Overview
People & Culture Manager Jobs in Johannesburg Metropolitan Area at Acwa
Title: People & Culture Manager
Company: Acwa
Location: Johannesburg Metropolitan Area
We are seeking an experienced People & Culture (P&C) Manager to partner with our business units and operational leaders in South Africa. This is a strategic and hands-on role responsible for delivering exceptional People & Culture support across multiple operational sites, ensuring business objectives are achieved through effective people practices, strong labor relations, and operational excellence.
As the P&C Manager, you will lead the implementation of People & Culture strategies, drive employee engagement, support organizational growth, and provide trusted HR partnership to leaders while ensuring compliance with South African labor legislation and company policies
.
- Key Responsibilities:
- Partner with business and operational leaders to develop and implement People & Culture strategies aligned with business objectives.
- Provide strategic HR support across multiple remote and operational sites, with regular travel to sites.
- Lead workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding and talent acquisition to ensure critical positions are filled with high-caliber talent.
- Drive performance management, talent development, succession planning and employee engagement initiatives.
- Provide expert guidance on organizational design, change management, remuneration and workforce planning.
- Lead all employee and labor relations matters, including disciplinary processes, grievances, poor performance management, incapacity processes and dispute resolution.
- Build and maintain effective relationships with recognized unions and employee representatives.
- Represent the business at CCMA conciliations and arbitrations, while ensuring compliance with the Labor Relations Act (LRA), Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), Employment Equity Act (EEA) and other applicable employment legislation.
- Partner closely with Plant Managers and operational leadership teams to proactively manage labor relations risks and support business continuity.
- Oversee HR operations including payroll governance, employee lifecycle processes, leave management, HR administration and compliance.
- Ensure accurate employee records are maintained within SAP SuccessFactors, while driving continuous improvement of HR systems and processes.
- Coach and develop leaders to strengthen people management capability and foster a high-performance culture.
- Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders, external service providers and relevant government authorities where required.
Requirements and Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Industrial Psychology or a related discipline.
- 8–15 years' progressive HR experience, including significant experience in a strategic HR Business Partner or P&C leadership role.
- Proven experience supporting multiple remote or geographically dispersed operations within an industrial, energy, utilities, mining, manufacturing or engineering environment.
- Demonstrated site operations experience, partnering closely with operational and plant leadership teams.
- Extensive experience managing labor relations within a unionized environment, including collective bargaining, disciplinary processes, grievance management and CCMA representation.
- Strong working knowledge of South African employment legislation and HR best practice.
- Hands-on experience with SAP SuccessFactors and HR reporting systems.
- Strong business partnering, coaching, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities across all organizational levels.
- Willingness and ability to travel regularly to operational sites across South Africa.
