ABOUT MERAKI CENTRO LIMITED

Meraki Centro Limited is a thriving food business in the heart of Lusaka, Zambia. We operate four café and bakery branches, a production factory, a growing FMCG range distributed nationwide.

Role Purpose

The HR & Training Lead is the custodian of Meraki's most important asset — its people. This role is responsible for building and maintaining a people function that is fair, firm, professional and deeply aligned with Meraki's core values of Excellence, Integrity, Respect, Fun and Passion. The HR & Training Lead ensures that every person who joins Meraki is the right person, that every person who stays is developed and supported, and that the business is compliant with all employment laws and standards in Zambia. This is a full HR generalist role covering the entire employee lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

1. Recruitment & Onboarding

• Lead end-to-end recruitment for all positions across Meraki — from job posting and candidate screening to interviews, assessments and offer letters.
• Ensure all recruitment is conducted fairly, consistently and in line with Meraki's values and standards.
• Manage the onboarding process for all new staff — ensuring every new joiner has a structured induction, understands their role and feels welcomed into the Meraki family.
• Maintain up-to-date job descriptions for all positions in collaboration with line managers.
• Build and maintain a talent pipeline for key roles so Meraki is never caught short.

2. Training & Development

• Identify training needs across all departments and branches in collaboration with managers.
• Source, coordinate and deliver training programmes — both internal and external — that build capability and align with Meraki's growth trajectory.
• Manage the Meraki training calendar and ensure all staff complete mandatory training on time.
• Track training completion, outcomes and return on investment.
• Work with the CEO and COO to develop a succession planning framework that identifies and develops future leaders within Meraki.
• Champion the Meraki learning culture — making continuous development a way of life at every level.

3. Employee Relations & Discipline

• Manage all employee relations matters fairly and professionally — including grievances, disciplinary hearings and performance improvement processes.
• Ensure all disciplinary processes follow Zambian labour law and Meraki's internal HR policies.
• Advise line managers and the COO on how to handle people issues correctly and consistently.
• Maintain accurate and confidential records of all disciplinary matters, hearings and outcomes.
• Be the first point of contact for any staff member who has a concern — creating an environment where people feel safe to raise issues.
• Conduct exit interviews for all departing staff and report themes and insights to the COO and CEO.

4. Culture, Values & Wellbeing

• Champion Meraki's core values — Excellence, Integrity, Respect, Fun and Passion — in every HR process, policy and interaction.
• Work with branch managers and the COO to maintain a healthy, high-energy team culture across all locations.
• Support the implementation and tracking of the daily devotional and vibe meeting culture across all branches. Design and implement staff wellbeing initiatives that support the physical, emotional and professional wellbeing of the Meraki team.
• Manage staff recognition programmes and ensure consistent celebration of performance and values at every level.
• Monitor team morale and flag concerns to the COO proactively.

5. HR Compliance & Policy

• Ensure Meraki is fully compliant with the Zambian Employment Code Act and all relevant labour regulations at all times.
• Develop, maintain and update the Meraki HR Policy Manual — ensuring all policies are current, compliant and communicated to staff.
• Manage all employment contracts, ensuring they are legally sound, signed and filed.
• Oversee leave management — annual leave, sick leave, maternity/paternity leave — ensuring accurate records and compliance with statutory entitlements.
• Manage NAPSA and NHIMA registrations and ensure timely compliance for all staff.
• Liaise with legal counsel as required on employment matters.
• Maintain a complete and confidential HR records system for all current and former employees.

6. HR Reporting & Strategy

• Produce a monthly HR report to the COO covering headcount, recruitment activity, training completed, disciplinary matters and staff turnover.
• Track and report key HR metrics — turnover rate, time to hire, absenteeism, training hours — and use data to drive decisions.
• Contribute to Meraki's strategic planning by advising on people implications of growth, restructure and expansion.
• Support the CEO's vision of building a people-first organisation that attracts, retains and develops the best talent in Zambia.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources management, Business Administration, Psychology or a related field.
• Minimum 4 years of HR generalist experience — covering recruitment, employee relations, training and compliance.
• Solid working knowledge of the Zambian Employment Code Act and related labour legislation.
• Experience managing disciplinary processes and grievance procedures independently.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities across a fast-moving, multi-site organisation.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills — able to engage with all levels of staff from kitchen team to CEO.

Preferences

• Professional HR certification — CIPD, SHRM or equivalent.
• Experience in the hospitality, food service or retail sector.
• Experience supporting a business through growth or restructure.
• Familiarity with HRIS systems or HR management software.

Key Competencies

People-First Mindset

Genuinely cares about people — firm when needed, fair always, warm in approach.

Integrity & Discretion

Handles sensitive information with absolute confidentiality and professional ethics.

Organization & Rigour

Manages HR records, processes and deadlines with exceptional accuracy.

Courage

Able to have difficult conversations, deliver unpopular news and hold the line on policy.

The Meraki Standard — What We Expect of Every Leader

The HR& Training Lead is not just a process owner — they are a culture carrier. At Meraki, we build people the way we build our products: with care, with consistency and with soul. The right person for this role believes that when people are treated well, they perform well. They understand that fairness and firmness are not opposites. And they are genuinely excited about helping Meraki become the kind of organisation that people are proud to be part of.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for the HR& Training Leadrole at Meraki Centro Limited, please submit the following to hr@merakizm.org with the subject line: HR& Training LeadApplication — [Your Name]

current

• A current CV — maximum 3 pages.
• A cover letter of no more than one page explaining why you are the right person for this role
• Name and contact details of three professional referees.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Meraki Centro Limited is an equal opportunity employer.

Closing Date: 20th September 2026

How to Apply

Apply by emailing: hr@merakizm.org