People Specialist (Corporate, Central Services & TH Developments)

Tongaat; oThongathi; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Tongaat invites applications for a People Specialist who will act as the primary HR business partner for Corporate Office, Central Services and Tongaat Hulett Developments. You will support the operation through end-to-end people management across the employee lifecycle, focusing on engagement, talent development and workforce planning.

The role requires 5 to 7 years of HR experience, a Bachelor's degree in HR, and the ability to advise managers on policy, performance management and employee

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR or equivalent.
• 5–7 years HR experience.
• Experience in labour relations and compliance.
• Strong communication and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide end-to-end HC support to operations.
• Align people strategies with business goals.
• Lead and develop the local people team.
• Deliver employee experience via Tongaat Hulett People Way.
• Drive engagement, development, and organisational effectiveness.
• Ensure compliance with labour legislation and policy.
• Maintain accurate employee master data and HC reporting.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Employee relations

Talent management

Learning and development

Recruitment and selection

HC analytics

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources Management

Job description

The People Specialist is the primary HR business partner for Corporate Office, Central Services & Tongaat Hulett Developments, responsible for ensuring that people management practices support operational and business objectives. The role serves as a trusted advisor to managers and employees across the entire employee lifecycle, driving employee engagement, talent management, recruitment, performance management, learning and development, employee relations, and workforce planning.

Key Purpose of the Role

• Providing end-to-end HC support to the operation.
• Aligning people strategies with business and operational goals.
• Leading and managing the local people team.
• Delivering a world-class employee experience through the Tongaat Hulett People Way.
• Driving employee engagement, talent development, and organisational effectiveness.
• Ensuring compliance with labour legislation, company policies, and HC best practices.
• Managing employee data integrity and HC reporting.
• Supporting operational leaders in making effective people decisions.

Key Responsibilities

. HC Business Partnering

• Act as the trusted advisor to line managers and employees.
• Support business leaders in achieving operational and strategic objectives through effective people management.
• Identify people-related risks and opportunities and recommend appropriate interventions.
• Provide coaching and guidance on HC policies, procedures, and best practices.

2. Recruitment and Talent Acquisition

• Own recruitment processes for Bands A to D.
• Manage recruitment, selection, onboarding and exit processes.
• Ensure quality hiring aligned with diversity and inclusion objectives.
• Reduce time-to-fill vacancies to minimise operational disruption.
• Collaborate with Talent and Capability specialists for senior-level recruitment.

3. Performance and Success Management

• Lead implementation of Success Management processes.
• Facilitate annual goal setting and performance reviews.
• Coach managers on performance management and improvement plans.
• Monitor compliance with performance management timelines and standards.

4. Learning and Development

• Conduct Training Needs Analyses (TNAs).
• Identify capability gaps and developmental needs.
• Maintain employee training records.
• Partner with Learning & Development teams to implement training interventions.

5. Employee Relations and Labour Relations

• Manage disciplinary, grievance, and performance management processes.
• Support line management in progressive discipline practices.
• Engage with unions, worker committees, and employee forums.
• Facilitate dispute resolution, investigations, conciliations, and arbitrations.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation and collective agreements.

6. Talent Management and Employee Engagement

• Implement talent management programmes and annual talent reviews.
• Facilitate People Balance Sheet (PBS) processes.
• Develop employee engagement action plans.
• Support retention of critical and scarce skills.
• Analyse exit interview feedback and recommend improvement initiatives.

7. HC Operations and Governance

• Ensure integrity and accuracy of employee master data.
• Produce and analyse HC reports and workforce metrics.
• Monitor absenteeism, overtime, and workforce trends.
• Maintain HC records in accordance with company requirements and legislation.

Qualifications & Experience Required

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources Management or equivalent.
• 5 to 7 years of relevant Human Resources experience.

Technical Competencies

• Human Capital Management best practices.
• Performance Management.
• Employee Relations.
• Labour Relations.
• Talent Management.
• Learning and Development.
• Recruitment and Selection.
• HC Analytics and Reporting.

Behavioural Competencies

The successful incumbent should demonstrate:

• Strong ethical standards and professional maturity.
• Ability to work independently.
• Leadership and influencing capability.
• Confidence and assertiveness.
• Sound judgement and decision-making under pressure.
• Strong planning and organisational skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Customer and service orientation.

• Strong teamwork and relationship-building skills.

  Closing date : Monday, 21 September 2026