Role Overview

We have an exciting opportunity for someone to join us as a Regional HR Director, based preferably in Bogota, Columbia to work in a truly global environment to head the HR team for the coffee division within Latin America reporting to the Global HR Director in Switzerland.

We are seeking an experienced HR leader to be accountable for the full delivery of human resources services including recruitment and retention, compensation and benefits, employee engagement, learning and development and employee relations/ welfare and performance management, as well as being a commercial partner to the business. This position offers a broad spectrum of opportunity, scope, commercial activity, and authority.

Business Overview

Volcafe Ltd is one of the world’s leading international green coffee trading companies, operating in over 20 countries globally. Our expertise spans green coffee procurement and preparation, sustainability, blending, quality control, risk management and export as well as importing and distribution. We supply the world’s major coffee roasters and retail distributors with their green coffee requirements, with significant strategic growth ambitions for the future. We are part of ED&F Man Commodities, a world leading trader of agricultural products including coffee, sugar, molasses and animal feed.

Volcafe works across the whole green coffee supply chain to make coffee business better, together with our partners and employees. We have built and operate sustainable coffee supply chains across all our origins, addressing key economic, social and environmental issues in coffee farming communities. Our Volcafe Way farmer support programme engages with thousands of coffee farmers and provides a holistic response to the challenges they face.

Key Accountabilities

Accountable for the full delivery of human resources services including recruitment and retention, compensation and benefits, employee engagement, learning and development, employee relations and welfare, and performance management. The population consists of office, mill, factory and warehouse employees spread over five countries: Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras.

• Strategic Business Partnering: Proactively build and maintain strong relationships with the business leadership teams, offering strategic support and guidance on HR-related matters to align with organizational goals.
• HR Strategy Implementation: Collaborate with the Global HR Director to develop and execute short and long-term HR strategies, including establishing objectives, policies, and operating procedures to drive HR excellence.
• HR Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop the local HR team, ensuring high performance and effective HR service delivery.
• Organizational Development: Spearhead organizational and manpower development initiatives, focusing on talent development, succession planning, and supporting a high-growth dynamic business environment.
• Regional HR Service Center Establishment: Set up and manage a shared HR service center for the region to centralize and streamline HR functions.
• Employee Engagement Enhancement: Innovate and implement strategies to enhance employee engagement, including developing comprehensive engagement plans and relationship-building activities.
• Talent Acquisition and Recruitment: Oversee the Senior recruitment process, ensuring the attraction and selection of high-caliber candidates to meet the organization’s staffing needs and growth objectives.
• Compensation and Benefits Management: Design and implement cost-effective and competitive compensation and benefits programs, regularly conducting market analyses to ensure organizational competitiveness.
• Effective Internal Communication: Facilitate robust internal communication channels, ensuring seamless information flow across all levels of the organization.
• HR Documentation Oversight: Manage the preparation and maintenance of essential HR documents, including employment contracts, employee handbooks, and safety guidelines.
• Payroll and Benefits Administration: Coordinate with external vendors for the efficient administration of payroll and benefits, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• HR Audit and Compliance: Lead HR audit processes, ensuring all practices align with company policies and regulatory requirements.
• HR Policy Development: Formulate and implement HR policies and systems that are aligned with corporate standards, competitive in the market, and compliant with local labor laws.
• External HR Relations: Establish and maintain relationships with HR-related government bodies and community organizations, enhancing the organization’s external HR network.
• Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives: Develop and promote diversity and inclusion programs to foster an equitable and inclusive workplace culture.
• Employee Training and Development: Implement comprehensive training and professional development programs to enhance employee skills and career growth.
• Employee Wellness Programs: Create and manage employee wellness initiatives to support employee health and well-being.

Skills & Experience:

The successful candidate will be able to lead a team and operate in an entrepreneurial and hands-on capacity. The ideal candidate will be energetic, ambitious, and bright, possessing a high level of enthusiasm; able to work collaboratively with a diverse client population.

• HR Management Experience: A minimum of 10 years of HR experience, with a focus on strategic HR management in a regional or global context.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and implement long-term HR strategies that align with organizational goals.
• Leadership and Team Management: Proven experience in leading, mentoring and developing HR teams, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication abilities, essential for effective internal and external interactions.
• Organizational Development Expertise: Strong skills in manpower planning, talent development, and succession planning, with a track record of successful organizational and manpower development projects.
• Employee Engagement and Relationship Building: Expertise in designing and executing employee engagement strategies and programs, building strong relationships across the organization.
• Talent Acquisition and Talent Management: Proficiency in recruiting strategies, candidate selection, and talent acquisition. Experience in managing recruitment processes and talent management systems.
• Compensation and Benefits Management: Knowledge of compensation structures, benefits administration, and market benchmarking. Previous experience in designing and managing compensation and benefits programs.
• Regulatory Compliance and Policy Formulation: Understanding of local and international HR laws, regulations, and the ability to develop and implement HR policies. Experience in formulating and revising HR policies in line with organizational and regulatory requirements.
• Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills: Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and solve complex HR-related issues.
• Change Management: Skills in managing and facilitating organizational change.
• HR Audits: Experience in conducting and managing HR audits.
• Diversity and Inclusion: Experience in developing and promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Training and Development: Experience in creating and implementing employee training and development programs.

Educational Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or a related field is typically required.
• Advanced degrees or certifications in Human Resources, such as an MBA or PHR/SPHR certification, are desirable.

We recognise that talent comes in many forms, and we value potential just as much as experience. If this role excites you but you don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply.

Our Offer

We provide a fast-paced, stimulating and truly global environment, which will stretch your abilities and channel your talents. We also offer competitive salary and benefits combined with outstanding career development opportunities in one of the global leaders in soft commodity trading.

Our Values

Respect, Integrity, Meritocracy, Client Focus, Entrepreneurship

Our values define who we are. They are the fundamental beliefs that determine our actions and guide our behaviour. They influence the way we communicate and collaborate, and define the way we engage with our clients, partners, and communities. Our values are underpinned by a set of essential behaviours, which form part of our performance management approach. Delivering on our objectives is very much about ‘what’ we do, but these essential behaviours also provide a guide and measure for ‘how’ we do things. Our performance essentials are Take Initiative, Self‐Management, Deliver Results and Collaboration.

Our Commitment

We are committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive and diverse work environment where all employees are treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment and are focussed on actively building and developing diverse teams. All qualified applicants will receive equal treatment without regard to race, colour, sex, gender, age, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, marital or civil partner status, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment (identity, gender expression), genetic information or any characteristic protected by local law.

We are willing to make any reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process.

To apply you must have the right to work for the provided location.