Senior HR Manager

Job Title :Senior Human Resources Manager

Location : Johannesburg

Job Description:

The HR Manager is responsible for leading and managing all human resources functions within the company. The role ensures workforce effectiveness, legal compliance, employee engagement and alignment of HR strategy with operational production goals. The HR Manager plays a critical role in supporting productivity, safety culture and labour relations in a fast-paced industrial environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement HR strategies aligned with plant production targets and business goals.
• Forecast workforce requirements based on production schedules and expansion plans.
• Drive succession planning and talent pipeline development for technical and supervisory roles.
• Recruitment & Talent Management
• Manage end-to-end recruitment for production staff, engineers, technicians, and supervisors.
• Partner with line managers to define job requirements and competency profiles.
• Implement onboarding programs to ensure rapid integration of new employees.
• Oversee performance management systems and career development planning.
• Labour Relations & Compliance
• Ensure compliance with labour laws, union agreements, and workplace regulations.
• Lead engagement with unions and employee representatives.
• Handle disciplinary procedures, grievances, and dispute resolution.
• Maintain HR policies in line with employment legislation and company standards.
• Training & Development
• Identify skills gaps impacting production efficiency and quality.
• Develop technical and behavioural training programs for shop-floor employees.
• Promote leadership development for supervisors and middle management.
• Monitor training effectiveness and ROI.
• Compensation, Benefits & Payroll Oversight
• Manage salary structures aligned with industry benchmarks.
• Oversee payroll accuracy in collaboration with finance.
• Ensure fair overtime, shift allowances, and incentive systems.
• Administer employee benefits programs and wellness initiatives.
• Employee Engagement & Culture
• Promote a performance-driven and safety-focused workplace culture.
• Lead employee engagement surveys and improvement initiatives.
• Support diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
• Manage internal communication related to HR policies and programs.
• Arrange staff events and wellness programs
• Health, Safety & Industrial Environment
• Partner with HSE teams to promote safe work practices.
• Support accident investigations and corrective action plans.
• Ensure compliance with occupational health regulations.
• Drive initiatives to reduce absenteeism and improve workforce wellbeing.
• Must be appointed as the OHS Officer
• HR Reporting & Systems
• Maintain HR data, metrics and reporting dashboards.
• Analyse turnover, absenteeism, productivity and workforce trends.
• Use HRIS systems to improve efficiency and compliance.
• Ensure all statutory reports are submitted in time

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Employee turnover rate
• Time to fill vacancies
• Training completion and skill improvement levels
• Labour dispute resolution time
• Employee engagement scores

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Industrial Psychology, Business Administration, or related field
• HR professional certification (preferred)
• 5-10 years HR experience, with at least 3 years in manufacturing or industrial environment
• Experience working with unions and collective bargaining agreements
• Strong knowledge of labour legislation and compliance requirements
• Strong labour relations and negotiation skills
• Understanding of manufacturing operations and production workflows
• Leadership and stakeholder management
• Conflict resolution and problem-solving ability
• Data analysis and HR metrics interpretation
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work in a high-pressure, fast-moving environment

Working Conditions:

• Primarily factory-based role with regular interaction on the production floor
• May require shift flexibility to support 24/7 operations
• Occasional travel to corporate offices or other manufacturing sites
• HR Director
• Operations or Factory Leadership roles (for candidates with strong business acumen)