Laetitia Sessi SEMADO SOWADAN
Cotonou,Benin
Summary
A bilingual HR professional with 15 years’ extensive experience in human resources management in both international for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Currently a Regional HR Business Partner at TechnoServe, an American international NGO, overseeing 4 countries in West Africa: Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria. Provides strategic HR counsel and support to Country Leads and Regional Director, advises and coaches country HR Managers. Main responsibilities include overseeing regional human capital activities, ensuring compliance and sound people management, promoting organizational development and policy alignment.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Regional Human Resources Business Partner
TECHNOSERVE inc.
2023.02 - Current
- Building strong relationships partnerships with Regional / Country Directors and other senior managers and becoming a strategic partner to help them think through and resolve complex HR related matters
- Ensuring country programs understand and comply with HR policies
- Leading or participating in investigations under the direction of the ethics committee
- In partnership with regional and Country Directors, ensuring that country handbooks and other documents are legally current and vetted
- Building local HR managers’ capacities
- Providing counsel on procedure and policy interpretation, compensation and benefits, recruiting and retention strategies
- Coordinating implementation of global HR initiatives.
Human Resources Manager
TECHNOSERVE BENIN
2021.08 - 2023.02
- Monitoring of staff recruiting, onboarding and termination processes as well as performance appraisal cycle and compensation related activities
- Ensuring compliance with HR Policies, Local labour law and handbook
- Serving as advisor to senior management and local staff
- Staff records (both physical and HRIS) accuracy follow-up
- Employee relation issues management
- Talent development and strategy development with SMT
- Local HR staff management.
Human Resources Responsible
WEBB FONTAINE BENIN
2020.07 - 2021.07
- Update and follow-up of HR procedures
- Coordination of recruitment and onboarding processes
- Personnel administration and payroll management
- Coordination of staff performance appraisal activity
- Updating of preliminary data for budget preparation in conjunction with Finance and periodic reporting to headquarters
- Listening and assisting in conflict resolution
- Staff meeting facilitation.
Consultant
Consortium LÉONO
2019.02 - 2020.06
- Remote translation of documents from English to French.
Recruitment, Training and HR System Responsible
COMAN S.A.
2014.04 - 2018.02
- Monitoring of the recruitment process
- Consolidation and follow-up of the annual staff training plan, organization and supervision of trainings
- Coordination of the training for heavy equipment operators (with 02 trainers)
- Updating the personnel database, producing statistics and monthly reports on the workforce
- Coordination of the Staff Performance Appraisals and Employee Engagement Survey processes/ Assistance to the Head of HR for talent management activities.
Training and SAP Project Coordinator
COMAN S.A
2012.04 - 2014.03
- Coordination of the SAP (HRIS) roll out for the 3 subsidiaries in Benin
- Staff trainings monitoring
- Update of the local and expatriate staff database.
Human Resources Associate
COMAN S.A.
2010.10 - 2012.03
- Assistance to the Head of HR for the drafting and implementation of procedures
- Organization of Staff representatives’ election
- Monitoring of annual health screenings and Insurance related tasks
- Assistance to the Head of HR for tasks related to salary scale review, promotions, dismissal letters, etc.
Human Resources Assistant
CIS LINK BENIN S.A.
2010.06 - 2010.09
Human Resources Assistant
MAERSK BENIN S.A.
2007.05 - 2010.05
Administrative Assistant
COMAN S.A.
2005.03 - 2007.04
- Documents translation (English and French)
- Secretary to the Terminal Director.
Operations Assistant
COMAN S.A.
2002.01 - 2005.03
Education
Certificate (in Progress) - Strategic HR Leadership
ECornell
Online Platform From Cornell University (USA)02.2025
Diplôme de Technicien Supérieur (Bachelor Degree) - Business Management
Institut National D’Economie
Cotonou, Benin01.2001
Skills
- IT: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Workspace
- HRIS: SAP HCM, UKG
- Other skills: Time management and priority setting, active listening, communication, negotiation, adaptability, problem solving, creative and analytical thinking, results oriented.
