Senior People Partner at Absa Bank Limited

Job Summary

To provide advice and support in practice formulation and associated best practice improvement tactics; enabling the provision of specialist human resources expertise.

Job Purpose:

To provide direction, in partnership with Functional business leadership teams and HR colleagues on the HR agenda by:

• Influencing, shaping, and contributing to the development of the functional business area’s agenda and strategy and translating this agenda into action via a fully integrated HR plan
• Contributing to the leadership of the functional business area by bringing in external best practice, thought leadership and challenging the status quo.
• Being an active, influential partner, coaching and challenging the business to effectively diagnose and implement world class HR solutions that transforms the business and deliver stretch goals.
• Lead business leadership teams, through the interpretation and execution of the Group’s people agenda by:
• Turning strategy into real action plans that are aligned to Group and functional business area objectives, driving the plans through to full realization of stated benefits.
• Excelling at bringing together best practice within the HR community and the resources within the business areas, to shape and brilliantly execute the people agenda in a timely manner.
• Challenging and provoking business leaders on employee engagement by addressing resulting people issues, build organizational capability which delights customers and ensures shareholder satisfaction.

Key accountabilities & Time Split

HR Strategy Implementation/Transformational Change (40%)

• Work as a full member of the functional business leadership team to develop strategy and turn into actions, which clearly contributes to Absa Group objectives.
• Drive and actively contribute to the implementation of the People Strategy initiatives and work streams. Ensure the implementation approach is supported, delivered, and appropriately ‘landed’ by business leaders.
• Work with Business and People & Culture colleagues to assist business in execution of People & Culture strategy, embed change into day-to-day working practice and organization culture so that high performance becomes the norm.

High Performance Agenda

• Implement Group wide to deliver the mindset of high-performance culture, effective consequence management and consistently ‘raise the performance bar’.
• Specifically instill, drive and commitment into all aspect of MyContribution including consistency challenge leadership meetings, consequence management of top, high, low and under performers and create an environment in the business where great performers are known and their contribution recognized/valued and rewarded accordingly.

Capability, Succession, Development

• Work closely with leadership teams to implement any designated aspects of Group and Business Unit talent action planning processes, understand and drive short- and longer-term capability requirements, succession, and talent pipeline.
• Support and coach business leaders in developing solutions which enable successful retention strategies and solve capability gaps using internal/ external levers including development, resourcing, training, and innovative stretch career experiential opportunities.
• Work directly with key stakeholders in the business to assist them in identifying their own capability gaps and solutions to enhance their ability.
• Assist in the development, execution, and maintenance of skills development Strategy in functions.

Talent Acquisition

• Support the business in resourcing and developing talented performers that are world class.
• Ensure exceptional standards of professional capability in resourcing our professional and leadership cadres.
• Play a strong and direct role in ensuring all resourcing decisions feature ‘no compromise’ in quality of candidates.
• Build networks internally and externally to assist with ‘talent spotting’ for future roles.
• Ensure and champion Diversity and Inclusion initiatives.

Organization Design And Change Management (15%)

• Lead and drive management teams in organizational diagnosis, designing an optimal organizational structure aligned to the Absa Group organization design principles and delivery of the strategic business agenda.
• Apply agreed change management approach to initiatives and tools and techniques in delivering effective organisational and cultural change in the Business area.

Influence, Coach And Facilitate (20%)

• Support and coach senior leadership in implementing the people and culture dimensions of the business strategy defined.
• Drive agreed priorities and people & culture initiatives to implementation, ensuring that the business effectively executes the initiatives to create real business value for time, effort, and associated cost.

Delivery Management (20%)

• Work directly with key stakeholders to enhance performance achievement and capability. Act (where appropriate) as the interface with People & Culture Specialist teams to procure services and specialist expertise to design and assist the delivery of integrated people solutions.
• Work in partnership with People & Culture Specialist teams to deliver integrated people solutions. Monitor delivery of People & Culture Specialist teams around the requirements of the business area.
• Implement and provide feedback around the employee relations environment for the business.
• Develop action plans associated with performance improvement and Colleague Experience Survey
• Work with key stakeholders to develop a culture within the Functional Business Unit that underpins Absa’s Employee Value Proposition.

Risk Governance (5%)

• Ensure understanding of Absa group policies and governance processes, driving compliance as appropriate within own business area.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree a relevant field
• A relevant post graduate qualification or CIPD certification
• Valid practicing certificate

Preferred Experience

• At least 12 years HR experience comprising a minimum of 7 years generalist experience or HR consultancy experience in at least one HR specialism.
• Full range of distinctive, technical capabilities and experience in high performance organization or world class HR consultancy.
• Credibility with senior leadership as primary customers and ability to balance and achieve on-time delivery against competing demands.
• Excellent relationship, influencing and persuasive skills willing to challenge and be seen as a business player.

Knowledge & Skills

• Detailed knowledge of external HR best practice understands and challenges HR policy, direction, and practice in a timely way to ensure Absa achieves ‘Employer of Choice’ recognition.
• Organisational diagnosis, design & development which takes consideration of external trends, conditions and applies best practice to design, develop and facilitate high individual and organisational performance.
• Employee Relations D, C &G accredited and experienced in design of ER plans such that employees are engaged in the sharing of business information and consulted in business change as appropriate.
• Keep abreast of changes in employment legislation and ensure practical application in the workplace.