About Trees for the Future

At Trees for the Future (TREES), we believe farmers have the power to transform the world. For over 30 years, we’ve been a global leader in agroforestry training, partnering with farming families to build vibrant economies, sustainable food systems, and thriving ecosystems. Through our signature Forest Garden Approach—a proven nature-based solution—farmers restore their land, plant thousands of trees, and grow diverse crops, breaking cycles of climate change and generational poverty. By reclaiming their agency, farmers are creating new possibilities for their families, communities, and the environment. Active in Kenya, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda, TREES has planted over 350 million trees to date. Joining our passionate, collaborative team means empowering farmers to lead lasting change for people and the planet. 

Learn more at trees.org. 

THE ROLE 

The Director of Global HR Operations is a senior leader responsible for driving operational excellence, systems integrity, and scalable HR service delivery across TREES' global footprint. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Global HR, this role leads the end-to-end operations of the Global HR function, owning key systems, policies, compliance, and workforce data to support strategic organizational growth and people-first practices.

The Director partners closely with country HR Business Partners, Finance, and the Senior Leadership Team to design and deliver efficient and equitable HR operations while enabling a high-performing, engaged team. 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

Global HR Operations Leadership 

• Serve as the organizational lead for all HR operations, systems, and processes; establish and maintain global standards for HR service delivery. 
• Advise senior leadership on HR operational trends, risks, and opportunities; provide data-driven insights to inform strategic workforce planning. 

Performance, Engagement & Culture 

• Oversee global performance management processes; partner with the VP HR to ensure systems support talent development and organizational effectiveness. 
• Lead staff engagement survey administration, analysis, and cross-departmental action planning. 
• Support the implementation of DEI, staff well-being, and organizational culture initiatives with operational excellence. 

HR Systems, Data, and Technology Management 

• Serve as global owner and strategic lead for Rippling (HRIS); lead platform optimization, configuration, and integration efforts. 
• Ensure global HR data integrity, analytics, and reporting systems meet organizational needs for compliance, decision-making, and strategic forecasting. 
• Oversee the development of the HR Knowledge Hub and organization-wide knowledge management systems. 

Global Compliance, Payroll, and Benefits Oversight 

• Ensure global payroll, benefits administration, and statutory compliance meet all legal and internal standards; oversee vendor relationships and service contracts. 
• Collaborate with Finance and Legal to monitor and mitigate compliance risks across all operational geographies. 
• Lead audit preparation and execution for internal and external HR-related reviews. 

Employee Lifecycle Management & Process Improvement 

• Lead continuous improvement of processes for onboarding, offboarding, job changes, contract renewals, and lifecycle transitions. 
• Design global policy frameworks and SOPs that enable consistent, country-level execution while maintaining operational flexibility.

Strategic Projects and Capacity Building 

• Direct special projects, including HRBP upskilling programs, job leveling frameworks, and knowledge management system rollouts. 
• Build and maintain strong cross-functional partnerships that enhance HRBP capacity and global consistency. 
• Serve as a senior thought partner to the VP HR on evolving global HR strategy. 

WHO YOU ARE 

• An enthusiastic advocate for TREES' mission and values. You are inspired to empower and support a team working to grow vibrant regional economies, thriving food systems, and a healthier planet. You thrive on a close-knit team that values shared integrity, inclusive collaboration, sustainable resilience, and continuous learning. 
• A senior HR leader with global experience. You bring 10+ years of progressive HR experience with senior-level responsibilities in HR operations, compliance, systems, and data management, ideally within global, matrixed organizations. 
• A systems and operations expert. You have deep expertise in HRIS platforms (Rippling or similar enterprise platforms highly preferred), global payroll, compliance, and operational process improvement. 
• A data-driven decision maker. You leverage data and analytics to inform decisions, solve problems, and provide actionable insights to leadership. 
• You are DEI-centered and have a passion for supporting teams. You strive to make every interaction with staff a positive one. You approach every aspect of work, big and small, with a critical lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion and have a passion for creating a work environment where all teammates feel valued and supported. 
• A detail-oriented executor with a systems mindset. You understand what details matter and you get them right. You look for ways to make People systems simple, efficient, and user-friendly. You can turn a vision into tactical next steps.  
• A problem solver who owns your work. You overcome obstacles in your work by identifying them, adapting to new information, and proactively devising solutions. You take action before being asked and hold yourself accountable when you set goals.  
• A strong communicator and relationship builder. You enjoy looking for ways to relay information so it sticks and is easily understood. You’re engaging and authentic leadership presence that translates to building lasting relationships with a range of personalities.  

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in human resources, business administration, or related field strongly preferred. 
• Significant experience supporting global nonprofit or international development organizations. 
• Familiarity with legal and regulatory frameworks across multiple countries.
• Demonstrated success managing matrixed HR functions and distributed global teams. 
• Fluency in English, French preferred.  

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND BENEFITS  

TREES is an International Organization that strives to be the best home for staff wanting to make an impact on the farmers we serve. We believe that the diversity of our staff contributes to excellence. TREES values collaboration and teamwork that fosters increase engagement and innovation for professional growth.  

We offer a multicultural, collegial work environment with a competitive salary, comprehensive medical insurance, workers' compensation, and substantial paid time off, including annual leave and sick leave. 

APPLY 

If this opportunity speaks to you, please apply with 1) a cover letter that explains why TREES’ work excites you and why this role is a fit for you, and 2) your resume. Ensure both documents are shared as PDF or Word documents. Please apply no later than June 30^th.  

Trees for the Future is an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information, or other characteristics or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.  

We embrace and value diverse skill sets and backgrounds. We are a community of leaders who are proud to represent many different national, racial, ethnic, socio-economic, religious, gender, and other identities. Our diversity as a community is our strength, driving our ability to be empathetic, visionary, and effective leaders. 

Due to the high volume of applications received, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.