Director of People and Culture, Uganda

Job Details

• Location: Mbale, Uganda
• Duty Station: Mbale
• Employment Type: Full-time
• Industry: Nonprofit / NGO
• Salary: Not Disclosed
• Application Deadline: 2026-08-16
• Reporting To: Country Director, Uganda

Trees for the Future (TREES) is seeking a senior people leader to helm the People and Culture function in Uganda. This role is a key member of the Uganda leadership team and works in close collaboration with the Global People and Culture team to build and sustain the people systems that enable staff to deliver high-quality program impact. The Director ensures strong talent management, operational excellence, and full legal and policy compliance across the country program.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Country People and Culture Leadership

• Serve as the senior People and Culture leader for Uganda, providing overall strategic leadership and direction for all people-related matters across the country program.
• Shape a high-performing, values-driven, and compliant work environment that enables staff to deliver on TREES' mission.
• Act as a trusted strategic advisor to the Country Director and Management Team on organizational design, workforce strategy, performance, culture, risk management, and compliance.
• Translate global People and Culture strategies, frameworks, and policies into locally relevant, legally compliant, and operationally effective country-level practices.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the Uganda People and Culture team, building strong functional capability, clear accountability, and succession within the function.
• Partner closely with Global People and Culture, Finance and Operations teams to ensure strong governance and alignment.

People Operations, Systems and Compliance

• Provide overall leadership and quality assurance for all People and Culture operations, ensuring consistent, timely, and high-quality service delivery.
• Ensure full compliance with Ugandan labor laws, statutory requirements, and internal organizational policies.
• Oversee the adaptation, implementation, and enforcement of the Uganda People and Culture Manual, Code of Conduct, and safeguarding policies.
• Serve as the country lead for HRIS (Rippling), ensuring data accuracy, integrity, and reporting quality.
• Provide strategic oversight of payroll preparation and benefits administration.
• Lead internal and external audits related to HR and compliance.

Workforce Planning, Recruitment and Performance Management

• Lead workforce planning aligned with strategic priorities and funding realities.
• Provide oversight of recruitment for all Uganda-based roles.
• Ensure onboarding and offboarding processes support strong employee experience.
• Oversee implementation of the performance management framework.
• Support and coach managers on people leadership.

Employee Relations, Safeguarding and Staff Welfare

• Serve as the senior lead for employee relations in Uganda.
• Collaborate with the CARE Office and Legal on safeguarding matters.
• Promote a psychologically safe, respectful, and inclusive work environment.
• Ensure compliance with occupational health, safety, and welfare requirements.

Engagement, Culture, Learning and Development

• Champion TREES' mission, values, and organizational culture.
• Oversee staff engagement surveys and action planning.
• Identify learning and development needs and oversee training initiatives.
• Support teams through organizational change.

Strategic Projects, Analytics and Continuous Improvement

• Lead country-level People and Culture strategic projects.
• Use people data and analytics to inform decision-making.
• Contribute to global People and Culture initiatives.
• Continuously improve People and Culture systems and practices.

Qualifications, Skills and Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive People and Culture / HR experience, including senior leadership responsibility.
• Demonstrated experience leading country-level HR operations and advising senior leadership.
• Strong knowledge of Ugandan labor law and HR compliance requirements.
• Professional HR certification (e.g., SHRM, HRCI, IHRM or equivalent) is strongly preferred.
• Membership to the Uganda Human Resource Managers Association.
• Fluency in spoken and written English required.
• Enthusiastic advocate for TREES' mission and values; passionate about empowering teams to grow vibrant economies, thriving food systems, and a healthier planet.
• Deep experience leading country-level HR functions within complex, growing organizations, ideally in international development or nonprofit environments.
• Trusted strategic advisor comfortable partnering with senior leaders, navigating complexity, and balancing people-centered leadership with operational rigor.
• Strong experience with HRIS platforms, compliance, payroll coordination, and process improvement.
• Guided by integrity, confidentiality, and fairness, with a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and safeguarding.
• Strong communicator and relationship builder who builds trust easily across functions, cultures, and levels of the organization.