Learning & Development Business Partner: Technical - North West at Tharisa

Purpose of Role

To oversee, design and implement comprehensive learning and training programs to enhance the knowledge, skills, and competencies of employees within Tharisa Minerals, developing a skilled and productive workforce, supporting employee growth, and aligning learning initiatives with the specific needs and challenges of the mining sector and driving engagement for professional development through the optimisation of Learning and Development processes, systems and procedures, while ensuring regulatory compliance. To provide support the Senior Human Resources Manager with the delivery of functional obligations to the required stakeholders at a high quality while maintaining and increasing the relevant standards, so as to deliver accredited training to all learners, that adheres to the Tharisa Minerals and Regulatory requirements.

Role Context

Operational Management

• Provide input to strategic plans of the section by compiling comprehensive operational plans, converting the Human Resources (HR) Department into an enabler of the overall business strategy of the organisation.
• Keep abreast of changes in relevant guidelines and other legislation, to make recommendations where policies, processes and/or procedures require amendment.
• Develop a robust learning and development strategy that aligns with the organisation's long-term goals, industry best practices, and regulatory requirements; so as to build a competent workforce that is able to deliver on the organisational objectives.

Learning and Workforce Development

• Manage specialised technical training programs, workshops, and hands-on training sessions focused on mining-specific topics such as mining operations, equipment operation, safety protocols, environmental practices, and mining regulations, to ensure optimal opportunity for the Tharisa Minerals (TM) workforce to build up the required skills and knowledge before application in their daily activity, as per their work requirements.
• Explore and maintain awareness of all industry trends, innovations, legislation and advancements in mining technology and practices to incorporate relevant content into the training material, ensuring that the training is updated with all current and future best practice and technological insights as needed by any new mining equipment, procedures and legislation.
• Oversee the facilitation and facilitate technical training sessions for employees at various levels, by utilising engaging instructional techniques and learning methodologies to ensure effective knowledge transfer.
• Prioritise safety in all training programs, including hazard identification, risk assessment, and adherence to safety procedures, as established by the Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Department, to promote a culture of safety and minimise workplace incidents.
• Oversee the facilitation of technical training sessions for employees, covering areas such as mine safety, machinery operation, mining techniques, environmental regulations, and other critical aspects of the mining process, to ensure the continuous safe and competent use of all mining and general equipment and techniques, as per the TM standards and regulatory requirements.
• Develop learning technologies, audiovisual aids, simulators, and other technical training tools to enhance the training experience and support knowledge retention, to ensure an optimal learning experience.
• Explore and implement appropriate learning technologies, including learning management systems (LMS) and digital tools, to improve training efficiency and accessibility.
• Develop evaluation mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of training programs, measure learning outcomes, and gather feedback from participants to continuously improve training quality and ensure all stakeholder expectations are met.
• Participate in the development and administration of technical certification programs to validate the proficiency and competence of employees in critical mining functions.
• Verify assessment criteria so as to evaluate the effectiveness of technical training programs, conduct evaluations, and provide feedback to continuously improve training quality.
• Oversee the updating of training materials, manuals, visual aids, and e-learning resources to support technical training initiatives, to enhance the transferring of technical knowledge.
• Ensure that all employees receive mandatory training related to safety protocols, health regulations, environmental compliance, and other legal requirements specific to the mining industry, to ensure compliance with the TM health and safety standards, as well as all legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee and manage the end-to-end Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) accreditation processes, by monitoring compliance, quality assurance, and continuous improvement of L&D programs, to ensure streamlined processes, accurate documentation, and proactive adjustments for enhanced program quality.

Financial Management

• Analyse all relevant Department data and report on Departmental trends and operating requirements so as to determine funding requirements for the financial year.
• Monitor short-term Departmental budgets by scrutinising and aligning spend within the Department, to support and drive effective and efficient functioning within budgetary constraints.
• Monitor Departmental expenditure against budget allocations, requesting appropriate reallocation as required, to manage the prevention of unnecessary spend.
• Comply with all financial, Supply Chain Management (SCM) and other Tharisa Minerals (TM) regulations and policies by facilitating the right actions, to reduce financial risk in the Department.
• Manage the learning and development budget and use relevant financial data insights to inform decisions so as to optimise and utilise all internal and external resources in a cost-effective manner.

Compliance and Regulatory Training

• Manage all technical training programs align with industry regulations, mining laws, and safety standards, and provide relevant compliance training to employees, in order to train a competent that will meet the TM and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee that all compliance standards, particularly related to safety protocols, health regulations, and environmental practices, are integrated into the learning strategy for all mining employees, so as to ensure a safe learning and development environment.

Data Analytics and Continuous Learning

• Utilise data and analytics to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for improvement, to inform current and future learning and development initiatives.
• Develop evaluation frameworks and metrics to measure the effectiveness of learning programs and gather feedback from employees to continuously improve training quality.
• Stay updated on industry trends, technological advancements, and best practices in mining operations so as to incorporate the latest tools and knowledge into training programs.

People Management

• Create and maintain a conducive work environment by appropriately applying Human Resources policies and procedures to ensure optimum performance is realised for the benefit of the Department and, by extension, the organisation.
• Lead the team according to TM’s leadership principles and values throughout the entire employee life cycle (performance management, reward etc) to ensure, inter alia, a high-performance culture.

Stakeholder Relations

• Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure information, advice or opinions on relevant matters is made available and/or communicated with all relevant stakeholders, to manage expectations and timelines.
• Utilise opportunities presented to enhance the relationship between management, unions and employees, and implement processes to maximise a collaborative working relationship.
• Build strong relationships with mining stakeholders, management teams, regulators/ legislatures and employee representatives so as to align current and future learning programs with organisational objectives and workforce needs.
• Collaborate with internal departments, by acting as the primary MQA liaison, manage resources, and ensure alignment between L&D initiatives and industry standards, to encompass effective stakeholder communication, optimise resource allocation, and build a culture of accountability among L&D staff for accreditation-related tasks.
• Collaborate with external training providers or consultants as needed to deliver specialised mining-related training programs, filling all capacity and knowledge gaps to ensure continuous availability of the required training initiatives.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree (NQF7) or equivalent in Human Resources Development

Certifications:

• Trade certificate in relevant technical qualification relating to Mining, Process, Engineering or equivalent.
• Certified Assessor and Moderator registered with SETA
• Blasting Certificate
• Mine Overseer Ticket (Advantageous)

Job-specific experience:

• Minimum of 8-10 years relevant experience in Human Resource Development, of which at least two (2) years at a management level
• Ability to work with the full Microsoft suite (i.e., Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.)