Senior Industrial Relations Officer

Job description

Key Responsibilities Expected Behaviour:

• Support collective bargaining and union engagements where applicable.
• Represent the company at labour disputes, conciliations and labour inspections.
• Manage disciplinary hearings, appeals and grievance processes.
• Manage employee relations, addressing grievances and ensuring fair and equitable treatment.
• Conduct investigations, resolving disputes, and implementing disciplinary actions when necessary.
• In engagement with Head of Department, collaborate with other departments to ensure alignment on HR and IR matters.
• Stay abreast of changes in construction and HR legislation, ensuring compliance.
• Ensure compliance with Zambian Labour Laws, Employment Code Act and statutory requirements.
• Conduct HR audits and maintain compliance records.
• Support external and internal audits relating to HR practices.
• Facilitate communication and collaboration between HR Department and employees.
• Identify training needs, and development activities to ensure a compliant, skilled and motivated workforce.
• Coordinate end-to-end recruitment and selection processes on Site.
• Develop and implement onboarding programs to ensure a smooth transition into the projects
• Manage HR data and records, maintaining accuracy and confidentiality.
• Orientation, through delivering orientation sessions to new employees, covering contract interpretation, policies, procedures and all other conditions of service.
• Collaborate with department to ensure seamless onboarding documentation and processes.
• Ensure all new hires receive and understand their employment contract, which must be fully compliant with labour laws, policies and procedures.
• Conduct new hires surveys and feedback sessions to gauge employee sentiment and proactively address IR issues.
• Support localisation and community employment initiatives and liaise with local communities and traditional leaders regarding employment opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with client and community employment commitments.
• Support the development and implementation of employee engagement programs
• Build and maintain strong relationships with community stakeholder, government labour offices and industrial bodies.
• Prepare HR-related reports such as attendance summaries, headcount updates, leave taking, training records and compliance documentation.
• Coordinating all disciplinary processes on the assigned projects and generating reports of the activities.
• Conducting and keeping records of exit records including interviews, final benefits/dues calculations and certificate of service.

Key Requirements:

• Grade 12 Certificate
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management, Industrial Relations, or a related field.
• Minimum 5–7 years’ experience in Human Resources and Industrial Relations, with at least 3 years in the mining, construction, engineering or heavy industrial sectors.
• HRIS and other relevant software and proficiency in Microsoft Suite (Exposure to Sage 300 will be an added advantage).
• Experience managing large blue-collar workforces.
• Experience on remote project or mining sites.
• Experience dealing with labour unions and collective agreements.
• Must have a valid ZIHRM practising certificate

Skills and Competencies

• Leadership skills
• Pay attention to detail
• Experience of working in a multi-cultural environment;  
• Extensive in hands on experience in construction
• Experience dealing with labour unions and collective agreements.
• Analytical and strategic thinking skills;
• Good communication and interpersonal skills;
• Ability to work with others;
• Demonstrate sound work ethics Conflict resolution and negotiation skills.
• Strong understanding interpretation of labor laws and regulations in Zambia
• Stakeholder management.
• Change management.
• Coaching and influencing skills.