Rebecca Nafula
@rebeccanafula
People & Culture leader building cross-border HR and talent systems across East Africa.
KenyaWhat I'm looking for
I’m a People & Culture leader with over 13 years of experience building HR and talent systems across multiple countries and sectors. I focus on turning strategy into working frameworks—so leadership, hiring, and compliance hold up in real-world operations.
At Sense of Africa (Vintage Africa Limited), I lead HR for a 300+ person workforce across five East African countries. I built the company’s first Leadership Academy from the ground up, including a governance manual, budget model, and university partnerships, then designed a structured internship rotation programme for Kenya Utalii College.
I also drive regional talent outcomes: I ran a talent mapping exercise that closed five critical management vacancies within six months. I sit as the only HR representative on the East Africa Management Committee, bringing a people-risk and workforce-planning lens to decisions across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Mombasa, while rolling out leadership development and DEI-focused policy updates to close competency gaps.
Previously, I stood up HR governance for a fast-scaling startup at HR Lead Africa Artificial Intelligence Ltd., cutting onboarding time by 25%, and ensured compliance through statutory labour tracking and data privacy audits. I also built foundational HR and EHS capabilities from scratch at Umoja Rubber Products Ltd., creating an Environment, Health & Safety department that cut reportable accidents to zero within six months—supported by formal escalation processes, supervisory training, and consistent industrial relations practices.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
People & Culture Manager
Sense of Africa (Vintage Africa Limited)
Nov 2023 - Present (2 years 8 months)
Built Sense of Africa’s first Leadership Academy, including governance and a structured early-career pipeline with university partnerships. Led regional talent mapping, rolling out leadership development and standardizing HR policy across multiple jurisdictions.
Big Ben Tobacco (Auzi) Shutdown
British American Tobacco (BAT)
Aug 2014 - Present (11 years 11 months)
Worked on the Big Ben Tobacco (Auzi) shutdown project for British American Tobacco.
HR Lead
Africa Artificial Intelligence Ltd.
Feb 2022 - Aug 2023 (1 year 6 months)
Built the company’s HR governance structure and standardized HR processes for a fast-scaling startup. Implemented cloud-based workforce tracking, drafted employment and benefits policies, managed statutory compliance and data privacy audits, and supported employee relations.
HR Manager
Silentnight Beddings Ltd.
Jul 2021 - Apr 2022 (9 months)
Coordinated HR operations across two manufacturing plants using shared cloud tools and audited payroll and compensation to resolve discrepancies. Rebuilt departmental performance review frameworks and supported workforce restructuring efforts that contributed to a 20% increase in operating efficiency.
HR Manager
Umoja Rubber Products Ltd.
Jan 2018 - Dec 2019 (1 year 11 months)
Built an Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) department from scratch, driving reportable accidents to zero within six months. Established foundational HR frameworks and industrial relations processes, including collective bargaining interpretation and a formal grievance escalation process.
HR Officer
Kaluworks Limited
Jun 2017 - Dec 2017 (6 months)
Supported HR and related administrative activities at Kaluworks Limited.
HR & Administration Manager
Symbion Mombasa Limited
Jan 2015 - May 2016 (1 year 4 months)
Managed HR and administration functions for Symbion Mombasa Limited.
Records Manager (ECA)
British American Tobacco (BAT)
Jun 2011 - Sep 2015 (4 years 3 months)
Led records management for East and Central Africa (ECA) within British American Tobacco.
HR Shared Services Assistant (Payroll)
British American Tobacco (BAT)
Jul 2008 - Jun 2011 (2 years 11 months)
Provided HR shared services support with payroll-related responsibilities at British American Tobacco.
Administrative Assistant
British American Tobacco (BAT)
Oct 2007 - Jul 2008 (9 months)
Supported administrative operations for the IT department at British American Tobacco.
Field Researcher
Peniel Development Consult
May 2007 - Jul 2007 (2 months)
Conducted field research activities for Peniel Development Consult.
Sales Representative
Barclays Bank Kenya Ltd.
Nov 2006 - Apr 2007 (5 months)
Worked as a Sales Representative for Barclays Bank Kenya Ltd.
Secretary/Customer Care Rep
Nairobi International Trade Fair
Sep 2006 - Oct 2006 (1 month)
Served as a secretary and customer care representative at the Nairobi International Trade Fair.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
Kenyatta University
Master of Business Administration (MBA), Strategic Management (HR Option)
MBA in Strategic Management with an HR Option at Kenyatta University (ongoing).
Institute of Human Resource Management
Higher National Diploma, Human Resource Management
Higher National Diploma in Human Resource Management from the Institute of Human Resource Management.
Kenyatta University
Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), Education (Arts) - German and Secretarial Studies
Bachelor of Education (Arts) with a focus on German and Secretarial Studies at Kenyatta University.
Tech stack
Software and tools used professionally
Availability
Location
KenyaAuthorized to work in
Job categories
Skills
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