Job Description
We are looking for a Senior Lead - Shared Services to join our Human Resources group; as we scale up and drive digital and financial inclusion across our markets.
The Senior Lead – HR Shared Services is responsible for overseeing the delivery of efficient, accurate, and compliant HR operational services across the employee lifecycle. The role supports global and market-level HR operations, including employee records management, contracts administration, payroll input coordination, offboarding, and employee relations case administration.
The position drives operational excellence through strong service governance, stakeholder management, risk controls, and continuous process improvement while ensuring consistent delivery against agreed service standards and SLAs.
Key Responsibilities
1. Service Delivery Leadership & Governance
Oversee day-to-day HR Shared Services operations, ensuring timely and accurate execution of activities across the employee lifecycle.
Coordinate workload allocation, prioritisation, and operational follow-through across the function.
Establish and maintain operational routines, service standards, and process handoffs.
Track and report service KPIs including SLA adherence, turnaround times, quality metrics, backlog management, and error rates.
Manage escalations, resolve operational bottlenecks, and ensure timely communication and case closure.
2. Stakeholder Management & Cross-functional Coordination
Partner with People Partners, Talent Acquisition, Payroll, Finance, Legal, and HRIS teams to deliver seamless HR operational support.
Align stakeholders on timelines, approvals, documentation standards, and service expectations.
Translate policy or business changes into operational processes, templates, communications, and training materials.
Provide operational updates, risk reporting, and improvement recommendations to People leadership where required.
3. Records & Data Governance
Ensure employee records and documentation are complete, accurate, and compliant with internal and regulatory requirements.
Conduct regular audits to identify and resolve data inconsistencies or compliance gaps.
Maintain confidentiality and strong controls around employee data handling and storage.
Drive HR data quality initiatives and implement preventive controls to minimise recurring errors.
4. Contracts & Employment Lifecycle Administration
Oversee employment contract issuance, renewals, amendments, and extensions within established timelines.
Ensure all employee documentation is accurately maintained within HR systems and document repositories.
Manage probation administration processes including confirmations, extensions, and related approvals.
Support performance management cycle administration, including documentation, letters, approvals tracking, and records management.
Ensure compliance with approval workflows, documentation standards, and record retention requirements.
5. Payroll Input Coordination
Coordinate monthly payroll input readiness by managing timelines, approvals, and submission requirements.
Oversee preparation and validation of payroll-related inputs, including commissions, bonuses, and employee lifecycle changes.
Investigate payroll discrepancies and coordinate corrective actions with Payroll and Finance stakeholders.
Maintain audit-ready payroll documentation and supporting controls.
6. Offboarding Operations
Coordinate smooth employee offboarding processes, including exit documentation, systems updates, benefits cessation, and stakeholder handoffs.
Ensure offboarding activities are completed accurately and within required timelines.
Manage escalations and exceptions to minimise operational risk and maintain a positive employee experience.
7. Employee Relations Case Administration
Oversee administration of disciplinary and grievance cases, including documentation, scheduling, minutes, milestone tracking, and outcome communication.
Maintain secure and confidential employee relations records in line with company policies and compliance requirements.
Support maintenance of ER templates, SOPs, and operational guidance documentation.
Coordinate timely follow-up and closure of employee relations cases.
8. Continuous Improvement & Operational Controls
Identify operational inefficiencies and implement practical process improvements, templates, and standardisation initiatives.
Support process mapping, SOP documentation, and operational training activities.
Strengthen operational controls relating to approvals, documentation, segregation of duties, and audit readiness.
Drive adoption of process enhancements and ensure operational consistency across the function.
9. Data Analytics, Reporting & AI Enablement
Analyse operational service data to identify trends, bottlenecks, recurring issues, and opportunities for improvement.
Develop and maintain dashboards covering SLA performance, service quality, payroll exceptions, and case management metrics.
Partner with HRIS and People Systems teams to support automation and AI-enabled HR operations initiatives.
Ensure AI-enabled processes comply with data privacy, governance, and documentation standards.
Use operational insights to support decision-making and improve employee experience outcomes.
Reporting Structure
Reports To: Head of HR Shared Services
Qualifications & Experience
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
Professional Certification
Certified HR Practitioner in Kenya, preferably CHRP(K).
Active membership with the Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM).
Experience
4–5 years’ experience in HR Shared Services, HR Operations, or employee lifecycle administration roles.
Hands-on experience across HR records management, contracts administration, payroll coordination, offboarding, and employee relations support.
Experience working within fast-paced or multi-country operational environments is an advantage.
Skills & Competencies
Strong understanding of HR operations, compliance requirements, and employee lifecycle processes.
Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional coordination skills.
High attention to detail with strong risk awareness and control discipline.
Strong analytical and reporting capabilities with experience using operational metrics to drive improvements.
Experience supporting automation, process improvement, or AI-enabled HR operational initiatives.
Strong communication, escalation management, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and work within tight deadlines.
Experience using HRIS systems such as HiBob or equivalent platforms is preferred.
Familiarity with ticketing or case management systems such as Freshservice is an advantage.
Why M-KOPA?
At M-KOPA, we empower our people to own their careers through diverse development programs, coaching partnerships, and on-the-job training. We support individual journeys with family-friendly policies, prioritize well-being, and embrace flexibility.
Join us in shaping the future of M-KOPA as we grow together. Explore more at m-kopa.com.
Recognized four times by the Financial Times as one Africa's fastest growing companies (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026) and by TIME100 Most influential companies in the world 2023 and 2024 , we've served over 7 million customers, unlocking $1.5 billion in cumulative credit for the unbanked across Africa.
Important Notice
M-KOPA is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained staff. Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
M-KOPA explicitly prohibits the use of Forced or Child Labour and respects the rights of its employees to agree to terms and conditions of employment voluntarily, without coercion, and freely terminate their employment on appropriate notice. M-KOPA shall ensure that its Employees are of legal working age and shall comply with local laws for youth employment or student work, such as internships or apprenticeships.
M-KOPA does not collect/charge any money as a pre-employment or post-employment requirement. This means that we never ask for ‘recruitment fees’, ‘processing fees’, ‘interview fees’, or any other kind of money in exchange for offer letters or interviews at any time during the hiring process.
Applications for this position will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Shortlisting and interviews will take place at any stage during the recruitment process. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a suitable candidate is selected before the advertised closing date.
If your application is successful M-KOPA undertakes pre-employment background checks as part of its recruitment process, these include; criminal records, identification verification, academic qualifications, employment dates and employer references.