Senior Specialist – Employee Relations, HR Governance & Risk

About the role

The Senior Specialist in Employee Relations, HR Governance and Risk provides strategic leadership to protect the Consumer Small Business unit through robust labour‑law compliance, policy governance and proactive risk management.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee complex employee‑relations matters such as disciplinary hearings, grievances, misconduct investigations and large‑scale restructures.
• Represent the Consumer Small Business unit at the CCMA and Labour Court, ensuring legally defensible case management.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with trade unions and shop stewards through collective‑bargaining and consultation.
• Lead the governance framework for all HR policies, standards, procedures and controls, including policy review cycles and document version control.
• Ensure alignment of HR practices with South African labour legislation (LRA, BCEA, EEA, SDA) and corporate governance standards (King IV, POPIA).
• Partner with Legal, Risk & Compliance and Internal Audit to remediate audit findings and champion ethical people practices.
• Define HR data standards, assign data ownership and manage data quality, accuracy and privacy.

Required profile

• Senior‑level professional with extensive experience in employee relations within a highly unionised environment.
• Strong knowledge of South African labour legislation and corporate governance frameworks.
• Proven ability to manage high‑risk cases and represent an organisation in labour dispute forums.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with trade unions, legal teams and senior business leaders.

Required skills