HR Executive at Human Accent

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

• To design, lead and be accountable for the creation and operationalisation of the HR strategy for the Business.
• To be a "trusted advisor" to the IFS executive team.
• To lead the organisational design processes that facilitate the growth agenda of the Business.
• To drive the talent attraction, management and development agenda for the Business, including effective onboarding and integration, performance management, people development and leadership succession.
• To identify and manage people risks across the IFS Business and drive mitigation actions.
• To drive Business HR compliance with all in-country and international statutory requirements and ensure the on time and accurate submission of annual and monthly statutory returns.
• To lead the establishment and maintenance of effective and efficient workforce practices and relations within the Business.
• To provide professional HR advice, coaching and solutions that support the Business in the identification and management of strategic workforce issues and major change programmes.
• To drive the implementation of Group frameworks, systems, structures and programmes that facilitate talent attraction, management, reward, retention and development towards the achievement of Business objectives.
• To lead the HR back office and ensure payroll functionality and performance against agreed standards.
• To direct the employee relations portfolio by strategically managing interactions and stakeholders across the Business as well as social partners, towards the maintenance of industrial harmony and the achievement of financial and strategic targets.
• To drive the digitisation of the HR function and the management of HR information, analytics and reporting.
• To co-create the budget for the Department.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy Operationalisation

• Work in conjunction with the Chief People and Culture Officer and executive team to co-create the Group HR strategy, based on a 3-5 year view of requirements and drive the delivery of an integrated HRM strategy.
• Drive end-to-end human resource management practices and systems and monitor related performance across the Business.
• Consult with the Business on people requirements - facilitate, advise and get operationally involved where appropriate.
• Ensure agreed strategic goals are implemented through team targets and that these targets align cross-functionally within the area of responsibility.
• Network and build relationships across the Business, particularly at the executive management and leadership levels.

Organisational Design

• Lead the review of all organisational structure changes across the Business and ensure alignment to the long-term strategy and short-term Business requirements.
• In conjunction with the Chief People and Culture Officer, oversee the design and development of the organisational structures and the alignment of organisational processes through job profiles developed and updated across the Business.
• Direct the workforce planning process and sign off across the Business and authorise all new headcount and position changes for the Business.
• Ensure the organisational structures are current at all times by conducting periodic audits of the structure.

Job Grading

• Be the custodian of job evaluation and grading processes and systems within the Business.
• Coordinate and oversee job grading processes, as and when required.
• Evaluate positions to ensure the alignment between the Paterson system and the DRC system.
• Prepare classification systems and define job levels and families.

Talent Attraction and Management

• Oversee the recruitment, selection, appointment and onboarding process across the Business, ensuring that the right person for the job is appointed and integrated into his/her role.
• Work with the Business to develop attraction and recruitment strategies for talented nationals and oversee implementation.
• Monitor the implementation of pre-emptive measures to ensure the retention of senior managers and specialists, especially employees in designated groups, and analyse exit assessment processes.
• Analyse workforce information and productivity measures and work with Business executives and managers to establish an effective performance management and appraisal system.
• Lead the talent management and succession planning processes for the Business.
• Ensure the achievement of employment equity targets across the Business.
• Drive the establishment and operationalisation of the skills dictionary and competency framework for the Business.

Talent Development

• Lead the design and implementation of the Business HR development strategy towards building skills for the future across a 3-year time-frame based on best practice and internal policies, priorities and opportunities.
• Ensure that an annual workplace skills plan and report are completed across the Group.
• Facilitate and influence organisational commitment towards skills development and business transformation.
• Oversee and confirm the alignment of learning and development programmes with other performance and development systems and initiatives, including people competency models, career development initiatives and succession planning programmes.
• Where appropriate, lead the implementation of learnership opportunities and programmes in line with the overall strategy.
• Drive performance development review processes across the Business to ensure they are aligned to the Business’s people strategy and that development programmes have a positive impact on Business performance.
• Lead the implementation of a leadership framework (personal and organisational leadership) within the Business, focused on requisite future skills and offering opportunities for growth and development.
• Oversee the design and delivery of in-house training programmes, as well as the creation and facilitation of leadership/talent management programmes for the Group.
• Manage, oversee and report on the training budget and spend.

