Durban: Group HR Manager (QSR)

About the Role If you are a senior HR professional looking to make a meaningful impact in a growing franchise group and are ready to lead, build, and scale people operations, we invite you to apply. We are looking for an experienced, strategic, and highly driven Group Human Resources Manager to lead and oversee the full HR function across the Group. This is a s enior leadership role reporting directly to the CEO, responsible for driving the Group’s People Strategy, ensuring statutory compliance, managing labour costs, and building a high-performance, values-driven culture across multiple regions and stores. The successful candidate must be comfortable working in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment, managing multiple projects simultaneously, working long hours when required, meeting tight deadlines, and building and leading an HR team in a growing business. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Strategic & Leadership Partner closely with the CEO to develop and execute the Group’s People and Talent Strategy Drive a high-performance culture aligned to business objectives and employee engagement Provide decision support to the CEO through HR metrics, analytics, and reporting Lead, manage, and develop the HR Business Partners and Training Department HR Operations & Compliance Oversee the entire employee life cycle across all Group entities Ensure full compliance with South African labour legislation, UIF, and statutory requirements Ensure Payroll Team have implemented accurate and up-to-date employee records on PaySpace, with cloud-based backups Oversee the monthly payroll process Ensure labour cost control, with total Group labour not exceeding 12.5% of total sales Monitor store rosters, overtime, attendance, and enforce corrective or disciplinary action where required Recruitment, Onboarding & Workforce Planning Lead all recruitment processes in line with Group policy, including: CV screening and assessments Structured panel interviews (Operations, Finance, HR) Executive and management interviews with CEO involvement Maintain full recruitment records for compliance and Employment Equity reporting Implement structured onboarding and induction programmes across all regions Coordinate monthly in-person inductions nationally Performance Management & Employee Relations Implement and manage performance appraisal systems that drive accountability and results Manage disciplinary procedures, grievances, and employee relations matters Support and advise management on labour relations best practices Training, Development & Systems Assess training needs and oversee implementation of training programmes Maintain detailed training schedules per store Oversee annual uniform replacement tracking via PaySpace Ensure system integrity across: Payroll, Onboarding, Labour, and L&D systems Establish and maintain a comprehensive cloud-based HR library, including contract templates and policies Reporting & Travel Submit weekly HR reports to the CEO Attend: Fortnightly and monthly CEO meetings Monthly Head Office executive meetings Store Visits within KZN and CT Desired Experience & Qualifications Degree in Human Resources or related field (Essential) 5–6 years’ proven experience as an HR Manager / HR Executive (multi-site or retail/franchise experience highly advantageous) Strong knowledge of South African labour law and HR best practices Demonstrated experience with HR metrics, analytics, and reporting Proven hands-on experience with PaySpace and HR systems/databases Strong leadership capability with the ability to build and manage teams Highly analytical, detail-oriented, and results driven Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills Comfortable presenting to the CEO on a weekly basis Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously under pressure Willingness to work long hours, meet tight deadlines, and travel as required Personal Attributes People-oriented yet commercially focused Highly organised, resilient, and proactive Strong problem-solver with a solutions-driven mindset Thrives in a fast-paced, evolving business environment