HR Governance & Projects Specialist - Sub-Saharan Africa (24 Months Fixed-Term Contract) at Bayer

Role Purpose

• To provide expert support in South African legislative HR reporting, drive Employment Equity (EE) compliance, and reposition the Talent Acquisition (TA) strategy to drive cost and resource efficiency.
• Further to the above, this role will drive HR compliance across all countries, optimize HR processes and procedures to engage productivity using AI or GBS outsourcing. The incumbent will also champion change management, support organizational projects, and upskill People Partners across the region in data driven decision making.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks

Legislative Reporting & Compliance:

• Use Data Analysis and Intelligence to interpret, prepare and submit all legislative HR reports, including Employment Equity (EE), Workplace Skills Plan (WSP), and Annual Training Report (ATR), ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Monitor and interpret changes in the EE Act and other relevant legislation, proactively updating internal processes and documentation to maintain our License to Operate.
• Facilitate and manage the BEE123 system for EE data hosting, reporting, and compliance tracking.
• Ensure full compliance with EE requirements: committee management, EE plan development, and documentation for recruitment and promotions.
• Maintain up-to-date records and audit trails for all compliance-related activities.

Talent Acquisition Strategy & Recruitment Profile Management:

• Drive the TA strategy, focusing on shifting recruitment profiles to address gaps in numerical EE goals and targets.
• Partner with hiring managers to raise awareness of EE targets, unconscious bias, and inclusive hiring practices.
• Track, analyze, and report on recruitment metrics to ensure alignment with EE and business objectives.
• Project manage initiatives to improve TA efficiency, resource optimization, and productivity.

System & Data Management

• Serve as the super-user and administrator for the BEE123 system, ensuring data integrity and user training.
• Develop and maintain dashboards for EE, TA, and HR analytics, enabling data-driven decision-making.
• Equip and upskill People Partners in data acumen, dashboard interpretation, and HR analytics.

Change Management & Organizational Support

• Support change management initiatives in Product Supply and other business units to ensure legal and policy compliance during organization changes and transformation activities.
• Drive local HR case management during compliance investigations and disciplinary processes.
• Act as a key resource for HR projects, including the T-profile project for all roles within the organization.
• Drive adoption of AI and digital tools in the HR workspace, assessing their impact on ways of working and supporting related change management.

Stakeholder Engagement & Training

• Facilitate EE committee meetings, ensuring effective participation and compliance.
• Conduct training and awareness sessions for hiring managers and People Partners on EE, unconscious bias, and data-driven HR practices.
• Serve as a trusted advisor and “right hand” to the HR Lead, providing project management and strategic support.

Competencies

• Analytical thinking and data-driven decision-making
• Project management and organizational skills
• Stakeholder management and influencing
• Change agility and digital mindset
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Strong ethical standards and compliance orientation

Internal Stakeholder Engagement

• Hudson
• People Partners
• HR Foundations
• Hiring Managers
• Employment Equity Committee Members
• SSA Communications
• LPC
• HR Transformation Lead EMEA
• GBS GDANSK

External Stakeholder Engagement

• Department of Labour
• AI Benchmark companies
• CHIETA
• BEE123 vendor engagement
• EY / Deloitte
• Labour Net

Experience, Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Industrial Psychology, or related field.
• 5+ years’ experience in HR compliance, legislative reporting, and talent acquisition, preferably in a multinational environment.
• Strong knowledge of South African HR legislation (EE Act, Skills Development, B-BBEE).
• Experience with HR data systems (e.g., BEE123), analytics, and dashboarding.
• Project management skills and experience driving HR process improvements.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and facilitation skills.
• High level of integrity, attention to detail, and ability to manage confidential information.
• Experience with change management and digital transformation in HR is an advantage.