Host Employer Partnerships Officer

GrowthArch; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 300,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

GrowthArch is seeking a Host Employer Partnerships Officer to secure and manage host employers for the internship programme across South Africa. You will vet and onboard employers, maintain compliance documentation, and monitor placements to ensure quality work experiences for interns.

Responsibilities include sourcing and vetting employers, coordinating onboarding, and tracking contracts, renewals and performance data for audits and funders. Travel across regions will be required.

Qualifications

• National Diploma or degree in Business Management, Human Resource Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Public Administration or a related field.
• Valid South African driver’s licence (Code B or higher) and willingness to travel.
• Experience in employer engagement, partnerships, business development or skills development programmes (minimum 3 years).
• Experience securing and managing host employers for internships, learnerships or work-integrated learning.
• Experience managing contracts and compliance documentation.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation, including data collection and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Source host employers across sectors and regions and build a national database of placements.
• Vet host employers for registration, tax compliance, B-BBEE status and capacity to host interns.
• Onboard employers with programme requirements, logbooks, reports and mentor duties.
• Prepare and track host employer agreements and ensure POPIA-compliant files.
• Monitor compliance and gather feedback; evaluate performance and recommend actions.
• Coordinate with stakeholders; represent programme at meetings and forums.

Skills

Persuasive communication

Relationship-building

Negotiation

Attention to detail

Data interpretation

MS Office proficiency

Education

National Diploma or degree in Business/HR/Management

Tools

MS Office

Excel

Job description

Purpose of the role

The Host Employer Partnerships Officer is part of the team that secures and manages the host employers for the internship placement programme. The team sources suitable employers across the country, vets and onboards them, manages their contractual documents, and monitors and evaluates their performance as hosts.

The role makes sure every intern is placed with a credible, compliant employer that can offer a structured, meaningful workplace experience close to the intern's home.

Key responsibilities

Sourcing host employers

• Identify and approach potential host employers across sectors and regions, based on intern qualifications and home locations.
• Present the programme to employers, explain host obligations and benefits, and secure commitments for placements.
• Build and maintain a national database of host employers, available placements and capacity.

Vetting host employers

• Verify company registration, tax compliance, B-BBEE status and other required documents.
• Assess each employer's capacity to host interns, including suitable work, workplace mentors, supervision and a safe working environment.
• Conduct workplace assessments or site visits before approving employers, and record findings.

Onboarding host employers

• Take approved employers through onboarding, including programme requirements, logbooks, reporting and mentor responsibilities.
• Confirm placement numbers, start dates and workplace inductions with each employer.
• Support employers with any registrations or documentation required by funders or SETAs.

Contract and document management

• Prepare, issue and track host employer agreements and related contractual documents until fully signed.
• Maintain a complete, organised and POPIA-compliant file for every host employer.
• Track agreement terms, renewals, amendments and terminations, and flag any gaps or risks.

Monitoring and evaluation

• Monitor host employers' compliance with their agreements, including mentorship, supervision and intern conditions.
• Gather feedback from employers, interns and provincial coordinators on the quality of placements.
• Evaluate host employer performance and recommend corrective action, or replacement of employers that fall short.
• Compile monitoring and evaluation reports, data and evidence for the Project Manager, funders and audits.
• Track key measures such as placements secured, employer retention, intern completion rates and absorption into employment.

Stakeholder coordination

• Act as the main point of contact for host employers on contractual and programme matters.
• Work closely with provincial coordinators to resolve placement issues and keep employers engaged.
• Represent the programme at employer meetings, industry forums and stakeholder engagements.

Minimum requirements

Qualifications

• National Diploma or degree in Business Management, Human Resource Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Public Administration or a related field.
• Valid South African driver's licence (Code B or higher) and willingness to travel.

Experience

• At least 3 years of experience in employer engagement, partnerships, business development or skills development programmes.
• Experience securing and managing host employers for internships, learnerships or work-integrated learning.
• Experience managing contracts and compliance documentation.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation, including data collection and reporting.

Advantageous

• An established network of employers across industries.
• Experience working with SETAs, TVET colleges or government-funded skills programmes.
• A qualification or short course in monitoring and evaluation.
• Proficiency in one or more South African languages in addition to English.

Skills and competencies

• Persuasive, professional communicator who can open doors and secure commitments from employers.
• Strong relationship-building and negotiation skills.
• Excellent attention to detail with contracts, compliance documents and records.
• Analytical, with the ability to turn monitoring data into clear reports and recommendations.
• Proficient in MS Office, especially Excel, and comfortable with databases and trackers.
• Highly organised, able to manage many employers and deadlines at once.
• High integrity and discretion when handling company and personal information.
• Genuine commitment to youth development and job creation.