Skills Development Specialist at TFG (The Foschini Group)

Job Description

• TFG is seeking a highly experienced Skills Development Specialist to lead the strategic and operational delivery of the Group’s Skills Development agenda. This role is responsible for driving transformation impact through learnerships, internships, the Skills Centre of Excellence (COE), and the YES Youth Programme, while ensuring compliance, funding optimisation, and strong stakeholder alignment across the business.
• This is a high-impact role operating at the intersection of transformation, youth employment, learning strategy, and regulatory compliance.

Key Responsibilities

Skills Development Strategy & Governance

• Lead the development and execution of the Skills Development strategy aligned to B-BBEE scorecard objectives.
• Establish and maintain governance frameworks, policies, standards, and quality assurance for the Skills COE.
• Provide strategic oversight of WSPs, ATRs, funding applications, and compliance reporting.
• Compile and present quarterly B-BBEE Skills Development scorecard and job-creation reports.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with SETAs, NYDA, TVET colleges, NGOs, and private-sector partners.

Operational Delivery

• Oversee end-to-end execution of learnerships, internships, and skills programmes, including recruitment, contracting, learner registration, and validation.
• Review weekly operational reporting and conduct monthly performance reviews to track delivery against strategy.
• Maintain accurate workforce, financial, and compliance data to ensure audit readiness.
• Facilitate business engagement sessions to support learner absorption and workforce planning.

Youth Programme Management

• Partner with Group Finance to forecast NPAT, intake targets, and annual budgets for the YES programme.
• Develop and manage the YES programme plan in collaboration with internal and external delivery partners.
• Monitor delivery milestones, recruitment data, and headcount projections with BI and Finance teams.
• Identify risks, assign mitigation actions, and track programme performance.
• Produce monthly YES updates and quarterly reports for the B-BBEE Committee.
• Drive programme understanding and participation through brand- and division-specific engagements.

People & Budget Management

• Lead, develop, and performance-manage project and operational teams.
• Build a collaborative, high-performance culture across the Skills Development function.
• Provide coaching and mentorship to ensure consistent delivery excellence.
• Develop and manage budgets across Skills Development and YES initiatives.
• Track monthly spend against forecasts and recommend corrective actions where required.
• Ensure financial governance, compliance, and audit accuracy.

Qualifications and Experience:

• 5–10 years’ experience in Skills Development within a large, complex organisation
• A Human Resources or business-related Degree
• Relevant post-graduate qualification advantageous
• Deep knowledge of B-BBEE Skills Development scorecard requirements, funding mechanisms, and compliance
• Strong understanding of the retail environment and transformation frameworks.
• Proven experience in resource management, vendor negotiation, and budget management.
• Project Exposure
• Annual YES Youth Programme with overlapping cohorts and 18-month delivery cycles.
• Multi-year NSF-funded manufacturing projects (3+ years).
• Disability and special-interest skills programmes (1–2 year cycles).
• Skills development cohorts planned a year in advance with long-term absorption impact.

Skills

• Managing complex, cross-functional stakeholder environments with varying levels of technical understanding.
• Aligning multiple delivery teams with differing KPIs to transformation, scorecard optimisation, and job-creation outcomes.
• Ensuring compliance and accurate reporting across multiple funding streams and delivery partners.
• Driving change, influence, and accountability without direct control in all areas.

Behaviours: 

• Being Resilient - rebounding from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations.
• Builds Networks - establishes and nurtures internal and external relationships in order to create robust, and mutually beneficial, partnerships
• Cultivates Innovation - creates an environment that fosters and nurtures a culture of creativity which drives success
• Decision Quality - consistently makes timely, well-rounded and informed decisions
• Ensures Accountability - takes accountability and ensures others are held to account on agreed upon performance targets
• Manages Complexity - interprets and simplifies complex and contradictory information when resolving organisational problems
• organisational Savvy - understands and navigates dynamics created by processes, systems, and people
• Situational Adaptability - effectively adjusts their behaviour, approach, and decision-making based on the situation
• Strategic Mindset - thinks and plans strategically, focusing on the long-term goals and objectives of the organisation