Our client is a South African fintech payments business focused on helping entrepreneurs participate in the digital economy. They need an Employee Relations and Compliance Specialist in the People Team who can independently own industrial relations cases and drive people policy and compliance across the group.
Reporting to the People Experience Manager, this is a hands-on role. You will manage sensitive employee matters fairly and consistently, give managers clear and balanced advice, produce strong written work, and take real ownership of the People compliance portfolio — not only process IR cases.
Key responsibilities
• Own allocated ER and IR cases from assessment through to conclusion, including misconduct, grievances, poor performance, incapacity and absenteeism.
• Conduct and coordinate workplace investigations: gather facts, interview parties, test assumptions and weigh all sides of the evidence.
• Advise managers and employees clearly and practically so matters progress fairly, consistently and in line with policy and legislation.
• Draft IR documentation to a high standard, including warnings, counselling letters, suspension letters, hearing notices, charge sheets and outcome letters.
• Coordinate disciplinary hearings and represent the company in disciplinary and CCMA matters within the scope of the role, including referral packs, hearing packs and conciliation/arbitration bundles.
• Keep complete case files, accurate IR registers and deadlines, and escalate risk, precedent and complex matters appropriately.
• Spot recurring ER themes and feed these into preventative action, manager support, policy changes or training.
• Draft, review and maintain people policies, procedures and SOPs for management approval, and turn legislation into practical templates and guides.
• Own the people compliance calendar and registers across the group, including Employment Equity plans, reports, committee packs and quarterly EE meetings.
• Support BBBEE Skills Development with L&D on WSP, ATR and related requirements, and coordinate people compliance documentation for audits and inspections (EE, COIDA, OHSA, POPIA where applicable).
Minimum requirements
• Relevant tertiary qualification in Human Resources, Industrial Psychology, Labour Law or a related field.
• Approximately 4 to 6 years’ relevant HR / People experience, with proven end-to-end ownership of industrial relations cases.
• Practical experience managing misconduct, grievances, poor performance, incapacity and workplace investigations, and drafting IR documentation.
• Deep practical understanding of disciplinary and CCMA processes, including personal experience representing or preparing for hearings or CCMA matters (not only observing or assisting).
• Demonstrated experience drafting or updating people policies, procedures and SOPs.
• Working knowledge of South African labour legislation and hands-on support of Employment Equity plus at least some of: Health and Safety, WSP/ATR, BBBEE Skills Development or other people compliance.
• Strong Microsoft 365 capability.
• Own vehicle, valid driver’s licence, and willingness to travel between Cape Town and Stellenbosch offices, with Durban and Johannesburg as needed.
• Preferably based in Cape Town.
• Clear, concise communication and balanced judgement — firm where needed, fair and respectful toward employees, commercially sensible on risk.
Preferred
• Experience with Power BI, AI tools, multiple legal entities or a regulated industry.
• Stable recent work history and evidence of owning an ER / compliance portfolio rather than only processing allocated cases.
Location and work arrangement
Hybrid, three days per week in the office. Cape Town based preferred.