African Parks is a non-profit conservation organisation that takes on responsibility for the long-term management of protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities. African Parks manages 24 protected areas in 13 countries covering over 20 million hectares in Angola, Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, the Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Currently African Parks in Malawi manages Majete Wildlife Reserve, Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserves, Liwonde National Park and Mangochi Forest. African Parks – Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve invites suitably qualified, experienced and passionate Malawians to fill the following vacant positions.

POSITION: HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER

Contract Duration: Two-year contract subject to renewal based on performance. African Parks-Nkhotakota seeks to appoint a highly competent and experienced Human Resources Manager to lead and manage all park-level human resources functions. The Human Resources Manager will report directly to the Park Manager with dotted lines to the Regional Head of Human Resources for Southern Africa.

The position is critical in ensuring compliance with Malawian labour laws, effective implementation of African Parks’ HR policies, and the promotion of a values driven organizational culture. The successful candidate will play a strategic and operational role in workforce planning, employee relations, governance, and organizational effectiveness within a complex conservation environment.

Responsibilities or duties

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE (but not limited to):

1. Strategic HR Leadership

• Translate African Parks’ Group and Regional HR strategies into effective park-level HR plans.
• Align HR initiatives with park operational priorities, including conservation and community engagement objectives.
• Identify workforce risks, emerging people-related challenges, and succession needs, and provide timely reports to Regional HR leadership.
• Ensure workforce planning is aligned with approved budgets and staffing ceilings.

2. HR Operations and Service Delivery

• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, performance management, learning and development, and employee separation processes
• Maintain accurate, secure, and confidential HR records, personnel files, and payroll inputs.
• Ensure full compliance with employment documentation, contracts, and HR procedures.
• Coordinate training activities and maintain learning and development records.

3. Governance, Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure strict adherence to Malawian labour legislation, African Parks’ HR policies, and the Code of Conduct.
• Manage disciplinary hearings, grievances, safeguarding, and employee relations cases in a fair, lawful, and consistent manner.
• Serve as the primary HR contact for labour offices, audits, inspections, and external compliance reviews.
• Maintain HR risk registers and support internal and external audits.

4. Organisational Culture and Capability Development

• Promote African Parks’ values, ethical standards, and Code of Conduct across the park.
• Support employee engagement, wellbeing, diversity, and inclusion initiatives
• Identify skills gaps and coordinate targeted training and capacity-building interventions.

5. Leadership, Advisory and Representation

• Supervise and mentor HR Officers, Administrators, and Payroll staff.
• Provide sound HR advice and coaching to line managers and supervisors.
• Represent the HR function in park management meetings and relevant external forums.
• Model professionalism, confidentiality, integrity, and respect in all employee interactions.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• A Degree or Diploma in Human Resources Management or a related field (A Master’s Degree will be an added advantage), with ability to translate Group and Regional HR frameworks into park-level implementation.
• Strong working knowledge of Malawian labour laws, disciplinary procedures, and employee relations.

Experience needed

• Minimum 5 years HR generalist experience in an operational or site-based environment, covering recruitment, onboarding, HR administration, payroll inputs, and records management.
• Demonstrated experience handling audits, inspections, and compliance processes.
• Proven supervisory and people management experience.

• Translate African Parks’ Group and Regional HR strategies into effective park-level HR plans.
• Align HR initiatives with park operational priorities, including conservation and community engagement objectives.
• Identify workforce risks, emerging people-related challenges, and succession needs, and provide timely reports to Regional HR leadership.
• Ensure workforce planning is aligned with approved budgets and staffing ceilings.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, performance management, learning and development, and employee separation processes
• Maintain accurate, secure, and confidential HR records, personnel files, and payroll inputs.
• Ensure full compliance with employment documentation, contracts, and HR procedures.
• Coordinate training activities and maintain learning and development records.
• Ensure strict adherence to Malawian labour legislation, African Parks’ HR policies, and the Code of Conduct.
• Manage disciplinary hearings, grievances, safeguarding, and employee relations cases in a fair, lawful, and consistent manner.
• Serve as the primary HR contact for labour offices, audits, inspections, and external compliance reviews.
• Maintain HR risk registers and support internal and external audits.
• Promote African Parks’ values, ethical standards, and Code of Conduct across the park.
• Support employee engagement, wellbeing, diversity, and inclusion initiatives
• Identify skills gaps and coordinate targeted training and capacity-building interventions.
• Supervise and mentor HR Officers, Administrators, and Payroll staff.
• Provide sound HR advice and coaching to line managers and supervisors.
• Represent the HR function in park management meetings and relevant external forums.
• Model professionalism, confidentiality, integrity, and respect in all employee interactions.

• Strong working knowledge of Malawian labour laws, disciplinary procedures, and employee relations.

• A Degree or Diploma in Human Resources Management or a related field (A Master’s Degree will be an added advantage), with ability to translate Group and Regional HR frameworks into park-level implementation.
• Demonstrated experience handling audits, inspections, and compliance processes.
• Proven supervisory and people management experience.