Date of Publication: 2026/04/16 Reference Number: DHR0002 

Purpose of the Role

To provide executive leadership and strategic direction for Human Resources, ensuring that human capital strategy, organisational design, and workforce capabilities are fully aligned to the airline's turnaround objectives, including restructuring, cost optimisation, and the transition towards a multi-skilled workforce model. The role is accountable for embedding a high-performance, safety-oriented, and compliant workforce, while ensuring effective labour relations, governance oversight, and sustainable people practices.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

Strategic Human Capital Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership in the development and execution of a Human Capital Strategy aligned to the airline's turnaround, restructuring, and performance objectives.
• Drive enterprise-wide workforce transformation, including organisational redesign, capability realignment, and transition to a multi-skilled and flexible workforce model.
• Advise the CEO/GM and EXCO on human capital risks, workforce sustainability, productivity improvement, and organisational effectiveness.
• Establish robust HR governance frameworks, policies, and controls aligned to corporate governance standards and regulatory expectations.

Organisation Design, Restructuring and Workforce Optimisation

• Lead organisational restructuring initiatives, including workforce rationalisation, job redesign, and functional realignment to support a lean operating model.
• Develop and implement workforce planning frameworks linked to fleet, route network, and operational requirements.
• Drive productivity enhancement through multi-skilling, role integration, and elimination of operational inefficiencies.
• Ensure alignment between organisational structure, cost base, and strategic objectives.

HR Operations, Governance and Compliance

• Provide oversight of HR service delivery, including recruitment, payroll, employee administration, and HR shared services.
• Strengthen HR internal controls, audit readiness, and compliance with labour legislation and governance frameworks.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, including aviation-related workforce standards (CAAB, ICAO, IOSA) where applicable.
• Drive standardisation and efficiency of HR processes and operating models.

Employee Relations and Labour Strategy

• Lead labour relations strategy in a unionised environment, including collective bargaining, negotiations, and dispute resolution.
• Ensure consistent, fair, and legally compliant disciplinary, grievance, and case management frameworks.
• Mitigate employment litigation risk through proactive engagement, policy enforcement, and adherence to due process.
• Drive labour stability aligned to operational continuity and transformation objectives.

Talent, Leadership and Capability Development

• Develop and implement talent management and succession planning frameworks to support leadership continuity and organisational resilience.
• Drive leadership capability development aligned to turnaround, change management, and operational excellence.
• Provide oversight of training strategy to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and alignment with operational needs.
• Embed a performance management system that reinforces accountability, productivity, and high-performance culture.

Reward, HR Analytics and Digital Transformation

• Provide strategic oversight of compensation and benefits to ensure internal equity, external competitiveness, and affordability within the turnaround context.
• Drive HR digital transformation, including optimisation of HRIS, workforce analytics, and data-driven decision-making.
• Ensure integrity, security, and compliance of employee data and records management systems.
• Leverage analytics to inform workforce planning, productivity, and performance improvement initiatives.

Culture, Safety and Employee Wellbeing

• Drive cultural transformation towards a performance-driven, accountable, and safety-oriented organisation.
• Promote alignment with aviation safety standards, including integration of human factors and safety culture principles.
• Oversee employee wellness, occupational health, and employee engagement initiatives to support workforce stability and performance.
• Foster an inclusive and ethically grounded organisational environment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Minimum Education requirements

• A recognised Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or a related discipline.
• A Postgraduate qualification (Master's degree) and/or recognised professional HR certification (e.g. SHRM, CIPD or equivalent) will be a distinct advantage.

Experience Requirements

• A minimum of 10-15 years' relevant post-qualification experience, of which at least five (5) years must have been at senior management or executive level.
• Demonstrated experience in leading HR within a complex, regulated, and preferably unionised environment.
• Proven track record in organisational transformation, restructuring, workforce optimisation, and culture change.
• Experience in performance-driven environments requiring operational efficiency, cost management, and strategic alignment.
• Exposure to aviation or similarly regulated industries will be an added advantage.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Strong strategic thinking and execution capability.
• Demonstrated change leadership and organisational transformation expertise.
• High-level stakeholder management and negotiation skills, particularly in labour relations.
• Strong governance orientation with sound knowledge of labour law and HR compliance frameworks.
• Data-driven decision-making and analytical capability.
• Executive presence, integrity, and sound judgement under pressure.

Application Process

If you are ready to take on this exciting leadership role, please submit the following documents:

• A detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• A cover letter outlining your interest and suitability
• Contact information for three (3) professional referees

Only shortlisted candidates will be responded to.

Closing Date: 29 April 2026 (1630)

NB: All adverts are published online through the Direct Hire Portal; (https://airbotswana.mcidirecthire.com/External/CurrentOpportunities/ therefore, manual submissions will not be considered. The advertised position is tenable in Botswana.

By applying for this position, you consent to Air Botswana collecting and processing your personal information for recruitment and selection purposes, including verification and background checks where applicable, in accordance with applicable data protection laws. Your information will be treated confidentially and may be share with authorised parties involved in the recruitment process.

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