ETHEL CHASHA-CRUZ
Solwezi
Summary
Experienced HR and business professional with over a decade of expertise in workforce planning, talent management, and organizational development. Backed by a Global MBA from the University of Manchester, with global exposure through intensive coursework in Singapore, Manchester, and Dubai. Skilled in aligning HR strategies with business goals, driving performance, and leading cross-functional teams. Proven ability to manage change, optimize processes, and deliver results in dynamic environments. Ready to lead with strategic vision and operational excellence.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
4
4
Certification
Work History
Coordinator, Recruitment & Workforce Strategy
FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS (KANSANSHI MINING PLC)
Solwezi, Zambia
09.2023 - Current
- HR Team Lead – S3 Mine Expansion: Directed recruitment, workforce planning, and operational HR activities for a large-scale project, ensuring readiness for commissioning and alignment with organisational goals.
- Developed and implemented a strategic workforce planning model, aligning talent acquisition with long-term business objectives, improving workforce agility, and increasing readiness.
- Led the digital transformation of HR processes, introducing automation that boosted efficiency by 30%, and significantly enhanced the employee experience.
- Collaborated with department heads to forecast staffing needs, enabling proactive recruitment strategies that cut time-to-fill by 15%.
- Oversaw the integration of a new HR Information System (HRIS), streamlining data management and improving accessibility, reducing HR processing times.
- Initiated and spearheaded a company-wide skills audit, closing critical skill gaps through targeted training programs, which improved employee productivity significantly.
- Implemented departmental policies and standards in conjunction with management to streamline internal processes.
Coordinator, Change Management & Communication
FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS (KANSANSHI MINING PLC)
Solwezi, Zambia
01.2023 - 09.2023
- Designed and implemented new organisational structures during a merger, increasing operational efficiency by 20% and fostering a unified corporate culture.
- Streamlined integration of processes, cultures, and systems, ensuring a seamless transition and alignment of business functions across the merged organisation.
- Developed and executed a comprehensive communication plan, achieving a 95% stakeholder satisfaction rate through transparent and timely information dissemination.
- Conducted detailed impact analyses to assess departmental change effects, reducing transition times with tailored support mechanisms.
- Implemented a feedback loop system, capturing employee concerns and suggestions, which improved engagement and ownership of the change process.
- Collaborated with HR to revise talent management policies, aligning them with organisational objectives, and strengthening cultural integration post-merger.
- Facilitated communication between different departments in order to resolve issues quickly.
Coordinator, Talent Development
FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS (KANSANSHI MINING PLC)
Solwezi, Zambia
11.2021 - 01.2023
- Initiated an Employee Initiative Program, reducing employee turnover by 15%, and enhancing overall retention rates.
- Evaluated performance metrics and provided actionable recommendations, driving an increase in productivity across key departments.
- Proposed innovative solutions for business practices, aligning workforce competencies with organisational needs, which improved overrall efficiency rates.
- Conducted refresh training sessions for 2000+ employees on talent assessment and performance evaluations, boosting process adherence and consistency.
- Guided and advised 15+ HR business partners through annual talent assessment discussions, successfully building a robust talent pipeline for future openings.
- Conducted comprehensive research and analysis of recruitment needs, trends, and strategies.
- Created reports summarizing recruitment activities such as open positions, candidate sources, applicant tracking metrics.
Specialist, Talent Acquisition
FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS (KANSANSHI MINING PLC)
Solwezi
01.2020 - 11.2021
- Initiated innovative recruitment strategies, reducing time-to-fill by 20%, and improving the quality of hires across key departments.
- Streamlined the candidate sourcing process, utilising targeted channels and tools to attract top-tier talent, increasing applicant quality.
- Conducted interviews and assessments for over 900 candidates annually, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and cultural fit.
- Designed and implemented onboarding plans, accelerating new hire productivity, and reducing early-stage attrition.
- Maintained and optimised applicant tracking systems (ATS) to ensure data accuracy and compliance with recruitment policies.
- Built and maintained talent pipelines for hard-to-fill roles, ensuring readiness for future business needs.
- Advised and guided 15+ hiring managers on best recruitment practices, fostering collaborative and efficient hiring processes.
Human Resources Business Partner
FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS (KANSANSHI MINING PLC)
Solwezi, Zambia
02.2018 - 01.2020
- Managed compensation and benefits programs for 850 employees in the Engineering Department, ensuring compliance and equity.
- Led industrial relations efforts, resolving grievances and fostering positive management-employee relations.
- Streamlined HR processes for the department, improving onboarding, offboarding, and record-keeping efficiency.
- Supported performance management initiatives, aligning employee goals with departmental objectives.
- Conducted HR audits for the department, ensuring compliance with payroll, benefits, and labour laws.
District Health Administrative Officer
Ministry of Health
Chirundu, Zambia
01.2014 - 02.2018
- Managed operations for 1 District Health Office and 8 health facilities, ensuring efficient service delivery across the district.
- Supervised 300 employees, overseeing performance management, transport logistics, security, training, and capacity-building initiatives.
- Coordinated quarterly disaster intervention planning meetings, aligning district-level preparedness with Ministry of Health objectives.
- Led monitoring and evaluation efforts, ensuring compliance with health policies and improving operational efficiency.
- Streamlined administrative processes, enhancing resource allocation and reporting accuracy across the district.
Education
Global MBA - Business Administration
Alliance Manchester Business School
Manchester, United Kingdom06.2024
Bachelor of Arts - Public Administration
The University of Zambia
Lusaka, ZambiaSkills
- Strategic Workforce Planning
- Compensation and Benefits Administration
- Talent Acquisition and Recruitment
- Performance Management
- Employee Relations and Industrial Relations
- Change Management
- HR Policy Development
- Learning and Development
- Project Management
- Compliance and Auditing
- Organizational Development
- Strategic Supply Chain Management
- International Business Strategy
- Negotiation Skills
- Business Accounting and Finance
- Operations and Marketing
Certification
- Certified Scrum Master, Scrum Alliance, 12/22
- Certified Scrum Product Owner, Scrum Alliance, 01/23
- Lean Six Sigma White Belt Certification, 01/23
- Certified Talent Acquisition Specialist, HRCI, 04/21
- Employer Branding, HRCI, 08/21
Affiliations
- Avid Reader and Tennis Enthusiast
- Actively support a local orphanage
- Prestigious General Manager's Mentorship Recipient
Languages
English
Native language
Spanish
Beginner
A1
Portuguese
Beginner
A1
Japanese
Elementary (A2)
A2
Timeline
Coordinator, Recruitment & Workforce Strategy
FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS (KANSANSHI MINING PLC)
09.2023 - Current
Coordinator, Change Management & Communication
FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS (KANSANSHI MINING PLC)
01.2023 - 09.2023
Coordinator, Talent Development
FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS (KANSANSHI MINING PLC)
11.2021 - 01.2023
Specialist, Talent Acquisition
FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS (KANSANSHI MINING PLC)
01.2020 - 11.2021
Human Resources Business Partner
FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS (KANSANSHI MINING PLC)
02.2018 - 01.2020
District Health Administrative Officer
Ministry of Health
01.2014 - 02.2018
- Certified Scrum Master, Scrum Alliance, 12/22
- Certified Scrum Product Owner, Scrum Alliance, 01/23
- Lean Six Sigma White Belt Certification, 01/23
- Certified Talent Acquisition Specialist, HRCI, 04/21
- Employer Branding, HRCI, 08/21
Global MBA - Business Administration
Alliance Manchester Business School
Bachelor of Arts - Public Administration
The University of Zambia
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