Job Title:   Human Resources Director  

Organisation: Medical Teams International (MTI)

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

About the Company:

Medical Teams International is a faith-based not for profit health relief and development organization with a Calling “Daring to love like Jesus, we boldly break barriers to health and restore wholeness in a hurting world.” MTI-UG has operations in West Nile and South western Uganda. We provide Comprehensive Primary Health Care, Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDS and Nutrition.

Job Summary:   Responsible for overall leadership and strategic direction in designing, developing and implementing strategies and systems to attract, develop, and retain committed and productive human resources to deliver MTI’s goals and the Country Strategy.

The role is deployable according to MTI Global needs and will be available to provide technical support to other MTI Country Offices in negotiation with MTI HQ HR.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic HR Leadership and Policy Development

• Strategic HR Planning: Spearhead the development of a forward-looking HR strategy that aligns with the Uganda country strategy, reinforcing MTI’s mission through continuous enhancement of HR processes and systems to drive operational excellence.
• Policy Framework and Compliance Alignment: Design, implement, and sustain HR policies, procedures, and tools that meet Uganda Labor law requirements and support MTI’s global and local priorities, ensuring policies adapt to evolving organizational needs.
• HR Governance: Oversee the creation and regular updating of HR manuals and handbooks, ensuring accessibility and relevance for employees and management to uphold standards and clarity in HR practices.
• Senior Leadership Team Contribution: As an integral member of the Vision Team and Senior Management Team, shape and influence organizational objectives and transformation strategies, contributing insights to drive effective change management.
• Leadership in Organizational Change: Provide strategic support to managers on change initiatives, restructuring, and team-building efforts. Diagnose organizational challenges and collaborate with staff and leadership to identify impactful solutions that promote resilience and adaptability.
• Environmental Analysis and Insights: Gather and analyze data on the operational environment, including insights from staff surveys, to anticipate and address emerging HR issues, delivering actionable intelligence to guide management decision-making.
• Advisory and Compliance Role: Act as a trusted advisor to senior management, offering expert guidance on the interpretation and application of HR policies and procedures while ensuring adherence to legal and regulatory standards.
• Organizational Culture Development: Champion a work culture that reflects Medical Teams International’s core values, fostering an ethos of integrity, service, and accountability across all levels of the organization.
• Performance and Development Advisory: Advise and equip managers and staff on effective performance management, linking evaluations to rewards and development, while leading the HR team in creating robust training and career growth plans for organizational success.

Strategic Business Partnering and Budget Leadership

• Strategic Alignment and Planning: Actively participate in strategic and tactical planning sessions to enhance organizational effectiveness, aligning HR initiatives with both overall organizational goals and the specific needs of individual departments. Ensure HR’s role supports the achievement of MTI Uganda’s mission through proactive, results-driven planning.
• Leadership in Initiative Development: Drive, plan, and co-implement high-impact initiatives that propel the organization toward its strategic objectives, fostering collaboration across departments and ensuring alignment with MTI’s broader priorities.
• HR Budget Oversight and Guidance: Lead the development of HR budgeting frameworks and provide comprehensive budget guidelines for departments and field offices to incorporate into their annual planning. Partner with finance to ensure that HR allocations are strategic, resource-efficient, and aligned with organizational priorities.
• Expertise in HR Processes and Innovation: Provide technical expertise and a forward-looking approach to core HR processes—spanning recruitment, benefits management, compensation, onboarding, and leadership development. Champion innovative HR solutions that align with MTI’s organizational goals and enhance employee engagement and retention.
• Strategic HR Business Partnering Model: Design and implement a robust HR business partnering model, collaborating with line managers to deliver HR services that are responsive to departmental needs. Act as a strategic advisor, empowering line managers to achieve optimal performance and fostering a culture of accountability and support across the organization.

Department & Team Leadership

• Visionary Leadership and Technical Guidance: Provide strategic direction and expert support to the HR team, ensuring alignment with MTI’s mission and organizational goals. Cultivate a cohesive team that is clear on strategy, priorities, and plans, fostering an environment of trust, inclusiveness, and collaboration.
• Team Development and Performance Excellence: Establish a culture of continuous learning and development by creating structured opportunities for growth, conducting regular performance evaluations, and offering coaching to enhance each team member’s contribution.
• Strategic Budget Stewardship: Oversee and manage the HR department’s budget, including strategic planning, forecasting, and allocation to ensure optimal resource use. Monitor departmental expenditures to align with budget authority while maximizing resource efficiency and impact.
• Spiritual and Values-Based Leadership: Provide spiritual guidance and values-driven leadership to direct reports, reinforcing MTI’s commitment to its core values in daily operations and team interactions.
• Departmental Structure and Strategic Alignment: Regularly evaluate and optimize the department’s structure and mandates to ensure they meet evolving organizational needs and support MTI’s strategic objectives effectively.

