People & Culture Officer

Who We Are KEY (Keep Educating Yourself) academy is reimagining what education can look like in Nigeria. We are a world-class, project-based learning community serving children aged 18 months to 18 years old, located in the heart of Ikoyi, Lagos. At KEY, we believe that education should prepare young people not simply to pass examinations, but to thrive in an increasingly complex, fast-changing and interconnected world. We have intentionally challenged many of the conventions of traditional schooling. Rather than prioritising memorisation and rote learning, we immerse children in meaningful, real-world projects that develop curiosity, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication and character. Our learners regularly work alongside mentors, industry experts, entrepreneurs, academics and global partners, giving them authentic opportunities to solve problems, ask difficult questions and engage with the world around them. We are ambitious about what education in Nigeria can become, and we are looking for exceptional people who share that ambition. At KEY, we ask "Why?" a lot. We challenge assumptions, constantly seek better ways of doing things, and expect every member of our team to approach their work with curiosity, reflection and a commitment to continuous improvement. Problems You'll Solve As our People & Culture Officer, you will play an important role in supporting the day-to-day people operations of KEY academy while helping us build stronger systems, processes and experiences for our team.. You will: ● Support the delivery of effective People & Culture processes across the organisation. ● Help attract, recruit and retain exceptional people who are aligned with our mission and values. ● Support the development and implementation of people policies, processes and systems. ● Help create an employee experience where people feel challenged, supported, developed and genuinely cared for. ● Work closely with team leads and managers to support a positive, accountable and high-performing culture. ● Identify opportunities to improve how we work and contribute practical solutions. Why This Role Exists KEY academy is growing. As we grow, we recognise that outstanding schools are built by outstanding people. The quality of our culture and people's practices directly influences the quality of education our children receive. Historically, many People & Culture activities have been delivered operationally. We are now strengthening our people systems and processes to better support the next stage of our growth. This is an opportunity to be part of that work. As a People & Culture Officer, you will gain broad exposure across recruitment, employee relations, performance management, people operations and culture. You will be expected to take ownership of your responsibilities, contribute ideas, solve problems and continuously look for ways to improve our people's practices. Impact & Desired Outcomes (First 6–12 Months) Success in this role will include: ● Recruitment processes supported and consistently delivering high-quality, mission-aligned hires. ● A smooth and structured onboarding experience maintained across departments. ● Performance management processes effectively coordinated and supported. ● Employee records and People & Culture documentation maintained accurately and consistently. ● People policies, SOPs and employee handbook updates properly implemented and communicated. ● HR dashboards and reports maintained to support decision-making. ● Team leads and managers supported with people-related processes and documentation. ● Improved employee experience, accountability, feedback and recognition across the organisation. ● Opportunities for improvement identified and practical solutions implemented. What You'll Be Responsible For People Strategy & Culture ● Support the implementation and continuous improvement of KEY academy's People & Culture processes. ● Support initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, wellbeing and retention. ● Help communicate and embed KEY's culture, values and expectations across the organisation. ● Maintain accurate employee records and People & Culture documentation. ● Support the development, review and implementation of people policies, procedures and SOPs. ● Respond to team members' People & Culture-related questions and concerns professionally and confidentially. Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning ● Support end-to-end recruitment and selection processes. ● Coordinate recruitment activities, including candidate communication, interview scheduling and documentation. ● Support reference checks and recruitment documentation. ● Coordinate onboarding activities for new team members. ● Support probation and confirmation processes and maintain the relevant records. Performance Management & Talent Development ● Support the implementation of the performance management process. ● Coordinate performance reviews and ensure relevant documentation is completed. ● Support managers and team leads with performance-related processes and documentation. ● Help identify learning and development needs across the organisation. ● Coordinate training and development activities. ● Maintain records of employee development and performance-related activities. Employee Relations ● Support employee relations matters with fairness, professionalism and confidentiality. ● Assist with disciplinary, grievance, investigation and conflict-resolution processes. ● Maintain appropriate documentation for employee relations matters. ● Escalate complex or sensitive people matters to the appropriate member of leadership. ● Promote a respectful, supportive and accountable workplace. HR Operations & Compliance ● Support compliance with Nigerian labour legislation and internal policies. ● Maintain accurate and up-to-date employee records. ● Support payroll inputs, leave administration, benefits administration and other People & Culture operations. ● Ensure People & Culture documentation is accurate, organised and audit-ready. ● Protect confidential employee information and maintain appropriate data-handling standards. HR Analytics & Continuous Improvement ● Maintain People & Culture dashboards and HR metrics. ● Prepare regular reports on recruitment, attendance, leave, performance and other people-related data. ● Analyse people-related information and highlight relevant trends or areas requiring attention. ● Recommend practical improvements to People & Culture processes. ● Support the implementation of new systems and processes as the organisation grows. Leadership Scope The People & Culture Officer will work closely with the Leadership Team, Department Leads and other team members across KEY academy. The successful candidate will: ● Take ownership of assigned People & Culture responsibilities. ● Work collaboratively with team leads and managers to support people-related processes. ● Provide reliable and timely People & Culture support across the organisation. ● Handle sensitive information with discretion and professionalism. ● Contribute ideas and recommendations for improving people systems and processes. ● Build strong working relationships across different teams. ● Take increasing responsibility as they demonstrate capability and understanding of the organisation. Decision Authority The People & Culture Officer will be expected to work with initiative and sound professional judgement within the scope of their role. This role will have responsibility to: ● Recommend improvements to People & Culture processes and systems. ● Make recommendations on recruitment and candidate progression. ● Coordinate recruitment and onboarding activities. ● Support employee relations and performance management processes. ● Identify and escalate significant people, compliance or employee-relations concerns. ● Manage assigned day-to-day People & Culture responsibilities independently while escalating matters requiring leadership input appropriately.

