HR Business Partner - Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel & Upper Union Restaurant

We are looking for an HR professional who leads with care and delivers with confidence. Supporting a team that values warmth, consistency, and professionalism, the HR Business Partner will play a critical role in shaping culture, supporting leaders, and ensuring compliance and structure are never at odds with humanity. Based on-site at Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel and Upper Union Restaurant, this role offers the opportunity to make a tangible impact in a fast-paced, people-first hospitality environment.

This is a hands-on role requiring equal parts emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and administrative precision. You will partner closely with the General Manager and department heads to ensure operational excellence and a values-driven employee experience.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

People Operations & Support

• Act as the primary HR contact for all day-to-day queries and people matters.
• Partner with the General Manager and HODs to reinforce a high-performance, inclusive team culture.
• Support the delivery of consistent, human-centered employee experience across departments.

Recruitment & Onboarding

• Manage the end-to-end recruitment process, ensuring efficiency and legal compliance.
• Lead warm, structured onboarding processes aligned to brand and operational needs.

Performance & Employee Relations

• Support performance reviews, KPIs, probation feedback, and appraisals.
• Manage employee relations, including disciplinary and grievance processes.
• Engage directly with shop stewards and trade unions, maintaining open, constructive dialogue and supporting wage negotiations and procedural fairness.
• Coach managers in handling IR matters with legal and emotional intelligence.

Training & Development

• Identify training gaps and coordinate relevant internal and external learning interventions.
• Track compliance with skills development and employment equity obligations.
• Support succession planning and the development of internal talent pipelines.

Compliance, Administration & Transactional Delivery

• Maintain all HR records, including contracts, performance documentation, and leave registers.
• Prepare monthly payroll input and liaise with central payroll for accurate processing.
• Ensure full compliance with BCEA, LRA, EE Act, and company policies.
• Standardise and maintain current documentation, job descriptions, and SOPs.

REQUIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Diploma or Degree in HR Management / Industrial Psychology (NQF 6–7).
• 5+ years’ HR Generalist experience, preferably in hospitality or luxury retail/service environments.
• Strong working knowledge of South African labour legislation, including unionised environments.
• Experience with Sage, ESS or other HRIS platforms.
• Mature, emotionally intelligent, and able to manage sensitive people issues with discretion and professionalism.
• Comfortable working flexibly, including weekends or evenings when operations require it.
• Confident communicator with the credibility to coach managers and support change.
• Organised, detail-oriented, and passionate about creating meaningful work experiences.

MAXIMIZING YOUR IMPACT AS A MEMBER OF THE MORE FAMILY COLLECTION

• Excellent attention to detail.
• Guest focus philosophy, living the MORE brand and driving the MORE experience.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal), practicing honest communication.
• Team player with positive attitude, enthusiasm, and emotional control.
• Excellent time management and self-discipline, interpersonal & solution seeking skills.
• Proactive, use initiative and creative flair when required.
• Committed and loyal, adaptable, and flexible.
• Must work accurately under pressure.
• People skills – tolerance, patience, and care, ability to receive constructive feedback openly.

We create opportunities and experiences for people to enrich their lives. Our values guide our behaviours and how we act, and they help us find the right partnerships for growth:
Be AWARE (the “thoughtful” value) Eyes and ears open Arrive ready Be human
Respond GENEROUSLY (the “more” value)Always respond Give more, do more Have a mindset of abundance
Strength in DIVERSITY (the “family” value)Act in harmony Work together Act inclusively
Make it BETTER (the “continuous improvement” value) Positively influence Keep learning Own it