Employee Relations Manager

Outsidecapital; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 300 000 - 400 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading firm in FMCG sector in Johannesburg seeks an experienced Employee Relations expert to drive strategic change within a large-scale environment. The successful candidate will develop robust ER policies, coach senior leadership, and navigate complex industrial relations while ensuring compliance with South African labour laws. With a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience, this role offers substantial influence and the opportunity to shape organizational culture and strategy.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in Employee Relations, with success in tactical and strategic roles.
• Proven track record in managing mediations, conciliations, and arbitrations.
• Strong understanding of South African labour legislation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement industrial relations policies ensuring compliance.
• Coach and consult with senior management on ER strategies.
• Lead assessment and strategic integration of labour models.

Skills

Employee Relations

Mediation Experience

Conflict Management

Human Resources Management

Performance Management

Employment & Labor Law

Alternative dispute resolution

Education

Post-graduate degree in Labour Relations HR or equivalent

Job description

Job Description

Our client is a significant player within the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry deeply committed to operational excellence and maintaining a high-performance culture across its diverse business units. They are dedicated to pioneering best-in-class operating models and ensuring compliance with evolving labour legislation while fostering a purpose-led inclusive environment for all employees. Joining them means becoming a crucial strategic partner in shaping the future of their employee relations landscape.

Are you a seasoned Employee Relations expert ready to lead strategic change in a dynamic large-scale environment? This is a unique opportunity to move beyond day-to-day management and drive the development of robust industrial relations policies and cutting-edge ER strategies aligned with a major group HR vision. You will be instrumental in assessing and integrating complex labour models (including insourcing/outsourcing strategies) to build a truly best-in-class structure. This role offers significant scope to influence decision-making, implement enabling technology for ER tracking and act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership across multiple key operational regions. If you thrive on complex problem-solving, championing organizational culture, and translating legal requirements into practical effective solutions, this leadership role is your next career move.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and govern robust Industrial Relations policies and procedures ensuring strict alignment with group strategy and current labour legislation compliance.
• Serve as the centre of excellence for Employee Relations actively benchmarking and implementing leading-edge technologies and best practices to advance ER capabilities across the organization.
• Lead the critical assessment and strategic integration of evolving labour models (e.g. hybrid structures, insourcing/outsourcing) to architect a superior operating model for key business segments.
• Actively coach and consult with senior Heads and operational members on the effective deployment of the overarching ER strategy processes and tools.
• Represent the organization successfully in dispute resolution forums including CCMA cases and Labour Court proceedings ensuring positive and lasting outcomes.
• Cultivate and maintain excellent collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders (management, employees, union representatives) and external partners (legal counsel, government bodies) to drive successful project delivery.
• Drive the embedding of a purpose-led organizational culture through effective communication facilitation and consistent application of ER guidelines.

Requirements

• Post-graduate degree in Labour Relations HR or an equivalent qualification.
• A minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in Employee Relations demonstrating proven success at operational tactical and strategic levels.
• Demonstrable track record managing mediations, conciliations and arbitrations with specific success documented at the CCMA/Labour Court.
• In-depth sound understanding of core South African labour legislation (e.g. BCEA, LRA, EEA).
• Exceptional business acumen coupled with strong creative problem-solving and decisive leadership skills ideally within the FMCG sector.

Key Skills

• Employee Relations
• Fmla
• Human Resources Management
• Mediation Experience
• Conflict Management
• HRIS
• Performance Management
• Employment & Labor Law
• Qualitative Analysis
• Alternative dispute resolution
• Human Resources
• Mentoring

Employment Type

Full-Time