Energy Market and Rates Consultants (EMRC) is a consulting firm that provides strategic, technical, financial, regulatory and digital advice across the energy and infrastructure sectors. Our work covers electricity market development, energy regulation, utility transformation, financial advisory, energy transition, institutional development and digital solutions. Our clients include governments, regulators, utilities, development finance institutions, investors and private companies. Our success depends on the quality and performance of our people. As we grow, we are looking for an experienced HR leader to head our People, Culture & Capacity Building function. In this role, you will lead how we hire, develop, engage and keep talented professionals, build a strong workplace culture, and grow our training services for clients in the energy and power sector.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Employee Relations and Talent Manager
Location: Abuja Employment Type: Full-time (On-site)
Description
As our operations and service offerings continue to expand, EMRC is seeking an experienced Employee Relations & Talent Manager to strengthen our people management function, support organisational effectiveness and contribute to the development of a high-performing, accountable and engaged workforce.
The successful candidate will take responsibility for coordinating and improving our employee relations, talent acquisition, performance management, employee development and people operations functions.
This is a hands-on role requiring strong interpersonal skills, sound professional judgement and the ability to independently manage people-related processes while working closely with management to support organisational priorities.
Responsibilities Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning:
Coordinate and manage the organisation's recruitment and talent acquisition processes, from identification of staffing requirements through candidate selection and onboarding.
Work with management and departmental leads to identify workforce requirements, recruitment priorities and capability gaps.
Develop and maintain appropriate job descriptions, competency requirements and candidate evaluation criteria.
Coordinate vacancy advertisements, candidate sourcing, application screening, interview scheduling and candidate assessments.
Support structured, competency-based recruitment processes that promote consistency, transparency and merit-based selection.
Develop and maintain talent pipelines for critical and recurring organisational roles.
Coordinate reference checks, employment documentation and other pre-employment requirements.
Monitor recruitment progress, identify bottlenecks and recommend improvements to recruitment efficiency and candidate quality.
Support workforce planning, succession considerations and talent retention initiatives.
Employee Relations and Workplace Management:
Serve as a primary point of contact for employee relations matters, providing appropriate guidance and support to employees and management.
Promote constructive working relationships, effective communication and a professional workplace environment.
Identify and address emerging employee relations issues before they escalate into significant workplace disputes.
Manage employee grievances, workplace complaints and interpersonal conflicts in accordance with company policies and applicable requirements.
Conduct or coordinate fact-finding and investigations into employee-related concerns, ensuring fairness, confidentiality and proper documentation.
Facilitate conflict resolution and mediation where appropriate.
Coordinate disciplinary processes, including documentation, employee correspondence and follow-up actions.
Advise management on appropriate responses to employee conduct, workplace behaviour and policy violations.
Support employee welfare initiatives and contribute to a workplace environment that promotes professionalism, mutual respect and accountability.
Maintain accurate and confidential records of employee relations matters and their resolution.
Performance Management and Talent Development:
Coordinate and administer EMRC's performance management framework, ensuring that performance expectations, evaluation processes and review timelines are clearly established.
Work with management and departmental leads to define measurable employee performance objectives and key performance indicators.
Coordinate periodic performance reviews, probation assessments and employee confirmation processes.
Monitor completion of performance evaluations and ensure that feedback, decisions and follow-up actions are appropriately documented.
Support managers in identifying performance gaps and implementing suitable corrective or developmental interventions.
Develop, coordinate and monitor Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs), including performance targets, review milestones and outcomes.
Support the identification of high-performing employees and individuals with potential for increased responsibility.
Contribute to career development, talent retention and succession planning initiatives.
Analyse performance trends and provide management with recommendations for improving employee productivity and organisational effectiveness.
Learning, Development and Competency Management:
Work with management and departmental leads to identify employee training requirements, technical competency gaps and professional development priorities.
Coordinate periodic training needs assessments and support the preparation of employee development plans.
