Assistant Manager of People & Culture

Job Location

Avani Victoria Falls Resort, Livingstone, Southern Province, Zambia

About Avani

Avani offers a blend of stylish design with practical comfort, featuring vibrant social areas, well-appointed rooms, and locally inspired cuisine. The brand is recognized for an energetic service culture rooted in sincere hospitality across its locations in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Australia. If you value a warm welcome and genuine smiles, Avani provides a fitting environment.

Role Overview

The Assistant Manager of People & Culture leads the hotel's human resources strategy aligned with organizational goals. Working closely with the Hotel Manager and department heads, this role focuses on talent attraction, development, engagement, retention, and ensures compliance with labor laws and company policies. The role champions positive employee experiences, enhances organizational culture, supports operational excellence, and positions the hotel as an employer of choice through exemplary HR practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate on the annual People & Culture strategy aligned with business priorities.
• Contribute strategic HR input to the business plan and manage the P&C budget.
• Analyze workforce data to enhance productivity, engagement, retention, and succession plans.
• Lead organizational culture initiatives consistent with company values and service principles.
• Guide recruitment, workforce planning, onboarding, and talent pipeline development.
• Ensure labor law compliance and manage employee relations, including disciplinary and grievance processes.
• Drive performance management processes, coaching managers, completing appraisals, and supporting talent development.
• Partner on learning and development initiatives, supporting continuous education and leadership growth.
• Lead employee engagement programs, recognition, communications, and culture promotion.
• Administer HR operations, documentation, reporting, and ensure data confidentiality.
• Manage HRIS, train managers on systems, produce analytics reports, and support digital HR technologies.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Industrial Psychology, or relevant field.
• Professional Human Resources certification.
• Membership with the Zambia Institute of Human Resource Management (ZIHRM) or similar body.
• At least 5-7 years progressive experience in HR, with minimum 3 years in a leadership or management role.
• Experience with an international hospitality brand is beneficial.
• Strong background in labor relations, talent management, organizational development, HRIS, and payroll management.

Competencies

• Leadership qualities including integrity, emotional intelligence, empowerment, accountability, and culture advocacy.
• Business acumen with understanding of hospitality commercial drivers, strategic and operational decision-making.
• Effective communication skills, influencing, negotiation, and relationship building at all levels.
• Personal effectiveness demonstrated by ethics, planning, analytical skills, resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving.