Vacancies

Manager People Development and Organisational Culture

Location: Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic

Department: Human Resources (HR)

Reporting to: Associate Director of HR

Deadline: 24 June 2025

UCA Background:

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 Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, and His Highness the Aga Khan; ratified by their respective parliaments, and registered with the United Nations. The Presidents are the Patrons of the University and His Highness 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 enabling the peoples of the region to preserve their rich cultural heritage as assets for the future. UCA brings with it the broader commitment and partnership of the Aga Khan Development Network. For more information: www.ucentralasia.org 

OVERALL PURPOSE:

Manager People Development and Organisational Culture leads initiatives that promote a positive, high-performing workplace culture and that foster continuous employee growth, at all levels. This role is responsible for designing and implementing talent development programmes, supporting leadership development, enhancing employee engagement, and aligning organisational values with everyday experiences and practices of UCA’s employees. In partnership with cross-functional teams from across UCA, the role holder ensures the desired organisational culture is lived and experienced, not just asserted, and that UCA employees have the support, tools and opportunities they need to thrive and grow.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Learning & Development and Talent management

• Lead the design and execution of UCA-wide Learning & Development (L&D) programmes to build organisational capabilities, including leadership development, competency-based training, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with department heads to develop annual L&D plans aligned with UCA’s strategic priorities and evolving workforce development needs.
• Implement and oversee individual development plans through a blended learning framework that incorporates in-house training, e-learning, curated external opportunities, mentoring and on-the-job learning.
• Manage and maintain a centralised learning management system to support self-directed learning and provision of timely access to training resources.
• Develop and manage relationships with external learning partners, including sourcing, contracting, and evaluating providers of specialised learning programmes.
• Support the design and rollout of talent acceleration initiatives such as fast-track programmes, mentoring schemes, and tailored development plans for high-potential employees.
• Advise managers on performance development, talent pipeline cultivation, and career progression strategies to strengthen succession planning.
• Analyse learning outcomes, development metrics, and feedback to continuously enhance programme effectiveness and ensure measurable impact.

Onboarding & Employee Experience

• Oversee and continuously improve the onboarding process to ensure a consistent, inclusive, and engaging experience for all new hires.
• Develop compelling onboarding materials and facilitate orientation sessions in collaboration with cross-functional teams to help new employees integrate effectively into the organisation.
• Monitor onboarding effectiveness through structured feedback mechanisms and implement refinements to improve early engagement, experience and retention.

Employee Engagement & Events

• Lead the planning and execution of internal engagement events (e.g., celebrations, wellness initiatives, team-building activities, staff appreciation, and retreats) to strengthen employee morale, collaboration, and organisational culture.
• Manage UCA’s intranet as a dynamic internal communication platform to promote transparency, engagement, and real-time access to important organisational updates.  
• Curate and produce engaging internal communications content, including HR updates, organisational announcements, people stories, and culture-building campaigns.
• Champion equity, inclusion, and belonging, while amplifying the employee voice through structured feedback mechanisms and targeted engagement programmes.
• Provide strategic HR input and project leadership for initiatives that enhance organisational effectiveness, improve team dynamics, and elevate the overall employee experience.

Budgeting and reporting

• Manage the unit’s budget, including forecasting, cost optimisation, payment processing and resource allocation aligned with organisational priorities.
• Maintain accurate HR records and key metrics to support dashboards and meet institutional reporting requirements.
• Ensure accurate and timely documentation of all activities, including vendor contracts, participant records, and financial transactions to support compliance, audit readiness, and effective knowledge management.

Strategic Culture and Institutional Development

• Align people development and organisational culture initiatives with UCA’s mission as a regional, development-focused, and multi-campus university operating in complex environments across the three UCA Founding States.
• Promote cross-campus coherence in learning and culture-building initiatives, while respecting local contexts and cultural diversity.
• Collaborate with academic and administrative leaders to support change management processes and cultivate an adaptive, values-driven organisational culture.
• Work with Career Services and the Alumni Office to strengthen internal career mobility pathways and support long-term talent development.
• Monitor and report on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) indicators to guide responsive, data-informed initiatives.
• Contribute to UCA’s employer brand by effectively communicating its mission, workplace culture, and professional growth opportunities in external HR and recruitment materials.
• Develop succession planning and knowledge transfer strategies to ensure continuity in key roles and the preservation of institutional memory

QUALIFICATIONS- ESSENTIAL

• Relevant experience in an L&D or HR business partner role
• Experience working across diverse teams and collaborating with stakeholders at all levels of the organisation, including senior leadership.
• Experience of change management processes and/or of influencing organisational culture
• Strong ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously while maintaining high-quality outcomes
• High emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and navigate sensitive issues with empathy and discretion.
• Ability to build trust, facilitate collaboration, and align people strategies with institutional goals.
• Prior experience in facilitating or leading workshops, training sessions, or employee engagement events is highly desirable.
• Experience with Learning Management Systems (LMS), HR Information Systems (HRIS), or digital learning tools (e.g., iSping, Articulate, Kahoot, etc.) is a plus.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
• Excellent English language writing and editing skills, high-level competence in Russian and/or other languages of the Founding States
• Experience in higher education, international development, or multi-location organisations would be an advantage.

How to Apply

Ready to join our team? We kindly invite you to submit your application for this position by clicking the Apply button at following link Карьерные возможности: Manager People Development and Organisational Culture (1034). To facilitate a smooth application process, please create an account on our website. Be assured that the account setup and application steps are straightforward.

Candidates from the founding countries of UCA: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan are encouraged to apply for the position.

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

Review other job vacancies at: https://ucentralasia.org/career-opportunities