Certification
- 04/2020, Techniques for drawing up a map of occupational risks, Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale
- 05/2018, 08/2018, Refresher Course in Word, Excel and Powerpoint
- 2012-2014, Company training for SAP HRIS super-users, Dakar, Cape Town, Dubai
- 11/2007, Training in Human Resources Administration, Talents Plus Conseils
- 08/2002-11/2002, Service Management training: Communication in a service company, PDFE
- 07/2019-08/2019, Training in English: English Studies in Management, Marketing and American Culture, National Institute of Economics by the University of Notre Dame of California
Hr competencies
- Talent acquisition & onboarding
- Compensation and Benefits
- HR audit
- HR Policies and Legal Compliance
- Employee relations management & investigations
- HR Statistics
- Strategic workforce planning
- HR Project management
- Learning & Development
- Performance Management
- Staff Engagement
- HR Operations
- HR department startup
Personal Information
- Nationality: Beninese
- Marital Status: Married
References
- Mrs Maimouna MBACKE, Country Director, TECHNOSERVE BENIN, +229 53 04 70 04, mmbacke@tns.org
- Mrs Scalette Hermine d’ALMEIDA, Head of HR Africa, WEBB FONTAINE, +229 97 97 61 46, scalette.dalmeida@webbfontaine.com
- M. Franck GBETOHO, Head of Human Resources, COMAN S.A., +229 97 97 60 33, franck.gbetoho@apmterminals.com
Additional Information
Non-work related experience: Documents proof reading, Blogging, Couple Counseling
Hobbies: Reading, Choir Singing
Driving License: B
Languages
French
Native language
English
Advanced
C1
Timeline
Regional Human Resources Business Partner
TECHNOSERVE inc.
2023.02 - Current
Human Resources Manager
TECHNOSERVE BENIN
2021.08 - 2023.02
Human Resources Responsible
WEBB FONTAINE BENIN
2020.07 - 2021.07
Consultant
Consortium LÉONO
2019.02 - 2020.06
Recruitment, Training and HR System Responsible
COMAN S.A.
2014.04 - 2018.02
Training and SAP Project Coordinator
COMAN S.A
2012.04 - 2014.03
Human Resources Associate
COMAN S.A.
2010.10 - 2012.03
Human Resources Assistant
CIS LINK BENIN S.A.
2010.06 - 2010.09
Human Resources Assistant
MAERSK BENIN S.A.
2007.05 - 2010.05
Administrative Assistant
COMAN S.A.
2005.03 - 2007.04
Operations Assistant
COMAN S.A.
2002.01 - 2005.03
Certificate (in Progress) - Strategic HR Leadership
ECornell
Diplôme de Technicien Supérieur (Bachelor Degree) - Business Management
Institut National D’Economie
- 04/2020, Techniques for drawing up a map of occupational risks, Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale
- 05/2018, 08/2018, Refresher Course in Word, Excel and Powerpoint
- 2012-2014, Company training for SAP HRIS super-users, Dakar, Cape Town, Dubai
- 11/2007, Training in Human Resources Administration, Talents Plus Conseils
- 08/2002-11/2002, Service Management training: Communication in a service company, PDFE
- 07/2019-08/2019, Training in English: English Studies in Management, Marketing and American Culture, National Institute of Economics by the University of Notre Dame of California
Similar Profiles
Andrew Jonathan WagugweAndrew Jonathan Wagugwe
Financial Accountant at Technoserve Inc. USAFinancial Accountant at Technoserve Inc. USA
Annette BogereAnnette Bogere
Project Director at TechnoServeProject Director at TechnoServe
Sabina MwambaSabina Mwamba
GRANTS MANAGER at TechnoServe ZambiaGRANTS MANAGER at TechnoServe Zambia