Head of HR Operations

Reports to Head of HR
Direct reports HR Manager / Payroll Manager
Scope National - all provinces in South Africa
Workforce Approx. 300 employees
Role focus Hands-on operational HR in a post-restructure environment

ROLE PURPOSE

The Head of HR Operations is responsible for leading the day-to-day delivery of HR across a national workforce, with particular focus on operational continuity, talent management, payroll governance, performance management design and reporting. In the current business context, this is a hands-on leadership role that combines execution, systems discipline and practical people support.

The role is accountable for ensuring that core HR operations run smoothly, that hiring needs are met, that performance frameworks are designed and implemented effectively, and that management receives reliable people data to support decision-making. The role also provides leadership to the HR Manager / Payroll Manager and partners closely with line leadership across all provinces.

KEY RESPONSIBILITY AREAS

1. HR Operations Management

• Lead end-to-end HR operations, including onboarding, offboarding, contracts, personnel changes, employee records, payroll inputs and HR administration.

• Ensure HR processes are practical, timely and consistent across all provinces.

• Maintain strong controls across employee lifecycle administration, documentation, workflows and service delivery.

• Oversee HRIS data integrity, reporting inputs and process discipline.

2. Talent Management and Recruitment Delivery

• Own the operational talent agenda, with strong focus on full-cycle recruitment, selection and placement for critical and high-volume roles.

• Partner with managers to understand workforce needs, prioritise vacancies and improve hiring turnaround times.

• Strengthen recruitment process discipline, candidate quality, interview coordination, offer management and onboarding readiness.

• Build talent pipelines and improve recruitment reporting, visibility and accountability.

3. Performance Management Design, Evaluation and Implementation

• Design, refine and implement the organisation's management performance system and supporting KPI processes.

• Ensure the performance approach is practical for managers, aligned to business requirements and consistently applied.

• Drive the annual and interim performance cycle, including manager guidance, process tracking and quality control.

• Monitor the effectiveness of the performance framework and recommend improvements based on uptake, quality and business feedback.

4. Staff Evaluation Toolkit

• Develop and maintain a standard staff evaluation toolkit that supports managers in conducting fair, consistent and meaningful evaluations.

• Provide templates, guidance notes, ratings guidance and manager support tools.

• Train and support managers on how to use the toolkit effectively and deal with low performance, development and calibration discussions.

5. HR Reporting and Workforce Analytics

• Produce accurate monthly people reporting for the CEO and leadership team, including turnover, retention, absenteeism, length of service, vacancies and other agreed workforce metrics.

• Use HR data to identify trends, risks and operational priorities.

• Improve reporting quality, consistency and decision-usefulness over time.

6. Payroll Oversight, Compliance and Risk Management

• Provide oversight of payroll inputs, variance checking and sign-off controls through the HR Manager / Payroll Manager.

• Ensure compliance with BCEA, LRA, EEA, POPIA and other applicable South African labour requirements.

• Maintain employment documentation, process controls, audit readiness and policy alignment.

• Support employee relations matters from an operational perspective and ensure timely escalation where specialist legal support is required.

7. Leadership and National Support

• Lead, coach and support the HR Manager / Payroll Manager to deliver reliable national HR operations.

• Act as a practical HR partner to managers across all provinces, balancing on-the-ground needs with national consistency.

• Identify process gaps, workload risks and capability needs, and implement practical solutions.

KEY SUCCESS MEASURES

Area Illustrative success measures

HR Operations Payroll inputs submitted accurately and on time; onboarding/offboarding completed within SLA; HRIS and employee records maintained at agreed accuracy standard.

Talent Management Vacancies filled within agreed turnaround times; improved recruitment pipeline visibility; reduced delays in selection and placement.

Performance Management Performance system implemented and used consistently; manager completion rates achieved; toolkit adoption and quality of evaluations improved.

Reporting Monthly HR report delivered on time with accurate and decision-useful data.

Compliance No material labour or payroll compliance breaches; audit queries resolved timeously.

Leadership Direct report performance managed effectively; service delivery consistency improved nationally.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Relevant degree or diploma in Human Resources, Industrial Psychology, Labour Relations or related field.

• 8-10 years' HR experience, including substantial operational HR leadership in a multi-site or national environment.

• Strong hands-on experience in HR operations, talent acquisition, payroll oversight and HR reporting.

• Demonstrated experience designing or implementing performance management processes, KPI frameworks and evaluation tools.

• Sound working knowledge of South African labour legislation and HR risk controls.

• Experience leading a small HR team and working directly with senior business leaders.

• Strong systems orientation and confidence working with HRIS, payroll systems and reporting tools.

KEY COMPETENCIES

Operational execution; recruitment delivery; process design; analytical reporting; attention to detail; judgement; stakeholder management; coaching managers; compliance mindset; resilience and adaptability.