Role Summary

To design, implement, and continuously evolve a competitive, equitable, and performance-driven total rewards strategy, while serving as a strategic HR Business Partner to assigned business units—ensuring alignment between people, performance, and business outcomes across the Group. This role bridges reward excellence with business impact, enabling ICEA LION Group to attract, retain, and motivate top talent while driving a high-performance culture

Key Responsibilities

Total Rewards Strategy & Execution

• Lead the design and execution of a Group-wide Total Rewards Strategy (compensation, benefits, incentives, recognition).
• Ensure market competitiveness through benchmarking.
• Oversee annual salary reviews, bonus cycles, and profit-sharing schemes across all markets.
• Drive pay equity, transparency, and internal fairness across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
• Prepare annual budgets of workforce planning and reward initiatives 

Performance & Rewards Integration

• Embed pay-for-performance culture by aligning rewards with performance outcomes.
• Partner with leadership to refine performance management frameworks.
• Ensure clear linkage between business KPIs, individual performance, and reward outcomes.

HR Business Partnering (Strategic)

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders across assigned divisions.
• Translate business strategy into people strategies and workforce plans.
• Provide guidance on: Organizational design and restructuring, Talent planning and succession & Workforce productivity and cost optimization
• Support leaders in navigating complex employee relations and change management initiatives.

Organizational Effectiveness & Workforce Planning

• Support organizational design initiatives aligned with the Group’s strategy.
• Drive workforce planning, including headcount optimization and capability building.
• Provide insights on cost of workforce vs. productivity and growth.

Culture & Employee Value Proposition (EVP)

• Strengthen ICEA LION’s Employee Value Proposition through innovative reward programs.
• Design recognition frameworks that reinforce company values.
• Drive initiatives that enhance employee engagement and retention.

Academic and Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, Finance, or related field
• Master’s degree or MBA preferred
• Professional certifications (CHRP, CIPD, SHRM) are a requirement.
• Minimum 10–12 years’ experience in HR, with Strong Total Rewards leadership experience
• Proven track record as an HR Business Partner to senior leaders
• Experience in financial services or insurance strongly preferred

Key Competencies

• Business acumen and financial literacy.
• Strategic thinking and execution.
• Organizational design expertise.
• Compensation design & benchmarking.
• Executive presence and stakeholder management and ability to influence at EXCO
• Strong coaching and advisory capability 
• Experience with HR systems (e.g., SAP SuccessFactors)