About You You are someone who cares deeply about people, but you are equally committed to high standards. You are thoughtful, emotionally intelligent and highly organised. You enjoy building systems, solving problems and helping people grow. You are able to balance empathy with accountability and know how to challenge others with both kindness and clarity. You thrive in fast-paced, ambitious environments. You are comfortable moving between strategy and execution and are energised by the opportunity to build, improve and create. Most importantly, you believe that education matters and that the adults within a school deserve the same level of investment, challenge and care that we seek to provide for our children.

Requirements

• ● Minimum of 2–5 years of progressive Human Resources or People & Culture experience.

• ● Experience across areas such as recruitment, employee relations, performance

• management and HR operations.

• ● Good understanding of Nigerian labour law and HR best practices.

• ● Demonstrated ability to manage multiple People & Culture processes simultaneously.

• ● Strong organisational and administrative skills.

• ● Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• ● Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records.

• ● Good interpersonal and stakeholder-management skills.

• ● High emotional intelligence, integrity, discretion and professionalism.

• ● Ability to handle confidential information appropriately.

• ● Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

• ● Demonstrated alignment with KEY academy's mission, values and educational philosophy.

• ● CIPM certification or evidence of working towards certification is an advantage.

• ● Experience within education, social impact or high-growth organisations is an advantage.

• What You Should Expect From Us

• ● A collaborative, ambitious and mission-driven work environment.

• ● Colleagues who care deeply about children, education and one another.

• ● A culture that values innovation, feedback, reflection and continuous improvement.

• ● Significant opportunities for personal and professional growth.

• ● High expectations, meaningful responsibility and the opportunity to lead real change.

• ● The opportunity to play a direct role in transforming education in Nigeria.

• Growth Path

• This role is designed to provide a strong foundation for career growth within People & Culture.

• As the successful candidate develops their skills, demonstrates strong performance and takes on

• greater responsibility, there will be opportunities to progress into more senior roles, including People

• & Culture Manager, as the organisation grows

• Your First 90 Days

• During your first three months, you will be expected to immerse yourself in our culture, build strong

• relationships across the organisation, assess existing people practices, and identify priority

• improvement opportunities.

• At the end of the probationary period, employees participate in KEY academy's confirmation

• process, which includes feedback from colleagues and key stakeholders. Successful confirmation

• may attract a discretionary cash bonus in recognition of strong performance and cultural

• alignment.

• Reporting Line

• Reports directly to: Founder of KEY academy

• Works closely with: Leadership Team, Department Leads, and Operations Team.

• What We're Offering

• ● ₦250,000–₦300,000 gross monthly salary

• ● Pension contribution

• ● HMO upon confirmation

• ● Other discretionary bonuses and benefits

• ● Minimum of 15 days annual leave

• ● Continuous learning and development opportunities

• ● Opportunities for career progression within the organisation

• Why Join KEY academy?

• Most People & Culture roles focus on maintaining systems.

• This role is different.

• At KEY academy, you will have the opportunity to build, shape and influence an entire organisation.

• You will help define how people experience work, how leaders lead, and how culture evolves as we

• continue to grow.

• You will join a team that believes deeply in challenging convention, investing in people and

• continuously asking how we can do better.

• If you are excited by the prospect of building something meaningful, influencing organisational

• culture, and contributing to the future of education in Nigeria, we would love to hear from you.

• Additional Information

• This role is fully on-site and based in Ikoyi, Lagos. Accommodation is not provided. Applicants should

• therefore be willing and able to commute daily and be ready to commence work promptly at 8:00a.m.

• We look forward to hearing from you.

• The KEY academy Team