Manager People Development and Organisational Culture (Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic)

Manager, People Development and Organisational Culture

Location: Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic
Department: Human Resources (HR)
Reporting to: Associate Director of HR
Deadline: 24 June 2025

About UCA

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

Role Summary

The Manager, People Development and Organisational Culture leads initiatives to foster a positive, values-driven, and high-performing workplace. The role designs and delivers talent development, leadership growth, employee engagement, and culture-building programmes that reflect UCA’s mission and values. Working closely with departments across UCA, the Manager ensures that organisational culture is experienced daily and that staff are supported to thrive and grow.

Key Responsibilities

Learning & Talent Development

• Design and implement institution-wide L&D programmes aligned with UCA’s strategic goals.

• Collaborate with departments to build competency-based training and leadership development plans.

• Oversee blended learning, including mentoring, e-learning, and on-the-job training.

• Manage the Learning Management System (LMS) and external training partners.

• Support succession planning through talent acceleration and development strategies.

• Monitor and evaluate impact through data-driven insights and feedback.

Onboarding & Employee Experience

• Lead and enhance the onboarding process to ensure consistent and inclusive integration of new hires.

• Develop orientation materials and coordinate onboarding sessions with internal teams.

• Use structured feedback to continuously improve the new hire experience.

Employee Engagement & Internal Communications

• Plan and deliver staff engagement events and initiatives to boost morale and culture.

• Manage UCA’s intranet as a platform for internal communication and employee updates.

• Produce engaging content that fosters connection, recognition, and transparency.

• Champion inclusion and employee voice through engagement programmes and feedback tools.

Budgeting & Compliance

• Oversee the unit’s budget, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities and compliance requirements.

• Maintain accurate HR data, vendor records, and reports for monitoring and audit readiness.

Strategic Culture & Institutional Development

• Align people and culture strategies with UCA’s regional mission across diverse campuses.

• Support change management and promote values-based leadership.

• Partner with Career Services and Alumni Office to build internal mobility and long-term talent pipelines.

• Track and report on DEI indicators and contribute to succession and knowledge transfer planning.

• Promote UCA’s employer brand in HR and recruitment materials.

Qualifications – Essential

• Proven experience in L&D or HR business partnering.

• Experience working with diverse teams and senior stakeholders.

• Background in organisational culture or change management.

• Strong project management and communication skills.

• High emotional intelligence and ability to manage sensitive issues with empathy.

• Experience in facilitating workshops or engagement events.

• Familiarity with LMS, HRIS, and digital learning tools is a plus.

• Excellent English writing skills; proficiency in Russian or other regional languages is an advantage.

• Experience in higher education, international development, or multi-campus settings is desirable.