HR EMPLOYEE RELATIONS & COMPLIANCE OFFICER

Position Title: HR Employee Relations & Compliance Officer

Department: Human Resources

Industry: Manufacturing

Location: Kampala, Uganda

Salary:UGX 6,000,000 (Uganda Shillings)

Reports To: HR Manager / Head of Human Resources

1. JOB PURPOSE

The HR Employee Relations & Compliance Officer is responsible for fostering a positive work environment, maintaining compliance with Ugandan labour laws and company policies, managing disciplinary and grievance processes, and supporting employment litigation and dispute resolution.

This role serves as a critical governance function within manufacturing operations—ensuring fair treatment, robust record-keeping, regulatory adherence, and seamless coordination between HR, Legal, Production, and Senior Management.

2. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Employee Relations & Workplace Harmony

• Manage employee grievances, workplace conflicts, and disciplinary issues in a fair and timely manner.

• Provide advice and coaching to line managers and supervisors on employee relations, workplace conduct, and dispute resolution.

• Promote employee engagement, fair labour practices, and workplace harmony across all operational departments.

• Facilitate constructive relationships between management, employees, and trade unions (where applicable).

• Track and analyze trends in absenteeism, misconduct, and recurring workplace grievances to implement preventative measures.

B. Disciplinary Management & Investigations

• Coordinate all disciplinary proceedings in strict compliance with internal policies and Ugandan labour legislation.

• Lead and document workplace investigations regarding misconduct, negligence, harassment, theft, absenteeism, and safety violations.

• Draft official show-cause letters, investigation reports, hearing minutes, charge sheets, and disciplinary outcome notices.

• Guide disciplinary panels to ensure procedural fairness, natural justice, and consistency across decisions.

C. HR Compliance & Statutory Governance

• Ensure operational compliance with Ugandan employment laws, statutory regulations, and industry standards.

• Monitor statutory requirements regarding working hours, overtime, leave entitlements, minimum wages, and workplace conditions.

• Review employment contracts, internal rules, and HR policies to align with evolving statutory requirements.

• Maintain and update the organizational HR Compliance Register.

• Coordinate internal HR compliance audits, official labour inspections, and the implementation of corrective actions.

D. Employment Litigation & Legal Support

• Act as the primary HR liaison to the Legal Department and external legal counsel on employment disputes and court cases.

• Collate, verify, and organize documentary evidence (contracts, disciplinary files, performance records, emails) for legal proceedings.

• Draft comprehensive factual case summaries, incident chronologies, and evidentiary bundles to support legal defense.

• Assist in drafting responses to demand letters, legal notices, and claims filed with the Labour Office or Industrial Court.

• Maintain the Employment Litigation Register, tracking case statuses, court dates, and key legal deadlines.

• Oversee the implementation of court judgments, consent orders, mediated settlements, and legal recommendations.

E. Manufacturing Workforce & Operational Support

• Provide hands-on HR support across plant operations, including Production, Warehousing, Logistics, and Maintenance.

• Resolve operational employee issues related to shift rotations, overtime calculation, working conditions, and plant conduct.

• Partner with Production Managers and Supervisors to resolve frontline operational workforce challenges.

• Collaborate with the Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) team to investigate safety breaches and enforce safety compliance.

F. HR Records Management & Reporting

• Maintain confidential, audit-ready records for all disciplinary cases, grievances, compliance checks, and legal matters.

• Generate monthly and quarterly analytics on employee relations trends, disciplinary actions, grievances, and litigation statuses.

• Prepare compliance gap analyses and audit reports for HR leadership and executive management.

3. KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)

1. Resolution Time: Average turnaround time for resolving grievances and concluding disciplinary cases.

2. Procedural Compliance: Zero legal liability or lost court cases resulting from procedural flaws in internal investigations or disciplinary actions.

3. Audit Readiness: 100% compliance rating during statutory labour inspections and internal HR audits.

4. Litigation Support: On-time compilation and delivery of accurate evidentiary documentation for legal counsel.

5. Dispute Reduction: Year-over-year reduction in recurring disciplinary infractions and workplace grievances across plant operations.

6. Record Accuracy: Completeness and confidentiality of the HR Compliance and Litigation Registers.

4. QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

Required Qualifications & Certifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, Industrial Relations, Law (LLB), Business Administration, or a related field.

• Professional Membership: Active membership with the Human Resource Managers' Association of Uganda (HRMAU) or equivalent professional body.

Required Work Experience

• Experience: 3 to 5 years of progressive experience in Employee Relations, HR Compliance, or Labour Relations.

• Industry Background: Prior experience in a manufacturing, processing, or industrial operational environment is strongly preferred.

• Legal Support: Demonstrated experience in conducting workplace investigations and coordinating employment litigation matters under Ugandan jurisdiction.

Technical Competencies & Knowledge

• In-depth knowledge of Ugandan Employment Law (Employment Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act, Labour Disputes Act, etc.).

• Sound knowledge of disciplinary investigation techniques, evidence handling, and principles of natural justice.

• Strong understanding of manufacturing plant operations, shift management, and workforce dynamics.

• Proficiency in HRIS platforms and MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Soft Skills & Attributes

• Excellent written communication skills for drafting legal/HR documentation, letters, and reports.

• Strong mediation, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.

• High integrity, objectivity, and discretion in handling confidential matters.

• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving abilities.