Overview
Provides strategic leadership and oversight for people, culture, administration, IT, and safeguarding across the Malawi-Zimbabwe Cluster. The role is central to enabling effective cluster integration, supporting organisational change and embedding shared ways of working, values and culture across both country offices.
Tasks Summary
- Act as a core member of the Cluster Senior Leadership Team, contributing to strategic direction, decision‑making and stewardship.
- Provide clear leadership on cluster integration, ensuring alignment of structures, roles, systems and behaviours.
- Lead and oversee cluster change management processes.
- Champion a strong, inclusive cluster culture.
- Lead and facilitate cluster‑wide all‑staff meetings.
- Support SLT colleagues to role‑model cluster behaviours.
- Lead the development and implementation of a cluster‑wide people and culture strategy.
- Advise and partner with SLT and managers on workforce planning, organisational design and talent strategies.
- Identify opportunities to generate additional organisational value through effective human capital solutions.
- Provide regular strategic advice and updates to the Cluster Director.
- Ensure consistent interpretation and application of policies, Management Operating Standards and Standard Operating Procedures.
- Oversee alignment of HR and administrative practices with national labour laws in Malawi and Zimbabwe, and with regional and global standards.
- Provide ethical leadership and oversight across the cluster.
- Ensure cluster preparedness for humanitarian scale‑up.
- Ensure effective recruitment, onboarding, retention and succession planning.
- Lead and embed a strong performance management culture.
- Support managers to address under‑performance, disciplinary matters, grievances, and conflict resolution.
- Oversee learning, leadership development, and talent management strategies.
- Lead cluster staff engagement initiatives.
- Ensure effective two-way communication between leadership and staff.
- Manage relationships with staff representatives and support constructive labour relations.
- Promote staff wellbeing, inclusion, and a safe working environment.
- Provide strategic oversight and assurance on core human resources operations, including payroll management, benefits administration, staff records, contracts and statutory compliance.
- Ensure payroll processes are accurate, timely and fully compliant with legislation.
- Work closely with Finance to ensure integrity of HR and payroll data.
- Oversee compliance reporting, audits and regulatory submissions.
- Maintain and strengthen strategic relationships with relevant government authorities.
- Represent Save the Children at high‑level meetings.
- Serve as Cluster Child Safeguarding Lead.
- Ensure staff, partners and associates understand and adhere to safeguarding policies.
- Promote prevention of abuse and exploitation, effective reporting mechanisms and timely, appropriate response to safeguarding concerns.
- Ensure safeguarding considerations are fully embedded in cluster programmes, partnerships and operations.
- Lead and support the localisation agenda from a people and culture perspective.
- Provide strategic oversight and technical guidance to partners on HR systems, organisational design, leadership structures, safeguarding, performance management and people policies.
- Support the design and delivery of leadership development and capacity strengthening initiatives for partner organisations.
- Work closely with programme and partnership teams to ensure HR and leadership development support to partners is intentional, well-coordinated and aligned with Save the Children’s partnership principles.
- Promote equitable partnerships by progressively shifting knowledge, skills and decision-making power to local actors.
Experience Requirements
- Substantial experience in senior management in Human Resources, organisational development or corporate services, preferably in an NGO or complex multi-country environment.
- Proven experience leading organisational change, integration or transformation initiatives.
- Strong knowledge of labour law and HR best practice, ideally across multiple jurisdictions.
- Demonstrated ability to lead diverse teams through periods of change with clarity, empathy and firmness.
Qualification Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Social Sciences or a related field, or equivalent experience
- Postgraduate qualification in Human Resources, Organisational Development or a related discipline preferred (or equivalent experience)
