Wanjiku Gitagia

WANJIKU GITAGIA- www.linkedin.com/in/wanjiku-gitagia- Career Profile Dynamic and results-driven Senior Recruiter with over 9 years of experience in talent acquisition across diverse industries. A strong relationship and rapport builder, I am often seen as the go-to person for candidates and hiring managers alike. I excel at developing and implementing effective recruiting strategies that attract top-tier talent while fostering an inclusive and equitable hiring process. As a motivational leader, I leverage my innate ability to cultivate existing relationships for business development, creating a collaborative environment that encourages teamwork and shared success. My customer-focused approach ensures that I am responsive to the needs of both candidates and clients, making the recruitment experience seamless and positive. Key Attributes: • Relationship Builder: Known for creating and sustaining strong connections, I foster an atmosphere of trust and open communication that benefits all stakeholders. • DEI Advocate: Passionate about promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, I implement targeted outreach and bias-free practices to ensure diverse talent pools. Certified in Unconscious Bias training, I actively work to mitigate biases in the hiring process. • High Energy & Personable: With a confident and approachable demeaner, I engage effectively with candidates and teams, creating an energizing recruiting experience. • Articulate Communicator: Possessing excellent oral and written communication skills, I convey information clearly and persuasively, ensuring alignment and understanding at all levels. • Feedback Oriented: I actively seek and incorporate feedback to refine processes and enhance the candidate experience. • Trained Leader: Certified in Managing for High Performance, Situational Leadership, and Emotional Intelligence, I apply these principles to motivate teams and improve overall recruitment effectiveness. With a strong foundation in full-cycle recruiting, I thrive on connecting exceptional talent with opportunities that not only advance their careers but also contribute to building inclusive and diverse teams. I am dedicated to driving positive change within organizations, fostering environments where everyone feels valued and empowered to succeed. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Save the Children International Specialist, Global Talent Acquisition – Executive Search November 2024 – to date • • Support comprehensive recruitment and workforce planning to attract, select, and onboard highcaliber talent. Ensure talent aligns with Save the Children's values and strategic goals. • • • • Partner with various functions to implement best practice recruitment methods. Contribute to building an inclusive and skilled workforce that advances the mission. Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance recruitment processes. Create tools, templates, and training resources to support capacity building across the organization Regional Recruitment Specialist & Unconscious Bias Lead ESA – March 2021 to October 2024 Key Achievements: Served as Interim Human Resource Director for Mozambique Country Office, leading job evaluation initiatives. • Conducted refresher trainings on Strategic Sourcing and Hiring Manager Training, enhancing recruitment skills across teams. • Certified Unconscious Bias Trainer of Trainers, successfully rolling out training in 12 countries in East and Southern Africa. • Led capacity-building efforts in Country Offices on the recruitment process, improving overall efficiency. • Developed talent pipelines for current and future job requisitions, ensuring readiness for staffing needs. • Reduced time-to-fill (TOT) for recruitments from 120 days to under 90 days for most roles. • Excelled in stakeholder management, fostering strong relationships across various levels. • Led and adopted the use of Power BI for recruitment reporting, enhancing data visibility and decision-making. • Talent Acquisition Manager, Sudan Country Office - December 2023 – Ongoing 100% Deployment Leading end-to-end recruitment for all levels of Country Office positions, including offer negotiation and contracting, even amidst ongoing conflict. Key Achievements: • Managed multiple recruitment processes simultaneously, ensuring timely and effective hiring. • Reduced time-to-fill (TOT) for recruitments significantly, improving overall efficiency. Recruitment Consultant Altima Africa Ltd November 2, 2015 – March 2021 Reporting to the Directors, I was responsible for: • Leading the recruitment team to source and engage with leaders and key decision-makers, analysing talent needs to tailor solutions for recruitment and outsourcing. • Developing and implementing talent acquisition strategies for executive, headhunting, and midlevel positions across the Greater East African Region using tools like Taleo and LinkedIn. • Delivering strategic, high-impact recruitment insights through confidential reports to C-suite executives, empowering informed decision-making at the highest levels.. • Coordinating the recruitment and selection process, including job advertising, headhunting, screening applications, defining selection criteria, and conducting assessment centres and interviews. • • • Conducting background research and compiling market intelligence reports on clients and markets. Facilitating training sessions on change management and conducting outplacement training during organizational restructuring for 7 organizations. Key Achievements: • Successfully recruited five positions within four months, demonstrating the ability to meet tight deadlines. • Completed over 40 executive recruitment placements with quick turnaround times, enhancing client satisfaction, in various industries • Successful outplacement training Valentine