Head: Employee Wellbeing & Engagement

Woolworths Financial Services; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Woolworths Financial Services is seeking a strategic leader to drive their Employee Wellbeing and Engagement agenda. This role focuses on nurturing a people-first culture, developing robust wellbeing and engagement strategies, and leading a high-performing HR team to enhance the employee experience across all touchpoints. The ideal candidate will possess a strong HR leadership background with extensive experience in managing employee relations and implementing effective communication strategies.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive HR experience including 3–5 years in a leadership role.
• Strong background in employee relations and knowledge of South African labour legislation.
• Proven ability to lead teams and drive strategic initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Design and lead organisation-wide employee experience strategy.
• Oversee employee wellbeing strategies and manage communication channels.
• Drive data-driven decision-making and manage high-performing team.

Skills

Strategic HR Leadership

Internal Communication Strategy

Wellbeing Program Design

Vendor and SLA Management

Employee Engagement Analytics

Education

Honours degree in Human Resources, Organisational Psychology or Business related

Professional certification (e.g. SARA, IPM, or equivalent)

Job description

Main Purpose

To lead and drive the strategic design and operational delivery of the Employee Wellbeing and Engagement agenda across the organisation. This role is responsible for building a thriving, people-first culture through exceptional delivery of employee wellbeing, engagement, internal communication, and employee relations. It is a Centre of Excellence role within the People and Culture Business Unit, reporting directly to the People and Culture Executive, and plays a key role in shaping and executing the People Promise (EVP).

Key Responsibilities

• Design and lead the organisation-wide employee experience strategy, embedding a culture of wellbeing, engagement, and inclusion.
• Own and evolve the People Promise (Employee Value Proposition) and ensure its visibility and relevance across employee lifecycle touchpoints.
• Lead the internal communication strategy, overseeing key channels including LinkedIn, WhatsApp, internal platforms, and engagement campaigns.
• Oversee employee wellbeing strategies and partner with external vendors to ensure effective, responsive, and high-impact support offerings.
• Ensure delivery of best-in-class employee relations practices in line with policy, legislation, and organisational culture.
• Drive data-driven decision-making through insights from employee engagement surveys and feedback mechanisms.
• Manage and develop a high-performing team that delivers across the areas of wellbeing, communication, engagement, and employee relations.
• Lead relationships with third-party vendors supporting the portfolio; manage performance against SLAs and drive value-for-money outcomes.
• Support culture transformation initiatives that embed our values and people-first orientation.

Key Competencies

• Strategic HR Leadership
• Internal Communication Strategy
• Vendor and SLA Management
• Wellbeing Program Design
• Employee Relations Governance
• Stakeholder Influence and Relationship Building
• People Promise (EVP) Stewardship
• Employee Engagement Analytics

Minimum Qualification

• Honours degree in Human Resources, Organisational Psychology, or Business related
• Professional certification (e.g. SARA, IPM, or equivalent) is advantageous

Experience Required

• 8+ years of progressive HR experience, including 3–5 years in a leadership role focused on employee engagement, wellbeing, or internal communication
• Strong background in employee relations and working knowledge of relevant South African labour legislation
• Proven ability to lead and inspire teams, and influence across senior stakeholder groups
• Experience in managing vendors and implementing strategic initiatives through partnerships
• Proven track record of leading transformational programmes and initiatives