Head of People & Culture (Retail Segment) - Midrand at Dis-Chem Pharmacies

Job Description

• Dis-Chem Pharmacies’ in Midrand has an opportunity available for a Head of People & Culture (Retails Segment) to join the Head Office team.
• The purpose of the role is to Design and lead integration and deliver tactical objectives of P&C across Dis-Chem’s national retail footprint, including Pharmacies, Frontshop, Clinics & Categories.
• This role leads a team of in-field professionals and ensures consistent employee experience, regulatory compliance, operational capability, and workforce readiness to meet Dis-Chem’s retail growth strategy.
• This role is pivotal in aligning people’s priorities of strategic partnering, talent excellence and operational agility with retail and healthcare outcomes while embedding culture and transformation agenda.

Minimum Requirements…

Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or Industrial/Organisational Psychology
• Minimum 8+ years in Human Resources, with at least 5 years in a senior HR operation or HRBP leadership role, preferably in retail or healthcare
• Demonstrated success in managing large-scale, distributed workforces across high-volume retail environments
• In-depth understanding of South African Labour Legislation and Sectoral Regulations governing pharmacies and clinics (SAPC, NDoH, HPCSA compliance)
• Strong exposure to transformation, skills development, and equity legislation (EE, BBBEE, SD)

Key Responsibilities...

Retail P&C Service Delivery & Management:

• Lead, develop, and manage a national team of professionals who support various retail management segments across Dis-Chem stores.
• Partner with the Retail Executive team to build alignment with divisional operational teams and support structures to deliver responsive, value-added solutions.
• Lead P&C operational readiness for new store openings, acquisitions, and clinic integrations through talent acquisition, learning, and culture and change management processes.

Strategic Retail Resourcing & Workforce Planning:

• Design a Retail Workforce Plan and partner with the Talent Acquisition team to execute and ensure an adequate pipeline of employees to meet current and future needs.
• Implement targeted sourcing, onboarding, and retention initiatives aligned with Dis-Chem’s property expansion model.

Employee Relations & Labour Compliance:

• Ensure P&C policies and processes across retail operations are consistently implemented, compliant with internal governance and external regulatory requirements (e.g., BCEA, LRA, POPIA), and support operational excellence.
• Partner with the ER department to develop proactive engagement strategies to improve workplace stability, reduce risk exposure, and reinforce a culture of accountability and fairness.

Performance Management & Capability Building:

• Embed a performance culture by ensuring full execution of Dis-Chem’s performance management framework across retail.

Learning & Development Integration:

• Collaborate with Retail Executives to proactively identify future leadership and management pipeline requirements, with a focused emphasis on developing feeder roles.
• Collaborate with Learning & Development to drive pharmacy, frontshop, and clinic-specific training interventions, including dispensary compliance, frontshop customer service, and clinic protocols.
• Drive measurable impact and return on investment from transformation and skills interventions through L&D, while embedding a culture of continuous learning and capability uplift across employees.

Champion Culture and Transformation:

• Championing the delivery of Dis-Chem’s Formula for Success across retail, reinforcing behaviours aligned to purposeful employer branding, performance, service, safety, and inclusion.
• Collaborate with TA, Culture, Employer Branding and Communications teams to craft brand messaging in retail.

Strategic Business Partnership:

• Act as a trusted advisor to Retail Executives and operational management teams.
• Leverage data analytics to support retail resourcing requirements, cost optimization, and retention initiatives.

P&C Operational Excellence:

• Drive consistency in P&C processes and service delivery across 300+ stores, clinics, and pharmacy locations.
• Ensure efficient onboarding of all new hires, reinforcing the “Dis-Chem Way” through branded, role-specific, and culture-aligned induction programs.

People Leadership:

• Establish a high-performing, collaborative, and accountable culture within the P&C retail team that reflects the organisation’s values and drives business impact.
• Provide clear leadership and direction to the P&C team in delivering people priorities that enable retail operations and business performance.

Competencies...

Essential:

• Commercial Acumen
• Execution Orientation
• Strategic Influence
• P&C Technical Mastery
• Resilience & Agility
• People Leadership

Special Conditions of Employment...

• South African citizen
• MIE, clear criminal and credit
• Driver’s license and/or own reliable transport

Remuneration and Benefits...

• Marketed related salary
• Medical aid
• Provident fund
• Staff account

Closing Date 31 August 2025