Head of Human Resources and Employee Facilities at Kontak Recruitment

• Few HR roles ask you to lead people strategy across a luxury hospitality operation, a functioning school, a clinic, staff accommodation, and one of the most extraordinary wilderness environments on the planet. This one does. The organisation behind this opportunity is a purpose-driven conservation entity responsible for South Africa's largest privately protected area, operating at the intersection of ecological restoration, luxury hospitality, and meaningful community development in the southern Kalahari.
• This is not a desk job tucked into a corporate tower. The successful candidate will join a small but deeply committed leadership team working across a Johannesburg and a remote reserve, where the work carries real weight and the environment is unlike anything most HR professionals will have experienced. The role comes with preference for majority presence on the reserve, with flexibility considered for the right person.
• The Head of Human Resources and Employee Facilities is both a strategic architect and an operational anchor. This person will shape and execute a people strategy that touches every corner of the business, from talent attraction and succession planning to learning programmes, remuneration, employment equity, and the day-to-day running of employee facilities that keep a remote reserve community functioning. If you want a role where HR genuinely matters and where the impact of getting it right ripples outward into conservation, community, and hospitality excellence, this is it.

What's in it for you

• The opportunity to lead HR at one of Africa's most iconic conservation and hospitality operations.
• A role that blends strategic leadership with tangible, on-the-ground impact.
• Exposure to a rare combination of luxury hospitality, ecological restoration, and community upliftment.
• Competitive compensation benchmarked at Paterson Grade D Upper.
• The chance to live and work in a breathtaking wilderness environment with deep purpose at its core.

Minimum Requirements

• Postgraduate degree in Human Resources, Industrial Psychology, or a related field.
• Minimum 8 to 10 years of HR experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Strong working knowledge of South African labour law and best practice.
• Proven track record of building and retaining high-performing teams in complex or multi-faceted environments.
• Experience managing diverse teams with cultural sensitivity and integrity.
• Ability to operate effectively in remote, challenging, or non-traditional work settings.
• Comfort with a role that is both strategically focused and operationally hands-on.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement HR strategies aligned with the organisation's long-term vision for conservation, hospitality, and community impact.
• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the executive team on leadership, organisational design, and people management.
• Lead end-to-end talent attraction across all departments, ensuring alignment with organisational culture and values.
• Design and implement retention strategies that reward high performance and positive engagement.
• Build long-term succession plans and talent pipelines for critical and core skills.
• Develop and oversee the annual Learning and Development strategy, including skills gap analyses and structured learning programmes.
• Drive a culture of continuous learning and professional growth across all departments.
• Oversee performance management systems, including KPIs, review cycles, and feedback mechanisms.
• Facilitate annual remuneration processes and manage monthly payroll coordination.
• Evaluate and improve reward and recognition policy and practice.
• Foster an inclusive, values-driven work culture and ensure compliance with Employment Equity requirements.
• Champion local hiring and development initiatives in line with community upliftment goals.
• Maintain full compliance with South African labour legislation and relevant industry standards.
• Manage HR operations including benefits administration, contract management, and HR data reporting.
• Oversee the smooth functioning of employee facilities including the clinic, school, staff accommodation, and recreation centre.