Title: People and Culture  Director

Department: People and Culture 

Reporting to: Executive Director with dotted line reporting to Deputy Executive Director

Location:  One of Greenpeace Africa (GPAF) Operational Office ( South Africa,  Cameroon, Senegal, Kenya) with flexibility to work from home as GPAF implements a hybrid work location model

Purpose of the Role 

People and Culture Director will be responsible for conceptualising, initiating, planning, directing, implementing and managing the staff and organisational development strategies of GPAF. This will involve various strategies related to HR systems, remuneration, job evaluation, learning, training and staff development, capacity building, retention, performance management, workforce and succession planning, organisational climate, diversity management and employment equity.

The role will be responsible for the efficient and effective Employee and Labour Relations services to all levels of staff; for managing the relationship with the staff/ workplace Forum as member of the negotiating team and for the development of all policy and strategy in this area.

Main duties 

Strategy Policy development, review and Implementation 

  • Provides strategic direction to GPAF by restructuring and aligning the Unit to the extent that it meets the strategic objectives of the Organisation
  • Drafts Policies and Procedures in respect of the HR value chain
  • Provides strategic direction, input and advice to all levels of Management, including Board, on Employee and Labour Relations matters, including how to deal with different scenarios/possibilities, and how to identify and counter potential risks that may be inherent.
  • Provides detailed opinion to all levels of Management on legal matters and processes
  • Supports GPAF strategy by devising strategic goals that ensure:
    • That conditions of service are attractive, competitive and fair
    • That the dispute resolution processes are efficient, effective, consistent and fair, and
    • That its disciplinary processes are efficient, effective, consistent and fair
  • Develops, operates and maintains effective and efficient systems and procedures relating to people and culture services, including the establishment of adequate internal control measures to safeguard the organisation from financial, legal and reputational liability  
  • Takes responsibility for the regular review and update of policies and procedures. 
  • Takes responsibility for the communication and implementation of agreed policies, practices and systems.
  • Propose and oversee implementation of compensation and benefits programs, ensuring they are competitive, equitable, and aligned with GPAF financial objectives and employee satisfaction goals.

Leadership coordination and capability 

  • Provides leadership and direction to the People and Culture  function. 
  • Takes necessary steps to ensure that there is clear focus and co-ordination of all activities; that resources are effectively deployed and that there are clearly communicated performance standards and objectives.
  • Ensures that there is an integrated and cohesive approach to all activities through effective teamwork.
  • Sets standards for individual and overall performance and takes steps to ensure it operates as a high performance and effective team.
  • Monitors and provides regular feedback on individual performance and takes appropriate action where necessary.
  • Assesses current and anticipated service delivery capability & capacity requirements and takes steps to ensure that these are aligned to GPAF needs by reviewing:
    • Staff & management capability/competence & capacity levels
    • Operational processes & systems
    • Oversee the utilization of the HR Information System, ensuring that all relevant People & Culture processes are fully automated and data driven.
  • Initiates improvements to operational capability, utilization and overall performance.

Operational Effectiveness, Performance and service delivery 

  • Responsible for the overall performance and effectiveness of the HR function and ensures that service delivery obligations are fulfilled by directing & coordinating, or personally dealing with, activities in the following areas:
    • Researches and develops appropriate knowledge material to train and capacity build leadership and staff on various subjects
    • Keeps abreast of any HR & legal developments by regularly researching latest trends and regulations to advise management accordingly.
  • Day-to-day Support:
    • Provides advice to staff and Management on operational problems
    • Attends to matters that have arisen, either personally, or through the co-ordination of appropriate members of staff
    • Provides guidance to staff and Management on Discipline and Grievance-related matters
    • Deals with day-to-day requests by Union officials/Workplace/staff  forum etc.

Relationships and stakeholder management 

  • Plays a crucial role as part of the GPAF negotiating team (together with the Executive Director & SMT) when dealing with the Unions/WPF
  • Assists with the formulation of strategy and negotiations on various matters 
  • Attempts to resolve disputes that arise from such negotiations when matters are referred to the formal legal structures.
  • Convenes regular meetings with Unions/WPF to consult on issues such as restructuring, retrenchments, Job Evaluation, Performance Management and procedures and Inductions
  • Contributes actively to building an effective working relationship with SMT, GPI & the Board by providing accurate and timely reports and effective decision-support
  • Builds relationships with key external stakeholders, including Attorneys of Law Courts and professional service providers.
  • Advises the Executive Director and other members of SMT on matters relating to Employee and Labour Relations policy and strategy. 

 Risk Governance and financial management 

  • Pro-actively keeps up-to-date and ensures compliance with corporate governance and statutory requirements  as well as other country specific regulations. 
  • Ensures the establishment of adequate internal control measures to safeguard GPAF and ensure the reliability of its records.
  • Ensures compliance with established internal control procedures and authority levels. 
  • Partners with governance and legal units in keeping with legal standards. 
  • Anticipates potential problem areas and advises on appropriate corrective action.
  • Exposure to business risk is properly managed and mitigated through the adoption of effective measures
  • Constructs and controls operational budget for the Unit
  • Vets and approves all invoices for payment
  • Checks expenditure prior to authorisation

Qualifications and Experience 

  • Master’s degree or equivalent experience in Human Resources Management, Industrial psychology, Organisation Development or related field.
  • At least 10 years’ of HR experience working across the full HR Value Chain within NGOs, international organizations, or movements, with a minimum of 5 years in HR department leadership roles.
  • Excellent knowledge of employment legislation and regulations across Africa
  • Negotiations and Consultation
  • Conflict management and resolution skills
  • Policy design and formulation
  • Spoken and written French an advantage
  • No criminal record other than related to activist activities.
  • Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams across geographies and cultures.

Greenpeace Africa is an equal opportunity organisation committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, irrespective of gender, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic background. Interested qualified candidates should email a cover letter & CV to [email protected] with the subject line- People and Culture Director as the subject line by the 31st December 2025