People Business Partner

Initiate International; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 450,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organization in the iGaming industry is seeking a People Business Partner in Cape Town. This role will involve shaping employee experience, managing complex employee relations, and driving performance while aligning with global strategies. The ideal candidate will possess significant experience in HR within regulated environments and will be adept at coaching leaders and facilitating a high-performance culture.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a People Business Partner or HR Business Partner in a regulated industry.
• Deep knowledge of South African labour legislation and compliance requirements.
• Strong ability to coach, influence, and challenge leaders.

Responsibilities

• Partner with leaders on all people-related matters.
• Use data to influence decisions and guide workforce planning.
• Drive a high-performance culture and manage complex employee relations cases.

Skills

People Business Partner experience

Coaching and influencing skills

Knowledge of South African labour legislation

Stakeholder management

Project delivery experience

Job description

People Business Partner job vacancy in Cape Town.

Our client, a leading organisation in the iGaming and Sports Betting industry, is on the hunt for a People Business Partner to join their expanding People team.

This role is both strategic and hands-on, designed to shape the employee experience, strengthen compliance, and drive performance within South Africa, while aligning with the business’s global growth strategy.

If you’re an HR professional with proven experience in fast-paced, highly regulated industries — and you’re passionate about building teams, coaching leaders, and embedding best practice — this could be your next big step.

The Role:

As a People Business Partner, you’ll be a trusted advisor to leaders across South Africa and beyond. You’ll balance day-to-day delivery with longer-term people planning, supporting everything from employee relations and performance culture to workforce planning and leadership capability building.

This is a unique opportunity to join a thriving global business in a sector where compliance, culture, and people development are critical to success.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Partner with leaders in South Africa and across the global business on all people-related matters.
• Use data and insights to influence business decisions and guide workforce planning.
• Coach managers on leadership, team management, and emotional intelligence.
• Manage complex employee relations cases, addressing root causes and ensuring compliance with South African labour law.
• Drive a high-performance culture by guiding leaders through the performance management cycle.
• Collaborate with the global People team on projects, policy development, and people initiatives.
• Build and deliver a strategic people plan aligned to South Africa’s growth ambitions in the iGaming and Sports Betting market.
• Act as a subject matter expert on South African legislation (BCEA, LRA, EE Act, Skills Development Act, OHS, BBBEE, CCMA processes).
• Oversee local benefits and compensation administration, ensuring competitiveness and compliance.
• Partner with People Operations and payroll teams to ensure accuracy, compliance, and smooth processes.
• Champion Diversity & Inclusion initiatives and embed equitable workforce practices.
• Work with People Development colleagues to enhance culture, engagement, and career growth opportunities.

Skills & Experience Required:

• Proven experience as a People Business Partner or HR Business Partner, ideally within iGaming, sports betting, or another highly regulated industry.
• Deep knowledge of South African labour legislation and compliance requirements.
• Experience independently managing complex employee relations cases.
• Strong ability to coach, influence, and challenge leaders effectively.
• Familiarity with compensation, benefits, and market benchmarking.
• Proven success in delivering people projects and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Excellent stakeholder management and collaboration skills across departments and geographies.
• Adaptable, resilient, and proactive in solving problems in fast-paced environments.
• Commercially minded with a passion for creating positive employee experiences.
• International exposure or experience in global teams would be advantageous.
• M&A experience beneficial but not essential.

This is a rare opportunity to step into a strategic People Business Partner role within the fast-moving iGaming and Sports Betting industry. You’ll have the scope to influence local people strategies while collaborating on global projects, helping to build a workplace that inspires growth, inclusion, and performance.

If you’re ready to bring your HR expertise into one of the most exciting and dynamic industries worldwide, we’d love to hear from you.