Director of People and Culture, Uganda

About Trees for the Future

Trees for the Future (TREES) empowers farmers globally to combat climate change and poverty through agroforestry. With over three decades of leadership, TREES operates in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, implementing the Forest Garden Approach to restore land and increase crop diversity. The organization has planted over 400 million trees and supports more than 7,000 farmers in Uganda's Mt. Elgon, Busoga, and Mbale regions.

Role Overview

The Director of People and Culture in Uganda plays a vital leadership role within the country office, overseeing all human resources and cultural initiatives to ensure the team effectively achieves program goals. This full-time onsite position is based in Mbale and reports directly to the Country Director while collaborating closely with the global People and Culture team.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and guidance on all people-centered matters across TREES Uganda.
• Promote a high-performing, compliant, and values-oriented workplace culture.
• Advise senior management on organizational design, workforce planning, employee performance, and risk management.
• Adapt global HR policies to meet local legal and operational requirements.
• Lead, mentor, and grow the local People and Culture team, including managing direct reports and overseeing recruitment for these roles.
• Coordinate with Finance, Operations, and the Global People and Culture teams to ensure alignment and governance.
• Manage the overall quality and compliance of HR operations, including adherence to Ugandan labor laws and internal policies.
• Oversee payroll processing, benefits administration, HRIS (Rippling) management, and related audits.
• Lead workforce planning and recruitment efforts, ensuring smooth onboarding and offboarding processes.
• Implement performance management frameworks and coach managers on effective team leadership.
• Serve as the lead for employee relations, safeguarding, and staff welfare, fostering a respectful and psychologically safe environment.
• Promote occupational health and safety compliance.
• Steer employee engagement initiatives, including surveys, action planning, and learning and development programs.
• Support teams through organizational change and lead strategic People and Culture projects.
• Utilize HR data and analytics to drive continuous improvement in people systems and decision making.
• Contribute to global People and Culture efforts and initiatives.

Candidate Profile

• Passionate about TREES’ mission to strengthen farmers and ecosystems.
• Experienced HR leader with at least 10 years in progressive roles and senior leadership within international development or nonprofit contexts.
• Strategic thinker and trusted advisor comfortable managing complexity and leading cross-functional collaborations.
• Proficient in HRIS platforms, payroll coordination, compliance, and operational process enhancement.
• Committed to integrity, confidentiality, fairness, diversity, equity, inclusion, and safeguarding best practices.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities across different cultures and organizational levels.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degrees in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related fields preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible HR experience with senior leadership duties.
• In-depth knowledge of Ugandan labor laws and HR compliance standards.
• Professional HR certification (e.g., SHRM, HRCI, IHRM) highly desirable.
• Membership in the Uganda Human Resource Managers Association is required.
• Fluency in English both spoken and written.

Work Environment and Benefits

TREES fosters a diverse, inclusive, and supportive workplace culture. Staff enjoy a competitive salary package, comprehensive medical coverage, workers’ compensation, and generous paid leave, including annual and sick time.

Additional Information

TREES is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to workplace equity and inclusion regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or other legally protected characteristics.

Applications should include a cover letter detailing motivation for joining TREES and suitability for the role, along with a CV. The deadline for applications is August 16, 2026, with reviews conducted on a rolling basis.