People and Culture Lead

Houst; Cape Town; Hybrid; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A dynamic tech company based in Cape Town seeks an experienced People and Culture Lead. This role focuses on shaping and delivering people strategies, managing the employee lifecycle, and fostering a positive work culture. The ideal candidate has extensive HR experience, strong interpersonal skills, and knowledge of South African labor laws. This position offers competitive benefits, including a hybrid work model and 23 paid holiday days.

Benefits

23 days paid holiday

Extra day off for birthday

Hybrid working model

Health support coverage

Laptop for business use

Qualifications

• Proven track record in HR leadership roles.
• Experience with change management and employee engagement initiatives.
• Strong understanding of employee relations and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Partner with leadership to align people strategies with business objectives.
• Manage full employee lifecycle from onboarding to offboarding.
• Develop and manage learning and development programmes.

Skills

Business acumen

Interpersonal skills

Understanding of South African labour legislation

Conflict resolution

Analytical mindset

Education

Relevant HR qualification

Job description

About the role:

We’re looking for a strategic, people-focused, and highly organised individual to join our team as the People and Culture Lead. In this role, you’ll take ownership of shaping and delivering our people strategy by driving engagement, development, and culture across the business.

You’ll partner closely with senior leadership to align people initiatives with business goals, lead key projects across employee experience, learning and development, and wellbeing, and ensure that our people operations run smoothly and effectively.

This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned HR professional who thrives in a fast-paced, global environment and is passionate about creating a positive, high-performing workplace where people can do their best work.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic People Leadership

• Partner with senior leadership to align people strategies with business objectives.
• Provide data-driven insights and recommendations to enhance performance, engagement, and inclusion.
• Guide the leadership team on people strategy, organisational design, and workforce planning.
• Lead change management initiatives that promote agility, innovation, and resilience.

Culture, Employee Experience & Engagement

• Champion company values and ensure they are embedded throughout the employee lifecycle.
• Design and implement engagement and recognition programmes to drive motivation and retention.
• Identify and address cultural challenges, promoting a positive and inclusive environment.
• Lead employee wellbeing initiatives and support mental, physical, and emotional health.

Employee Relations & Compliance

• Act as a trusted advisor on all employee relations matters, providing fair and balanced guidance.
• Manage and resolve employee concerns, conflicts, and grievance investigations.
• Ensure compliance with local and global employment laws.
• Support the development, implementation, and communication of HR policies and procedures.

Operational Excellence

• Oversee day-to-day HR operations, ensuring accuracy in payroll, benefits, and HR administration.
• Maintain and optimise HR systems, records, and reporting processes.
• Continuously review and improve HR processes for efficiency and scalability.
• Ensure compliance and timely management of all HR documentation and audits.

Employee Lifecycle Management

• Manage the full employee lifecycle from onboarding to offboarding.
• Design and oversee induction programmes to ensure smooth new joiner integration.
• Support line managers in conducting structured onboarding, performance reviews, and exit processes.
• Maintain accurate employee data and ensure all lifecycle touchpoints the company’s values.

Learning, Development & Performance

• Develop manage learning and development programmes aligned with business needs.
• Identify skills and knowledge gaps and implement targeted training initiatives.
• Lead leadership and management development programmes to build internal capability.
• Oversee performance management cycles, including goal setting, feedback, probations, and PIPs.
• Support succession planning and career development pathways.

Reward, Recognition & Benchmarking

• Conduct salary benchmarking, role profiling, and job grading exercises.
• Manage performance-linked reward and recognition initiatives that reinforce company culture.
• Ensure fair and transparent compensation practices across the organisation.

Office and Workplace Management

• Oversee the management and functionality of office spaces, ensuring an effective and well-maintained work environment.
• Ensure timely payment of office-related expenses and foster a professional, welcoming workspace.

Stakeholder Management

• Build strong, trusted relationships with leadership, managers, and employees.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to deliver people-related initiatives and business priorities.
• Partner with external providers and consultants as needed to deliver HR solutions and ensure compliance.
• Act as a key liaison between leadership and staff, ensuring clear, transparent, and empathetic communication.

Core Competencies

• Strong business acumen with the ability to balance strategic foresight and operational execution.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.
• Deep understanding of South African labour legislation and global HR best practices.
• Passion for culture-building, inclusion, and employee engagement.
• Skilled in conflict resolution, coaching, and change management.
• Analytical and data-driven mindset with strong problem-solving skills.

Benefits

• 23 days paid holiday days (plus public holidays)
• An extra day off for your birthday - because who wants to work on their birthday?
• Hybrid working model
• Opportunities to innovate
• Better Help coverage health support
• Laptop - for business use