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South Africa HR Lead

South Africa HR Lead

Robert WaltersJohannesburg, ZA
16 days ago
Job description

Job title : South Africa HR Lead

Job Location : Gauteng, Johannesburg

Deadline : October 11, 2025

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  • An exceptional opportunity has arisen for an experienced Human Resources professional to take on a pivotal leadership role overseeing the HR function for South African operations at a renowned global pharmaceutical organisation.
  • This position offers you the chance to shape and influence people strategies, drive talent development, and ensure best-in-class HR processes across a diverse and growing business.
  • You will be empowered to manage a dedicated team of HR professionals, collaborate closely with senior executives, and play a key part in strategic decision-making.
  • The organisation is committed to fostering an inclusive, supportive environment where your expertise in employee relations, compliance, and learning initiatives will be highly valued. With flexible working opportunities and a strong focus on personal growth, this is the ideal role for someone looking to make a significant impact within a respected industry leader.
  • Take ownership of the full HR function for South African operations, leading a skilled team and partnering directly with executive management to deliver impactful people solutions.
  • Enjoy the autonomy to design and implement innovative talent management, performance appraisal, and learning programmes that support both individual and organisational growth.
  • Benefit from a collaborative culture that values knowledge sharing, professional development, and flexible working arrangements tailored to help you thrive.

What you'll do :

  • As the South Africa Human Resources Lead, you will play an instrumental role in shaping the people agenda for a dynamic operation.
  • Your day-to-day responsibilities will see you collaborating closely with senior leadership teams to develop robust talent pipelines through targeted leadership development initiatives.
  • You will champion high standards in performance management by implementing digital tools for appraisals and ensuring fair compensation practices.
  • Your ability to nurture positive employee relations will be essential as you guide your team through complex workplace issues.
  • Additionally, you will have the opportunity to design impactful learning programmes that align with business needs while ensuring compliance with statutory regulations.
  • By managing payroll processes efficiently and spearheading BBBEE-related activities, you will contribute directly to both operational excellence and social responsibility goals.
  • Success in this role requires a blend of strategic thinking, interpersonal sensitivity, attention to detail, and a passion for developing others within an inclusive environment.
  • Oversee all HR processes and systems for South African operations, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives and regulatory requirements while supporting the Country Head in strategic initiatives.
  • Lead talent management activities at senior levels by developing leadership programmes, defining individual development plans, executing talent council strategies, and collaborating with Centres of Excellence.
  • Drive effective performance management through implementation of online performance management systems, auditing goal-setting quality, managing field force appraisals, and ensuring timely closure of ratings.
  • Partner with business leaders to facilitate salary reviews, optimise budget utilisation for compensation cycles, and oversee bonus pay-outs in accordance with established guidelines.
  • Provide expert guidance on rewards frameworks and conduct market benchmarking exercises to ensure competitive compensation structures are maintained.
  • Actively participate as a member of the Executive Committee (Exco), managing relationships with internal stakeholders such as BU Heads, COEs, HR Leadership Teams as well as external vendors and consultants.
  • Guide the HR team in addressing employee concerns, grievances, disciplinary matters across both plant and commercial office environments while promoting positive employee relations.
  • Design and deliver learning interventions in partnership with business leaders and HR Centres of Excellence to foster continuous professional development across the workforce.
  • Manage payroll administration efficiently while driving cost-related projects and maintaining strict adherence to budgeting requirements including oversight of BBBEE budgets.
  • Conduct regular audits to assess statutory compliance levels within the region; review legal obligations related to employment law; design and implement activities supporting BBBEE initiatives including Youth Employment Scheme programmes.
  • What you bring :

  • To excel as the South Africa Human Resources Lead, you will bring extensive experience gained from progressive roles within human resources, ideally encompassing both operational delivery and strategic planning.
  • Your educational background equips you with theoretical insights into modern HR practices while your hands-on experience ensures practical application across diverse scenarios.
  • You are adept at building trust-based relationships at all organisational levels thanks to your empathetic communication style and collaborative approach. Your analytical mindset allows you to interpret data effectively when benchmarking compensation or auditing compliance standards.
  • A natural mentor, you inspire those around you by nurturing their growth through thoughtfully designed learning opportunities.
  • Your commitment to fairness underpins your approach to employee relations while your meticulous attention ensures payroll accuracy and regulatory adherence.
  • Above all else, your passion for creating inclusive workplaces drives everything you do, making you not just an asset but also a catalyst for positive change within any forward-thinking organisation.
  • A graduate or postgraduate degree in Human Resources or a related discipline is preferred for this position as it provides a solid foundation for understanding complex HR functions.
  • At least 15 years’ experience in human resources roles is required, ideally including time spent as an HR Business Partner within organisations of similar size or complexity.
  • Demonstrated expertise in managing end-to-end HR processes including talent management initiatives at senior levels such as leadership development planning and execution.
  • Proven track record in implementing performance management systems, particularly digital platforms and conducting thorough audits of goal-setting procedures.
  • Comprehensive understanding of compensation frameworks including salary benchmarking against market data; experience managing bonus cycles within defined budgets is highly desirable.
  • Strong stakeholder engagement skills are essential; you should be comfortable interacting with executive committees as well as internal business units and external partners or vendors.
  • Experience guiding teams through sensitive employee relations matters such as grievances or disciplinary actions while maintaining a supportive work environment is important.
  • Ability to design effective learning interventions aligned with organisational strategy; familiarity with working alongside Centres of Excellence is advantageous.
  • Solid background in payroll administration coupled with experience driving cost optimisation projects; prior responsibility for budget oversight is beneficial.
  • In-depth knowledge of statutory compliance requirements relevant to South Africa’s employment landscape; experience designing or implementing BBBEE initiatives including youth employment schemes would be valuable.
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