People Operations Lead

Turaco
Turaco

People & HR, Operations

Nairobi, Kenya

Posted on Sep 12, 2026

About Turaco

Most people in Africa have never had insurance. Turaco exists to change that. Our mission is to relieve people from the fear of financial shocks. We do it by embedding affordable, simple insurance into the everyday transactions people already make, partnering with banks, MFIs, SACCOs, fintechs, and telcos that serve emerging consumers.

Since launching in 2019, Turaco has reached over 7 million customers across Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, and Pakistan. In 2026, we were ranked 29th on the Financial Times Africa's Fastest Growing Companies list and won the Innovation of the Year Award at the prestigious African Insurance Awards. We are in the claims-paying business, and we take that promise seriously.

About the Role

The People Operations Lead runs the day-to-day HR engine across Turaco's markets — recruiting, payroll, contracting, and the full employee lifecycle — and directly manages our People Operations Associates. You are the primary point of execution for the People Operations Manager: turning process into work that actually gets done, on time, country by country.

What You'll Own

Recruiting & Hiring

  • Run end-to-end recruitment for short-term staff and our Customer Operations Associate roles — sourcing, screening, interviews, and offers.
  • Coordinate scheduling, shortlisting, and candidate communication for all other open roles, in support of the People Operations Manager.
  • Keep the applicant tracking system current and give hiring managers clear visibility into pipeline status.

Payroll & HR Operations

  • Prepare monthly payroll for markets assigned to you, working with Finance and external payroll providers
  • Own contracting: offer letters, renewals, confirmations, and role-change paperwork.
  • Coordinate work permits, visas, and other documentation for cross-border staff movement and expat hires.
  • Run onboarding (first-day logistics, paperwork, welcome experience) and offboarding (exit checklists, exit interviews).
  • Track leave utilization and flag under- or over-use to managers.
  • Research and apply the statutory/tax rules relevant to payroll and benefits in each market.

Team Management

  • Directly manage the People Operations Associates — assign work, review quality, unblock their day-to-day.
  • Review and approve Associates' proposed fixes to routine HR matters; escalate anything unusual to the People Operations Manager.

Performance & Culture

  • Coordinate the logistics of performance review cycles — reminders, form tracking, documentation.
  • Execute culture and engagement initiatives designed by the People Operations Manager.

What You'll Need

  • 3–5 years in Generalist HR/People Operations, ideally with exposure to multi-country or multi-entity payroll.
  • Experience managing at least one direct report, or clear readiness to start.
  • Startup or fast-growth company experience strongly preferred.
  • Comfortable with ambiguity and hands-on detail work — this is an execution role, not a policy-design role.
  • Experience working with HRIS/ATS (e.g., Breezy, BambooHR, SeamlessHR). The People Function is highly automated.
  • Confident working with AI tools; we believe someone who doesn't use these tools is leaving capability and efficiency on the table. The focus should be on how well you direct a model.
  • Bachelor's degree in Management/Commerce; HR certification (e.g., IHRM, CHRP) is a plus.

Why This Role Matters

We need execution in the People function to keep moving without the People Operations Manager in the loop on every detail. Get it right, and the Manager is freed up to focus on driving projects and judgment calls.

Compensation & Benefits

Turaco offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience, plus a comprehensive benefits package including stock options, pension, and healthcare — within a culture that lives our values: pushing boundaries, working with excellence, and profound respect for the individual.