ABOUT OXFAM

Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty. We are shop volunteers, women's rights activists, marathon runners, aid workers, coffee farmers, street fundraisers, goat herders, policy experts, campaigners, water engineers and more. And we won't stop until everyone can live life without poverty for good.

Oxfam GB is a member of an international confederation of 21 organisations working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development and campaigning, in more than 90 countries.

DEPARTMENT & TEAM PURPOSE

Department Purpose: To lead and enable the delivery of Oxfam's Global Strategy in Southern Africa by operating as a unified, regionally integrated team that drives systems change through partner-centred programming, strategic influencing, and knowledge-led practice. The department ensures an agile, digitally enabled and cost-efficient operating model that maximises impact, strengthens regional coherence, and positions Oxfam as a catalyst, convenor and trusted partner across the region.

Team Purpose: We are part of a broader movement for justice in Southern Africa and work in solidarity with partners, allies, and the communities we serve. Our role is to enable locally led change by strengthening the capacity, voice and influence of local actors to shape the systems and institutions that govern power and resources. Through partnerships, convening spaces, and evidence-based influencing, we contribute to thought leadership and collective action on gender and social justice, accountable governance, and alternative economic systems.

JOB PURPOSE

The People, Culture & Organisational Development Lead provides senior strategic and operational leadership for Oxfam's people agenda across the Southern Africa (SAF) Cluster, ensuring that workforce systems, leadership practices, organisational culture, and HR structures are fully aligned with Oxfam's transition to a regional, partner-led, systems-focused operating model.

The role is responsible for shaping and driving a coherent People & Culture strategy that supports organisational transformation, workforce sustainability, feminist leadership, localisation, and long-term institutional resilience. It acts as the principal architect and integrator of people systems across multiple countries, ensuring that staffing structures, talent pipelines, organisational culture, and leadership capabilities are fit-for-purpose within a complex, decentralised, and rapidly evolving regional structure.

Operating under the direct leadership of the Cluster Director, the role serves as both a strategic adviser to senior leadership and the lead manager of cluster-wide HR systems. It ensures harmonisation of policies and practices, supports workforce planning, drives organisational change, strengthens partner-centred HR approaches, and safeguards compliance with labour laws, donor standards, and Oxfam's internal frameworks.

The role also directly leads and develops HR Officers across the Cluster, ensuring strong performance, consistent policy application, people-centred leadership, and high-quality service delivery.

As a member of the Cluster Leadership Team, contribute to the collective strategic leadership, governance, and management of the SAF Cluster, sharing responsibility for organisational performance, risk management, and delivery of the Cluster Strategy.

CONTEXT

Southern Africa is experiencing a convergence of complex and interlinked crises. Persistent poverty and extreme inequality, among the highest globally, continue to shape the lives of millions, compounded by climate shocks, economic instability, shrinking civic space, and entrenched gender inequalities.

At the same time, the region is undergoing rapid transformation. Climate-induced disasters such as droughts, floods, and cyclones are intensifying, humanitarian needs are rising, and urbanisation is reshaping patterns of poverty and exclusion. Youth populations are expanding rapidly, presenting both opportunities for change and risks of deepening inequality if economic inclusion is not achieved.

In response, Oxfam in Southern Africa has undergone a significant organisational transformation; shifting from country-based programming to a unified regional model designed to increase impact, efficiency, and influence across the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The 2026–2030 Strategy marks a decisive shift toward locally led, partner-driven approaches, with Oxfam acting as a convenor, catalyst, and influencer rather than a direct implementer.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Strategic People Leadership & Organisational Design (12%)

• Lead the design and implementation of a cluster-wide People, Culture & Organisational Development Strategy aligned with SAF Strategy (2026–2030).
• Advise Cluster Leadership Team on organisational design, workforce risks, leadership decisions, and structural adaptation.
• Guide role profiling, restructuring, and workforce alignment.
• Ensure staffing structures remain agile and fit-for-purpose within changing funding and programmatic realities.
• Strengthen strategic workforce sustainability.
• Contribute directly to cluster-wide strategic planning and institutional decision-making.

2. Workforce Planning, Talent Management & Leadership Pipelines (15%)

• Lead cluster-wide workforce planning aligned to funding realities, programme priorities, and strategic transformation.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, deployment, and retention systems.
• Strengthen talent management, succession planning, leadership development, and career pathways.
• Promote flexible, multi-locational staffing approaches.
• Support managers to address capacity gaps, role clarity, and strategic workforce needs.
• Strengthen long-term institutional leadership capability.

3. Transformation, Change Management & Organisational Culture (18%)

• Lead complex change processes including restructuring, workforce transitions, organisational redesign, and leadership adaptation.
• Embed feminist leadership, decolonial approaches, inclusive organisational culture, and systems thinking.
• Support leaders and teams to navigate ambiguity, complexity, and change fatigue.
• Strengthen cluster identity and cohesion across dispersed teams.
• Facilitate strategic communication, staff engagement, and organisational alignment.
• Build organisational resilience and adaptability.

