Our Human Resources (HR) team bring brilliant people together to help us continue building iconic brands. We harness the diverse talents of our people to help them excel. We advocate for an inclusive and collaborative culture, where all voices and perspectives are celebrated and valued.

HR the heart of the business, finding and developing talent that will unearth new ideas and inspire innovation. From creative problem solvers and entrepreneurs to scientists and engineers, we’ll help you harness your talents. We empower you to reach your full potential, no matter your experience or ideas.

Context/Scope:

East African Breweries PLC (EABL) is East Africa’s leading branded alcohol beverage business with an outstanding collection of brands that range from beer, spirits and adult non-alcoholic drinks (ANADs), reaffirming our standing as a total adult beverage (TAB) company.

EABL has extensive operations across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, including breweries, distilleries, support industries and a distribution network throughout the area. It also runs a growing export operations business within and outside of the wider Eastern Africa region. The group’s diversity is an important factor in delivering the highest quality brands to East African consumers and long-term value to investors.

EABL operates within a multi-cultural, multinational, multi-currency environment, dealing with various regulatory, tax and compliance requirements. EABL is a Public Listed Company (Plc) listed on the Securities/Stock Exchange across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

About the role:

This role focuses on ensuring the effective application of the Company’s reward & recognition programmes. The reward specialist achieves this by providing expert analysis and advice to key collaborators across the business. These include business unit HR Directors and Business Partners, the Talent Engagement team, and People Managers. They work together to deliver on EABL’s Total Reward agenda.

Market/Function Complexity

EABL operates in the East African context with different employment/labour laws, economic conditions, market practices, retirement and social security regulations and taxation laws.

EABL has 4 distinct leadership teams that drive decisions at group and local business unit level: EABL, Kenya Breweries Ltd, Uganda Breweries Ltd and Serengeti Breweries Ltd Executive Teams.

This role will be expected to maintain regional consistency of our reward frameworks whilst respecting local market realities.

Financial Accountability (Budget/Revenue)

The role is accountable for supporting the effective management of reward costs through data analysis, salary modelling, benchmarking and governance ensuring that reward programmes remain competitive while aligning with organizational budgets and financial objectives.

Leadership Responsibilities

The Reward Specialist provides leadership through technical expertise, analytics, stakeholder influence and project management to ensure fair, competitive and well-governed reward practices across EABL.

Responsibilities or duties

• Accountable for the annual salary benchmarking cycle by guaranteeing the quality, reliability and relevance of the survey data from our survey providers. Provide commercially focused analytical insights critical for compensation management e.g. Identify pay gaps, outliers and risks. This will also extend to Independent Non-Executive Directors (INED) Remuneration Surveys
• Lead the implementation of the benchmarking outcomes and recommendations in the Annual Reward Cycle (ARC) at the business unit level. Provide reward expertise and guidance to the HR Business Partners and functional leads in the calibrations ensuring adherence to the merit budgets.
• Support with the delivery of the Fair Pay including Pay Equity and Living Wage analysis programs to align with our ambition of being a modern and forward-thinking employer.
• Develop and lead all aspects of the yearly reward communication and participation plan to improve reward capability that fosters employee engagement and performance.
• Participates in shaping and developing new reward programs, policies and principles in line with business priorities.
• Partnership with the finance teams for people cost planning and budget modelling in line with the business planning cycle.
• Participate and support in the job evaluation process, maintaining the job evaluation policy and approval frameworks.
• Support with the design and Execution of the short-term incentives ensuring adherence to the set incentive frameworks.
• Partner with the Supply teams to provide Macro-economic insights to support with the union CBA negotiations.
• To be the first point of contact for HR Business Partners, Talent Engagement, People Managers and employees for business-as-usual queries e.g. advising on affordability of pay decisions and policy interpretation.
• To act as the main contact for compensation-related third-party providers. You will ensure services are delivered effectively according to Service Level Agreements and the reward standard.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

• A university under-graduate degree in either business or social sciences.
• A post graduate HR diploma or relevant HR professional qualification is an added advantage.
• A professional accounting or finance qualification is an added advantage.
• Excellent analytical skills are essential, along with proficiency in handling complex data, drawing insights and recommendations from it.
• Ability to bring these findings and suggestions to life for a broad range of collaborators in an engaging and easy to understand manner.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to deliver impactful communications materials and achieve clarity and understanding of Reward with varied audiences.
• Ability to work well under pressure and autonomously.
• Inter-personal relationships skills; Ability to build strong and effective relationships with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Planning, prioritization & organisation skills.

Experience needed

• At least 5 years relevant experience in:
  • A related field such as Total Rewards, payroll management, benefits management, HR analytics etc.
  • Core elements of total rewards management such as benchmarking, job analysis & evaluation, variable pay design, special incentives & recognition, reward communication, benefits design, strategy & administration, salary structure development and salary reviews.
  • Proven commercial experience and business acumen
  • Project and change management.

• Accountable for the annual salary benchmarking cycle by guaranteeing the quality, reliability and relevance of the survey data from our survey providers. Provide commercially focused analytical insights critical for compensation management e.g. Identify pay gaps, outliers and risks. This will also extend to Independent Non-Executive Directors (INED) Remuneration Surveys
• Lead the implementation of the benchmarking outcomes and recommendations in the Annual Reward Cycle (ARC) at the business unit level. Provide reward expertise and guidance to the HR Business Partners and functional leads in the calibrations ensuring adherence to the merit budgets.
• Support with the delivery of the Fair Pay including Pay Equity and Living Wage analysis programs to align with our ambition of being a modern and forward-thinking employer.
• Develop and lead all aspects of the yearly reward communication and participation plan to improve reward capability that fosters employee engagement and performance.
• Participates in shaping and developing new reward programs, policies and principles in line with business priorities.
• Partnership with the finance teams for people cost planning and budget modelling in line with the business planning cycle.
• Participate and support in the job evaluation process, maintaining the job evaluation policy and approval frameworks.
• Support with the design and Execution of the short-term incentives ensuring adherence to the set incentive frameworks.
• Partner with the Supply teams to provide Macro-economic insights to support with the union CBA negotiations.
• To be the first point of contact for HR Business Partners, Talent Engagement, People Managers and employees for business-as-usual queries e.g. advising on affordability of pay decisions and policy interpretation.
• To act as the main contact for compensation-related third-party providers. You will ensure services are delivered effectively according to Service Level Agreements and the reward standard.

• Excellent analytical skills are essential, along with proficiency in handling complex data, drawing insights and recommendations from it.
• Ability to bring these findings and suggestions to life for a broad range of collaborators in an engaging and easy to understand manner.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to deliver impactful communications materials and achieve clarity and understanding of Reward with varied audiences.
• Ability to work well under pressure and autonomously.
• Inter-personal relationships skills; Ability to build strong and effective relationships with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Planning, prioritization & organisation skills.

• A university under-graduate degree in either business or social sciences.
• A post graduate HR diploma or relevant HR professional qualification is an added advantage.
• A professional accounting or finance qualification is an added advantage.