Head of People Operations

Branch Overview  Branch delivers world-class financial services to the mobile generation.

With offices in the United States, Nigeria, Kenya, and India, Branch is a for-profit socially conscious company that uses the power of data science to reduce the cost of delivering financial services in emerging markets.

We believe that everyone everywhere deserves fair financial access.

The rapid spread of smartphones presents an opportunity for the world’s emerging middle class to access banking options and achieve financial flexibility.  Branch’s mission-driven team is led by the founder and former CEO of Kiva.org.

The company presents a rich opportunity for our team members to drive meaningful growth in rapidly evolving and changing markets.

In 2019, Branch announced its Series C and has garnered more than $100M in funding with investments from leading Silicon Valley firms including Andreessen Horowitz, Trinity Capital, Foundation Capital, Visa, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

We value diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive working environment where human beings of all backgrounds can thrive.  Job Overview The Head of People Operations leads the full People function and plays a central role in shaping a high-performing, engaged, and values-driven culture.

This role partners closely with senior leadership to drive strategic people initiatives, strengthen organizational capabilities, and ensure smooth, compliant, and people-centered HR operations across the business.

The position is both strategic and hands-on, requiring strong leadership, sound judgment, operational excellence, and the ability to support teams in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Key Responsibilities 1.

Strategic People Leadership Partner with the leadership team to translate business priorities into people strategies that support growth, performance, and culture.

Lead workforce planning, organizational design, and talent strategy to ensure the business has the right capabilities for current and future needs.

Drive culture-building initiatives that strengthen alignment, engagement, accountability, and leadership effectiveness.

2.

HR Operations & Compliance Oversee all core HR operations, including onboarding, offboarding, employee documentation, contract management, HRIS updates, and policy administration.

Ensure the organization complies with all statutory, legal, regulatory, and internal governance requirements.

Serve as the custodian of People policies and continuously update them to reflect best practices and organizational needs.

3.

Talent Management & Performance Lead the performance management cycle, ensuring clear goal-setting, regular feedback, fair evaluations, and performance improvement processes where needed.

Support continuous talent development through learning initiatives, leadership coaching, and capability-building programs.

Oversee succession planning and career pathing to strengthen internal mobility and talent depth.

4.

Employee Relations & Culture Provide guidance on complex employee relations matters, including investigations, disciplinary actions, conflict resolution, and risk mitigation.

Foster a healthy, inclusive, and supportive workplace culture grounded in transparency, accountability, and psychological safety.

Drive employee engagement initiatives and create mechanisms for employee voice and feedback.

5.

Recruitment & Onboarding Partner with the talent acquisition team to ensure a seamless, structured, and values-aligned recruitment process for critical roles.

Oversee the end-to-end onboarding experience, ensuring new hires integrate effectively and understand organizational expectations.

6.

Reward, Recognition & HR Analytics Support compensation reviews, benchmarking, and reward programs that promote fairness and retention.

Lead recognition initiatives that reinforce culture and celebrate high performance.

Use HR analytics to provide insights on turnover, engagement, hiring, compliance, and workforce trends.

7.

Leadership Support & Organisational Development Coach and support managers in leading teams, handling people matters, and strengthening leadership capability.

Partner with senior leaders on change management initiatives and organizational transformations.

Support Board and senior leadership reporting, including People metrics, risks, and compliance updates.  Qualifications, Skills & Experience Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Psychology, or a related field.

A recognized HR certification is required, and active membership with IHRM is mandatory.

8+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 4 years in a senior HR / People leadership role.

Strong experience in employee relations, performance management, HR operations, and talent development.

Proven ability to support leaders in high-growth, fast-paced environments.

Demonstrated knowledge of Kenyan employment law and HR compliance.

Experience managing HR in a multi-country or tech / fintech environment is an added advantage.

Core Attributes & Competencies Strategic People Leadership : Anticipates organizational needs and aligns people strategy with long-term business priorities.

Business & HR Acumen : Understands how talent, culture, and structure drive performance and translates this into actionable people initiatives.

Culture Stewardship : Champions an environment rooted in trust, accountability, inclusion, and high performance.

Analytical Insight : Uses people data, trends, and dashboards to diagnose issues, inform decisions, and shape proactive interventions.

Employee Advocacy & Fairness : Balances organizational goals with employee wellbeing, ensuring decisions are principled and equitable.

Change Leadership : Guides teams through transformation with clarity, empathy, and steadiness, even in moments of uncertainty.

Operational Excellence : Delivers consistent, compliant, and well-structured HR processes that strengthen organizational reliability.

Relationship & Influence : Builds trust and alignment across leadership, managers, and staff to drive shared ownership of people outcomes.

Coaching & Development Mindset : Helps leaders grow, elevates team capability, and nurtures a learning-oriented culture.

Judgment & Confidentiality : Handles sensitive matters with discretion, maturity, and sound decision-making.

Resilience & Adaptability : Stays steady under pressure, manages competing priorities, and responds effectively to changing organizational needs.

Results-Driven Execution : Moves initiatives forward with accountability, ensuring follow-through, quality delivery, and measurable impact.

Why Join Us Purpose with impact : Be part of a mission-driven organization that’s redefining access to finance across Africa : fast-paced, data-led, and entrepreneurial in spirit Leadership that empowers : You’ll have the autonomy to shape strategy, influence outcomes, and drive meaningful growth.

Reward for performance : We offer a competitive compensation package, including salary and equity, reflecting the value of your contribution.

Collaborative culture : Work within a flat, inclusive environment that values ideas, transparency, and cross-functional teamwork.

How we work : Our hybrid model supports focused, deep work time, while enabling in-person collaboration for innovation and alignment.

Comprehensive wellbeing : Fully paid health insurance and a company-matched pension plan to give you peace of mind.

Balance that’s real : 28 days of annual leave, 30 days of sick leave, and bereavement leave, because rest and recovery drive results.

Family-first policies : Enjoy fully paid parental leave, 6 months maternity and 3 months paternity, to support what matters most.

Continuous growth : Annual professional development budget to invest in your skills, knowledge, and leadership journey.

Work your best : Monthly work-from-home stipend to help you stay productive and comfortable wherever you work.

Connection beyond work : Team meals, virtual social events, and in-person meetups to strengthen bonds and celebrate achievements.

Global exposure : Opportunities to collaborate with and travel to our offices around the world, supported by global travel medical insurance   We’re looking for more than just qualifications -  if you’re unsure that you meet the criteria but identify with our vision of providing equal opportunity to everyone to access financial services, please do not hesitate to apply!

Branch International is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The company does not and will not discriminate in employment on any basis prohibited by applicable law.

Why This Role Matters People are at the heart of Branch’s success.

Over the past few years, we have strengthened our foundations; building solid HR operations, refining our policies, elevating performance management, and nurturing a culture of trust, accountability, and growth.

As we enter our next chapter, we need a People leader who can take this strong base and elevate it even further.

The Head of People Operations will shape the people strategy that supports Branch’s ambition, strengthens our culture, and empowers our teams to do their best work.

This role is key to ensuring Branch remains a great place to work as we scale, aligning talent with strategy, enabling leaders, deepening employee engagement, and driving a people-first approach across the business.

It is a unique opportunity to influence the future of our organization and create lasting impact for our people, our culture, and our business success.

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