Develop and maintain an annual internal learning and development plan aligned with organisational priorities.
Coordinate internal training sessions, external professional development programmes and other approved learning initiatives.
Maintain records of employee training, professional certifications and competency development.
Support structured onboarding and orientation programmes that familiarise new employees with EMRC's operations, policies, culture and performance expectations.
Monitor the implementation of agreed employee development activities and assess their effectiveness.
Support knowledge-sharing initiatives, mentoring arrangements and internal capacity development.
Provide management with periodic updates on employee competency gaps and development priorities.
People Operations and Employee Lifecycle Management:
Coordinate HR administrative processes across the employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding through confirmation, development, retention and separation.
Maintain accurate, complete and confidential employee records.
Coordinate leave administration, attendance monitoring and other employee-related administrative processes.
Track probation periods, contract renewals, employee confirmations and other time-sensitive employment actions.
Coordinate employee onboarding, induction and integration into the organisation.
Support employee separation processes, including exit interviews, clearance requirements, documentation and handover coordination.
Ensure employee records and employment documentation are maintained in accordance with company policies and applicable data protection requirements.
Coordinate with Finance & Administration on employee information relevant to remuneration changes, approved deductions, benefits and other payroll-related matters.
Identify opportunities to simplify, standardise and improve HR administrative processes.
HR Systems, Process Improvement and Digitalization:
Coordinate the effective use of EMRC's HR management systems and digital people-management tools.
Maintain accurate employee information within the organisation's HR information system.
Support the administration and continuous improvement of recruitment, onboarding, performance management, leave management and employee records workflows.
Ensure that HR processes are appropriately documented, standardised and consistently implemented.
Identify opportunities to automate repetitive administrative activities and improve operational efficiency.
Work with relevant internal teams to implement improvements to HR systems, reporting and employee management processes.
Monitor HR data quality, completeness and consistency across relevant systems.
Support employee and management adoption of approved HR technology and digital workflows.
Employee Engagement and Organizational Culture:
Develop and coordinate initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, collaboration and organisational culture.
Support the implementation of employee feedback mechanisms, including periodic engagement surveys and structured feedback sessions.
Identify recurring employee concerns and recommend appropriate management interventions.
Coordinate employee recognition, workplace engagement and other approved people initiatives.
Support internal communication on HR policies, organisational expectations and employee-related matters.
Promote professional conduct, accountability, teamwork and alignment with EMRC's organisational values.
Work with management to identify and address workplace practices that may negatively affect employee morale, productivity or retention.
Support change management initiatives affecting employees, organisational processes or workplace arrangements.
HR Analytics, Reporting and Management Advisory:
Develop and maintain relevant HR metrics, trackers and management reports.
Monitor workforce indicators, including headcount, recruitment progress, employee turnover, retention, attendance, probation, performance reviews and employee relations cases.
Prepare periodic HR reports highlighting workforce trends, emerging concerns, outstanding actions and recommended interventions.
Analyse recruitment and employee lifecycle data to identify opportunities for improving workforce planning and talent management.
Provide management with evidence-based recommendations on employee performance, engagement, retention and organisational effectiveness.
Track the implementation of approved HR initiatives and report on progress against agreed objectives.
Support management with people-related information required for operational planning and organisational decision-making.
Requirements Educational Qualifications:
Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources Management, Industrial Relations, Business Administration, Psychology, Social Sciences or another relevant discipline.
A postgraduate qualification in Human Resources Management, Organisational Development, Business Administration or a related discipline will be an advantage.
Professional certification from a recognised HR institution, such as CIPM, CIPD or SHRM, will be an advantage.
Professional Experience:
Minimum of four (4) years of relevant professional experience in Human Resources, Employee Relations, Talent Management, People Operations or a related function.
Demonstrated experience independently managing employee relations matters, including grievances, disciplinary processes and workplace conflict resolution.
Practical experience coordinating recruitment, candidate assessment, onboarding and employee lifecycle processes.
