Roving HR Manager

WAR CHILD ALLIANCE - Africa & Colombia Region; Amsterdam; Hybrid; EUR 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel to Kenya & Chad

Job summary

War Child Alliance - Africa & Colombia Region seeks a roving HR Manager to set up a new HR department in Kenya and Chad, reporting to the Senior HR Business Partners.

You will architect the people strategy, legal compliance foundations, and workflows, collaborating with the HR team to implement policies and templates.

The six-month assignment includes data gathering, job design, salary benchmarking, stakeholder engagement, and travel to the two countries for implementation.

Qualifications

• Degree in Human Resources Management, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or related field.
• Progressive HR experience with a track record of building an HR department from scratch.
• Strong knowledge of local labor laws, compensation benchmarking, HR tech, and change management.

Responsibilities

• Strategic alignment and organization design: design org structure and reporting lines.
• Policy and legal compliance: draft HR policies and handbook aligned with existing policies.
• HR systems and infrastructure: set up filing systems and templates for letters, contracts, appraisals.
• Compensation management: benchmark market pay and design total rewards framework.
• Recruitment & onboarding: source and onboard HR focal points for the new department.

Skills

Strategic HR design

Stakeholder management

Policy writing

Data analysis

People analytics

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/OD/BA

Job description

Roving HR Manager

We are looking for a roving experienced HR Manager to support us in the set-up the HR structure for two countries. The responsibility for the development of the HR department set up is for the Senior HR Business Partners. Therefore, the role will report to the Snr HR Business Partners.

About The Role

The Roving HR Manager is hired to set up a brand-new Human Resources department in two different countries, Kenya and Chad and will act as an architect to build the organization’s people strategy, legal compliance foundation, and operational workflows from the ground up. The role is expected to involve collecting, analysing and presenting data, developing policies, templates, procedures, drafting and presenting various reports, facilitate any meetings where applicable.

The role will work closely with other members of the HR team, to frame the ambition and ensure all elements of the HR Department Set Up are pulled together in close consultation with the Snr. HR Business Partners.

The role holder will need to demonstrate agility and ability to adapt to shifting priorities working with a level of ambiguity due to both internal and external factors while delivering specific results that are key in enhancing the Work plan.

Considering the personnel data risks, the role holder is expected to propose creative approaches to ensure consultation and uphold confidentiality while protecting our staff.

What you will do

Strategic Alignment and Organization Design

• Organizational Structure: Design the master organizational chart, reporting lines, and functional divisions.
• Job Analysis & Grading: In consultation with the HR Projects lead, conduct job analyses, write and update Job Descriptions (JDs), and establish transparent salary structures.
• Workforce Planning: Forecast hiring needs, budget for headcount growth, and develop a talent acquisition strategy together with leadership.
• Recruitment & onboarding: Sourcing, onboarding and training of a HR Focal point to take up the new department

Policy and Legal Compliance

• Labor Law Compliance: Ensure all practices comply with national employment and labor laws and develop employee labour law requirements glossary for each country.
• HR Manual and Policies: Draft a comprehensive HR Policy and Procedures Manual (covering recruitment, leave, disciplinary code, grievance handling, code of conduct, and termination) in line with existing WCA policies.
• Employee Handbook: Create a user-friendly staff handbook summarizing key policies for all employees.

HR Systems and Infrastructure

• File Management: Set up standardized, confidential physical and digital personnel filing systems.
• Forms and Templates: Build standard templates for offer letters, employment contracts, appraisal forms, leave request forms, and exit interviews among others.

Compensation Management

• Compensation & Benefits: Benchmark local market pay rates and design a competitive total rewards, health insurance, and benefits framework for all staff categories (Expatriates, national).

Your profile

• Education: Relevant degree in Human Resources Management, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience: Relevant progressive HR experience, with proven track record in setting up an HR department from scratch.
• Knowledge: Deep familiarity with local labor laws, compensation benchmarking, HR tech implementation, and change management.
• Skills: Strong interpersonal, policy‑writing, coaching, and stakeholder management skills.
• Familiarity with child rights organization set up and the ability to work with remote teams
• Languages: Fluency in English is mandatory, and French is an asset.

What we offer

• Location: Any War Child Alliance Office or Virtually with travel to countries (Kenya and Chad)
• Type of Contract: Full time
• Duration: Over a period of six months from January to June 2027.

Why You Should Apply

• Meaningful Impact: Contribute directly to improving the lives of children and families affected by conflict through quality education and long-term, sustainable change.
• Professional Growth: Join a dynamic organisation that values learning, innovation, and professional development, with opportunities for capacity building and growth through the role and War Child’s global network.
• Global Reach: Play a key role in scaling a ground‑breaking programme across multiple conflict‑affected contexts worldwide.
• Collaborative & Inclusive Culture: Work alongside passionate, mission‑driven colleagues in a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace that prioritises safety, fairness and equal opportunity for all.

Duration and Timeline

• Estimated Timeframe: Typically, 6 months divided into diagnostic, design, implementation, and handover phases.

About Us

The War Child Alliance Foundation is an international non‑governmental organisation (NGO) committed to supporting children affected by armed conflict. We work alongside partners, governments, educators, caregivers and communities to strengthen children’s wellbeing and learning, protect them from harm, and ensure that war does not define their futures.

Central to our approach are evidence‑based methodologies, using research and learning from thirty years of experience to build evidence of what works and expand effective approaches across different contexts.

Our global teams work across different countries and regions, bringing together expertise and experience from diverse contexts. War Child currently operates in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jordan, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Uganda, Ukraine, and Yemen. We also have Member Alliance offices in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Children in Conflict in the US. https://www.warchild.net/

Safeguarding and Integrity

Our work with children and at‑risk adults to keep them safe is the most important thing we do. We are committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults in all areas of our work. We have zero tolerance for any behaviours and practices that puts children and/or vulnerable adults at risk of abuse and/or harm. All (prospective) employees will be expected to be compliant with and sign up to our Child Safeguarding policy, our Code of Conduct and PSEA: Adults at Risk policy. You can find the Child Safeguarding and Adults at Risk policy here: Integrity & Safeguarding - Home

Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) and Belonging (DEIB)

We value diversity and inclusion and are committed to ensuring that all our people and job applicants are treated fairly, irrespective of where, what or whom they were born, or of other characteristics. We want to offer a safe and inclusive workplace where all our people, especially those who are currently marginalised or underrepresented, can be themselves at work.