Hr Business Partner

Sumer Group Holdings Limited; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 700 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading accounting and advisory firm in Johannesburg is seeking an HR Business Partner to enhance employee experience and engagement across the organization. This role involves collaborating with multiple teams and offers the opportunity to influence the employee lifecycle. The ideal candidate has strong interpersonal skills and a solid understanding of employment law. Join a supportive environment that values integrity and collaboration.

Qualifications

• Proven experience acting as a credible HR professional.
• Confidence to lead difficult conversations with empathy.
• Experience in professional services is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted partner to leadership on HR matters.
• Lead employee relations and performance management.
• Support the full employee lifecycle.

Skills

Understanding of employment law and employee relations

Approachable HR professional

Interpersonal skills

Job description

HR Business Partner

Department: People & Culture Employment Type: Permanent Location: Johannesburg

Consulting are a people‑first accounting and advisory firm based in Johannesburg and Somerset West.

They are proud to be part of the Sumer Group, a leading accountancy practice across the UK and Ireland.

Here at, we believe in building long‑term relationships with clients and giving our people the chance to thrive in a supportive, professional environment that values initiative, collaboration, and integrity.

The Role

We're looking for a confident and compassionate People & Culture (HR) Business Partner to join our team, someone who can bring structure, insight, and meaningful engagement to the employee experience. You'll be based in our Johannesburg office, and will partner with two parts of our organisation: Sumer Offshore Services (SOS) – a fast‑scaling offshore support business that supports the UK and Ireland.; Consulting – a well‑established accounting and consulting hub with strong foundations. Together, we're growing at pace.

Your work will influence employee experience, engagement, and compliance across the entire employee lifecycle, the majority of your focus will be spent on rapidly expanding SOS team. You will report to the People & Culture Director based in the UK, whilst working closely and collaboratively with the Managing Director at Consulting, so being adaptable to how you communicate and build working relationships is key.

You will also work in collaboration with our People & Culture Business Partners across the UK and Ireland, sharing best practice and driving efficiencies.

You'll take the lead on any key initiatives that require roll out to your areas of the organisation.

The role offers variety, and the chance to shape how people and culture work at scale, this could be your ideal next step.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted partner to leadership, advising on all people‑related matters
• Lead employee relations, performance management, and policy development
• Support the full employee lifecycle: induction, development, engagement, and exit
• Build strong, supportive relationships with stakeholders and employees
• Ensure compliance through utilising employment law and internal HR policies
• Bring a critical eye to existing processes and recommend improvements
• Help shape and uphold an inclusive, values‑led culture
• Contribute to diversity and transformation efforts across the wider People & Culture community across the Sumer Group

Skills & Experience

• A strong understanding of employment law and employee relations
• Proven experience acting as a credible and approachable HR professional
• Confidence to lead courageous conversations, handling them with empathy and professionalism
• Experience within professional services is beneficial
• Excellent interpersonal skills – you're a critical friend, a coach, and a trusted voice
• Belong @ Sumer

At Sumer, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse work environment, not just as buzzwords, but as the heartbeat of our team.

Our recruitment practices reflect this commitment, welcoming individuals from all backgrounds. We prioritise creating an environment where every candidate feels respected and supported throughout the hiring process. Everyone is unique and we understand that each individual may have distinct needs to showcase their best selves during interviews. Our commitment is to offer personalised support for all candidates. Let our team know how we can bring out your fullest potential.