People & Culture Consultant

Direct Reporting Line

People & Culture Specialist

Emeris consolidates resources and expertise from IIE Varsity College, IIE MSA, IIE-Vega School, and IIE School of Hospitality & Service Management, with a unified approach ensuring a consistent standard of excellence in teaching, learning, and student support.

Emeris Newlands has a vacancy for a People & Culture Consultant.

Duties and Responsibilities

Talent Acquisition

• Workflow ATRs (Authority to Recruit) for approval on all budgeted vacancies and ensure timely posting on internal vacancy listings.
• Advertise roles internally and externally across approved platforms, ensuring job descriptions are accurate and aligned with company standards.
• Assist campus management with shortlisting CVs, conducting telephonic screenings, scheduling interviews, attending first-round interviews, and providing feedback to candidates.
• Process organisational position requests for new roles and submit to People & Culture Specialist: Systems for approval and processing.
• Upload interview notes and feedback promptly into the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to maintain accurate recruitment records.
• Perform Managed Integrity Evaluation (MIE) checks (ID, qualifications, credit, criminal, professional memberships, driver’s license, passport/visa) for employees and independent contractors. Escalate any adverse findings to People & Culture Specialist before offers are made.
• Provide candidate care throughout the process, including timely feedback, regret notifications, and handling queries professionally.
• Workflow ATA (Authority to Appoint) for approval by People & Culture Specialist, Campus Head, Business Partner: People & Culture, and Project Manager: Risk and Financial Analysis, ensuring compliance with approval hierarchy.
• Prepare employment contracts accurately and promptly after ATA approval.
• Maintain and update Talent Acquisition tracker to monitor all campus vacancies, ensuring proactive follow-up and timely closure of roles.
• Streamline campus recruitment processes to avoid delays (e.g., reduce interview rounds through proactive planning, initiate MIE checks at interview stage but process only for successful candidates).
• Review CVs, references, and supporting documents for shortlisted candidates, addressing any concerns before finalising appointments.
• Ensure strict adherence to PoPIA provisions in all recruitment activities, safeguarding candidate data.
• Track and report recruitment metrics (time-to-fill, quality of hire, candidate experience scores) to support continuous improvement.
• Build and maintain a talent pipeline for critical roles to reduce time-to-hire and improve workforce planning.

Onboarding, Payroll, and Offboarding (Employees)

• Ensure all new employees are loaded on the Onboarding/HR Engagement App prior to their start date, with payroll documentation completed on time. Where the App cannot be used, manage the manual payroll process in line with payroll deadlines and audit checklists.
• Support the People & Culture Specialist in conducting the campus HR induction process with all new employees.
• Prepare induction packs for each new employee for their first day, including a welcome letter, campus and company information, organisation structures, administration processes, birthday lists, expense claims, link to the Online employee handbook and company Intranet, policy acknowledgement form, induction schedule, PoPIA training information, branded gifts, and calendar as per the induction pack checklist.
• Capture and verify all payroll-related data for new hires, terminations, and changes (e.g., banking details, tax information, benefits) accurately in the Employee Central system within payroll cut-off dates.
• Perform quality checks to ensure payroll inputs are complete, accurate, and aligned with statutory and company requirements before submission to payroll.
• Reconcile onboarding and offboarding documentation with payroll records to prevent errors and ensure compliance with audit standards.
• Follow up on any queries or outstanding information or documentation from the new employee's onboarding profile or manual forms where appropriate.
• Ensure that all relevant documents for each new employee are uploaded within the starting month into SharePoint, with correct file naming conventions.
• Communicate any People and Payroll-related information to staff as required.
• Take responsibility for the quality control of all People/Payroll-related documentation and procedures in line with company policies and audit requirements.
• Maintain an orderly document storage system in SharePoint or other secure systems used by the company (e.g., Applicant Tracking System, MS Teams) in compliance with PoPIA.
• Prepare termination packs and ensure all documentation is complete and accurate in line with payroll and audit standards.
• Communicate exit requirements to employees and line managers, ensuring all queries are addressed.
• Prepare UI-19 form, letter of service, and other statutory documentation for People & Culture Specialist to check and sign off.
• Upload all offboarding documentation securely in SharePoint and HR systems, ensuring correct file naming and compliance with PoPIA.
• Monitor payroll deadlines and proactively escalate risks of late submissions to ensure timely processing of salaries.
• Assist with payroll audits by providing accurate records and supporting documentation as required

