Business Unit Leader at Auditor-General of South Africa

Roles & Responsibilities

Strategic Function

Core orientation:

Leads the design and development of functional strategies.

• As may be required, design and or review the Centre of Excellence operating model and value chain to align with the People strategy.
• Inputs towards and contributes to the development of the People Strategy, and the operational alignment and implementation thereof, to help achieve long-term objectives.
• Based on sound understanding of the AGSA’s business goals, business and operating models and core processes (business acumen), influences and aligns the People strategy into clear business unit people objectives and action plans to support the achievement of the overall organisation objectives.
• Develops and implements People learning and development strategies aligned with the organization's goals and objectives, with a specific focus on improving overall effectiveness and performance.
• Ensures that young professionals, and general leadership development and organisational learning initiatives align with the overall strategic goals and vision of the AGSA. Regularly update senior management on the progress and impact of these initiatives.

Product and Operational Management

• Develops and implements People strategies aligned with the AGSA's goals and objectives, with a specific focus on improving overall effectiveness and performance.
• Develops and executes a comprehensive learning and development strategy aligned with the AGSA's goals and objectives. Ensures that learning initiatives support both short-term and long-term business needs.
• Establishes key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of People learning programs, and regularly assess and report on their impact on organizational performance.
• Ensures People policies, procedures, and practices are compliant with relevant labour laws and regulations, and that ethical and inclusive People practices are upheld.
• Ensures that the Learning Experiences BU is compliant with employment laws and regulations.
• Identifies and mitigates potential risks associated with Learning Experiences delivery.
• Identifies opportunities for process improvement, streamline workflows, and eliminate redundancies to enhance service quality and reduce operational costs.
• Analyses efficiencies and evaluates against overall Learning Experiences strategy.
• Identifies opportunities for process improvement, streamline workflows, and eliminate redundancies to enhance service quality and reduce operational costs.
• Identifies opportunities to centralize, standardize, and streamline delivery within the practice areas under scope to maximize efficiency and reduce operational costs.
• Implements best practices, process improvements, and automation to enhance service quality.
• Defines and tracks key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of Learning Experiences business unit.
• Develops and reports on performance dashboards to assess service quality and efficiency rates.
• Establishes a framework for assessing and evaluating the effectiveness of learning programs. This may include rubrics, surveys, and evaluation forms.
• Ensures the maintenance of records and documentation for all compliance and regulatory training, including completion certificates and records of participation.
• Generates regular reports that provide insights into the performance and impact of learning initiatives, using data-driven analytics.
• From a specialist perspective (Management of senior specialists) the incumbent is expected to facilitate the design and development of strategies, service delivery models, and performance metrics of the following People streams:
• Curriculum and Programme Design: Leads the design and development of a diverse range of young professional and leadership learning programs, including e-learning, classroom training, workshops, and mentorship programs, ensuring they cater to different learning styles and needs. Develop curriculum plans for different employee groups, specifying the topics, learning objectives, and resources for each programme.
• Learning Strategy Development: Develops a comprehensive learning strategy programme that outlines the organization's approach to learning and development, including goals, priorities, and key performance indicators.
• Content Library Catalogue: Maintains a catalogue of all learning resources and materials in the organization's content library, including version control and updates.
• Learning Infrastructure Planning: Develops plans for the physical and virtual learning environments, specifying equipment, technology, and space requirements.
• Technical Support Protocols: Creates protocols and guidelines for providing technical support to employees participating in online or technology-driven learning experiences.
• Continuous improvement: Documents recommendations for continuous improvement in learning programs, technologies, and processes, along with action plans for implementation.
• Documentation and Reporting Repository: Maintains a central repository for all training-related documentation, reports, and records for easy access and reference.
• Ensures that BU efforts have a direct correlation to the AGSA’s net promoters’ scores through the enhancement of employee experiences of their delivery.
• Stays updated on industry best practices and emerging trends in organisational capacity building with a strong bias towards skills development (“Capability toolkit” development) and retention in line with agile strategic capability requirements. Introduce innovative solutions and technologies to enhance these areas.
• Evaluates and implements relevant HR technology solutions to enhance BU operations.
• Provides guidance and support to ensure the BU remains compliant with relevant laws and regulations, reducing legal risks and supporting the organization's reputation.
• Continuously ensures that the BU aligns with the broader organizational goals, vision, and values, playing a pivotal role in the strategic execution of People services.
• Ensures the validity and relevance of the BU strategy, value chain and operating model to the People strategy and AGSA strategic priorities.
• Develops and implements strategies to standardize People processes and centralize People services to improve efficiency, consistency, and cost-effectiveness.
• Focuses on enhancing the employee experience by delivering efficient, accessible, and user-friendly People services, contributing to higher employee engagement and retention, which can be crucial for strategic success.
• Implements and scales the People operational strategy in the BU.
• Oversees the accurate and confidential maintenance of employee records and data, ensuring data integrity and security (POPI Act compliance).
• Addresses employee queries and issues related to Learning services and support People business partners in resolving more complex employee matters.
• Utilizes KPIs, metrics and feedback to demonstrate the strategic impact of People Portfolio across the business value chain proactively.