HR Business Process Leadership

• Strategic Budget Analysis and Compliance Management: Lead comprehensive budget needs assessments for HR, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and strict adherence to donor compliance standards in all HR-related reporting and documentation.
• Contract Oversight and Service Provider Management: Oversee and manage HR Services provider contracts, such as medical insurance and other staff benefits, ensuring accuracy and timely renewals to support uninterrupted service and compliance with organizational standards.
• Confidentiality and Data Integrity: Uphold a rigorous approach to personnel data management, ensuring all employee records are securely maintained, complete, and compliant with data protection regulations to safeguard confidentiality.
• Payroll Accuracy and Compliance: Ensure the timely, accurate processing of national staff payroll in strict accordance with statutory requirements, reinforcing MTI’s commitment to transparency and compliance in financial and personnel practices.
• HR Information Systems Optimization: Drive strategic utilization of Human Resource Information Systems, particularly the Unit4 ERP, to enhance HR resource efficiency, data accuracy, and decision-making capabilities. Ensure the system’s data integrity aligns with MTI’s operational needs and goals.
• Employee Engagement and Satisfaction: Oversee the execution of Employee Engagement surveys, develop an implementation plan addressing areas for improvement, and guide action plans to ensure effective alignment with organizational goals.

Legal Compliance

• Legal Representation and Compliance Management: Establish and maintain a productive relationship with MTI Uganda’s legal representatives to ensure compliance with local labor laws and regulatory requirements, safeguarding the organization’s legal standing.
• Regulatory Monitoring and Compliance: Continuously monitor legal and regulatory changes affecting HR operations. Ensure MTI Uganda adheres to all relevant laws and regulations, proactively addressing potential compliance risks and taking timely actions to mitigate litigation risks.
• Policy Compliance and Standards Implementation: Lead the implementation of global HR policies and compliance standards, including PSEA (Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse), Code of Conduct, and Accountability of Affected People. Ensure consistent  communication and adherence to these standards across MTI Uganda.

Others

• Model and promote the Medical Teams values and culture
• Ensure the Safeguarding of program participants and employees through promoting an environment of awareness and upholding the code of conduct provisions of Medical Teams Protection from Sexual Exploitation & Abuse, Child & Vulnerable Adult protection, and harassment-free workplace policies.
• Other duties as assigned

Education, Licenses, & Certifications:                                                                                                                                  

• Master’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Psychology, Business Administration with a focus in Human Resources or related degree is required
• Senior Professional in HR

Experience:                                                                                                                                                                                               

• 10 years of progressive experience managing HR operations and a minimum of 5 at Senior Management level is required
• Experience working with ERP systems is required
• Experience working with a large INGO is an added advantage

Knowledge:

• In-depth knowledge of human resource management principles and best practices including employee relations, compensation and benefits, Human Resource policy and procedures, and staffing management.
• In-depth knowledge of Uganda employment legislation and regulations
• Knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP); computerized accounting software such as Sage, Unit4, etc; and Microsoft Office
• Knowledge of humanitarian staffing needs; knowledge of emergency operations is an added advantage

Skills:

• Highly skilled in developing leaders and managing a team
• Demonstrated employee relation skills
• Skilled in implementing strategic actions that benefit the longevity of the organisation
• Skilled in analyzing data for reporting and making data-driven decisions
• Skilled in creative problem solving and navigating ‘gray’ areas
• Skilled in using database systems to improve workflow
• Highly organized and able to manage competing priorities to meet deadlines
• Excellent  communication skills both written and auditory
• Excellent cross-cultural communication and interpersonal skills

Abilities:

• Ability to develop relationships that build effective recruitment networks
• Ability to remain impartial in resolving conflict
• Ability to lead investigations and resolve complex employee relations issues
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential matters with the highest level of professionalism
• Proactive with a keen desire to improve systems
• Ability to support
• MTI Calling and adhere to the MTI Code of Conduct