Independent Contractor Administration

• Advertise Independent Contractor (IC) roles on Simplify HR and schedule interviews in line with recruitment timelines.
• Perform Managed Integrity Evaluation (MIE) checks for new ICs, including qualification verification, professional membership (where applicable), passport and visa verification, and criminal checks. Process PSP requests where applicable.
• Ensure two reference checks are completed supported by Academic and Operations departments for all shortlisted ICs; escalate concerns promptly to avoid unsuitable appointments.
• Complete IC screening process and upload all documentation into HR systems and IC Shared Services team folder, ensuring accuracy and compliance with PoPIA.
• Request approval for Non-South African ICs in line with company and statutory requirements.
• Log tickets to IC Shared Services team for IC Agreement completion and ensure timely processing.
• Request signatures for manual invoices and perform bulk uploads of invoices into ICSS Teams folder within agreed deadlines.
• Receive approved manual invoices, upload them into Teams Shared folder, and notify IC Shared Services team via email for processing.
• Log tickets for ICSS team to process invoices and for P7 requests where ICs require access to secondary campuses.
• Log tickets for ICs experiencing system issues and follow up to ensure resolution.
• Distribute monthly IC timesheet user claims to relevant line managers for approval and ensure claims are signed off within claim deadlines.
• Collect and upload manually received IC claims into MST space for National IC Shared Services team processing.
• Maintain accurate records of IC agreements, invoices, and claims in secure systems, ensuring compliance with audit standards and PoPIA.
• Monitor IC administration timelines to ensure agreements, invoices, and claims are processed within SLA to avoid payment delays.
• Provide proactive communication to ICs and internal stakeholders regarding claim deadlines, payment status, and compliance requirements.
• Learning, Development, Wellbeing, Recognition, and Events Administration
• Under the supervision of the People & Culture Specialist, maintain accurate and up-to-date Training and Development records in compliance with company requirements and audit standards.
• Coordinate and prepare all logistics for campus employee and HR-related events, including wellness days, employee appreciation days, long-service celebrations, training sessions, and orientations.
• Manage end-to-end event logistics, including obtaining quotes for approval, booking venues, arranging catering, décor, invitations, and ensuring timely setup and execution.
• Source long-service and birthday vouchers/gifts, as well as gifts for HR events when required (campus-specific).
• Provide administrative and logistical support for training and wellbeing initiatives on campus, ensuring smooth execution and alignment with company objectives.
• Monitor and control campus stationery, consumables, and stock for staff and lecturers, ensuring availability while adhering to budget constraints (site-specific).
• Ensure all invoices related to events, training, and consumables are submitted accurately and timeously to the campus finance department for processing.
• Adhere strictly to PoPIA provisions in all matters relating to training, development, and event administration, ensuring confidentiality and secure handling of personal information.
• Assist in tracking participation and feedback for training and wellbeing events to support continuous improvement.
• Proactively communicate event details and requirements to stakeholders to ensure engagement and attendance.

