The Human Resources and Administration Manager at CM Advocates LLP will play a pivotal role in driving HR strategy, promoting organizational excellence, and overseeing administrative operations to support the firm’s mission and strategic objectives. This position blends responsibilities across employee relations, talent management, operational oversight, and legal compliance—critical in a professional legal services environment.

The HR & Admin Manager will be responsible for managing the full employee lifecycle, implementing HR policies aligned with legal and regulatory requirements, maintaining a vibrant and compliant workplace, and streamlining administrative functions including facilities and IT vendor management. The role demands a dynamic and forward-thinking leader who can champion a culture of performance, uphold international HR standards, and support the evolving needs of a growing law firm.

Key Responsibilities

Human Resource Management

• Lead and execute end-to-end recruitment, onboarding, and exit processes for legal professionals, administrative staff, and interns.
• Develop intra-office communication protocols and streamline administrative procedures.
• Undertake office staff supervision, task delegation and offer administrative and executive support related tasks.
• Administer the firm’s medical, pension, and other employee benefit programs; co-ordinate with insurance brokers and benefits vendors to ensure cost-effectiveness and competitive value.
• Develop and maintain a robust performance management system to support talent growth and retention in a high-performance legal environment.
• Foster a professional and supportive culture with high levels of engagement, integrity, and collaboration, in line with the expectations of global professional services standards.
• Maintain comprehensive and compliant employee records in accordance with labour laws and internal audit standards, ensuring alignment with international best practices.
• Ensure employee handbook and HR policies reflect current legal practice standards, employment laws, and internal protocols, benchmarking against local and global norms.
• Serve as the first point of contact for all HR-related queries from employees and management, offering proactive, timely, and strategic guidance.
• Continuously improve recruitment methods to attract and retain top legal talent and support staff, integrating digital sourcing tools and inclusive hiring strategies.
• Provide strategic HR business support to departmental heads and practice group leaders, advising on workforce planning, talent acquisition, employee relations, and team development to align with departmental goals and firm-wide strategies.

Administrative Management

• Oversee the day-to-day administrative functions of the firm, ensuring a smooth, secure, and professional work environment consistent with global service delivery benchmarks.
• Manage office operations including inventory control, supplies, facilities, and maintenance co-ordination with building management to support a seamless client-facing and internal experience.
• Supervise acquisition, maintenance, and inventory of IT equipment and assets, in collaboration with external IT service providers, to maintain operational resilience.
• Manage vendor relationships, service contracts, and procurement for administrative needs in compliance with firm policy, applying procurement strategies aligned with leading practices.
• Ensure adherence to administrative budgets and contribute to cost-effective operational practices through strategic forecasting and expenditure reviews.

Reporting Line

Reports to the Firm’s Partners, or the relevant Committee Chair, and/or Managing Partner, and/or Head of People and Culture.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Human Resource Management, Business Administration, or related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive HR and administrative experience, preferably within a comparable legal firm or international professional services organization.
• Sound understanding of Kenyan employment law and HR best practices, with demonstrated knowledge of global compliance and ethical workplace standards.
• Familiarity with HR systems and workflow tools (HRMS, performance tracking tools, timekeeping, asset registers), with an ability to leverage HR analytics and reporting.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and Adobe PDF tools, with comfort navigating enterprise-level platforms