Director of Human Resources

Department: Human Resources

Reports to: Rector

Duty Station: Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic (with travel throughout Central Asia)

Deadline: Open until filled

About the University of Central Asia
The University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded in 2000 as a private, not for profit, secular university through an International Treaty signed by the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and His Late Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV; ratified by their respective parliaments and registered with the United Nations. The Presidents are the Patrons of the University and His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan V is the Chancellor. UCA’s mission is to promote the social and economic development of Central Asia, particularly its mountain communities, by offering an internationally recognised standard of higher education and becoming a leading research university in the region and internationally. UCA brings with it the broader commitment and partnership of the Aga Khan Development Network.

Summary of Position
The Director of Human Resources will provide strategic and operational leadership of the human resources function at UCA. This includes working closely with the Rector, Chief Operating Officer, other members of the leadership team, and with department heads to align UCA’s human resources with the strategic needs of the University while also leading a team of human resource professionals to deliver a broad range of human resource services.
The position offers an unparalleled opportunity for a highly motivated candidate with experience of managing human resource functions in complex and diverse working environments. Experience of leading human resource functions in the higher education sector would be strongly preferred, as would an understanding of the cultural and educational context of Central Asia.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership of the human resources function and develop an approach which enables the University’s human resources to be effectively utilized to meet its strategic goals.
• Serve as business partner to all UCA units/departments/Schools by helping them with their HR initiatives.
• Develop and implement operational and strategic management of HR functions of the university.
• Manage and direct all aspects of the HR function, including the development of HR strategy, policies, processes, and systems that are aligned with the strategy of the University and are developed in consultation with key internal stakeholders.
• Support the modernisation and renewal of the University’s pay, grading and compensation policies.
• Develop and implement strategies for talent acquisition, succession planning, development, management and retention.
• Initiate and sustain a productive work environment, build trust, accountability, innovation, and growth opportunities for all staff.
• Position UCA as an employer of choice in regional and international markets and ensure UCA deploys an innovative multiplatform recruitment strategy that attracts talented academic and administrative staff to the University.
• Support the development of an academic recruiting and talent development specialism.
• Ensure all employees are aware of UCA’s Safeguarding principles and policies and that the university adopts a robust approach to the reporting, investigation and response to cases of harassment, bullying and assault within the UCA community.
• Oversee a positive employee relations climate at UCA, in which employees are provided opportunities to pursue individual and collective grievances in a fair and supportive manner and disciplinary action is managed in a professional and structured way.
• Develop the University’s chosen human resource information system, SAP, to provide accurate and relevant employee data and performance metrics and support the key internal HR processes.
• In addition to maintaining strong working relationships with the University work closely and share best practice with HR colleagues within the AKDN agencies and the Central Asian HR community.
• Develop initiatives to improve the effectiveness of internal communication and employee engagement across a complex, multi-site university.
• Serve as an approachable and positive role model for the university and one which the UCA management team regards as a valued partner in facilitating institutional improvement and change.
• Provide effective leadership and mentor an enthusiastic and talented team of the human resources.

Relationships
The Director of Human Resources will:

• Report to the Rector.
• Be a member of the UCA Management Executive Committee

Why Join UCA?

• Impactful Teaching and Research: Contribute to an academic institution that is dedicated to fostering innovation and development in Central Asia and beyond.
• Collaboration and Growth: Be part of a diverse, interdisciplinary academic environment, with opportunities for collaboration and research across multiple fields of societal relevance.
• Regional Leadership: Lead the development of innovative solutions to regional challenges in climate adaptation, sustainable development, technology, data science, and digital policy.
• Support for Female Scholars: UCA is deeply committed to supporting all scholars in all fields, providing opportunities to further advance gender equity in academia.

Required Qualifications and Experience
The successful candidate for this position will possess:

• An advanced degree in a relevant field, preferably with a specialization in human resource management.
• Significant demonstrated success at a senior level in the field of human resources management.
• Human resources experience in, and/or demonstrable interest and knowledge of, the higher education sector will be given preference.
• The ability to make a significant contribution to the strategic development of an organization, while also being willing to proactively lead by example in day-to-day HR operational matters.
• Well-developed skills in coaching and mentoring a senior leadership team to demonstrate best practice human resource principles.
• Experience and/or knowledge of (or a willingness to immerse in) the Central Asian or post-Soviet higher education environment.
• Experience of managing complex compensation and benefits strategies.
• A strong track record of developing human resources professionals to attain the professional skills, knowledge and competences required by modern human resource practitioners.
• Ability to manage conflict in a skilful and measured way while ensuring compliance with the legal requirements of the Founding States of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English, UCA’s business language.
• Cultural and gender sensitivity, flexibility, and demonstrated evidence of being able to work effectively with diverse constituencies at the local, regional, and international level.
• Preference will be given to candidates with previous experience of working in Central Asia or other post-Soviet countries or being able to operate successfully in other complex intercultural settings.

Languages:

• Advanced proficiency in spoken and written English is essential. Russian is preferred but not essential.
• Knowledge of other Central Asian languages (Kyrgyz, Tajik, Kazakh) would be beneficial.

The position will be based in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic and would require regional and international travel.

Candidates from the founding countries of UCA i.e. Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

Salary and Package:
Salary and package to attract the best candidate.

How to Apply

Ready to join our team? We kindly invite you to submit your application for this position by clicking the Apply button on this page. To facilitate a smooth application process, please create an account on our website. Be assured that the account setup and application steps are straightforward.

Applications will be reviewed when received. Early applications are strongly encouraged. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.