Head HR Service Delivery, East Africa - Standard Chartered Bank

Job ID: 377169

Job Description

Accountable for day-to-day management and oversight of HR Service Delivery (HRSD) across the designated region, driving seamless operational execution and aligning “core” people services to deliver outstanding customer experience and create capacity for HR to drive business performance 

The accountabilities of the role span: 

(i) strategy 

(ii) operations management (including payroll, pensions and benefits administration) 

(iii) service delivery optimisation 

(iv) policy and process development, deployment and management

(v) HR risk, governance and compliance 

(vi) HR budget management 

(vii) Shared Service Centre and vendor management

(viii) people management 

Key measures include the achievement of: 

• Operational targets and KPIs (time, cost, quality, governance) 
• Budget and people objectives 
• Compliance with regulatory requirements and internal policies, procedures, limits and other controls 
• Well controlled or acceptable audit results

Key Roles & Responsibilities

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT 

• Ensure full alignment to the Group HRSD strategy and target operating model across designated region 
• Accountable for end to end HR operations across the designated region, optimising delivery to achieve time, cost, quality and governance KPIs 
• Manage and oversee (end-to-end) payroll, benefits and pensions processes, functions, delivery and cost, including complex query / problem resolution 
• Partner with the Product (Specialist and Operations) teams to ensure seamless delivery of products and processes 
• Double hat as the (Country) Head, HR Service delivery for the regional hub 
• Design, develop, implement and review regional / local processes.  Ensure all HR processes are managed efficiently, effectively and consistently, and are thoroughly documented, aligned to global departmental operating instructions 
• Drive productivity and service improvement programmes, taking into account customer experience, frontline effectiveness, operational risk and costs 
• Identify opportunities to drive simplification, efficiency, effectiveness, stability and optimisation, through standardisation, centralisation, straight through processing, automation etc  maximising flexibility, minimising handover points and reducing cost (without compromising controls) 
• Assess whether there’s a global, regional or local impact and respond accordingly 
• Set clear direction for the team and implement a robust tracking, reporting and escalation framework that includes clear metrics, KPI reporting/analysis, and reviews: 
• Analyse dashboards, metrics and reporting to track progress, identify and prioritise issues, benchmark performance, develop forecasts, etc 
• Provide regular updates to key stakeholders, promptly escalating key risks and issues 
• Develop and manage the (HR) production schedule for the region 
• Ensure the delivery of all HRSD projects within specified scope, cost, resource and time constraints, with effective reporting in place throughout each project 
• Use data and factual evidence to drive and underpin day-to-day management actions and decision-making (including driving compliance, identifying opportunities for improvements and driving for gap resolutions) 
• Deliver management reports (including status reports) on time, and to the required quality 
• Drive continuous improvement in the accuracy, integrity and timely input of data into relevant (HR) systems including PeopleSoft, Phoenix and Optial 
• Work with the relevant stakeholders to develop, manage and secure approvals for any locally required system changes 
• Provide HRSD expertise on regional / local HR projects and initiatives as required, including mergers and acquisitions 
• Provide ad hoc support to the Head, Country HR Service Delivery, as required 

SHARED SERVICE CENTRE AND VENDOR MANAGEMENT 

• Ensure robust governance is in place around all HR processes migrated to the HR SSC or outsourced to third party vendors, with documented service levels in place for each migrated / outsourced process 
• Actively manage and continually develop the relationship with the HR SSC and third party vendors, with a view to increasing global operational efficiencies 
• Provide guidance and expertise to the HR SSC teams in the execution of the operational aspects of HR products and services, ensuring: 
• Training is provided by the relevant (local / global) specialists, as required 
• Improvements are driven in partnership with the relevant stakeholders and through knowledge and query management processes (e.g. AskHR) 
• Drive manager and employee self service for resolving HR-related queries across the region, partnering with AskHR to drive the effective resolution of queries in a fast, convenient and accurate way, ensuring a credible alternative to face-to-face contact 
• Content owner of the HRSD related AskHR knowledge management libraries for the region 
• Manage HRSD related vendors across designated region (including benefits and payroll providers) in line with the global vendor management framework 
• Partner with the Head, HR Vendor Management (as applicable) to monitor and manage performance against established SLAs, with regular performance reviews to highlight and address areas of concern (managing exceptions, challenging behaviours and implementing consequences), and ensure the provision of quality, cost efficient services that meet business needs 