4. Partner-Centred HR Systems, Localisation & Organisational Strengthening (15%)

• Develop HR frameworks that strengthen partner-hosted and partner-led delivery systems.
• Support partner HR due diligence, partner safeguarding systems, workforce compliance, and organisational development.
• Strengthen partner organisational capacity in HR systems, leadership, compliance, and safeguarding.
• Promote responsible power shifting and equitable localisation.
• Support development of sustainable partner HR models.
• Ensure partner-centred approaches remain strategically coherent and ethically robust.

5. Performance Management, Learning & Capability Development (10%)

• Lead implementation of performance management systems across the Cluster.
• Strengthen competencies aligned with SAF's strategic direction, including systems thinking, influencing, partnership management, and leadership.
• Promote continuous learning, coaching, and professional development.
• Support managers in staff performance and development planning.
• Align learning systems with programme quality, leadership development, and organisational transformation.
• Strengthen internal capability for future operating models.

6. Staff Wellbeing, Safeguarding & Duty of Care (10%)

• Design and implement staff wellbeing strategies.
• Monitor burnout risks, workload balance, morale, and duty of care systems.
• Ensure safeguarding is fully integrated into HR systems and leadership practices.
• Promote safe, inclusive, and respectful workplaces.
• Support managers in addressing sensitive workforce issues.
• Strengthen crisis-responsive staff support systems.
• Ensure people systems reinforce organisational values and protection standards.

7. HR Systems, Policy Harmonisation & Compliance (12%)

• Harmonise HR policies, procedures, and systems across multiple countries and affiliates.
• Ensure compliance with national labour laws, donor requirements, Oxfam frameworks, and Safeguarding policies.
• Strengthen HR systems, digital tools, and people data management.
• Improve consistency, quality, and efficiency of HR service delivery.
• Coordinate with OI HR Secretariat, Global HR Shared Services, and Affiliates.
• Strengthen institutional governance and workforce accountability.

8. HR Business Partnering & System Integration (6%)

• Act as strategic HR partner to leadership and managers.
• Guide HR Officers and managers on policy implementation and people systems.
• Strengthen leadership capability in people management, decision-making, and organisational development.
• Ensure coherence across countries, functions, and teams.
• Serve as central integrator of workforce systems within a matrix structure.
• Promote organisational cohesion and leadership effectiveness.

9. Risk Management, Governance & Institutional Accountability (Embedded)

• Identify and mitigate legal risks, labour risks, safeguarding risks, and organisational risks.
• Support Cluster Leadership Team in risk-informed workforce decisions.
• Strengthen governance systems through strategic HR oversight.
• Ensure people systems contribute directly to institutional accountability, resilience, and sustainability.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

• Master or equivalent degree in Human Resources, Organisational Development, Psychology, or equivalent qualification. A Bachelor's degree combined with relevant postgraduate or professional qualifications and significant experience of at least 10 years may be considered.
• 6 years progressive HR leadership experience in HR leadership, organisational development, or people strategy roles.
• Proven experience in organisational transformation, workforce planning, change management, multi-country labour systems, strategic HR leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior leadership and drive strategic outcomes.
• Strong facilitation, coaching, and interpersonal skills.
• High emotional intelligence and ability to manage sensitive issues.
• Strong analytical and systems thinking capabilities.
• Excellent leadership and people management abilities, with motivational, talent development and change management skills. Able to manage and develop other people's professional standards and potential.
• Good knowledge and experience of using tools and methodologies for conducting needs analysis, training programme development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• Strong project management and organisational skills, with experience using formal project management techniques.
• A strategic perspective and approach with ability to develop long term plans and implement them effectively. Ability to work with others to develop vision into strategy and communicate and influence this to a wider audience.
• Ability to build strong, credible relationships with internal and external individuals and organisations.
• A high level of self-awareness, personal energy, stamina and flexibility. Ability to work creatively, effectively and in an innovative manner, adjusting to constantly changing situations while maintaining focus on delivery and follow-through.
• Commitment to Oxfam's overall aims and policies and experience of promoting gender equity and diversity and the interests of marginalized people in all aspects of Oxfam's work.
• Experience in working with and supporting multi-located teams with a good understanding of the local labour laws.

Desirable

• Portuguese language capability.
• INGO or partner-led model experience.
• Southern Africa regional expertise.
• Localisation and decolonial systems experience.

Organisational Values

• Accountability: Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions.
• Self-Awareness: We are able to develop a high degree of self-awareness around our own strengths and weaknesses and our impact on others.
• Decisiveness: We are comfortable to make transparent decisions and to adapt decision making modes to the context and needs.
• Relationship Building: We understand the importance of building relationships, within and outside the organisation.
• Systems Thinking: We view problems as parts of an overall system and in their relation to the whole system, rather than reacting to a specific part, outcome or event in isolation.

Languages

• Fluent in written and spoken English and ideally Portuguese.

SAFER RECRUITMENT

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us. Offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online through the link:

https://jobs.oxfam.org.uk/jobs/vacancy/people-culture-and-organisational-development-lead-int11688/24854/description/

As part of your online application, please upload your up to date CV and Cover Letter explaining your suitability against the essential criteria in the job profile.

Closing Date: 6th August 2026