Senior Human Resources Manager - French Speaker

Employer Overview:

A leading financial services group operating across multiple African markets, providing financial solutions to micro-entrepreneurs, small businesses, and underserved communities. The organization has a strong regional presence through multiple subsidiaries and a diverse, geographically distributed workforce.

Job Summary:

The Senior HR Manager will lead and oversee HR strategies and operations across the Africa region, ensuring alignment between people initiatives and business objectives. The role will partner with senior leadership and country management teams to drive organizational effectiveness, talent development, employee engagement, and consistent HR practices across multiple markets.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement regional HR strategies aligned with the organization's business objectives and growth plans across Africa.
• Partner with senior management and country leaders to provide strategic HR guidance and support business decision-making.
• Oversee HR operations across multiple African countries, ensuring consistency while adapting practices to local requirements and regulations.
• Lead workforce planning, organizational design, manpower budgeting, and succession planning across the region.
• Develop and oversee talent acquisition strategies for critical and senior-level positions across different markets.
• Drive performance management, talent development, career planning, and succession programs.
• Lead initiatives related to employee engagement, culture, retention, and organizational development.
• Establish and monitor HR policies, procedures, and frameworks in line with regional labor laws, corporate standards, and best practices.
• Support senior leadership in managing complex employee relations, organizational changes, restructures, and other people-related matters.
• Analyze HR metrics and workforce data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities and provide actionable recommendations to management.
• Manage and develop HR teams across different countries, promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Ensure effective communication of HR policies, initiatives, and organizational changes across the region.
• Travel regularly across African markets to meet local management and HR teams, assess workforce needs, and support regional HR initiatives.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Management, Psychology, or a related field.
• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related discipline is highly preferred.
• Professional HR certification such as CIPD, SHRM, or equivalent is an advantage.
• 10–15 years of progressive HR experience, preferably within the financial services, banking, microfinance, fintech, insurance, or related industries.
• Proven experience in a Senior HR Manager, Regional HR Manager, HR Business Partner Lead, or similar senior HR position.
• Fluent French is mandatory.
• Excellent English communication skills, both written and spoken.
• Strong experience supporting or managing HR operations across multiple African countries.
• Previous experience working in a multinational or multi-country organization is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in workforce planning, talent management, performance management, employee engagement, and organizational development.
• Strong experience partnering with senior executives and country-level leadership teams.
• Experience managing HR teams and working with geographically dispersed employees.
• Strong knowledge of employment practices and labor regulations across different African markets.
• Strong strategic and commercial mindset.
• Excellent leadership and people-management skills.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing abilities.
• High cultural awareness and adaptability.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Resilient and comfortable working in a fast-paced, multicultural environment.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, and accountability.
• Strong knowledge of HR strategy and workforce planning.
• Expertise in talent acquisition, talent management, succession planning, and performance management.
• Strong knowledge of compensation and benefits principles.
• Solid understanding of employee relations and disciplinary processes.
• Experience in organizational development, change management, and culture transformation.
• Good understanding of HR policies, governance, and compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
• Ability to develop HR policies, frameworks, procedures, and regional HR guidelines.
• Strong HR reporting and people analytics capabilities.
• Knowledge of HR transformation and digital HR solutions is an advantage.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint skills.
• Strong proficiency in HRIS and HR management systems.
• Experience using HR analytics, reporting, and workforce dashboards.
• Familiarity with digital recruitment and performance-management platforms.

Abilities:

• Ability to manage HR responsibilities across multiple countries and diverse cultures.
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively across Africa for business purposes.
• Ability to work effectively with geographically dispersed teams.
• Ability to build trusted relationships with senior executives and country leadership.
• Ability to balance regional HR consistency with local market requirements.
• Ability to handle complex and sensitive employee matters professionally.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders without direct authority.
• Ability to use HR data and business insights to support strategic decisions.
• Ability to lead HR transformation and change initiatives across different markets.
• Ability to operate independently while maintaining strong alignment with Group HR and executive leadership.