Head Of Hr - South Africa

Menzies Aviation; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 800 000 - 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A global aviation services company in Johannesburg is seeking a Head of HR to align HR strategies with business objectives. The successful candidate will lead people strategies, ensure compliance with local labour laws, and maintain constructive relationships with unions. A Bachelor's degree and 5 years of HR leadership experience are required. The position offers an opportunity to shape the HR function in a dynamic and diverse environment.

Qualifications

• 5 years of progressive HR leadership experience ideally in the aviation or service industry.
• Proven experience in union practices and labour law compliance.
• Experience overseeing payroll, recruitment, and performance management.

Responsibilities

• Lead HR function to deliver effective people strategies.
• Serve as liaison with Department of Labour and trade unions.
• Ensure compliance with BBBEE and Employment Equity legislation.
• Monitor grievance processes for fair outcomes.
• Develop and update HR policies and SOPs.

Skills

HR leadership experience

Union and collective bargaining

Employee engagement strategies

Labour law compliance

Understanding of BBBEE frameworks

Education

Bachelor's degree

Qualification in Labour Law or MBA

Job description

Overview

People. Passion. Pride. This is what has driven our teams since 1833.

Since that time, we have developed to become a critical partner in the global aviation industry, deliveringtime-critical logistics servicesat 350locationsin more than 65countries,across six continents.

But at the heart of our business is our people.

Role Purpose

The Head of HR – South Africa is responsible for aligning HR strategies with business objectives while fostering a culture of engagement, inclusivity, and compliance. The role encompasses the full employee lifecycle — including recruitment, payroll, performance management, and compensation & benefits — with a strong focus on enhancing employee engagement, maintaining constructive relationships with the Labour Commissioner and unions, and ensuring full compliance with BBBEE and local labour regulations.

The current Head of HR – South Africa will be continuing in his role until the right candidate is recruited and will ensure a smooth handover with the new appointee. Following the transition, he will continue supporting the business.

What you will be doing

• Lead and develop the HR function to deliver effective people strategies across the employee lifecycle, including recruitment, engagement, performance management, payroll, and compliance.
• Serve as the key liaison with the Department of Labour, trade unions, and other regulatory bodies, ensuring open communication, compliance with labour laws, and proactive resolution of disputes.
• Ensure continuous compliance with BBBEE & Employment Equity legislation, partnering with internal and external stakeholders to maintain and enhance the company's BBBEE status.
• Monitor disciplinary and grievance processes, ensuring fair, timely, and well-documented outcomes in line with company policy and legal requirements.
• Develop, implement, and update HR policies, SOPs, and reporting tools that promote consistency and operational excellence.

Would you like to see more detail on the accountabilities of the role? Please see the attached job description for further information.

Safety, Security, Wellbeing and Compliance

You will have a responsibility and duty whilst at work to take reasonable care of the health, safety and wellbeing of yourself and others in accordance with provided information, training, and workplace health and safety rules or procedures. The company is committed to providing a safe working environment for all staff members. In all areas of our business there is a potential risk to the health, safety and welfare to everyone on our sites through the misuse of alcohol and drugs. As such the Company prohibits such misuse and carries out regular testing to enforce our Substance Misuse Policy.

Please see the attached job description for further details on safety, security, wellbeing & compliance.

What we are looking for

• Bachelor's degree required; Anadditional qualification in Labour Law or a MBA will be advantageous
• 5 years of progressive HR leadership experience in a senior capacity, ideally within the aviation or service industry on a national level.
• Proven experience in union and collective bargaining practices, employee engagement strategies and labour law compliance in South Africa.
• Strong understanding of BBBEE frameworks and reporting requirements.
• Experience overseeing payroll, recruitment, performance management, job evaluation and compensation & benefit functions.

Diversity

MenziesAviation are a committed equal opportunity employer and encourage applications for suitably qualified and eligible applicants regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy, and maternity. We strive to create an inclusive working environment, where the different knowledge, perspectives, experiences, and approaches of our global workforce are represented. Where everyone feels valued and can reach their full potential.

Please be aware that as part of our recruitment process, we may look to use a variety of resourcing tools to help us understand your skills and experience in relation to the role.