Senior People & Culture Manager

Grindrod; Richards Bay; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,700,000; Full time

Job summary

Grindrod in Richards Bay seeks an experienced HR business partner to align People & Culture strategies with strategic and operational leadership across the Richards Bay Rail and WBBT terminals. You will shape workforce plans, drive talent, and ensure compliance with HR governance while supporting the terminals’ safety culture and business objectives.

The role requires 10–15 years of HR generalist experience, with at least 5 years in management, and a relevant degree.

Qualifications

• Grade 12 qualification required.
• Bachelor's Degree in HR / Industrial Psychology / Labour Relations essential.
• 10–15 years HR generalist experience with at least 5 years in a managerial role.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary HR business partner to General Managers and senior leadership.
• Translate operational demands into workforce plans and resourcing strategies.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, and retention for terminal roles.
• Manage employee relations under LRA, BCEA, EE Act and OHS Act.
• Implement performance management and foster a safe, collaborative culture.
• Drive payroll accuracy, HR admin, and data analytics for Bulk leadership.
• Support CSR initiatives and project coordination.

Skills

HR generalist

Strategic partnering

Stakeholder management

People & Culture

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR / Industrial Psychology / Labour Relations

Grade 12

Job description

The purpose of this role is to support strategic and operational People & Culture leadership across the Terminals (Richards Bay Rail and WBBT), ensuring that the Terminals have the capability, culture, and workforce stability necessary to achieve operational, financial, and safety objectives.

This role partners with General Managers/Terminals Managers and Bulk Leadership to drive workforce optimisation, talent, skills development, employee relations, culture initiatives, and adherence to statutory and Grindrod HR governance requirements.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic People & Culture Partnering

• Act as the primary HR business partner to the General Managers/Terminal Managers and senior leadership teams.
• Translate terminals operational demands into workforce plans, resourcing strategies, and people interventions.
• Support organisational design, restructuring, succession planning, and optimisation of headcount and skills mix

Workforce Planning & Resourcing

• Ensure accurate manpower planning aligned to volume forecasts, seasonal demands, and operational shifts.
• Lead recruitment for all terminal roles, securing talent aligned to Grindrod capability standards.
• Oversee onboarding, probation management, and terminal-level workforce retention strategies.

Employee Relations & Compliance

• Manage employee relations in line with the LRA, BCEA, EE Act, OHS Act, and internal policies.
• Lead engagements with unions and participate in collective bargaining where required.
• Participate in Wage Negotiations as and when the duty calls.
• Ensure compliance with audits, statutory reporting, and internal governance (policies, procedures, SOPs).

Learning, Training & Development

• Assist management on relevant HR/ER matters.
• Assist with adherence to legislation, regulations, and codes of good practice and Group HR/ER policies and procedures.
• Assist with monitoring compliance of relevant Industrial Relations issues with the Laws, Rules and Regulations, report deviations to the Head of People & Culture Bulk Division.
• Assist with facilitating the resolution of disciplinary actions and grievances.

Performance Culture

• Implement the Grindrod performance management framework across terminals.
• Build a positive workplace culture anchored on safety, accountability, teamwork, and customer service.
• Identify culture gaps and recommend targeted interventions in line with One Grindrod initiatives.

Payroll Operations and Systems

• Ensure high-quality HR administration, payroll inputs, medicals, shift rosters, leave, and personnel records.
• Drive data integrity in collaboration with HRT, ESS, GPN and other Grindrod HR systems.
• Oversees HR Dashboard reports and analytics for Bulk leadership in the areas of responsibility.
• Supports the Bulk CSR Manager in driving touching live in communities where we operate.

Health and Safety

• Assist in ensuring that the Group Health, Safety and Environment policy and procedures are observed as well as all relevant safety and the provisions of the relevant Health, Safety and Environmental Acts.
• Oversee the completion of necessary documentation for IOD's.

HR Projects

• Assist the Head of People and Culture in collaboration with CSR Manager in projects coordination, per area as and when required.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications

• Grade 12
• Bachelor's Degree in HR / Industrial Psychology / Labour Relations (essential)

Experience

• 10-15 years HR generalist experience, with at least 5 years at managerial level
• Experience in logistics, ports, terminals, shipping, mining, or heavy industrial environment (strongly preferred), Demonstrated union engagement and IR case management experience, Exposure in Lean Six Sigma will be an added advantage

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not receive feedback from us within three weeks of the application closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful.