HR Manager

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:
PURPOSE OF THE ROLE Manage the HR function for the corporate store network, delivering recruitment, onboarding, development, employee relations, Employment Equity and HR administration that support the company’s commercial and operational objectives, while working closely with Operations, Payroll and Finance. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 1. HR Leadership and Business Partnering Translate business objectives into HR priorities, plans and measurable outcomes. Advise the General Managers and operational management on staffing, capability, performance and employment risks. Lead the HR team through clear objectives, delegation, coaching and performance monitoring, within the approved HR budget. Act as the front door for managers on employee matters and implement new HR policies and processes. Report monthly to the General Manager on progress, risks and decisions required. 2. Workforce Planning and Succession Coordinate staffing plans for new stores, takeovers, closures and peak trading periods. Develop job descriptions and advise on transfers, promotions and placements. With the General Manager, identify promotion-ready staff, maintain Employment Equity-aligned succession pools, and refer successors to Training for development. Conduct exit interviews and use the findings to improve retention. 3. Recruitment, Vetting and Polygraph Lead recruitment across the head office, senior management and store management hiring desks, with consistent selection standards. Maintain the floor-staff hiring toolkit and periodically audit store-led appointments for compliance. Oversee pre-employment checks (polygraph, FIC, references), offers and employment contracts. Oversee pre-employment, investigative and periodic polygraph testing, examiner performance and quality control. Ensure polygraph findings are based on informed consent and referred to the appropriate decision-maker. Monitor vacancy age, turnaround times and appointment quality. 4. Onboarding, Training and Skills Development Ensure a clean handover from Recruitment to Training, with induction, buddy pairing and 30/60/90-day check-ins through to probation sign-off. Oversee structured, refresher and leadership pipeline training, the skills matrix, certification and the LMS. Develop succession candidates through LMS module allocation, certification and skills gap analysis. Act as Skills Development Facilitator: submit the WSP/ATR, manage SETA grants and coordinate the Skills Development Committee. 5. Industrial Relations and Compliance Lead disciplinary matters, grievances, incapacity and disputes at store and head office level. Oversee investigations, hearing documentation and CCMA cases through to implementation of outcomes. Manage union relations and track case trends to identify recurring risks. Own HR policies, the disciplinary code and HR SOPs. Ensure compliance with the LRA, BCEA, EEA, Skills Development Act and POPIA, and resolve labour inspection findings. 6. Performance Management Develop performance frameworks, role-specific KPIs and scorecards. Oversee Work Performance Counselling and improvement plans, with Industrial Relations for formal cases. Use performance trends to identify leadership, training and operational gaps. 7. Remuneration and Incentive Design Advise on remuneration structures, grading and annual salary reviews, including minimum wage compliance. Design incentive schemes with the General Manager; Finance approves rules and calculates incentives, and Payroll pays. Prepare clear remuneration and incentive communication. 8. Employment Equity Lead the Employment Equity Plan, committee and employee consultation. Analyse representation and barriers, and build Employment Equity objectives into recruitment, succession and development. Prepare and submit statutory Employment Equity reports and monitor progress against targets. 9. HR Administration, Records and Leave Maintain the accuracy of the HR Master, HRIS, contracts and personnel records, including CashPos and LMS profiles. Submit accurate HR inputs to Payroll by cut-off and support monthly employment and clock-in confirmation. Reconcile leave against Sage and supply leave, vacancy and training data to Operations for rostering. Protect the confidentiality of employee information. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE Essential Bachelor’s degree or advanced diploma in Human Resource Management, Industrial Psychology, Labour Relations or a related field. Approximately 6–8 years of HR generalist experience , including at least 3 years managing an HR team . Substantial IR experience: investigations, disciplinary processes and CCMA case management. Practical Employment Equity and SETA (WSP/ATR) experience. Multi-site retail or high-volume operational environment strongly preferred. Advantageous Postgraduate qualification in Labour Law or Labour Relations; SABPP registration. Skills Development Facilitator training. Union relations and polygraph coordination experience; Sage experience. CORE COMPETENCIES Sound judgement in sensitive employment matters. Leadership, delegation and team development. Commercial awareness of retail operations. Attention to detail and consistent follow-through. Clear written and verbal communication. Integrity, discretion and accountability.