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 

• Monitor and manage HRSD team capacity  and develop a forward looking resource plan  to optimise resource usage across the region 
• Report performance to the Head, Country HRSD through quarterly performance cost management track reviews, providing shrewd insights behind the results 
• Deliver the HRSD budget (tracking and reconciling financials on a regular basis), creating capacity for key business priorities 
• Support the Regional Head, HR in proactively managing the overall HR budget and reconciliation process across designated region, ensuring the region meets its (stretch) cost targets/forecasts: 
• Prepare annual budget and quarterly forecast submissions; closely monitor / track actuals vs budget and forecast 
• Reconcile financials (manage recharges; general ledger matters; accrual and prepayment accounts; vested benefits for terminated employees, etc) 
• Highlight areas of surplus and concerns, initiating actions required to meet (stretch) budgetary requirements / targets 

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT 

• Provide advice to senior stakeholders, working with them collectively and individually to resolve complex operational issues and drive solutions that meet business needs, delivering a differentiated service to address the specific needs of key customer groups 
• Increase the credibility and profile of HRSD. Foster strong, collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders, providing regular updates to achieve desired outcomes: 
• Increase stakeholder awareness of what the HRSD team offer and need in return 
• Deliver high levels of sponsorship, engagement and collective understanding, turning leaders into advocates of HRSD 
• Manage change to facilitate team, HR and business readiness for (and full implementation of) new processes 
• Manage expectations when unusual variations in workflows or resource availability impact ability to meet SLAs 
• Oversee the effective resolution of complaints.  Senior point of escalation for complex queries / operational HR matters.  Exercise sound commercial judgement, responding to and resolving (the root cause of) issues appropriately 
• Contribute to the proactive and visible leadership of HRSD across the Bank, representing the region in forums and initiatives as required, including (but not limited to): the local Functional Operational Risk Committee; the HRSD Performance Management Committee; HR Production Call 
• Pathological collaboration to deliver coordinated, integrated, end-to-end processes and solutions: 
• HR teams (including but not limited to): Country HR: Shared Service Centre; Group HR Risk; HR Analytics; Product Operations; Talent Acquisition; International Talent Deployment; Performance, Rewards and Benefits; Talent & Learning; Strategic HR Initiatives & Change Management 
• Other internal teams (including but not limited to): Finance; Global Sourcing; GTO; Company Secretariat (Non-Executive Directors) 
• External: external auditors; regulatory bodies and government agencies (e.g. Social Security, tax etc)

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT 

• Build a world class HRSD team, broadening and deepening the overall talent (and succession) pipeline 
• Manage employee engagement, development, succession and retention day-to-day 
• Deliver strategic people priorities, ensuring the team’s structure, bench-strength and people programmes are appropriate for the delivery of strategies and plans 
• Drive and embed a strong performance and risk management culture through inspiring, motivating, and rigorous management discipline 
• Role model and drive the right team behaviours (including regional and global collaboration) to optimise operational excellence and customer focus 
• Build the regional hub into a centre of operational excellence, setting the standards for others to follow, sharing best practice, lessons learned, knowledge and expertise 