Demonstrated experience implementing performance management systems, coordinating performance reviews and managing performance improvement processes.
Experience developing, implementing or improving HR policies, procedures and operational workflows.
Experience supporting employee engagement, learning and development, and talent retention initiatives.
Good working knowledge of Nigerian employment and labour requirements.
Experience using HR information systems, recruitment platforms or digital HR management tools.
Experience in consulting, professional services or another knowledge-intensive, performance-driven organisation will be an advantage.
Candidates who have demonstrated substantial ownership of HR functions will be considered even where their previous job titles did not explicitly include managerial designations.
Preferred Experience and Additional Qualifications: The following will be considered advantageous:
Experience managing HR operations within a growing organisation or professional services environment.
Demonstrated involvement in organisational development, workforce planning or HR transformation initiatives.
Experience developing competency frameworks, performance evaluation systems or structured employee development programmes.
Familiarity with applicant tracking systems, HR dashboards and digital employee management platforms.
Experience conducting employee engagement surveys and implementing improvement initiatives.
Experience developing HR standard operating procedures and improving internal controls.
Practical exposure to HR analytics and the use of workforce data to support management decisions.
Experience supporting management through organisational changes, restructuring or workforce transitions.
Technical and Functional Competencies:
Employee Relations Management: Strong understanding of employee relations practices, grievance management, disciplinary procedures, workplace investigations and conflict resolution.
Talent Acquisition: Ability to coordinate structured recruitment processes, assess candidate suitability and support effective hiring decisions.
Performance Management: Practical knowledge of performance evaluation frameworks, KPI development, employee feedback processes and performance improvement interventions.
HR Policy and Compliance: Ability to interpret, implement and improve HR policies while maintaining compliance with relevant employment requirements.
Talent Development: Ability to identify competency gaps, coordinate employee development activities and support structured career development initiatives.
HR Operations: Strong understanding of employee lifecycle administration, employment documentation, onboarding, probation, confirmation and separation processes.
HR Systems and Analytics: Proficiency in HR management systems, digital workflows, employee databases and workforce reporting.
Process Improvement: Ability to identify operational inefficiencies and implement practical improvements to people-management processes.
Behavioural and Management Competencies:
Professional Judgement: Ability to assess employee-related situations objectively and recommend appropriate, proportionate actions.
Integrity and Confidentiality: Demonstrated ability to manage sensitive information and workplace matters with discretion and professionalism.
Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with employees and management.
Conflict Resolution: Ability to manage difficult conversations, facilitate constructive dialogue and support fair resolution of workplace disputes.
Relationship Management: Ability to build trust and maintain productive working relationships across different levels of the organisation.
Organisation and Execution: Strong planning, documentation, coordination and follow-through capabilities.
Analytical Thinking: Ability to interpret workforce information, identify patterns and provide practical recommendations.
Accountability and Ownership: Willingness to take responsibility for assigned processes, follow issues through to resolution and maintain high standards of execution.
Adaptability: Ability to manage competing priorities and respond effectively to changing organisational requirements.
Business Awareness: Understanding of how effective people management contributes to employee productivity, service quality and organisational performance.
What Success Looks Like The successful candidate will play an important role in strengthening EMRC's people-management practices and supporting the development of a capable, accountable and engaged workforce. Success in this role will be demonstrated through:
Effective and timely management of employee relations matters.
Consistent implementation of performance management processes and employee development initiatives.
Improved recruitment coordination, candidate evaluation and onboarding experiences.
Accurate and reliable employee records, HR reporting and people-management information.
Consistent application of HR policies and employment procedures.
Improved employee engagement and effective resolution of workplace concerns.
Greater efficiency and standardisation across HR operations and digital workflows.
Practical, evidence-based recommendations that support management in making effective people-related decisions.
The ideal candidate will be comfortable operating independently, working closely with management and taking ownership of both strategic HR initiatives and day-to-day people operations.