Talent Management Business Partner at Ogilvy South Africa

Job Purpose

The Talent Management Business Partner will operate as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to senior leadership focused on a broad-based and transformational talent agenda designed to find, grow, and keep the very best talent in the business. The individual will be a key member of the agency leadership team, whilst working closely with their internal counterparts in other parts of the Ogilvy Group to ensure successful planning and delivery of TM programmes and services to the wider business.

Working closely with the Executive Leaders to ensure that managers are held accountable for managing the performance of their team, and that talent development is seen as a business imperative.

The successful candidate will be comfortable navigating both strategic and operational people/organisational related challenges and will do so with professionalism, confidence, calmness and candour. They will be comfortable navigating a matrix structure and multiple stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

• Serve as a strategic business partner to senior leadership focused on a broad-based and transformational talent agenda designed to find, grow and keep the very best talent in the business;
• Work with the exec team to understand what the future talent needs will be and partner with the talent acquisition team to ensure we have the competitive intelligence internally or externally to meet the changing needs of the business.
• Partner the talent acquisition team to ensure that we are attracting and recruiting diverse top talent using robust and fit for purpose interview and selection process and develop our managers on how to assess the talent we will need to grow our business.
• Support the development and execution of a compelling Employee Value Proposition which will reflect the business culture and ensure we are positioned competitively in the recruiting space. Contribute to all efforts to ensure our total rewards are attractive.
• Have a data driven approach on who is the key industry talent and provide the business with competitive intelligence.
• Facilitate a high-quality onboarding experience for all new starters.
• Facilitate the career management processes within your business units to ensure staff are supported to exceed expectations.
• Provide counsel on various employee relations issues and organisational development initiatives.
• Work in partnership with the executive team to develop a retention strategy which is relevant to the business challenges.
• Evolve and facilitate ongoing performance culture, ensuring a culture of honest, open, and regular feedback at all levels, with goals and development needs identified. Design and facilitate talent audit and relevant succession plans. Ensure decisions are being taken on people quickly to make room for good talent to grow.
• Facilitate the management of change.
• Leverage the use of digital tools / knowledge / informational sources to identify business trends and ensure appropriate solutions are in place to support the business.
• Evolve and introduce relevant flexible working tactics to attract and retain key talent.
• Ensure rotation and progression of talent across clients throughout the agency. Encourage and support a collaborative approach across all key stakeholders, supporting effective sharing of key information to ensure a successful, highly creative, and profitable business.
• Partner with the Head of L&D to ensure the execution of best-in-class development programmes that in line with the commercial requirements (technical, managerial and behaviour programmes).
• Provide people management coaching to managers and contribute to the development of managers' skills.

Professional, technical skills and previous experience required.

• Extensive experience of HR/TM, preferably demonstrated in other creative industries.
• Bachelors degree, a post grad would be advantageous.
• Commercially and business minded.
• Confident, calm, with experience of successfully navigating a complex matrix with a number of key, senior stakeholders.
• Sound employment law and employee relations knowledge, in line with the experience level of the role.
• Experience of coaching.
• A track record of working with HR systems and technology and an affinity for innovative, brave approaches to people solutions.
• Can demonstrate implementation of a talent strategy and agenda to fit business needs.
• Both a strategic inspirer and a smooth operator - prepared to adjust approach dependent on situation and individuals involved.
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
• Great listener, ability to actively listen.
• Consultative approach to business partnering.
• Builds strong relationships at all levels.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong client/customer service focus. Willing and able to adjust to multiple demands, shifting priorities, and demonstrate flexibility.
• Whilst this is a strategic, partnering role, Ogilvy expects everyone to pitch in, roll their sleeves up and be part of the team. It will be hands on at times and humility and low ego would be incredibly useful.