Head of Talent & Culture

Dis-Chem Pharmacies; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 600 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail pharmacy chain in Gauteng is searching for a Head of Talent & Culture. This role focuses on building a high-impact talent and culture function to attract, develop, and retain talent while promoting an inclusive culture. Key qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in Human Resources and 10 years of experience in talent roles. The position demands strong skills in workforce planning and data-driven decision-making. Benefits include a market-related salary and more.

Benefits

Market-related salary

Medical aid

Provident fund

Staff account

Qualifications

• 10+ years in Talent or Organizational Development roles.
• Proven success in driving culture change across multi-site environments.
• Experience with succession planning tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of talent strategy aligned with business growth.
• Design workforce plans to address critical roles and capability gaps.
• Champion employer brand positioning in priority markets.

Skills

Talent strategy development

Workforce planning

Data-driven decision making

Inclusive talent practices

Commercial acumen

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources or related field

Master’s degree or Executive Programme in Strategic HR

Tools

Workforce analytics tools

Digital talent platforms

Job description

Overview

Dis-Chem Pharmacies’ in Midrand has an opportunity available for a Head of Talent & Culture to join the team. The main purpose of this role will be to build an integrated and high-impact talent and culture function. The role exists to ensure that talent is effectively attracted, developed, engaged, and retained, while actively driving a values-based, inclusive culture that supports long-term business growth and transformation. This leader will harness data-driven insights, strategic partnerships, and innovative practices to position the organisation as an employer of choice and a magnet for high-impact talent.

Minimum Requirements

Essential:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Industrial Psychology, Organisational Development, or related field
• Minimum 10 years in Talent or OD roles
• Proven success in driving enterprise-wide culture change and talent strategies in multi-site environments (retail, healthcare, or FMCG preferred)
• Experience with digital talent platforms, workforce analytics, and succession planning tools

Advantageous:

• Master’s degree or Executive Programme in Strategic HR, OD, or Business

Roles & Responsibilities

Talent Strategy & Workforce Planning:

• Lead the development of a group-wide talent strategy aligned to business growth, skills demand, and future work trends.
• Partner with business units to design workforce plans that address critical role pipelines, capability gaps, and transformation targets.
• Define frameworks and analytics to proactively manage workforce composition, mobility, and retention.
• Design and lead future-fit recruitment strategies aligned to workforce needs, DEI, and growth ambitions.
• Integrate workforce analytics to optimise sourcing, hiring timelines, quality-of-hire, and internal mobility.
• Champion employer brand positioning in priority markets.
• Define and deploy a talent data framework focused on predictive analytics, risk forecasting, and ROI on people interventions.
• Integrate insights into decision-making around workforce planning, retention, DEI, and leadership pipeline health.

Leadership Pipeline & Succession Management:

• Design and operationalise succession plans for all leadership and critical technical roles.
• Establish talent reviews, 9-box calibration, and talent mapping mechanisms that inform readiness and development priorities.
• Partner with the Head of Learning & Leadership to embed career architecture and internal mobility enablers.

Culture Transformation & Employee Experience:

• Lead the design and implementation of Dis-Chem’s culture framework anchored in its “Formula for Success.”
• Embed values, behaviours, and mindsets that enable innovation, service, agility, and inclusion.
• Track and shift organisational culture through diagnostics (e.g., pulse surveys, culture index), storytelling, and leadership enablement.
• Define and deliver a compelling, integrated Employee Value Proposition (EVP) that resonates across the entire Dis-Chem ecosystem.
• Oversee employee listening programmes and feedback platforms that guide people strategy and action planning.
• Partner with Employer Branding and Communications to activate purpose-driven people messaging and campaigns.

Transformation, Inclusion & Belonging:

• Act as a key enabler of the organisational transformation agenda by aligning talent strategies with change and culture levers.
• Lead initiatives that strengthen belonging, accessibility, and inclusive talent practices across the employee lifecycle.
• Ensure talent strategy supports BBBEE and national transformation imperatives through targeted interventions.
• Drive behavioural change frameworks and mindset shifts required to deliver strategic transformation outcomes.

People Leadership:

• Establish a high-performing, collaborative, and accountable culture within the P&C retail team that reflects the organisation’s values and drives business impact.
• Ensure the P&C team is equipped with the necessary skills, agility, and leadership capabilities to support a fast-paced and evolving retail environment.
• Provide clear leadership and direction to the P&C team in delivering people priorities that enable retail operations and business performance.
• Ensure the P&C team is structured and resourced effectively to meet the current and future needs of the retail business.

Competencies

• Commercial Acumen
• Execution Orientation
• Strategic Influence
• Workforce Planning Acumen
• Inclusive Talent Practices
• Resilience & Agility
• Stakeholder Engagement
• People Leadership

Special Conditions of Employment

• South African citizen
• MIE, clear criminal and credit
• Driver’s license and/or own reliable transport
• Occasional travel

Remuneration and Benefits

• Market-related salary
• Medical aid
• Provident fund
• Staff account

ONLY SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED. IF YOU HAVEN’T BEEN CONTACTED WITHIN TWO WEEKS AFTER THE CLOSING DATE CONSIDER YOUR APPLICATION AS UNSUCCESSFUL.

Dis-Chem Pharmacies is an equal opportunity employer. Dis-Chem’s approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process aligned to Dis-Chem’s Employment Equity & Transformation Strategy. Dis-Chem actively supports the recruitment of People with Disabilities.