CAREERS AT NEIGHBOURGOOD

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Essential / Strongly Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in:

  Human Resources

  Industrial / Organisational Psychology

  Labour Relations

  Business Management with HR focus

Formal HR or Labour Law qualification or certification

(e.g. HR Management Diploma, Labour Law Certificate, IR certification)

Advantageous:

Postgraduate qualification in:

• HR Management

• Labour Relations

• Organisational Development

Ongoing professional development in:

• Employment law updates

• Performance management

• Leadership coaching

Experience (Non-Negotiable):

Minimum Experience:

• 5–8+ years progressive HR experience

  Experience working with executives, directors, or C-suite leadership.

• At least 3 years in a standalone or senior HR role (not purely admin/support)

• Experience supporting multi-entity or international business operations is beneficial.

• Valid driver’s licence

Must Have Hands-On Experience With:

• End-to-end recruitment (beyond posting jobs)

• Performance management frameworks and reviews

• Managing underperformance and disciplinary processes

• Grievance handling and investigations

• Labour law compliance and policy implementation

• Drafting, interpreting, and enforcing employment contracts

• Advising managers on people risk and leadership behaviour

• Managing exits, retrenchments, and misconduct processes

• Full ownership of HR administration and payroll in a stand alone or lean HR role

Strong Advantage if the candidate has:

• Worked in a scaling business (not only large corporates)

• Supported founders or executive teams

• Operated as a sole or lead HR function

• Experience in change, restructures, or growth phases

• Exposure to CCMA / labour disputes (or equivalent jurisdiction)

This role is not suitable for someone who:

• Avoids conflict or difficult conversations

• Sees HR primarily as employee advocacy without balance

• Is uncomfortable challenging senior leaders

• Relies heavily on external consultants for basic HR matters

• Focuses on perks, events, and “engagement” without accountability

Overall Accountability:

The HR Manager is accountable for balancing people, performance, and risk - ensuring the organisation grows without compromising trust, legality, or leadership standards.

Required Skills & Competencies – HR Manager

1. Labour Law & Compliance Expertise

Core competency, not optional

• Strong working knowledge of labour legislation, employment standards, and dispute procedures

• Ability to interpret and apply law practically (not just quote it)

• Drafting, reviewing, and enforcing employment contracts and policies

• Running disciplinary, incapacity, and misconduct processes correctly

• Identifying and mitigating people-related legal risk before it escalates

Competency indicator:

Can confidently advise leadership without defaulting to external legal counsel for routine matters.

2. Sound Judgement & Decision-Making

The difference between HR and admin

• Ability to assess complex situations with incomplete information

• Balancing fairness, consistency, and business impact

• Knowing when to escalate and when to resolve internally

• Making defensible decisions under pressure

Competency indicator:

Decisions hold up under scrutiny - legally, ethically, and culturally.

3. Performance Management & Accountability

HR must drive performance, not avoid it

• Designing and implementing performance frameworks and review cycles

• Coaching managers to give clear, evidence-based feedback

• Addressing underperformance early and constructively

• Managing performance improvement plans and documentation

Competency indicator:

Fewer “surprise” terminations and fewer unresolved performance issues.

4. Conflict Management & Investigations

Calm, objective, and procedural

• Handling grievances, disputes, and disciplinary matters impartially

• Conducting investigations based on evidence, not opinion

• Interviewing parties and witnesses professionally

• Maintaining confidentiality and procedural fairness

Competency indicator:

Outcomes are accepted as fair — even when they are not liked.

5. Leadership Coaching & Influence

HR must influence without authority

• Coaching managers on people leadership fundamentals

• Challenging poor leadership behaviour respectfully and firmly

• Building credibility with senior leaders and frontline managers

• Acting as a strategic sounding board, not an enabler

Competency indicator:

Managers improve — not because HR fixes problems for them, but because HR builds their capability.

6. Communication & Stakeholder Management

Clarity over comfort

• Delivering difficult messages clearly and professionally

• Explaining decisions and policies in plain language

• Managing emotional conversations without becoming emotional

• Setting boundaries and managing expectations

Competency indicator:

People leave conversations clear, even if the outcome is hard.

7. Hiring & Talent Assessment

Beyond CV screening

• Designing structured, fair recruitment processes

• Assessing role fit, capability, and behavioural alignment

• Partnering with leaders to avoid reactive or poor hires

• Ensuring equitable and compliant selection practices

Competency indicator:

New hires perform faster, and exit rates reduce.

8. Organisational & Process Discipline

Trust is built through consistency

• Strong documentation and record-keeping habits

• Consistent application of policies and procedures

• Ability to design scalable HR processes

• Managing multiple sensitive matters simultaneously

Competency indicator:

Processes are clear, repeatable, and defensible.

9. Emotional Intelligence (With Boundaries)

Empathy without loss of objectivity

• Active listening and appropriate emotional awareness

• Remaining neutral and professional in high-emotion situations

• Protecting confidentiality and dignity at all times

Competency indicator:

Employees feel heard, but decisions remain evidence-based.

10. Commercial & Business Acumen

HR that understands the business

• Understanding operational, financial, and growth pressures

• Aligning people decisions with business strategy

• Making trade-offs explicit and transparent

• Knowing when ideal solutions are not realistic