Last month TES co-hosted a seminar in Kigali on Career Paths for HR Leaders, bringing together about twenty HR managers and senior people leaders to discuss a challenge many organisations quietly face.
HR career progression is unusually difficult.
In most companies HR teams are small. There are few specialist tracks and often only one senior role at the top of the function. Unlike commercial or operations teams, there are limited internal pathways for advancement. As a result, many HR professionals feel they must change organisations in order to progress. An analysis of LinkedIn profiles shows that 81% of HR professionals working in Rwanda move to a new employer for their second role.
Panelists at our seminar spoke about the benefits and risks of pursuing new opportunities in HR. Jackie Kalisa of RSSB noted that moving from banking into a technology company was one of the most valuable development experiences in her career. Simon Kibe of Q-Sourcing Servtec shared how his first job in a compliance-heavy multinational prepared him to lead HR in a less organised regional company. Denise Umunyana of Right Seat noted that while bold career moves can accelerate progress, skipping steps too quickly can leave HR leaders with impressive titles but insufficient technical depth later in their careers.
One clear implication from the discussion is that companies themselves need to do more to develop HR careers. Organisations expect HR teams to design career pathways for other employees but they rarely do the same for HR itself.
The banking sector is an exception. Most banks are large and complex enough to support bigger HR teams with specialised roles. This creates significant opportunities for professional development and impact. Our LinkedIn analysis suggests that banking experience in Rwanda is associated with roughly a 25 percent increase in estimated compensation for HR professionals – a larger effect than holding a Master’s degree.
But few organisations have the scale and resources of a large bank. So how can smaller companies create meaningful development opportunities for their HR talent? These four strategies are worth considering.
Promotion in place. Does the level of your top HR role reflect the importance of the function? Elevating the position so that HR reports to the CEO and sits on the leadership team can both strengthen the function and create a meaningful career step.
Separation of sub-disciplines. Where scale allows, separating responsibilities such as recruitment, performance management and learning and development can improve capability while creating opportunities for lateral career movement within HR.
Cross-functional opportunities. Short-term assignments in operations, customer service or business development can help HR professionals develop better relationships and understanding that will strengthen their effectiveness as HR partners.
Internships and apprenticeships. Creating entry-level pathways into HR, similar to programmes in sales or operations, can help identify new talent while also giving HR teams much-needed support.
Without opportunities such as these, talented HR professionals will continue to leave organisations in order to progress.
HR professionals themselves also need to be intentional about managing their careers. Before deciding that the only path forward is to move, it is worth asking for what you want: a broader mandate, more responsibility, or the opportunity to lead new initiatives.
Moving organisations can create opportunity, but it also comes with costs. Networks, credibility and influence all need to be rebuilt.
Ultimately this issue goes beyond individual careers.
The development of people is central to Rwanda’s economic strategy. For that ambition to succeed, the professionals responsible for developing talent inside organisations must themselves continue to grow.
Stronger HR career paths will not just benefit HR professionals. They will strengthen organisations and the broader economy as well.