Workforce Modernisation

• Act as an advocate of change and modernisation in support of business and HR strategies.
• Lead the identification and implementation of workforce modernisation (including identification of new ways of working, role redesign and improved performance measurement systems) opportunities that support effective and efficient operations.

Diversity and Inclusivity Leadership

• In conjunction with the Group Integrated Brand and Communication Manager, drive the process of creating a diverse and inclusive culture within the Business.
• Keep abreast of legislative changes relevant to employment equity, the employment of expatriates and local employment promotion and lead the operational interpretation for the Business and the implementation towards building an inclusive culture across the Business.
• For Namibia and SA, manage the annual and 5-year employment equity/affirmative action planning process and consultation.

Employee Relations and Wage Negotiations

• Lead and oversee the employee relations and conflict resolution programmes and processes towards maintaining industrial harmony across the Group.
• Direct and guide the conduct/misconduct, disciplinaries and grievance processes across the Business.
• Provide strategic input in consultations with organised labour and drive full compliance with recognition and collective agreements in the countries in which the Group operates.
• Advise leadership on complex employee relations issues.
• Drive the collective bargaining agreement negotiation and administration across the Group.
• Manage and monitor the implementation of collective or sectoral agreements.
• Review all disciplinary cases and statistics to ensure that company policy is adhered to and identify areas of non-compliance.
• Resolve escalated disciplinary and employee relations-related cases, as the final point of contact.
• Represent the relevant company where appropriate at the CCMA, at labour mediation, labour court or labour inspector and where necessary brief the company attorneys accordingly.

Employee Wellness Management

• In conjunction with the ESG Executive and the Group Integrated Marketing and Communication Manager, lead the development of an integrated wellness plan and ensure that the Business is enabled to provide an effective employee wellness service.
• Lead in the compilation and implementation of the employee wellness programme for the Business and monitor the effectiveness and impact of the initiatives and programmes to improve employee health and wellbeing.
• Drive the implementation of policy, operating procedures, confidentiality guidelines and other mechanisms necessary to operate and evaluate the employee wellness programmes effectively.

Coaching

• Advise, coach and support the executive team on a wide range of staff leadership activities, ranging from the design, implementation and leadership of change programmes, to the management of individual cases, in order to ensure that all staff are managed efficiently and effectively and in accordance with organisational practice. 
• Support the leadership team in fostering a supportive culture through appropriate initiatives.
• Partner with the Chief People and Culture Officer, the Business HR team and external providers to equip Business leaders with appropriate tools and knowledge to effectively manage their teams in alignment with their short-term and long-term organisational plans.

Remuneration Management

• Develop, implement and maintain remuneration and payroll policies, systems, tools and templates that incorporate market research and best practices to guide managers through remuneration decisions.
• Identify, propose and implement total reward solutions to influence employee behaviour, to attract and retain talent and to improve Business performance in a cost-effective manner.
• Regularly consult with internal business executives to assess benefits, remuneration and compliance needs.
• Devise, maintain and monitor fair and equitable pay rates across the Business.
• Lead and manage the year-end pay and benefits review and bonus payment cycle. 
• Manage service level agreements with benefits service providers.
• Research and make recommendations on complex retirement, medical and insurance plans.
• Drive the preparation of remuneration and benefits budgets.
• Drive adherence with payroll procedures and manage the authorisation of payroll payments in accordance with the levels of authority.
• Conduct monthly cost analyses of the organisational structure and drive initiatives to manage and control staff-related costs across the Group.
• Ensure submission of all statutory payments and returns by deadline dates.
• Manage the preparation and reconciliation of monthly general ledger payroll journals.
• Be responsible for the Sage People 300 system.

Back Office Management

• Establish and maintain an effective back office to drive human resource administration and to address related employee queries.
• Manage an effective document management system to ensure that employee information is accurately recorded.
• Manage and monitor the execution of human resource administration support workflows (including appointments finalisation, service exit administration, benefits administration, record updates and maintenance, leave, injuries on duty, long service rewards, allowances and deductions).