 Stakeholder Management

• Identifies key stakeholders and customers of the People portfolio, and via engagement and collaboration, build sound substance-based relationships that will benefit both the Learning Experiences BU and the organisation.
• Collaborates with other departments and senior leadership to align People strategies with the broader organizational goals and objectives.
• Manages relationships with Learning service vendors, Industry Bodies, e.g. SAICA, SAIGA, ACCA, Fasset etc, and any providers relevant to an outsourced element of the Experiences value chain and ensure service levels and agreements are in place and met.
• Collaborates with internal People portfolio stakeholders, People Business Partners, and line function department heads to understand their service needs and priorities.
• Proactively addresses concerns and maintains strong relationships with service recipients.
• Manages service level agreements and client satisfaction with internal stakeholders.
• Collaborates with People Partnerships and Projects and Organisation Effectiveness leadership to optimize service delivery that directly impacts end-user or people experiences of People infrastructure and services.
• Assist in managing relationships with third-party vendors providing People services, ensuring they meet service level agreements and contribute to strategic People goals.
• Identifies and proactively engages a diverse range of influential contacts within stakeholder and community groups. Build alliances to establish mutually beneficial working arrangements, openly sharing knowledge and insights and working collaboratively to deliver on strategic business objectives.
• Aligns stakeholders with conflicting views or priorities to agree on a course of action. 

People Management

• Champions of the vision, mission, and values of the People component in line with those of the AGSA.
• Provides strong leadership to a team of People professionals within the Learning Experiences BU.
• Creates a culture of accountability by setting clear objectives, tracking progress, and reporting results to senior management. Identify areas that need improvement and take corrective actions.
• Strategically manages and monitors the day-to-day operations of Learning Experiences BU.
• Identifies and develops the skills and capabilities of BU staff to ensure they meet the evolving demands of the organization and the People function.
• Fosters a culture of collaboration, professionalism, and customer-centric service.

Digital Literacy and Digital Agility

• Utilizes HR technology and systems to automate and streamline People processes, including internal survey tools, talent and online recruitment software, and self-service tools relevant to the BU value chain. Stays up to date with technological advancements to improve service delivery.
• Creates a technology roadmap that outlines the organization's plan for implementing or upgrading learning technologies, including the Learning Management Systems (LMS), e-learning platforms, and other tools.
• Ensures that the AGSA complies with data security and privacy regulations, and maintain documentation to demonstrate compliance.
• Facilitates the periodic review of the BU operating model to identify the impacts and opportunities for digital transformation interventions.
• Draws insights from data and trends to improve processes, employee engagement and policy alignment across the business and diagnose people issues and recommend effective solutions.
• Leverages technology to increase efficiency and drive business results to improve the digital employee experience, which leads to increased engagement and communication.
• Assesses, selects, and implements HR technology solutions to streamline People processes and improve relevant data management.

Financial Management

• Demonstrates an understanding of the financial and commercial sustainability variables that impact the AGSA.
• Develops budget proposals that detail the allocation of resources for different training initiatives, technology investments, and content development.
• Compiles the budgets and contributes to the development of the BU’s and Portfolio budget.
• Manages, monitors, and reports on the budget through expenditure, forecasts, and other analysis.
• Ensures compliance with internal processes and procedures (i.e., PFMA and internal fiscal guidelines).
• Manages supply chain governance processes within scope.
• Analyzes People-related costs and expenses to identify areas where cost-saving measures can be implemented without compromising the quality of People services or the employee experience.
• Assesses the return on investment (ROI) for BU programs and initiatives, such as training and development, and use this analysis to inform future budget allocations.
• Generates financial reports related to BU expenditure, cost breakdowns, and budget variances, providing this information to senior leadership and the finance department.

Ad-hoc duties

• Performs and/or manage other projects, tasks and assignments not stipulated on the role description as and when required. 

Skills, Experience & Education 

Formal Education

• This position requires a minimum qualification of a CA (SA).
• Added advantage: Masters level qualification in Human Resources Management or equivalent. Senior professional registration with a recognised Human Resources professional body.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in Human Resources Management of which a minimum of 5 years should have been in a senior management role with exposure to training and development, talent management, and other functions of the HR value chain.
• Added advantage: Experience working within the Financial Services or Professional Services sector (consulting) as a Training and Development Specialist would be advantageous.