Vacancy title:
Head of Human Resources

[Type: FULL_TIME, Industry: Nonprofit, and NGO, Category: Human Resources]

Jobs at:
MRC/UVRI

Deadline of this Job:
Friday, April 18 2025

Duty Station:
Entebbe | Entebbe | Uganda

Summary
Date Posted: Tuesday, April 8 2025, Base Salary: Not Disclosed

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JOB DETAILS:

The Unit is an internationally recognised centre of excellence with dominant research themes in the areas of HIV and emerging infections, vaccines and immunity, and chronic diseases and cancer. Through a multidisciplinary approach, intersecting basic science, epidemiological research, social-behavioural research and the conduct of new intervention evaluation studies, the Unit contributes knowledge on changing epidemics and diseases, the evaluation of innovative health care options, treatment and prevention and the development of health policy and practice in Africa and worldwide. Following the signing of strategic transfer agreements between the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Medical Research Council (MRC UK), the Unit formally joined LSHTM on 1st February 2018.

The exciting new partnership will boost research capacity into current and emerging health issues in Africa and throughout the world. The Unit is based at the UVRI Entebbe campus with established outposts in Kalungu, Masaka, Wakiso and Kampala Districts. The Unit is now seeking enthusiastic and experienced individuals to fill the following position:

Head of Human Resources – (01 Position)

Position Code: HHR -425

Reports to: Unit Chief Operating Officer

Department: HR-OPs

Station: Entebbe

Job Purpose

The Head of Human Resources (HR) is responsible for the leadership and management of the HR Department and is responsible for ensuring the effective management of human resources in support of the Unit’s mission and strategy.

The Head of HR is responsible for developing and implementing HR strategies, policies and procedures that align with the Unit’s objectives whilst ensuring compliance with applicable employment laws and best practice.

The Head of HR will ensure that all HR initiatives align with the Unit’s core values and agreed

behaviours, promoting a culture that supports the mission and vision of the Unit.

The post holder is a champion of implementing change and is expected to pro-actively drive the continuous improvement of the HR team, service delivery and cost-effective operational capacity.

As a member of the Unit’s Management Committee, the postholder is expected to work collaboratively with colleagues at the Unit and to contribute to a wide range of strategic and operational matters under discussion and act as an advocate for the Unit.

Roles & Responsibilities

1. Strategic HR leadership;

• Develop and implement HR strategies, plans and initiatives that align with the Unit’s key objectives;
• Advise senior management on effective workforce planning and organizational development;
• Promote a culture of excellence, inclusion and continuous improvement;
• Working with Unit leadership, develop and drive initiatives to enhance employee engagement, motivation and retention;

• Ensure all HR policies and practices align with the Unit’s core values, ethical standards, and agreed behaviors;
• Develop and embed a service oriented and business partnering approach within the HR department; and,
• Ensure all HR systems, processes and policies are robust, legally complaint, relevant and fit-for-purpose.

2. Recruitment and organizational development;

• Oversee the recruitment, selection and onboarding processes to support the attraction of highly skilled and talented individuals to the Unit;
• Ensure recruitment practices support and promote equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in line with the Unit’s agreed EDI principles;
• Develop workforce planning approaches that align with the Unit’s research and operational needs;
• Establish and maintain performance management systems that assess and support improvement in efficiency and effectiveness;
• Working with Unit leadership, ensure performance appraisals are conducted across the Unit in line with the Unit’s schedule; and,
• Work with the Unit’s Training department to implement activities that facilitate staff development and capacity-building.

3. Employee relations and compliance;

• Ensure compliance with local and (where applicable) international employment laws and regulations, employment standards and Unit policies, acting as an expert advisor;
• Ensuring suitable policies and guidance are in place for the Unit to address employee grievances and workplace conflicts, including mediation support, working closely with line managers;
• Foster a positive and inclusive work environment;
• Encourage adherence to ethical standards and agreed behaviors and Unit principles in all HR-related matters; and,
• Ensure that there are effective staff communication and engagement mechanisms in place for HR and related matters.

4. Compensation and benefits management;

• Oversee the development and periodic review of competitive compensation structures;
• Manage employee benefits and ensure they align with appropriately benchmarked standards; and,
• Regularly review and update HR policies on remuneration, leave, allowances and other staff benefits.

5. HR operations and data management; -

• Lead and manage the HR Department, ensuring that the services provided meet the needs of the Unit and are flexible in adapting to changing internal and external environments;
• Maintain accurate HR records and ensure data protection compliance;
• Analyse and utilise HR data to inform the Unit’s key decision-making processes and strategic planning; and,
• Implement, maintain and enhance HR information systems to streamline processes.

