Terms of Reference

Posted: 2026-06-15 23:54:11  Deadline: June 30, 2026   14 Months Contract - Hybrid/ Online   Salary: Confidential

The Human Resource Officer is responsible for leading human resource management for The Youth Café's ALIGN – Advancing Local Innovations for Adolescent Health & Nutrition project. The role oversees recruitment, onboarding, performance management, HR compliance, staff welfare and safeguarding while ensuring alignment with Global Financing Facility (GFF), World Bank and Action Against Hunger USA (ACF USA) requirements. The position also strengthens the human resource capacity of civil society organisations (CSOs) and youth-led organisations (YLOs) across up to 12 African countries.

Position Details

Position Title: Human Resource Officer
Project: ALIGN – Advancing Local Innovations for Adolescent Health & Nutrition
Contract Type: Consultancy
Duration: 14 months
Eligibility: Kenya, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe (with occasional travel to target countries)
Mode of Engagement: Hybrid/Online
Reports To: Project Manager – ALIGN at The Youth Café
Collaborates With: Finance and Admin Officer, Consortium Partners, CSOs, YLOs and Donor Representatives

Key Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end recruitment for project staff and consultants, including drafting job descriptions, advertising vacancies, screening applications and coordinating interviews.
Ensure recruitment processes are transparent, inclusive and compliant with organisational policies, donor requirements and ESCP labour standards.
Prepare employment contracts and consultant agreements incorporating safeguarding, donor compliance and ESCP provisions.
Coordinate staff induction and onboarding covering project orientation, organisational policies, safeguarding and HR procedures.
Maintain complete, accurate and audit-ready personnel files including contracts, leave records, appraisals and HR documentation.
Design and implement the project's performance management system including objective setting, mid-year reviews and annual appraisals.
Support managers in conducting fair performance reviews and addressing performance concerns through documented processes.
Develop individual staff development plans and coordinate professional growth opportunities.
Administer staff welfare programmes including leave management, health and safety measures and employee support initiatives.
Serve as the first point of contact for staff welfare concerns, grievances and conflict resolution while maintaining confidentiality.
Ensure HR practices comply with Kenyan labour law, donor HR requirements and World Bank Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) standards.
Review and update HR policies to reflect changes in legislation, donor guidance and organisational requirements.
Monitor compliance with ESCP labour standards and contribute HR compliance updates to quarterly project reports.
Design and deliver HR and safeguarding capacity building programmes for CSOs and YLOs.
Develop HR toolkits including policy templates, safeguarding frameworks, job description templates, appraisal tools and grievance procedures.
Support sub-grantees in implementing HR systems and monitor adoption of HR and safeguarding tools.
Coordinate HR matters with consortium partners to ensure consistent HR, safeguarding and labour standards across the project.
Promote diversity, equity and inclusion across recruitment, workforce development and project implementation.
Contribute HR information including workforce diversity, safeguarding compliance and staff development updates to consortium and donor reports.

Qualifications and Experience

Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management, Business Administration or a related field.
Minimum 3 years of progressive HR management experience within international development or humanitarian projects.
Strong knowledge of Kenyan labour law and international donor HR compliance frameworks.
Demonstrated experience across the full HR cycle including recruitment, onboarding, performance management and staff welfare.
Proven experience delivering HR capacity building to partner organisations, CSOs, YLOs or sub-grantees.
Applicants must be legally authorised to work in their country of residence.
Excellent organisational, interpersonal and communication skills with fluency in English.

Desirable Qualifications

Experience working on World Bank funded projects with familiarity with ESCP labour standards and the Environmental and Social Framework.
Certified Human Resource Professional – Kenya (CHRP-K) or equivalent professional certification.
Experience managing HR across multi-country programmes or supporting organisations operating under different labour law frameworks.
Proficiency in French.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit:

A cover letter of not more than one page outlining suitability for the role and confirming availability from 1 July 2026.
An updated CV of not more than four pages.
Contact details for two professional referees.

Email applications to: human.resource@theyouthcafe.com
Cc: admin.compliance@theyouthcafe.com
Subject Line: Human Resource Officer – ALIGN Project

Deadline for submission: 30th June 2026

Official Job Description: https://www.theyouthcafe.com/open-opportunities/a-call-for-application-human-resource-officer-align-advancing-local-innovations-for-adolescent-health-amp-nutrition

The Youth Café Open Opportunities: https://www.theyouthcafe.com/open-opportunities/