Job Title: Chief, Human Resource Officer
Organisation: Lira University
Duty Station: Lira, Uganda
About Organisation:
Lira University is one of the public Universities in Uganda. It started as a Constituent College of Gulu University in 2009 and attained autonomy as a fully-fledged Public University through an Act Parliament under Statutory Instrument 2015 No. 35 on the 16th July, 2015. It was established on a niche of training students in Health Sciences. It has the first University Teaching Hospital in Uganda.
Job Summary: To provide professional leadership, direction, and coordination in meeting the University’s human resource and general information needs, including offering advice and guidance on the implementation, review, and interpretation of HR policies, strategies, guidelines, rules, and regulations, as well as providing professional leadership in the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the University’s human resource management systems, policies, plans, programmes, and procedures.
Key Duties and Responsibilities: The officer will head the Human Resource Directorate at the University with the following responsibilities and duties:
- To provide leadership in ensuring that Human Resource strategic policies are translated into operational rules, procedures and standards and that these are appropriately communicated and implemented in the entire university.
- To participate in the initiation, development, implementation and review of comprehensive HR policies, plans, strategies and guidelines.
- To provide advice and interpretation of various Human Resource policies, plans, strategies, guidelines and standards.
- To design, implement and continuously improve systems and practices that attract, develop, engage, and retain top talent.
- To lead the development and maintenance of appropriate performance management systems.
- To make proposals and advise on Human Resource and succession planning.
- To analyze staff performance and career progression and make recommendations.
- To analyze and advise on the utilization of Human Resource in the University.
- To coordinate capacity building and development initiatives of staff.
- To effectively implement the decisions of the Appointments Board and the University Council.
- To oversee the preparation and monitoring of annual work plans and budgets for the HRM directorate.
- To advise on collective bargaining and negotiation agreements with trade unions/Staff Associations.
- To conduct Human Resource surveys and researches aimed at establishing performance gaps.
- To ensure institutional knowledge is captured and leveraged to support organizational growth and resilience.
Key Outputs
- Leadership in ensuring that Human Resource strategic policies are translated into operational rules, procedures and standards provided and appropriately communicated and implemented in the entire university.
- Initiation, development, implementation and review of comprehensive HR policies, plans, strategies and guidelines ensured.
- Advice and interpretation of various Human Resource policies, plans, strategies, guidelines and standards provided.
- Systems and practices that attract, develop, engage, and retain top talent designed, implemented and continuously improved.
- The development and maintenance of appropriate performance management systems spearheaded.
- Proposals and advice on Human Resource and succession planning made.
- Staff performance and career progression analyzed and recommendations made.
- Utilization of Human Resource in the University analyzed and advise given.
- Capacity building and development initiatives of staff coordinated.
- The decisions of the Appointments Board and the University Council effectively implemented.
- The preparation and monitoring of annual work plans and budgets for the HRM directorate overseen.
- Advice on collective bargaining and negotiation agreements with trade unions/Staff Associations given.
- Human Resource surveys and researches aimed at establishing performance gaps conducted.
- Institutional knowledge is captured and leveraged to support organizational growth and resilience ensured.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- An Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management or
- An Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences or Development Studies or Arts or Commerce or Business Administration with a recognized bias in HR fields such as HRD or HRM or Organizational Development studies; plus
- A Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management or A Masters in Business Administration (HR option) or A Master’s in Public Administration or Organization Development or Social Sciences or Development Studies or related field plus a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management or relevant professional qualification like CIPD or any related field;
- Membership to Human Resource Management professional body or Association will be an added advantage.
Required Competencies
- Strategic and Leadership Competencies
- Strategic Thinking and Planning:
- Leadership and Vision:
- Change Management:
- Financial Acumen:
- Interpersonal and Communication Competencies
- Negotiation and Mediation:
- Mentoring and Coaching:
- Communication:
- Emotional Intelligence:
- Technical and Knowledge-Based Competencies
- Knowledge of Labor Laws and Regulations:
- Human Resource Management Principles:
- Data Analysis and HR Metrics:
- Knowledge Management:
Work Experience
- At least ten (10) years’ experience in Human Resource practice, three of which should have been served at Deputy Chief Human Resource Officer/Manager or Assistant Commissioner Level in a reputable organization.
- Age Limit: The applicant must be at least fifty (50) years old and not more than 55 years old at the time of application.
How to Apply:
Suitably qualified and interested candidates should submit six (6) hard copies of their application, neatly packaged in a file folder, containing the following documents:
- Application Letter clearly expressing interest in the position.
- Recent passport-size photograph attached to each copy of the application.
- Detailed and up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV), duly signed and dated by the applicant.
- Certified copies of academic transcripts and certificates.
- Copies of relevant appointment letters (where applicable).
- Copy of the National Identification Card and any other relevant identification document.
- Three (3) reference letters from referees. Referees should be advised to send their letters in confidence either:
- In hard copy, sealed and clearly marked “Confidential”, or By email to: [email protected]
- All applications must be sealed and clearly marked with the position applied for on the top right-hand corner of the envelope. Both the applications and reference letters should be addressed to:
The University Secretary
Lira University
P.O. Box 1035
Lira, Uganda
Deadline: 30th December 2025.
Please Note:
- Incomplete applications and those submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
- Applicants without National Identity Cards, or whose names and dates of birth on the National Identity Cards do not match those on other submitted documents, will not be shortlisted.
- Any form of lobbying will lead to automatic disqualification.
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
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Level of Education: postgraduate degree
Work Hours: 8
Experience in Months: 120