Head of People & Culture

As the Group's flagship media company, C54News Channel Limited is building a next-generation, Pan-African digital news and streaming platform that will redefine African storytelling for a global audience.

From our Founding Campus in Uyo, we are assembling an exceptional founding team ahead of our commercial launch in 2027.

We're looking for an outstanding Head of People & Culture who understands that great institutions are built by great people. This role is for a leader who is passionate about attracting exceptional talent, shaping organizational culture and building the people systems that enable world-class performance.

About the Role

As the Head of People & Culture, you will lead the people agenda for C54News, partnering with business leaders to build a high-performing, values-driven and future-ready organization.

Reporting operationally to the Managing Director, C54News, you will serve as a trusted business partner responsible for workforce planning, talent acquisition, organizational culture, leadership development, employee engagement and people operations.

You will also report functionally to the Vice President, People, Culture & Governance, FOAN Group, ensuring that C54News aligns with Group-wide people strategies, governance frameworks, leadership standards and organizational policies.

This is a rare opportunity to help build one of Africa's most ambitious media organizations from the ground up.

What You'll Be Responsible For

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

• Lead the recruitment and onboarding of the Founding Team across editorial, technology, operations and corporate functions.

• Develop workforce plans aligned with business priorities and organizational growth.

• Build executive recruitment and assessment frameworks.

• Strengthen C54News' employer brand across Africa.

People Strategy & Culture

• Develop and implement the People & Culture strategy for C54News.
• Champion a high-performance, collaborative and values-driven culture.
• Lead employee engagement and workplace experience initiatives.
• Support leaders in embedding organizational values across every stage of the employee lifecycle.

Leadership Development & Performance

• Design executive onboarding and leadership integration programmes.
• Develop performance management and talent review frameworks.
• Coach managers on leadership effectiveness and people management.
• Build succession planning and leadership capability across the organization.

People Governance & Compliance

• Implement FOAN Group's people governance frameworks within C54News.
• Develop and maintain people policies, procedures and operating standards.
• Ensure compliance with labour legislation and employment regulations.
• Oversee employee relations, workplace conduct and organizational ethics.
• Partner with Finance on compensation, benefits and workforce planning.

Organization Development

• Support organizational design and role architecture.
• Lead change management initiatives.
• Design learning and development programmes.
• Continuously improve people systems, processes and the employee experience.

Who You Are

• You believe people are an organization's greatest competitive advantage.
• You are a builder who enjoys creating organizations, not simply managing them.
• You are equally comfortable recruiting senior executives, advising leadership teams, coaching managers and establishing governance frameworks that support long-term growth.
• You bring sound judgment, credibility, empathy and a passion for developing people and culture.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology or a related discipline.
• Master's degree or professional certification (CIPM, SHRM, CIPD or HRCI) is an advantage.
• 8 - 12 years' progressive experience in People & Culture, Organizational Development or Human Resources.
• Experience building or scaling organizations is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated success in executive recruitment and leadership development.
• Strong understanding of employment law and people governance.
• Experience partnering with executive leadership teams.

What We're Looking For

You'll thrive in this role if you are:

• A strategic thinker with strong business acumen.
• Passionate about organizational culture and leadership.
• An exceptional talent acquisition professional with a strong network.
• Calm, credible and confident when working with senior leaders.
• A builder who enjoys creating systems and structures from the ground up.
• An excellent communicator and relationship builder.
• Organized, disciplined and execution-focused.
• Committed to developing people and building high-performing teams.

Success in This Role Looks Like

• Within your first six months, you will have:
• Successfully recruited and onboarded the Founding Leadership Team.
• Established the People & Culture function for C54News.
• Implemented people policies, governance frameworks and operational processes aligned with FOAN Group standards.
• Built a strong employer brand capable of attracting exceptional talent across Africa.
• Embedded a high-performance culture that supports the commencement of Shadow Operations and prepares the organization for commercial launch.

Why Join C54News?

This is more than a leadership role.

It is an opportunity to become part of the Founding Team of one of Africa's most ambitious digital media organizations.

You'll help build the people, culture and leadership foundations of an institution designed to influence how Africa is seen by the world. Every leader you recruit, every culture initiative you champion and every system you establish will shape the future of C54News for years to come.

If you're passionate about building organizations, developing leaders and creating lasting impact, we'd love to hear from you.