Organizational Design Officer, Department of Human Capital Development

Company Description

Nazarbayev University is a modern institution that combines international standards with a distinctive Kazakh identity, dedicated to academic excellence and innovation. With a commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive community, NU aims to equip students with the skills necessary to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Offering undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programmes, NU features world-class academic schools, rigorous and exciting curricula, and internationally competitive research that advances disciplines and contributes to the development of Kazakhstan and the wider region.

NU has made remarkable progress in its fifteen-year history, attracting students whose credentials match those required by top universities globally. With a strong foundation in research, teaching, and engagement, NU is now accelerating its journey toward global recognition. Our ambition is to be ranked among the top 300 universities worldwide by 2030.

Job Description

Organizational Design and Organizational Effectiveness

1. Conduct analysis of the University's organizational structure and develop recommendations to improve organizational effectiveness and alignment with strategic objectives;
2. Design and review organizational structures, reporting relationships, spans of control and functional allocation of responsibilities across the University;
3. Participate in the development and implementation of organizational restructuring initiatives, including establishment, merger, division or closure of structural units;
4. Assess organizational efficiency and identify opportunities for optimization, consolidation and elimination of functional duplication;
5. Conduct benchmarking of organizational structures and management practices against leading higher education institutions and international organizations;
6. Prepare analytical materials, reports and recommendations for University leadership regarding organizational design matters.

Workforce Planning and Position Management

1. Participate in workforce planning activities, including workforce forecasting and staffing scenario development;
2. Analyze staffing levels, faculty-to-staff ratios, spans and layers, and other workforce indicators;
3. Review requests related to creation, modification, transfer and abolition of positions;
4. Develop recommendations regarding workforce allocation and organizational resource planning;
5. Support HR Business Partners and structural units in workforce planning and organizational change initiatives.

Job Architecture and Functional Governance

1. Develop and maintain organizational design methodologies, standards and frameworks;
2. Review and coordinate regulations of structural divisions and job descriptions of employees;
3. Conduct analysis of functions and responsibilities of structural units and positions to ensure role clarity and accountability;
4. Maintain the University repository of organizational structures, regulations and job descriptions;
5. Participate in development and continuous improvement of the University's job architecture framework.

Job Evaluation and Organizational Analytics

1. Participate in job evaluation and grading activities in accordance with the University's approved methodology;
2. Prepare organizational analytics, workforce reports and dashboards to support management decision-making;
3. Analyze organizational trends, workforce risks and workforce planning indicators;
4. Develop recommendations based on organizational and workforce data analysis.

Organizational Change Management

1. Support implementation of organizational transformation and change management initiatives;
2. Facilitate consultations, workshops and working sessions with structural units regarding organizational design and workforce planning matters;
3. Coordinate organizational design projects with HR Business Partners, Talent Management, HR Operations and other stakeholders;
4. Ensure that organizational design initiatives are aligned with the University's governance principles, HR policies and strategic priorities.

Qualifications

Education:

• Higher education in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Management, Economics, Public Administration or related disciplines;
• Master's degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Management or related field is preferred;
• Professional certifications in Organizational Design, Workforce Planning, Job Evaluation, Change Management or related disciplines will be considered an advantage.

Work experience:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in organizational design, workforce planning, organizational development, HR consulting or related fields;
• Experience in large, complex organizations, preferably in higher education, research institutions or international organizations;
• Experience in organizational restructuring, workforce planning, job architecture or job evaluation projects will be considered an advantage.

Knowledge and skills:

Specific Knowledge:

• Principles and methodologies of organizational design and organizational effectiveness;
• Workforce planning and organizational development methodologies;
• Job architecture, role design and job evaluation principles;
• Fundamentals of labor legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• Principles of organizational governance and accountability frameworks;
• HR analytics and workforce planning concepts;
• Change management methodologies and organizational transformation approaches.

Professional Skills:

• Organizational structure analysis and design;
• Workforce planning and staffing analysis;
• Development and review of regulations, organizational documents and job descriptions;
• Preparation of analytical reports and management presentations;
• Data analysis and interpretation;
• Stakeholder management and facilitation skills;
• Project management and change implementation skills.
• Required Competencies:

Strategic and systems thinking;

• Analytical thinking and problem-solving;
• Effective communication and influencing skills;
• Stakeholder management;
• Result orientation;
• Attention to detail;
• Adaptability and resilience;
• Collaboration and teamwork.

Mandatory Requirement:

The Organizational Design Partner must possess the necessary knowledge of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On the Status of Nazarbayev University, Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools and Nazarbayev Fund", labor legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and other applicable regulatory legal acts.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in English, Kazakh and Russian languages for effective preparation of documentation, analytical materials, presentations and interaction with stakeholders

Additional Information

Recruitment and selection process
Recruitment and selection at Nazarbayev University include the following process: preliminary selection based on experience and qualifications, assessments (e.g. technical skills/capabilities, aptitude, personality, work samples, in-basket exercises, and informal interviews), and motivation.

Formal interviews form the final stage of the selection process.
They are typically based on organizational values and behaviors and conducted in English.
You are encouraged to share your views and values  to identify how they fit into  Nazarbayev University core values