People Business Partner at Mukuru

The main purpose of this role is to partner with leadership to develop and implement/execute on the HC value chain that enables business objectives and goals and operationally execute on identified transformational initiatives and to take primary responsibility for providing a comprehensive, pro-active, and integrated people advisory and generalist service to the business and serve as a business-people partner to leaders and as an employee champion and change agent.

Duties and Responsibilities (Include but is not limited to):

Business Partnering:

• Engage and partner with business to understand their needs to develop and implement integrated tactical and operational people plans and HC solutions in response to business and people challenges.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to develop and implement initiatives aimed at optimising people initiatives
• In partnership with the Organisational Effectiveness (OE) CoE, manage organisational design, organisational effectiveness, employee engagement and retention.
• Drive the implementation and adoption of various HC practices and processes using various tools such as facilitating sessions to educate employees and line managers on these practices
• Promote efforts to measure employee engagement and climate within supported client groups and facilitate action planning to improve employee engagement and overall workplace culture.
• Advise, coach and support managers on the wide range of staff leadership activities, ranging from the design, implementation, and leadership of change programmes
• Support business in the implementation of people practices in line with our key people levers and the operational needs of the business.
• Utilise trends and metrics to develop, optimise and implement HC solutions that address key business challenges and drive business objectives.
• Keep abreast of industry trends and best practice to optimise service offering, ensure compliance, and mitigate risk

Implement employee attraction, selection and acquisition policies, practices, and procedures:

• Compiling job profiles for new and refined roles and ensure correct grading and benchmarking
• Ensure updated profiles are saved on the role library
• Ensure that the recruitment process is followed
• Partner with the Talent Acquisition team, to ensure delivery on recruitment needs in area of responsibility
• Ensure selection for culture and right-fit to role in line with recruitment policy and procedure
• Ensure all organisation structures/organograms are up to date
• Ensure that every new employee is engaged with; and effectively on-boarded as per the on-boarding process (including stay interviews that are centrally captured to determine trends)

Implement employee remuneration and benefit policies and procedures

• Facilitate conversations with employees and line managers with regards to remuneration principles and practices in the business (in alignment with remuneration philosophy/framework)
• Ensure awareness of company guidelines/policies and partner to ensure the use of fair and responsible performance information in the allocation of increases/incentives
• Ensure that all roles are benchmarked to allow for equitable market comparison, and business impact
• Partner to drive a culture of recognition across area of responsibility.
• Partner with managers to ensure participation in the recognition and reward programmes and advise on the fair and consistent application

Ensure effective employee relations and engagement

• Act as a trusted advisor for employee relations issues
• Advise and assist management on disciplinary issues as per the Code of Conduct and relevant policies and procedures.
• Handle all disciplinary matters within portfolio under the oversight of the relevant HC lead and ER CoE
• Hearings and/or inquiries are arranged, attended and/or coaching is provided to ensure procedural and substantive fairness. Facilitate progressive discipline
• Monitor outcome of hearings to determine trends, and alignment of outcomes to ensure procedural fairness.
• Where trends are identified, provide necessary corrective action/advice to management and where relevant initiate upskilling (to be facilitated by (Employee Relations (ER) CoE)
• Ensure organizational restructures/changes/re-alignments/mutual separations are done in alignment with line with legal and procedural requirements in conjunction with the ER CoE, relevant People Head and senior management team
• Arrange Disciplinary enquiries and facilitate the process in ensuring that all required documents are timeously and accurately prepared for Disciplinary enquiries and CCMA referrals.
• Partner with ER CoE to prepare for CCMA and related labour matters as and where required
• In partnership, with the ER CoE, advise staff and managers on grievance issues as per the policy and procedures in the Code of Conduct and facilitate alignment to the policy.
• Ensure that all ER matters (inter alia, disciplinary, non-performance, incapacity outcomes) are documented and saved on the relevant HRiS.
• Ensure accurate upkeep of employee records both electronically and in hard copy
• Occupational Health and Injury: Assist managers in the facilitation and application of correct measure in dealing with Occupational health and injury issues, in collaboration with the Health and Safety Committee and the ER CoE.
• Ensure that the necessary documents and processes are followed to facilitate the Workman’s compensation application process. Ensure that the necessary information i.e., forms, doctor’s reports, acknowledgement letters and proof of costs are kept for each case reported.
• Work with OHS to raise employee awareness of risks and to reduce, avoid and protect employees from hazards in the workplace, including occupational illness or disease.
• Facilitate effective employee-employer relationships by investigating employee complaints and raising concerns on working conditions and working relationships. Partner when improvements need to be made.
• Ensure that employees and management are educated on and kept abreast with all organisational policies
• Ensure that you keep abreast of all policies and amendments thereto to ensure proper and efficient advising.

