Senior Director, Global Human Rights - Africa

Job Description Summary:

Position Overview

This position serves as a senior contributor within Global Human Rights, Legal and operates under the strategic direction of the Head of Global Human Rights.  The Senior Director supports the design and implementation of human rights governance, compliance and risk management systems, while advancing scalable, technology‑enabled solutions that integrate human rights into business strategy and global operations.  The position requires a high degree of independence and the ability to assess complex dynamics, anticipate emerging risks and guide decisions informed by legal, regulatory and human rights considerations.  This position requires demonstrated expertise in governance, compliance, and risk management, combined with deep knowledge of international human rights.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Governance: Lead core components of the Global Human Rights Strategy, translating strategic direction into actionable priorities and measurable deliverables. Serve as a strategic adviser connecting human rights considerations to enterprise risk, brand reputation, and long-term business value.
• Regulatory Intelligence: Monitor evolving global human rights disclosure, due diligence and trade-based regulations ensuring policies, disclosures, and governance documents remain current, while anticipating regulatory changes, identifying issues early, and supporting business continuity and brand trust.
• Enterprise Risk Management & Due Diligence: Establish and operationalize human rights due diligence processes that leverage legal, compliance, and human rights expertise supported by technology platforms for scalable risk identification, monitoring, and cross-functional visibility.
• Crisis Management & Geopolitical Navigation: Navigate regulatory ambiguity and complex geopolitical dynamics with composure. Engage with bottlers, suppliers, and local operations to address issues, respond decisively to legal and regulatory risks, and resolve sensitive matters in ways that preserve relationships and protect reputation.
• Innovation, Technology & Digital Transformation: Embed scalable, technology-enabled solutions across risk identification, monitoring, and reporting, leveraging AI tools and modern platforms to improve efficiency, insight, and data-driven decision-making.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Cross-Functional Collaboration: Build and maintain trusted relationships with internal teams, bottlers, suppliers, NGOs, regulators, and community representatives. Collaborate effectively across Legal, Public Affairs, Finance, Technical, Procurement, HR, Operating Units, and bottling partners worldwide to align diverse perspectives and advance shared human rights objectives.
• Regional Focus & Operating Unit Partnership: Serve as the primary human rights liaison for operating units within the assigned region. Partner with regional leadership to adapt global human rights strategy to local market conditions and regulatory environments. Support operating units in identifying and addressing region-specific human rights risks.

What You Will Do For Us

• Independently develop and execute strategic action plans when human rights issues emerge, engaging the right internal and external stakeholders to drive timely and effective resolution.
• Interpret a fast-changing matrix of global and local human rights laws into clear guidance that informs decisions at all levels and manage voluntary and mandatory disclosures ensuring validated data and alignment with internal processes.
• Oversee human rights due diligence programs, including the transition to risk-based models that prioritize risk and drive corrective action across all regions.
• Manage sensitive negotiations and resolve disputes in ways that protect rights while sustaining productive business relationships.
• Foster collaboration across functions, business units, and geographies, aligning diverse perspectives toward shared human rights objectives.
• Lead key components of regional and cross-border human rights strategy development and implementation, ensuring alignment with broader business strategy objectives.
• Drive cross-industry collaboration by engaging with peer companies, industry associations, and multi-stakeholder initiatives to advance collective human rights standards.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Degree in law, human rights, public policy, international relations, or a closely related field relevant to business and human rights.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in compliance, governance, legal, or human rights roles across global markets, with a strategic and practical approach to issue resolution.
• Experience in or with large international companies, with an understanding of how to navigate global corporate environments.
• Ability to apply international human rights standards and regulatory requirements to governance frameworks, and to drive practical implementation.
• Demonstrated ability to independently build scalable compliance systems and drive complex issues from identification through resolution in multi-stakeholder environments.
• Track record of proactive risk identification, robust due diligence, and thorough incident response; demonstrated success in negotiation, risk assessment, and shaping policy at enterprise and industry levels.
• Proficiency in leveraging AI tools and modern platforms for efficiency, insight, and technology-enabled compliance solutions.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to distill complex legal and human rights concepts for diverse audiences, including executive leadership, business partners, civil society, and affected communities.
• Composure and adaptability when navigating regulatory ambiguity, shifting geopolitical conditions, and cross-cultural settings.
• Fluency in English required; proficiency in additional languages aligned to relevant region preferred.

Skills:

Location(s):

Eswatini

City/Cities:

Manzini

Travel Required:

00% - 25%

Relocation Provided:

No

Job Posting End Date:

April 1, 2026

Our Purpose and Growth Culture:

We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit Our Purpose and Vision to learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca-Cola.