Head of Human Resources

A prominent and forward-thinking South African biotechnology organisation is seeking a highly strategic and hands-on Head of Human Resources to lead their people function. Based on-site at the offices in Midrand (New Road area), this role is pivotal in shaping how the organisation's people grow, perform, and thrive. Managing an on-site team of 80 to 90 employees, you will act as a trusted advisor to the executive team and oversee one direct report (HR Administrator). The working hours for this on-site position are 08:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday. Key Responsibilities Strategic Alignment: Partner with department heads to design and implement human resource solutions that directly support broader business objectives. Policy & Compliance: Review, update, and maintain HR Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), company policies, organisational charts, and job descriptions. Talent Acquisition: Manage the end-to-end recruitment lifecycle, including sourcing, screening, negotiating, and successfully placing qualified talent. Onboarding & Offboarding: Oversee the lifecycle of employees to ensure a professional and seamless transition into and out of the organisation. Performance Management: Drive the performance appraisal cycle from start to finish, which includes setting key performance indicators (KPIs) and conducting training for staff and management. Employee Relations: Provide guided support on workplace relations and lead formal industrial relations processes in alignment with local labor legislation and company culture. Training & Development: Facilitate in-house training sessions and champion internal career progression paths. Audit Preparation: Lead personnel documentation and training files preparation for stringent compliance audits (such as ISO, SANAS, and AABB). Reporting & Administration: Compile and present comprehensive monthly HR reports to executive management, and make market-related salary recommendations during review cycles. Requirements Education: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or a closely related field. Experience: Minimum of 10 years of progressive human resources experience. Prior human resource management experience within a biotechnology, medical, scientific, or highly regulated compliance-driven industry. System Expertise: Proven, hands-on experience utilizing Sage 300 for HR and payroll administration. Expertise: Deep understanding of South African labor laws, performance management methodologies, and industrial relations. Skills: Exceptionally strong conflict resolution, negotiation, and numerical accuracy skills. Required Software Skills Sage 300 Microsoft Office Suite (advanced proficiency) Benefits Remuneration Structure: Total Cost to Company (CTC) packaging. Performance Bonus: Access to an OKR (Objectives and Key Results) performance management system offering the opportunity to earn up to a 13th cheque (performance-based, non-guaranteed). Alternatively, a 13th cheque can be structured directly from the allocated CTC. Retirement Benefit: An 8% company contribution towards the Liberty Retirement Fund (employee contribution is optional). Medical Aid: Compulsory medical aid membership, with a company contribution of R1,350 per month structured as part of the overall CTC. Annual Leave: Standard entitlement of 15 days, with flexibility to negotiate upward if the successful candidate currently holds a higher leave allocation. Additional Perks: Earned Wage Access, birthday leave, employee wellness initiatives, social events, and continuous professional development opportunities.