Facilitate performance management (enablement) and career development

• Ensure performance management and processes are implemented as per the performance management policy and guidelines.
• Provide coaching and support to line management in respect of managing employee performance and career development.
• Ensure succession planning is implemented within portfolio and is in line with the job architecture, employment equity targets and strategic direction of the organisation
• Ensure career development plan (IDP), discussions are in line with performance outcomes, capabilities required for role fulfilment and happen frequently.

Contribute to enabling a fun, connected work climate and culture with high employee engagement

• Constructively engage with staff and managers on a regular basis with the aim of understanding possible barriers to engagement (employee champion and leader enabler)
• Partner in the roll out of the organisational climate and culture survey across the business to ensure high completion rate.
• Understand, live and drive organisational business ethics and values across all levels within the organisation
• Identify and clarify areas of conflict within the business and drive change iro values and ethics
• Facilitate people care by driving the utilisation of our wellness solutions
• Ensure that all employees are kept abreast on engagement activities
• Identify and facilitate effective team development interventions

Advise on and drive effective off-boarding of employees (exits)

• Partner with and notify the relevant stakeholders of termination dates and withdrawal of benefits in respect of dismissals, resignations, retirements, disabilities, death, status changes and transfers etc.
• Ensure dismissals resulting from disciplinary hearings are affected through the appropriate channels and recorded for reporting purposes.
• Conduct exit interviews for every termination (apart from dismissals) and ensure that these are centrally captured to enable trend analysis for reporting purposes. When required, hold consultation/counselling sessions for retirees, bereaved families, disability, or life-threatening disease cases. Ensure that relevant referrals for further assistance are made, as necessary.

Partner and enable through development (Learning Enablement)

• Partner with L&D CoE, towards the development of annual training plan (ATR) reporting and the compilation of an aligned workplace skills plan (WSP) (business partnering)
• Ensure alignment of WSP to scarce and critical business skills, as well as strategic outcomes for the business.
• Facilitate, with L&D CoE, a needs analysis of training needs towards the enablement of business and performance outcomes
• Partner with L&D CoE in the review of learning feedback and outcomes to adjust the approach where applicable

Implementation of HC Projects/Initiatives/Process/Procedures

• Effectively partner across the HC team to deliver on agreed people-projects/product offerings
• Execute on all HC projects/initiatives successfully, within the area of responsibility, within agreed timeframes
• Ensure appropriate levels of enthusiasm from business units around HC projects/initiatives by positioning and attaining ‘buy-in’
• Ensure that appropriate levels of communication have occurred so that all parties have been informed of purpose, processes, and deadlines for any projects

Effective teamwork and self-management

• Consistently manage own priorities, to achieve all deliverables
• Follow all lawful and reasonable instruction from your manager
• Act as part of the team and always assist other members of the team to achieve common goals
• Be an effective collaborator to leverage off the expertise within the HC team

Key Requirements:

• Grade 12 or equivalent (Essential)
• Bachelor’s degree in human resource management and/or industrial psychology
• 3-5 years in a generalist capacity (transaction & transformational HC)
• 3-5 years’ experience as HCBP in Financial services and/or Fintech business, in a medium to large organisation.
• Demonstrate a proven track record of HC business partnering, strong communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills and strong decision-making skills
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to influence different business areas and management levels
• Experience working with CoE’s
• Demonstrate commerciality and a strong knowledge of current SA employment law, and some knowledge of employment law across EMEA
• Demonstrate the use of your analytical skills to solve problems and identify and implement solutions
• A motivated self-starter with the ability to adapt to different business needs