6. Service Delivery;

It is important that the HR team’s services are delivered in a staff centered manner. This post-holder ensures the department is;

• Responsive;
• Promptly communicating to users new developments such as new services, changes to services etc.;
• Pro-actively resolving issues;
• Upholding high standards of professionalism;
• Take responsibility for the overall quality of the service delivery; and,
• Lead the team's self-assessment process supporting the team in setting targets and agreeing performance indicators for improvement.

7. Financial Management;

Financial management responsibilities of this post include;

• Managing the HR department budget, including forecasting staff and non-staff costs on an annual basis;
• Managing/updating the payroll ensuring the correct projects are charged for personnel costs; and,
• Approval of overtime and on-call allowances for staff in line with Unit policy.

8. Line Management;

The post holder is responsible for managing a dynamic multidisciplinary team. The Head of HR ensures;

• Staff are enabled to perform their assigned duties as expected;
• Staff professional development is nurtured in line with the Unit’s and LSHTM’s capacity building goals;
• There is a positive and supportive work environment in the department;
• Staff feel included and valued and their professional feedback and proposals are heard and considered;
• Staff expectations are clearly communicated, and staff performance is regularly monitored; and,
• Conflicts are resolved promptly and decisively.

9. LSHTM Integration

The post-holder is expected to support the integration of the Unit and LSHTM processes and

procedures by;

• Providing data, updates and information to the Director of Human Resources in London and other London-based colleagues as needed;
• Engage positively, constructively and collaboratively with departments across all LSHTM locations including the sister Unit in The Gambia, sharing knowledge, documents and experiences as needed; and,
• Support harmonization of HR Policies and procedures across LSHTM sites where applicable.

Person Specification

• Master’s degree in human resources, Organizational Psychology, Business Psychology or other relevant course;
• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or Psychology;
• Member of a professional body like HRMAU, CIPD, and CHRM;
• A minimum of 10-years’ experience, with a minimum of 3-years in a senior HR leadership role;
• Significant change management experience and evidence of delivering large change projects;
• Demonstrable experience of a personal commitment to promote and enhance equity, diversity and inclusion;
• Experience providing HR services in a research setting;
• Experience working in a grant-funded environment;
• Should possess strong knowledge of Ugandan labor laws;
• Knowledge of HR strategic principles, and updated HR national laws and regulations;
• Excellent leadership, negotiation and conflict resolution skills;
• Proficiency in developing/implementing HR systems and data management tools;
• Should possess strategic thinking and problem-solving ability;
• Strong ethical standards and integrity;
• Ability to manage change and drive organisational development;
• Strong communication and the ability to build effective working relationships at all levels;
• Ability to work in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment; and,
• Attention to detail and ability to prioritize.

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 120

Level of Education: postgraduate degree

Job application procedure

Follow the link below to fill a form and submit your application documentation:

https://ocdb-svr.mrcuganda.org:8443/redcap/surveys/?s=H4P4NRW48ADCD33C 

Filling the form more than once will lead to automatic disqualification. High level of integrity while filling the form is required and will be considered during shortlisting.

Combine all your application documentation i.e. cover letter, CV & certified copies of academic documents into one PDF document. Deadline for application is 18th April 2025, 5:00pm. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview. This position is open to Ugandan nationals only. Strictly follow the application procedure as failure to do so will lead to automatic disqualification. Only online applications through the link provided will be accepted. You will receive a notification in your email if your application and documentation have been successfully received.

N.B: You will be required to present certified copies of your academic documentation before employment.

The applications should be addressed to:

The Head of Human Resources,

MRC/ UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit,

P.O. Box, 49, Entebbe,

Uganda.

Consider your application unsuccessful if not contacted within eight (8) weeks after the closing date of the advert. Any form of lobbying at any stage will lead to automatic disqualification.

By submitting your personal information, you consent to the MRC/ UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit holding and using it in accordance with its recruitment policy and procedure.

The Unit reserves the right to verify documents attached with the relevant awarding institutions to authenticate their validity.

MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit strives for inclusion and diversity and therefore considers all job applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, colour, national origin, religion, age, marital status, and disability. We highly encourage persons with disabilities to apply and compete for different job openings at the Unit. The Unit is an equal opportunity employer committed to having a diverse work force and does not ask for money at any stage of recruitment.

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