Lead: Human Capital Business Partner (Sanlam Corporate)

The overall purpose of the role

The Lead: Human Capital Business Partner (Lead: HCBP) is a senior people leader who drives a business portfolio and leads an HCBP team to deliver integrated, end-to-end Human Capital partnering. The role translates cluster HC strategy into practical execution for the assigned portfolio, shaping organisation effectiveness, leadership capability, culture and engagement, and value adding people practices that drive business performance. Working in close partnership with our Business Executive Leadership, Human Capital CoEs. The Lead HCBP ensures a consistent, scalable HC operating model and premium stakeholder experience across the cluster. The Lead Human Capital Business Partner is a member of the SC HC Leadership team, reporting to the Managing Executive: Human Capital. 

Key responsibilities

Strategic Business Partnering & Delivery Excellence

• Provide a clear, consistent HC partnering value proposition aligned to the strategic intent of Sanlam Corporate and the portfolio.
• Convert cluster HC strategy into an annual people plan with measurable outcomes, budgets and milestones; track and report progress to portfolio leadership.
• Influence leadership decisions with evidence‑based insights, risks and recommendations across the HC agenda.

Organisation Design, Workforce & Capability Planning

• Partner with the OE CoE on operating model changes, structural optimisation and organisation design; keep organograms accurate and approved.
• Ensure up‑to‑date job profiles that reflect accountabilities and requirements; drive robust performance management and remedial OD interventions where needed.
• Lead portfolio workforce planning and skills forecasting; align sourcing, development and mobility actions to near‑ and long‑term needs.

Talent, Leadership & Succession

• Co‑create and execute portfolio‑level talent and succession plans (critical roles, bench strength, readiness); run talent reviews and calibrations with leadership.
• Build leadership capability through coaching and by embedding key people processes and manager routines.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition & Employer Brand to secure critical/scarce skills and create internal pipelines; ensure alignment to the portfolio’s talent strategy.

Culture, Engagement & Employee Experience

• Drive culture‑building and engagement initiatives that embed Sanlam values and improve team effectiveness, collaboration and wellbeing.
• Lead culture action planning and follow‑through; translate insights into targeted EX improvements across the lifecycle.

Change, Transformation & Adoption

• Plan and implement change management interventions for portfolio initiatives; build readiness, resilience and stakeholder buy‑in.
• Represent HC on cross‑functional programmes; ensure change impacts, communications and training are integrated and risks are managed.

Employee Relations, Compliance & Risk

• Partner with ER/IR specialists to ensure legally sound, fair, and consistent application of policies and procedures; guide the business on disciplinary, grievance and dispute matters.
• Maintain compliance with SA labour legislation (LRA, BCEA, EEA, SDA) and internal governance frameworks; proactively manage people risks.

Reward, Learning & Performance Enablement

• Work with Total Rewards to facilitate reward cycles (e.g., annual salary review) and address portfolio‑specific reward needs.
• Contract with Learning CoE on priority capability programmes; support delivery and measure impact on performance and mobility.

People Insights, Analytics & Reporting

• Leverage People analytics capability to deliver BU specific HC Insights (using HC reports, dashboards and narratives) highlight in order to shape business decisions.

Qualifications and Experience

• Relevant Post‑Graduate qualification (e.g., HR/Industrial Psychology/Business).
• 8+ years Senior Human Capital generalist experience with 4+ years leading HC professionals and supporting Business Executives.
• Proven record of enabling organisational effectiveness through people solutions.
• Experience in complex, matrixed corporates (Financial Services advantageous).

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong understanding of SA labour legislation and application in the workplace (LRA, BCEA, EEA, SDA).
• Organisation design & performance enablement; workforce planning; talent & succession; culture & engagement.
• ER/IR fundamentals and risk management (with ER specialist partnership).
• Data‑driven decision‑making: HR analytics, interpretation and storytelling.
• Excellent stakeholder management, negotiation, presentation and facilitation skills.

Core competencies

• Cultivates Innovation - Creating new and better ways for the organisation to be successful.
• Client Focus - Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
• Drives Results - Consistently achieving results and meets deadlines, even under tough circumstances.
• Collaborates - Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Resilience - Rebounding from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations.

Turnaround time

The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers. 

The closing date for this advert is 23rd March 2026. 

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