We are looking for a SUPER organized, intuitive, and people-passionate People Operations Officer to join our team at Water Access Rwanda. This is a first-of-its-kind role, designed to support the CEO in building out our internal HR systems, documentation, and learning culture. You’ll be the go-to person for making sure our team is supported, our records are clean, and our people are growing.

You’ll work closely with the CEO and senior leadership to manage everything from onboarding and leave tracking to training coordination and resource library curation. You’ll also help coach teammates, track certifications, and create playbooks that make WAR a place where people thrive. If there’s a process, you help build it. If there’s a gap, you help close it. If there’s a learning need, you help meet it.

If you love HR (or are seriously passionate about growing into it), and you get excited by systems, structure, and supporting people —> THEN this is your moment. You’ll be busy, you’ll be trusted, and you’ll be building something that lasts. If that energizes you, apply. If not: this role is not for you.

We’re especially looking for someone who wants to grow into leading full-scale HR operations as WAR expands. This is your launchpad.

Key Result Areas (KRAs)

1. HR Documentation & Compliance
   Ensure all employee records, contracts, and HR policies are accurate, accessible, and legally compliant.
2. Learning & Development
   Curate and manage WAR’s internal resource library; track employee gaps, coach on improvement, and create playbooks and training tools based on company manuals.
3. Culture & Engagement
   Support initiatives that reinforce WAR’s values, team cohesion, and employee experience. Consult weekly with sr. management on this.
4. People Systems & Reporting
   Maintain real-time accuracy of HR dashboards; coordinate annual leave; generate strategic insights through monthly and quarterly reporting.
5. Operational Support
   Conduct exit interviews and synthesize insights; provide structured support to the CEO’s people operations responsibilities to enable strategic bandwidth.
   

Detailed Responsibilities

1. HR Documentation & Compliance

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date employee records, contracts, and HR policy documents
• Ensure all documentation complies with labor laws and internal governance standards
• Coordinate quarterly HR audits in consultation with WAR’s legal counsel
• Support onboarding and offboarding processes with clear documentation
• Track performance review cycles and ensure timely completion

2. Learning & Development

• Curate and manage WAR’s internal resource library (books, courses, tools, templates)
• Coordinate internal and external training sessions for staff
• Track individual development plans and learning progress
• Identify employee skill gaps and coach staff on improvement pathways
• Create playbooks, guides, and training tools based on WAR’s company manuals
• Maintain a tracker for employees required to pursue ongoing professional education or certification
• Report monthly on learning activities, including cost per employee and progress metrics

3. Culture & Engagement

• Consult weekly with senior executives on this.
• Organize team-building activities and recognition programs
• Support internal communications and storytelling that reinforce WAR’s values
• Facilitate onboarding rituals and initiatives that build team cohesion
• Monitor morale and engagement through informal check-ins and pulse surveys

4. People Systems & Reporting

• Maintain real-time accuracy of WAR’s internal HR dashboards
• Coordinate annual leave requests, approvals, and scheduling
• Ensure leave balances are updated and compliant with company policy
• Generate monthly and quarterly reports on HR metrics, learning progress, and engagement
• Flag risks or anomalies in people data (e.g., overlapping leave, untracked roles)

5. Operational Support

• Conduct structured exit interviews and synthesize insights for leadership
• Liaise with external coaches, consultants, and trainers as needed
• Provide operational support for board reporting and HR-related proposals
• Assist in implementing WAR’s succession planning and organizational maturity roadmap
• Support the CEO’s strategic bandwidth by managing routine people operations tasks and surfacing key insights

Compensation & Benefits

This is a growth-track position awarded at either Junior Officer or Officer level depending on your experience. Both levels come with meaningful support and long-term incentives:

Officer-Level Benefits

• Net take-home salary: RWF 297,463/month (after PAYE, NSSF, Medical Insurance, and statutory deductions)
• Retention bonus: RWF 100,000/month accessible after probation, awarded with a 3-year cliff
• Extras: Possibility of performance bonus, communication cards, and other staff support services

Junior Officer-Level Benefits

• Net take-home salary: RWF 171,061/month (after PAYE, NSSF, Medical Insurance, and statutory deductions)
• Retention bonus: RWF 40,000/month accessible after probation, awarded with a 3-year cliff
• Extras: Possibility of performance bonus, communication cards, and other staff support services
  

Qualifications

1. Educational Background
• Bachelor’s degree in any field. we’re degree agnostic and value proven passion and continuous training over formal titles.
• HR certifications or ongoing professional education is a strong asset.
2. Experience & Exposure
• 1–3 years of experience in HR, people operations, or administrative roles. If you don't have this, adjust your cover letter to indicate a desire to start in a more junior (intern/apprentice) level.
• Experience with documentation, training coordination, or employee engagement preferred
• Exposure to startup, social enterprise, or field-heavy environments
3. Non-negotiable Skills & Competencies
• Strong organizational and documentation skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with a naturally extroverted personality that boosts team morale
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Comfortable with spreadsheets, HR dashboards, and digital tools
• Analytical mindset with attention to detail
4. Mindset & Values
• Passion for people development and organizational culture
• High level of integrity, discretion, and professionalism
• Growth-oriented: eager to evolve into leading full-scale HR operations
• Alignment with WAR’s mission, values, and long-term vision