GOVERNANCE, RISK MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL 

• Support the Regional Head, HR in overseeing, directing and proactively managing day-to-day people risk, governance, compliance and regulatory reporting, ensuring (in collaboration with other HR teams) that the Risk Management Framework is fully embedded across designed region, including (but not limited to) ensuring: 
• All material risks are identified, assessed, mitigated, controlled, monitored and reported in an appropriate and timely manner 
• A proactive risk identification framework is in place to highlight early signs of process failures  
• Timely, accurate and comprehensive operational risk and loss tracking, reporting and escalation is in place 
• Clear lines of control and delegations of authority are in place 
• Agreed service deliverables are met without compromising on accepted and agreed risk parameters 
• Risk / return and control cost / benefit decisions are made transparently, on the basis of proper assessment, in accordance with the Group’s risk appetite 
• Operational risks for new products / processes are identified and understood, with appropriate controls put in place, prior to launch 
• Key risk control standards (KCS), key risk indicators and key control indicators are designed, agreed and embedded for all key HR processes 
• Control effectiveness is regularly assessed (including control sample testing), with results, findings and exceptions managed and reported to the relevant parties 
• Support the Regional Head, HR in running the regional HR Functional Operational Risk Committee (FORC), ensuring end-to-end governance oversight over operational risk management: 
• Drive the agenda (ensuring adequate coverage of core processes) 
• Analyse and consolidate the regional risk registers; OR Profile; loss and risk reporting, etc 
• Ensure robust discussion in the meetings, with robust follow-through on actions to mitigate identified operational risks and audit / assurance failures 
• Escalate issues as required, ensuring effective communication is in place between the FORC, CORC, PGCs and HRRC 
• Lead reviews at the country/regional level (or participate in reviews driven by the Group/Functional level), including: (1) risk based process reviews on critical processes (2) reviews based on thematic risks (3) reviews to provide validation assurance 
• Proactively engage with audit on potential risk exposures.  Co-ordinate / supervise all (HR related) internal operational, regulatory and external audit requests (and assurance / peer reviews) across designated region, ensuring they are appropriately managed, reported and followed up (including sharing findings / lessons learned) 
• Ensure all HR policies, procedures and practices: are (and remain) firmly embedded across the region; comply with Group and local regulatory requirements; reflect best practice; and are regularly reviewed in line with the Bank’s governance framework.  Identify and lead the development of any specific local HR policies and procedures; and manage / provide input to any HR policy dispensations requested for the region 
• Manage the regional HRSD Risk Register, ensuring all country HRSD risk registers are in place across designated region 
• Ongoing monitoring of trends and developments, anticipating changes in regulatory, legislative and internal requirements (in conjunction with country Legal & Compliance).  Communicate and manage any internal impacts (to policies, processes etc) on a timely basis, ensuring HR remains fully compliant 
• Ensure HR team members are suitably trained on operational risk 
• Ensure effective HR Business Continuity plans are in place and understood across designated region, enabling critical activities to continue in the event of a crisis.  Validate / test the plan and continuously monitor for any changes that may impact the integrity of the plan, amending / updating the plan as required

Qualifications & Skills

• Degree from a recognised University 
• Proven leader with demonstrated strengths and in-depth experience in coaching, managing and engaging a cross-border team 
• Has held a senior operations leadership position in a large, international, blue-chip business, with demonstrated success in 
• Designing and leading effective change in processes / practices / projects, delivering improvements in efficiency, effectiveness and simplification 
• Adept at prioritising extensive and complex sets of issues, assessing risk and appropriate levels of return 
• Sound financial analysis and management experience, including proven experience in handling significant / complex budgets and strong analytical skills 
• Adept at working across a complex matrix organisation  strong consultative and negotiation skills combined with the ability to successfully manage internal politics and adapts to different cultural styles 
• Results-oriented.  Proven ability to manage numerous conflicting priorities, adapt rapidly and work well under high pressure in a fast-paced environment, while providing a quality customer service 
• Knowledge and understanding of relevant (employment) legislation across several different countries (within the designated region) 
• Excellent (verbal and written) communication and influencing skills, combined with a proven ability to effectively challenge to deliver business results 

Desirable 

• Understanding of and successful track record in applying continuous improvement methodologies (e.g. Six Sigma) including metric frameworks and reporting 
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) 
• Enterprise and application knowledge and experience including PeopleSoft HR - 
• Advanced MS Excel skills 
• Experience in and / or good general knowledge of the Financial Services industry 
• Working knowledge of the Bank’s client groups, structure and operations

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