Employee Relations Manager

Employee Relations Manager

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Employee Relations Manager is a group-level specialist responsible for managing all employee relations and industrial relations matters across the enterprise. This role exists to protect the organisation from labour-related risk by ensuring full compliance with all relevant South African labour legislation, representing the company at the CCMA.

The incumbent serves as the primary subject-matter expert on employee and employer rights, providing guidance to HR teams and line managers across all entities. Experience in neighbouring countries’ labour legislation is advantageous given the group’s footprint across Southern and West Africa.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Industrial Relations & CCMA

• Represent the company at CCMA conciliation and arbitration proceedings, preparing all documentation, witness statements, and legal arguments.
• Manage all aspects of dispute resolution including unfair dismissal claims, unfair labour practice disputes, and mutual interest matters.
• Prepare and present cases at arbitration hearings, ensuring thorough preparation of bundles, chronologies, and witness coaching.
• Track and report on all CCMA matters, providing regular updates on case status, outcomes, costs, and trends.

Disciplinary & Grievance Management

• Oversee and advise on all disciplinary processes across the group, ensuring procedural and substantive fairness in line with the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and the company disciplinary code.
• Advise on disciplinary hearings for serious and complex matters including misconduct, incapacity, and operational requirements.
• Manage the end-to-end grievance procedure, ensuring timely investigation, resolution, and documentation of all employee grievances.
• Maintain accurate records of all disciplinary and grievance proceedings.
• Legislative Compliance & Policy
• Ensure group-wide compliance with all relevant South African labour legislation including the LRA, BCEA, EEA, SDA, OHSA, COIDA, and UIF.
• Draft, review, and update employee relations policies, procedures, and the company disciplinary code to reflect legislative changes and best practice.
• Monitor legislative developments and proactively communicate the impact of changes to HR leadership and line management.
• Support Employment Equity compliance and reporting where it intersects with employee relations matters.

Advisory & Training

• Serve as the primary point of contact and advisor to HR Business Partners and line managers across all entities on ER/IR matters.
• Develop and deliver training programmes for managers on disciplinary procedures, grievance handling, managing poor performance, and basic labour law.
• Provide proactive risk assessments and recommendations to mitigate employee relations exposure across the group.
• Coach and upskill on ER best practice and legislative compliance.
• Reporting & Analytics
• Develop and maintain an ER case management tracker covering disciplinary actions, grievances, CCMA cases, and outcomes.
• Produce monthly and quarterly ER reports for the HR Executive, highlighting trends, risks, costs, and recommendations.
• Analyse ER data to identify patterns and root causes, proposing preventative strategies to reduce recurring issues.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Required

• Relevant degree in Labour Law, Labour Relations, Human Resources, or LLB.
• Minimum 7-10 years of dedicated employee/industrial relations experience, with substantial exposure to CCMA arbitration and conciliation.
• Proven track record of independently representing an employer at CCMA proceedings.
• In-depth knowledge of South African labour legislation.
• Strong experience in conducting workplace investigations and preparation for disciplinary hearings.

Advantageous

• Experience with labour legislation in neighbouring countries (Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, or Nigeria).
• Admitted attorney or advocate (non-practising).
• Experience in a multi-entity or group environment spanning retail, wholesale, and logistics.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Integrity - Upholds ethical standards and fairness in all ER processes; maintains confidentiality.
• Get Things Done - Manages high caseloads efficiently; meets deadlines on CCMA filings and disciplinary processes.
• Customer Focus - Treats employees and managers as internal clients; provides responsive, practical ER guidance.
• Teamwork - Collaborates with HR Business Partners and line managers across all entities and geographies.
• Embrace Differences - Navigates diverse workforce dynamics with cultural sensitivity and impartiality.
• Analytical Thinking - Identifies trends in ER data and translates insights into proactive risk mitigation.
• Communication & Influence - Articulates complex legal concepts clearly; persuasive in hearings and advisory engagements.
• Conflict Resolution - De-escalates disputes and facilitates constructive resolution between parties.
• Attention to Detail - Ensures procedural compliance and accurate documentation across all ER matters.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Full time at the office: 1 Sandton Drive, Johannesburg.
• Travel to retail stores, warehouse facilities, and other office locations as required for investigations, hearings, and CCMA appearances.
• Occasional travel to neighbouring countries may be required as the group’s African operations expand.