1
The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.Job Category
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Operations and Corporate Services)Job Subcategory
HRJob Description (Roles and Responsibilities)
Main purpose of the job:
| The British High Commission (BHC) Nairobi is a large, complex and diverse organisation of around 400 people, including diplomats and country-based staff. As well as managing all aspects of the UK-Kenya bilateral relationship, BHC hosts staff working for British Embassy Mogadishu and several staff with regional remits.The Head of HR will lead our HR function in support of every team working on the BHC platform. They will oversee delivery of high quality HR services from recruitment to retirement to around 250 country-based staff. They will also provide an effective business partner function to managers and team leaders. Their principle objective is to ensure BHC gets the most out of its staff, and that staff get the most out of their time at BHC.The Head of HR reports to the Director of Corporate Services. The job holder has the potential to improve materially the impact of BHC and the experience of those who work here. The successful candidate will be committed, dynamic, energetic, compassionate, discreet and efficient. They will have a solid track record in HR management, and take full ownership of service delivery.Roles and responsibilities:The Head of HR will:Be accountable for delivery through their team of quality, efficient HR services;Act as a visible and accessible business partner for managers and team leaders who need HR support;Project a positive profile to BHC colleagues, earning a reputation for approachability and fairness;Liaise regularly with the FCDO’s regional corporate services hub in Pretoria, which undertakes some transactional services on BHC’s behalf (including recruitment logistics), as well as offering advisory services;Cooperate with BHC’s People Action Group on various people-related initiatives to make BHC the happiest, most rewarding workplace it can be, supporting various thematic staff champions, and learning from best practice;Cooperate with various colleagues on initiatives (led by HQ and locally inspired) to promote an organisational culture that is in line with our values;Support BHC’s efforts to stamp out bullying, harassment and discrimination and to promote fair and respectful treatment of staff;Keep up-to-date with changes to Kenyan labour law, and UK best practice, to ensure BHC remains compliant;Coordinate regular reviews of terms and conditions of service for country-based staff;Lead on complex or sensitive individual casework, including HR-related legal cases;Act as the key point of contact between BHC and its staff, specifically through cooperation with our country-based staff association;Maintain and report on HR metrics, including for BHC’s senior leadership team;Apply innovation and continuous improvement principles to ensure that the team is delivering as effectively and efficiently as possible;Lead on pay issues with the Corporate Services Director and Head of Finance, including the process of annual pay settlements and performance-related pay, and managing the local pay budget;Manage HR-related contracts (specifically medical and pension provision for country based staff), maintaining good working relationships with providers, and leading on procurement when contracts come up for renewal;Manage the HR team, including supporting team members’ personal and professional development, allocating tasks, and ensuring efficiency and effectiveness across all HR functions.Resources managed:1 x Learning, Development and Performance Manager (grade EO)1 x HR officer (grade AO) |
Essential qualifications, skills and experience
| Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management or a related field; a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related discipline will be an added advantage.Certified Human Resource Professional – Kenya (CHRP-K) qualification.Full membership of the Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM) with a valid practicing certificateExperienceA minimum of five years’ relevant human resource management experience, including at least three years in a managerial role.Demonstrated knowledge and practical application of Kenyan employment and labour laws, HR policies, and best practices.Skills and CompetenciesExcellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear reports, policies, and correspondence. Strong interpersonal and relationship management skills, with the ability to engage effectively with employees and stakeholders at all levels.Sound problem-solving, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.Track record of owning service delivery and taking accountability for delivery.High level of attention to detail and commitment to accuracy in HR processes, records, and documentation.Strong organisational and planning skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with professionalism, integrity, and discretion.Good working knowledge of Kenyan employment legislation and HR regulatory requirements.Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret HR data, generate insights, and prepare management reports.Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgement, and contribute effectively to organisational objectives.Demonstrated leadership capabilities, including team management, coaching, and staff development. |
Desirable qualifications, skills and experience
| Experience in an international working environment, such as an embassy, multinational corporation, international non-governmental organization, or development partnerUnderstanding of, or practical experience in, Human Resource Management within the UK or UK Government context.Budget management skills.Contract management skills. |
Required behaviours
Changing and Improving, Managing a Quality ServiceApplication deadline
10 September 2026Grade
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)Type of Position
PermanentRegion
AfricaCountry/Territory
KenyaLocation (City)
NairobiType of Post
British High CommissionSalary
KES 435,093.85 (Base salary is subject to tax and other statutory deductions)Type of Salary
monthlyStart Date
5 October 2026Other benefits and conditions of employment
Learning and development opportunities:
- Oversight of BHC local pay budget.
Additional information
-
- Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during screening.
- Please ensure that your application is authentically written based on your own experiences. If AI tools are used, their usage must only be limited to specific tasks such as ensuring formatting consistency and keyword relevance. The core content, personal narratives, and responses to behaviour and skill-based questions must genuinely reflect your professional journey, experiences, and achievements. We place great importance on originality and individual effort throughout the application process. Any form of plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification
- Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.
- The British High Commission will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
- Base salary is subject to tax and other statutory deductions
- Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission in Nairobi are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in Kenya.
- It is essential that the applicants already have the right to live and work in Kenya without the need to apply for a work permit.
- Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.
- Information about the Civil Service Success Profiles can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles.
- Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates and appointment is subject to that clearance.
- Please log into your profile on the application system on a regular basis to review the status of your application.
- Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of 6 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate”
Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.