Cake House Ltd Independent Consultant July 2015 – December 2015 Key Responsibilities: • Developed and implemented comprehensive HR systems to streamline operations and enhance workforce management. • Created a staffing plan by assessing salary structures for each position to ensure competitive compensation. • Designed detailed job profiles to clarify roles and responsibilities across the organization. • Established an employee management system, including a leave and request tracking process to improve workflow. • Identified and addressed staffing gaps in the customer service department, ensuring optimal service delivery. • Oversaw day-to-day management of the company, ensuring operational efficiency and alignment with business goals. KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Senior Administrative Assistant/PA to Director March 2015 – June 2015 (Contractual) Managed reference retrieval, coordinated meetings, and handled travel arrangements, including ticket and visa applications. Provided technical support for country report writing and assisted in information management and financial tasks while maintaining calendar and routine administrative duties. Human Resource Assistant Secretary Nairobi City Water & Sewerage Company Ltd October 2012- March 2015 • Prepared employee contract renewals and assisted with new employee orientation, ensuring familiarity with policies and procedures. • Supported the employment process, including scheduling interviews and maintaining application records. • Conducted exit interviews and documented responses for reporting purposes. • Processed various HR documents for efficient information dissemination. e.g. applications, photographs of employees and identification cards, fingerprinting, employment verification, etc. Key Achievements: • Coordinated team events at economical venues, significantly reducing expenses. • • • • • Organized staff identification card acquisition for over 3,500 employees across six regions in Kenya. Provided backup support across departments, earning commendation from the General Manager. Selected for various committees due to strong work ethic and dedication. Managed logistics for meetings, ensuring successful arrangements with stakeholders. During the year -), I was involved in organizing the International Water Association Congress in the capacity of Secretary. The Women’s Situation Room – Kenya (WSR) February – March 2013 The Women’s Situation Room Kenya mobilizes women's expertise to prevent or mitigate potential election-related conflicts. Administrator Responsibilities: • • • • • • • Developed a work plan for WSR activities. Organized stakeholder breakfast meetings, including venue sourcing and attendance confirmation. Successfully launched the initiative, managing venue logistics and program preparation. Coordinated training for over 500 election observers across Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, and Kisumu. Sourced suppliers for observer kits and ensured payment for all observers before deployment. Compiled reports during meetings and briefings. Organized press conferences and handled all administrative duties within the WSR secretariat. Event Planning, Independent January 2010 – October 2012 Managed all aspects of event planning, from initial concept to final execution, collaborating closely with clients to establish and implement budgets while ensuring costs remained within limits. Negotiated deals with vendors and coordinated catering and other food and beverage services All State Insurance February 2011 – September 2011 All State Insurance was a franchise of Resolution Health where we sold medical insurance on their behalf. During my time with All State I facilitated the communication between the executive and the employees thus being an effective bridge The Woman’s Clinic March 2007 - November 2009 As a Personal Assistant and Procurement Officer, I established an efficient procurement system that resulted in monthly savings. Executive Assistant/Office Administrator Responsibilities: • Acted as the communication link between the Managing Director, staff, and clients. • Managed the doctors’ schedules and screened incoming correspondence. • Provided general office support, prepared meeting minutes, and followed up on action items. • Maintained payroll and processed statutory payments. • Handled petty cash and bank reconciliations. • Prepared monthly invoices for insurance companies. Procurement Responsibilities: • Reviewed, recorded, and prioritized incoming purchases. • Compiled data from received quotations and monitored requisition statuses. • Resolved issues related to delivered goods and maintained relevant databases. Acacia Medical Centre April 2002 - March 2007 Administrative Assistant • • • • • • • Built and maintained a database for corporate clients and set up new accounts. Verified client identities against the database and completed necessary forms. Consolidated hours worked by medical staff for salary payments. Tracked injectable drugs and reconciled records with the pharmacy. Compiled professional fees for consultations and injectable drugs on an account basis. Coordinated with HR for staff medical examinations for insurance purposes. Organized monthly staff meetings to present and discuss ideas. Education/Training • IAT, Valley Secretarial College: Diploma in Secretarial Training -) • Kenya Institute of Management: Diploma in Business Administration -) • University of Minnesota: Online courses in Human Resources Management, Recruitment, Selection and Onboarding, Performance Management • Certified in Emotional Intelligence: Genos International • Situational Leadership: Ken Blanchard – Altima Africa • Managing High Performance: Save the Children International Interests • Swimming and CrossFit • Community service • Hiking • Reading REFERENCE: Upon Request