Senior Manager (HR Administration –… at Nazarbayev… · Astana

Company Description

Nazarbayev University is Kazakhstan’s flagship autonomous research university, established with the ambition of becoming a world-class institution for education and research. We are proud to be ranked 376–400 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, maintaining our position among the leading universities in Central Asia and continuing to build our international reputation.

Today, NU brings together talented faculty, researchers, professionals, and students from Kazakhstan and around the world. With a strong commitment to academic excellence, research, and innovation, we continue to push boundaries and work towards our ambition of entering the world’s top 300 universities.

Being part of NU means contributing to something bigger than yourself — helping shape the future of higher education, research, and talent in Kazakhstan and beyond.

Job Description

Nazarbayev University is seeking an experienced and detail-oriented HR professional to join its HR Operations and Employee Relations team as a Senior Manager, HR Administration – Administrative Personnel.

In this role, you will independently manage the full cycle of HR administration for an assigned portfolio of administrative employees, ensuring that employment-related decisions are processed accurately, on time, and in compliance with the labor legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the University’s internal procedures.

You will handle a broad range of employment matters, including hiring documentation, contract extensions, transfers, changes in working conditions, additional duties, compensation-related changes, and employment termination. You will also take ownership of complex and priority cases, monitor critical deadlines, advise internal stakeholders on HR procedures, and contribute to improving the quality and efficiency of HR operations.

This role is well suited to an HR professional who combines strong knowledge of HR administration and labor legislation with sound judgment, attention to detail, and the confidence to manage complex cases independently.

Key Responsibilities:

• End-to-End HR Administration: Manage employment documentation and HR processes for an assigned portfolio of administrative personnel, covering hiring, contract extensions, transfers, changes in employment conditions, additional duties, acting appointments, and termination.

• Employment Documentation & Compliance: Review HR documents for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with legal and internal requirements, ensuring that approved decisions are properly documented and processed.

• Deadline & Risk Management: Monitor employment contract expiry dates, probation periods, temporary appointments, and other critical HR deadlines, proactively coordinating required actions and escalating potential risks.

• Compensation-Related HR Processing: Process approved changes to salaries, allowances, bonuses, additional payments, and other compensation-related conditions in coordination with the relevant HR functions.

• Personnel Records & HR Data: Maintain accurate personnel files, employment records, registers, and HRIS/1C data, ensuring the timely and correct reflection of approved employment decisions.

• Stakeholder Support & Coordination: Work closely with employees, managers, HR Business Partners, Talent Management, Organizational Effectiveness and Total Rewards, and other HR teams to ensure smooth and timely processing of HR matters.

• Complex Case Management: Independently handle non-standard and priority cases within your area of responsibility, identify potential legal or operational risks, and prepare recommendations or escalate matters requiring further decisions.

• HR Service Quality & Process Improvement: Support consistent application of HR procedures, contribute to quality reviews and knowledge sharing within the team, identify recurring errors or delays, and propose improvements to templates, checklists, and workflows.

• Digitalization & Continuous Improvement: Contribute to the development and testing of digital HR solutions, support data reconciliations, and help improve the efficiency and reliability of HR administration processes.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, Management, Law, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field; relevant professional experience may also be considered.

• At least 2 years of professional experience in HR administration, employee relations, or human resource management.

• Practical knowledge of HR administration processes, including employment contracts, transfers, changes in working conditions, additional duties, contract extensions, and termination.

• Good understanding of the labor legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and its practical application in employment-related matters.

• Experience reviewing HR documentation, monitoring employment deadlines, maintaining personnel records, and working with HRIS/1C or similar HR systems.

• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple cases and deadlines while maintaining accuracy and service quality.

• Sound judgment, accountability, and the ability to manage complex matters independently while recognizing when escalation is necessary.

• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with employees, managers, and different HR functions.

• A commitment to professional ethics, confidentiality, and personal data protection.

• Fluency in Kazakh, Russian, and English.

• Experience handling complex HR administration cases in a large, international, educational, or research organization will be considered an advantage.

Additional Information

If you are an HR professional who takes ownership, values accuracy, and enjoys ensuring that complex employment matters are handled correctly and efficiently, we invite you to apply and contribute to the continued development of HR services at Nazarbayev University.

Recruitment and selection process

Recruitment and selection at Nazarbayev University include preliminary selection based on experience and qualifications, followed by assessments and formal interviews. Formal interviews are typically based on organizational values and behaviors and conducted in English.