HR Executive

AVI Limited is seeking a commercially minded HR Executive to lead the people agenda across Field Marketing, Logistics, Planning and AVI International. 

Reporting to the Managing Director, you will be a key member of the executive team, helping shape business strategy and the people decisions that influence operational performance, workforce productivity, service delivery and profitability. 

This is a broad leadership role spanning multiple businesses, locations and Southern African markets. You will work closely with business and country leaders to build organisational capability, manage labour relations and ensure that people practices support both immediate operational priorities and long-term business performance. 

Key responsibilities

• People strategy and business performance: Develop and deliver people strategies that support commercial growth, operational efficiency and business priorities across the portfolio.
• Executive business partnering: Work closely with the Managing Director, Finance and operational leaders on organisation design, workforce planning, labour costs, productivity and business continuity.
• Labour and employee relations: Lead complex employee relations matters, collective bargaining, wage negotiations and union engagements, managing industrial relations risks across operations.
• Workforce effectiveness: Strengthen workforce capability, deployment and productivity across field marketing, logistics and planning operations, with a focus on service delivery, cost management and operational reliability.
• Talent and leadership development: Build succession pipelines, develop leadership capability and strengthen performance management across the businesses.
• Organisational change: Lead the people aspects of business transformation, digital initiatives and operational change, ensuring effective communication, workforce readiness and adoption.
• HR leadership and governance: Lead the HR function and provide direction across business units, ensuring effective HR delivery, employment compliance, transformation and sound people practices.
• International HR oversight: Provide strategic HR leadership and guidance to AVI International operations in Botswana, Zambia and Namibia, working with local leadership to address country-specific requirements. 

What you will need

• A completed tertiary qualification in Human Resources, Business, Industrial Psychology, Labour Relations or a related discipline.
• At least 10 years' relevant HR management experience, including substantial responsibility across multiple locations or business functions.
• Established experience in senior HR leadership or at business-unit HR Executive level, with direct involvement in executive decision-making and commercial performance.
• Relevant experience in field marketing, logistics, distribution or a comparable service-driven environment with a geographically dispersed workforce.
• Strong practical experience in labour and employee relations, including collective bargaining, wage negotiations and managing complex disputes in unionised environments.
• Proven experience leading HR teams, including delivery through functional reporting relationships.
• Demonstrated results in workforce productivity, organisation design, talent management, succession planning and change. 

The following would be advantageous:

• Experience supporting operations across Southern African countries, particularly Botswana, Zambia and Namibia.
• A relevant postgraduate qualification.
• Professional certification in labour relations, negotiation or dispute resolution. 

Why consider this opportunity?

AVI is home to some of South Africa's most recognised consumer brands, supported by businesses that play an important role in getting products to market and delivering reliable service. 

This position offers the opportunity to influence business strategy while remaining closely connected to operational delivery. You will work across different business environments, engage directly with executive leadership and help shape the workforce and leadership capability required for future growth. 

It is an opportunity for an experienced HR leader who enjoys the complexity of operational businesses, understands the commercial consequences of people decisions and wants to make a measurable contribution