Regional People & Culture Director, West Africa – VisionFund International

World Vision International / VisionFund International is seeking an experienced Regional People & Culture Director to provide strategic HR and organizational development leadership across its West Africa operations.

Job Details

• Position: Regional People & Culture Director, West Africa (Africa 3)
• Organization: VisionFund International / World Vision
• Job Requisition ID: JR51725
• Locations: Dakar, Senegal; Nairobi, Kenya; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Arusha, Tanzania; Cyprus – Home Working
• Job Type: Full-time
• Applicant Type: Local Applicants Only
• Posted: 2 September 2026
• Application Deadline: 11 September 2026
• Travel: Up to 30%

About VisionFund International

VisionFund is the microfinance provider of World Vision, providing loans, savings, and insurance to vulnerable families and communities. Its work focuses on helping families develop sustainable livelihoods and create better futures for children.

Position Summary

The Regional People & Culture Director will provide strategic leadership for the People & Culture (P&C) and Organizational Development functions across the assigned West African cluster, covering Senegal, Mali, and Ghana.

The role will focus on maximizing human-resource potential, improving organizational performance, strengthening organizational culture, and ensuring alignment with VisionFund International’s strategy.

The position reports to the Global Director of People & Culture and has a matrix reporting relationship with the Regional Director. It will also provide leadership and development support to MFI People & Culture Managers.

Key Responsibilities

1. Leadership & Strategy

• Lead the P&C function across the assigned region or country cluster.
• Contribute to regional strategy development and ensure P&C priorities align with global strategy.
• Develop and implement P&C strategies and business plans.
• Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, leadership development, and talent management.
• Advise Regional Directors, Finance Directors, and Boards on P&C matters.
• Ensure compliance with employment regulations, labour laws, and organizational policies.
• Demonstrate Christian spiritual leadership consistent with VisionFund’s mission and values.

2. Technical & Operational Support

The successful candidate will provide strategic guidance in:

• Staffing strategy
• Talent acquisition
• Workforce planning
• Change and organizational development
• Total rewards
• Employee relations
• Staff care
• Performance management
• Talent development and management
• Employee retention
• Succession planning
• Safeguarding
• P&C policies, standards, and procedures

The role will also collaborate with CEOs, senior management teams, and other stakeholders to implement P&C strategies and initiatives.

3. Capacity Building

• Lead training and development initiatives for local P&C teams.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and best-practice development among MFIs and senior management teams.
• Develop and customize learning resources.
• Lead regional and partnership-wide initiatives aimed at strengthening P&C functions and organizational effectiveness.

4. Quality Assurance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with VisionFund/World Vision P&C standards and policies.
• Identify and address gaps in HR practices.
• Oversee people-related components of the Operational Risk Management framework.
• Help mitigate employment and labour-law risks.
• Support incident-management processes and follow-up actions.
• Advise Regional Directors and Boards on P&C performance, compliance, and risk issues.

5. Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the strategic P&C liaison for the region.
• Build strong relationships with Centres of Expertise and internal stakeholders.
• Develop external networks with financial inclusion organizations, NGOs, partners, P&C consultants, and other relevant organizations.
• Support collaboration, benchmarking, organizational effectiveness, and employer-branding initiatives.

6. Leadership, Development & Wellbeing

• Promote a strong servant-leadership and service culture.
• Build organizational and staff capacity.
• Strengthen organizational culture in line with VisionFund’s mission and values.
• Inspire leaders and influence team performance.
• Support professional and spiritual development.
• Provide coaching and feedback to team members.

Required Qualifications & Experience

Applicants should have:

• 8–10 years’ experience in HR leadership or senior Human Resources Management, with significant organizational development experience.
• Experience in a complex international organization, preferably an international financial inclusion network or multinational organization.
• A university degree, preferably with a strong HR focus.
• CIPD, SHRM, or equivalent qualification is an advantage.
• Experience in financial inclusion, microfinance, or financial services is an advantage.
• At least 1–2 years’ experience working in at least two countries within the assigned region.
• Proven experience contributing as a senior member of a multinational leadership team and reporting to a CEO-level executive.
• Strong knowledge of HR management, staff development, organizational development practices, and group processes.
• Demonstrated analytical and critical-thinking ability.
• Experience working with Boards of Directors.
• Strong business acumen and understanding of financial metrics and their relevance to HR strategy.
• Excellent English and French proficiency; the advert specifies native-level proficiency in one language with excellent proficiency in the other.

Important Language Requirement

The successful candidate must demonstrate proficiency in both English and French, although applications must be submitted in English.

Christian Leadership Requirement

World Vision states that it is a Christian humanitarian organization. The successful applicant will be expected, where legally permissible, to affirm its core documents, observe conduct compatible with Christian principles, maintain high professional ethics, and participate in team and office devotions, chapel, and prayer gatherings in accordance with applicable policies.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should submit their applications through the World Vision Careers application portal.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Application Deadline: 11 September 2026