National HR/IR Manager

Job Details

Division Excellerate Services

Minimum experience Mid-Senior

Company primary industry Security and Investigations

Job functional area Human Resources

What you will bring

• Minimum Requirements
• Relevant degree in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Labour Law or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years' progressive HR/IR experience, including at least 5 years in a senior management or national leadership capacity.
• Proven experience managing a multidisciplinary HR/IR function across multiple regions and operational sites.
• Extensive experience within highly unionised, labour-intensive environments, preferably Security, Cleaning, Facilities Management or related service industries.
• Advanced knowledge of the Private Security Sector Bargaining Council, Contract Cleaning Bargaining Council and other applicable sectoral agreements.
• Demonstrable experience in collective bargaining, union negotiations, CCMA and Bargaining Council representation, Labour Court matters and managing external legal counsel.
• Proven experience in national recruitment, Employment Equity, organisational restructuring, HR compliance, performance management and HR systems.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, executive reporting capability, negotiation skills and sound judgment.
• Ability to engage professionally with EXCO and senior management, provide practical HR/IR advice and work collaboratively with operational leadership.
• Valid driver's licence and willingness to travel nationally.

What you will be doing

• Strategic HR Leadership & Executive Advisory
• Lead the national HR/IR function, aligning human capital strategies with operational, financial and organisational objectives.
• Provide strategic advice to EXCO and senior management on workforce planning, labour risk, organisational effectiveness, restructuring and complex employment decisions.
• Develop national HR strategies, policies, governance frameworks, performance management systems and workforce optimisation initiatives.
• Partner with Operations and Finance on labour costs, productivity, staffing models and commercially sustainable workforce solutions.
• Provide executive reporting, workforce analytics, risk assessments, strategic recommendations and regular management presentations.
• Industrial Relations, Union Management & Litigation
• Lead national collective bargaining, union negotiations, recognition agreements, organisational rights disputes and complex industrial relations engagements.
• Oversee and manage CCMA and Bargaining Council proceedings, including conciliations, arbitrations, complex disputes and employer representation.
• Direct Labour Court litigation strategy in consultation with external labour attorneys, advocates and legal counsel, including preparation of evidence, instructions and risk assessments.
• Lead responses to industrial action, strikes, work stoppages and other matters threatening operational continuity.
• Provide strategic oversight of disciplinary enquiries, grievances, dismissals, misconduct, incapacity, poor performance and complex employee relations matters.
• Direct Section 189/189A retrenchments, Section 197 transfers, large-scale restructuring and workforce redeployment initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with the LRA, BCEA, Employment Equity Act, applicable collective agreements and statutory requirements.

3. National HR Operations & Human Capital Management

• Oversee end-to-end HR delivery, including high-volume recruitment, selection, onboarding, employment contracts, employee retention and terminations.
• Develop and oversee national recruitment strategies, workforce planning, succession planning and critical operational staffing requirements.
• Lead Employment Equity planning, statutory reporting, transformation initiatives and coordination of skills development requirements.
• Direct performance management processes, job descriptions, KPI development, management accountability and organisational improvement initiatives.
• Oversee employee benefits administration, provident fund matters, injury-on-duty processes, payroll-related HR governance and employee data integrity.
• Drive HR technology, recruitment systems, digital transformation, process improvement and effective use of HR information systems.
• Lead HR workstreams for contract mobilisations, demobilisations, operational transitions and business restructuring.
• National HR/IR Team Leadership & Governance
• Provide leadership, direction and performance management to a geographically dispersed team of HR Business Partners, IR Officers, HR Officers and HR Administrators.
• Establish national service standards, clear accountability, reporting structures, KPIs and consistent HR/IR practices across regions.
• Ensure efficient allocation of HR resources, develop internal capability and identify structural or capacity requirements.
• Oversee national CCMA and Bargaining Council case management, recruitment performance, HR compliance and statutory reporting.
• Build strong working relationships with operational executives, regional management, trade unions, external legal advisers and key business stakeholders.

ROLE COMPLEXITY & LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS

• This position carries comprehensive national accountability for both Human Resources and Industrial Relations across a large, highly unionised and operationally intensive organisation.
• The incumbent must balance strategic HR responsibilities with oversight of high-volume HR operations, complex litigation, collective bargaining, organisational restructuring, workforce planning and business-critical employment matters.
• The role requires strong leadership capability, resilience, commercial awareness, sound legal and industrial relations expertise, and the ability to manage competing priorities across multiple regions.
• Success requires the ability to lead through a capable national team, establish effective governance and accountability, identify resource requirements and manage significant operational and legal risks.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

• We seek a confident, commercially minded and results-driven HR/IR leader with the professional matur