General People & Culture Operations Administration

• Collaborate with and support the National People & Culture team on various People-related projects and initiatives.
• Work closely with the Campus People & Culture Specialist to track and improve recruitment Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in People & Culture practices across campus operations.
• Ensure all People & Culture documentation (recruitment, onboarding, performance, training, payroll, employee relations, etc.) is stored securely in the correct systems/folders, in compliance with company policy, audit requirements, and PoPIA.
• Gather, maintain, and track performance success documentation (KPAs, IDPs, Stakeholder Forms) in support of the People & Culture Specialist.
• Set reminders and follow up on probation review documents for new staff after each 30-day milestone, ensuring forms are completed to standard and flagging any concerns or action items to the People & Culture Specialist.
• Conduct Employee Central training sessions for every new employee and line manager to ensure system proficiency.
• Support the People & Culture Specialist in managing grievances and disciplinary processes, ensuring timely documentation and compliance with company policies.
• Help maintain a positive working environment through proactive communication and engagement initiatives.
• Adhere to PoPIA provisions in all matters relating to leave analysis, reporting, and handling of employee data.
• Assist with HR reporting and analytics to provide insights on recruitment, onboarding, and performance trends.
• Ensure timely escalation of risks or compliance gaps to the People & Culture Specialist.

Competencies Required

• Recruitment & Selection Expertise: Proficiency in high-volume talent sourcing, competency-based interviewing, and utilizing Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) (e.g., Simplify HR) to manage the candidate lifecycle
• Payroll & Data Administration: High-level accuracy in data entry for Employee Central or similar HRIS platforms. Ability to reconcile financial data and understand payroll cut-off cycles to prevent payment errors
• Compliance & Legislative Knowledge: Deep understanding of PoPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act) regarding data privacy, as well as statutory requirements for UI-19s, MIE checks, and Right-to-Work (visa/passport) verification
• Contract Management: Ability to draft accurate employment contracts and Independent Contractor (IC) agreements based on approved "Authority to Appoint" (ATA) templates
• Digital Literacy & Document Control: Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365 (specifically SharePoint, MS Teams for bulk uploads, and Excel for talent trackers). Expertise in maintaining digital filing systems with strict naming conventions
• Event & Logistics Coordination: Skill in vendor management, procurement (obtaining quotes), and end-to-end event planning for campus initiatives
• Attention to Detail (High Focus): Since the role involves payroll inputs and MIE integrity checks, the individual must have a "zero-error" mindset to avoid financial and legal risks
• Proactive Planning & Time Management: The ability to juggle "Micro" tasks (daily invoices) with "Macro" goals (pipeline building). Must be able to self-manage deadlines without constant supervision
• Customer Centricity (Candidate Care): A commitment to professional communication, ensuring that every candidate—whether successful or not—has a positive experience with the brand
• Interpersonal Influence & Collaboration: The ability to firmly but politely follow up with senior stakeholders (Campus Heads, Line Managers) to ensure documents are signed and deadlines are met
• Resilience & Agility: The capacity to handle high-pressure environments, such as "payroll week" or peak recruitment seasons, while maintaining a professional demeanor
• Ethical Integrity: Given the access to sensitive payroll data, criminal records, and private IC invoices, the individual must maintain the highest standards of confidentiality and ethics.

Minimum Qualification Requirement

• Minimum of a relevant three year Diploma or Degree in Human Resources or related field.
• A Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Social Science or related field is ideal.

Minimum Work Experience Requirement

• 1-2 years experience in high-volume recruitment and talent acquisition administration
• 1-2 years experience in HR and payroll administration (including onboarding and offboarding processes)
• 1-2 years exposure to Employee Relations (ER/IR) administration and compliance processes

Additional Requirements

• Own vehicle and valid driver's license

Salary

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.

Benefits

• Lifelong learning opportunities through LinkedIn Learning subscriptions.
• Staff and family discounts on educational programs within our brand portfolio.
• Incentive bonus structure based on performance and achievement of goals.
• Birthday vouchers to celebrate your special day.
• Competitive annual leave allowance for well-deserved time off and rejuvenation.

Application Response

• Due to the high volume of CVs received, please note that personal contact with all applicants may not be feasible. Only candidates whose qualifications and skills closely align with the position requirements will be contacted for interviews

Technical Support

• Should you experience technical difficulties applying for the position, kindly use the following URL for further assistance : https://hire.simplify.hr/ContactUs

Emeris is an Equal Opportunity Employer. However, preference may be given to previously underrepresented groups in accordance with the South African Employment Equity Act. The company reserves the right to close or place the vacancy on hold at any time, without prior notice.