, transparent and quality recruitment process including drafting job descriptions, creating and posting job adverts, shortlisting suitable candidates with a focus on creating a positive candidate experience.
• Manage the process of staff appointments, which includes preparing offer letters, contracts of employment, collecting references and any other document for new hires.
• Ensure that new and transitioning employees are provided with an inspiriting, supporting and effective induction programme and exit procedures, respectively.
• Administer online HR systems e.g. policy management software, Appraisal software, E-learning software, supporting others in their effective use e.g. providing log in details, managing listed users, and reporting compliance figures.

Strengthening Profile and Managing Relationships

• Be the first point of contact for HR enquiries for Rwanda and Senegal responding sensitively and appropriately where possible and referring queries to others as appropriate
• Provide HR data and KPI’s including: monthly HR metrics, E-learning, Global staff surveys responses, new starter and leavers data.
• Facilitate and manage all staff insurance policies (medical, group life, group accident, etc.) through a reliable and recognized insurance company.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the management.

PERSON PROFILE
To be successful in the role, the ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate:
Experience & Knowledge

• A degree in Human Resource Management, Public/Business Administration, Organizational Development or other related field would be desirable.
• A diploma in the above fields with relevant work experience may be considered
• Operational experience of working within a busy HR and Admin team environment providing timely and high quality advice and work in all aspects of HR (recruitment, reward, employee relations, employment legislation, learning and development, change management, policies and processes.

Essential

• Proven HR generalist experience (at least 5 years)
• Experience working in INGO would be an added advantage
• Ability to communicate (verbally and in writing) in both English and French is a must
• Good knowledge of Rwandan employment law and ability to create an outsourced relationship with a local labor law expert for Senegal.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively with staff at different levels within an organization
• An ability to maintain confidentiality and act with discretion and diplomacy

Desirable

• Self-motivated and able to work under own autonomy or as part of a team
• Strong organizational skills and detail-oriented
• Requires problem solving orientation, good communication and negotiation skills
• Ability to travel to the Senegal office