Director of People

DESCRIPTION
POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of People supports Busara’s growing global team from its headquarters in Kenya. This is a strategic level position that cuts across Busara with a focus on building the absolute best people at our organization in terms of talent, productivity, and satisfaction.

In five years, Busara has grown from four people in one office to over 120 across the region, with active projects in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. Our staff is diverse, with our Nairobi office comprised of a strong Kenyan team as well as an expatriate team hailing from nearly a dozen countries. We also have a Uganda team and a growing Nigeria staff, which will be expanding further in 2018.

Busara is a behavioral science organization that uses rigorous data and cutting-edge research methods in all of its work, and our People team is no different. As a firm driven by human capital, our people drive everything we do, from our engagements to our culture. Our value as a firm comes from our exceptional people.

Whether it’s using the latest in sensors and technology, apps for mental health improvement, developing bias-free hiring processes, or data-driven performance reporting, we expect our Director of People to be at the cutting edge of the field and embrace a scientific and rigorous approach to developing people.

The Director of People will lead our efforts to recruit, train, and maintain a world class team of people from a rich diversity of experiences and backgrounds. The Director will liaise across teams to lead our data-driven hiring cycles, learning and training initiatives, HR administration, performance management, wellness, and to inform our growth strategy, all while ensuring our culture stays at the heart of everything we do.

The ideal candidate is an experienced, entrepreneurial professional and out of the box thinker who truly values people, understands organizational culture, and can inspire and lead our People team to deliver the best possible value for Busara and our staff. The ideal Director is also dynamic, confident, continually abreast of industry best practices, and constantly working to make sure Busara is a top place to work.

Our Director of People reports to the Director of Operations, with direct coordination with our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Strategy Officer.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Our Director of People leads a variety of initiatives including, but not limited to:
Lead and execute our People strategy globally, including for all staff in our Kenya headquarters, as well as for our teams in Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, and Ethiopia.
Oversee all aspects of Human Resources administration, including employment processing, contracting, health and welfare benefits, immigration, records management, safety and health, and local legal compliance.
Continually develop and iterate our hiring process to incorporate best practices in using data and behavioral science to eliminate bias and recruit the best people for Busara.
Design and lead the development of compensation and rewards systems for all Busara staff.
Develop and monitor our internal training initiatives. Lead the design of our skills assessments and training tools and coordinate within teams as well as across the industry to design our training curriculum.
Lead our mentorship, assessment, and promotion process to ensure our staff are continually growing, learning, and contributing.
Ensure that our culture scales with our organization, including to all countries where Busara has and is building a presence.
Incorporate the latest research in qualitative and quantitative methods, behavioral science, psychology, economics, and development to provide creative solutions to our people needs.
Serve as a leader and thought partner in developing our strategic plans, organizational charts, and international expansion plans.
Oversee management and, where necessary, implementation of Busara’s HR information systems globally.
Manage, coach, inspire, and grow Busara’s people team.
Continually stay abreast of Busara’s policy needs and oversee the People team to research, develop, write, and update key policies, processes, and documents related to People, management, and Busara’s culture and values.
Continually assess and improve Busara’s recruitment, onboarding, and offboarding processes, ensuring that they are in line with Busara’s identity and standards.
Ensure systems for redress and support are available, shared with staff, and robust.
Partner with team members to initiate and implement wellness events and initiatives to support all Busara staff globally and promote a happy and healthy workplace.

REQUIREMENTS
Experience leading teams, with a particular focus on growth, talent, and culture.
Ability to work with and inspire people from a variety of cultures, backgrounds, and experiences.
Knowledge and experience with best practices in people operations.
Senior