Information and Data Management

• Consolidate data from all systems impacting on human resources and remuneration to analyse human resource-related data and identify trends and anomalies.
• Share and report relevant management information with operational and executive management teams to enable reliable business decision-making.
• Ensure relevant information is available on the Group sharepoint and where necessary work in conjunction with IT to design new solutions.
• Oversee and assure the data integrity of the payroll and other human resource management systems.
• Oversee and assure the integrity of remuneration and job grading data and information across the Business.

Financial and Asset Management

• Formulate and manage the HR budget.
• Meet budgetary targets.
• Manage fixed and operational assets ensuring they are utilised optimally.

People Leadership

• Build the team’s culture, capability, capacity and engagement and lead the HR team towards meeting strategy and targets through regular communication and utilisation of the full organisational talent management tool set.
• Manage and deliver on executive succession plans to enable the development of a future generation of leaders and ensure optimal turnover and retention levels are maintained.
• Champion learning and development of the HR team utilising available learning opportunities or contributing to the development of new learning solutions in collaboration with internal and external learning specialists.
• Manage overall employee relations climate within the HR team and ensure corrective action is taken where required in line with relevant legislation and company policy.
• Strengthen the team’s connection with work, colleagues and the Business so that they experience a sense of purpose and meaning, making a greater contribution to organisational performance and serving as advocates for the Business.
• Identify organisational and individual capability requirements and align strategy, people and processes to optimise effectiveness and achieve organisational goals and transformation.
• Effectively manage conflicts and disputes as well as diffuse tensions amongst various stakeholders in the Business.

Effective Teamwork and Self-Management

• Take ownership and accountability for tasks and activities and demonstrate effective self-management in terms of planning and prioritising, and self-development.
• Follow through to ensure that quality and productivity standards of work are consistently and accurately maintained.
• Inform relevant parties in the event of tasks or deadlines not met, the potential risks thereof and provide appropriate resolution.
• Manage colleagues’ expectations and communicate appropriately.
• Demonstrate willingness to help others and “go the extra mile” to meet team targets and objectives.

KPI’s

• Rewards model implementation and alignment
• Competitiveness of the pay scales and employee benefits
• Employee attraction and retention rates
• Grading coverage and hierarchy alignment
• Reporting and analysis accuracy
• Legislative compliance across the HR function
• Quality of advice and engagement with executive managers
• HR performance  and productivity levels
• Number of outstanding disciplinary cases and grievances
• Skills gaps
• Absenteeism
• Staff profile and representivity
• Accuracy and currency of HR data
• Accuracy and currency of the organisational structure
• Timeliness and accuracy of mandatory submissions and reports
• EE and local employment target attainment
• Efficacy of the performance appraisal process
• Efficacy of succession planning
• Industrial relations climate
• Wage negotiations outcomes
• Accuracy and timeliness of monthly salary payments and achievement of deadlines
• Payroll expenditure trends against budget

Knowledge

• In-country labour legislation in the countries in which IFS operations
• HR and ER practices and principles
• Health and safety legislation
• Organisational design principles, systems and methodologies
• Performance management and development methodologies
• Remuneration and payroll principles, systems and practices

Skills

• Policy formulation
• Very good verbal and written communication skills
• Strong computer literacy
• Report writing
• Interpersonal
• Logical thinking
• Problem solving
• Presentation
• Project management skills
• Administrative and organization
• Strategic thinker with the ability to formulate and implement projects
• Organisational design capability
• Negotiator and comfortable engaging with all levels of stakeholders and employees

Attributes

• Integrity
• Initiative and assertive
• Tolerant of stress and pressure
• Creative
• Proactive
• Attention to detail
• People orientated
• Able to plan ahead and manage time
• Able to prioritise
• Managerial courage
• Able to embrace, lead, and manage change
• Very high EQ
• Relevant undergraduate qualification
• Labour law qualification would be a preference
• At least 15 years experience of which 5 must be at a senior management/leadership level
• Extensive experience with managing IR and HR-legal matters – representing the Company in arbitration and collective bargaining and directing legal challenges
• Generalist capability at a senior management level
• Organisational design experience (grading, profiling, organogram design, total rewards models)
• Willing to travel to sites fairly regularly