HR Business Partner

Introduction to SOLA

SOLA is a 100% South African, vertically integrated renewable energy solutions provider, specialising in the development, construction and operation of solar PV and battery energy storage projects. We focus on partnering with the private sector to deliver clean energy to businesses across South Africa using cutting edge clean energy generation and storage technologies. We help our clients to grow and prosper through the adoption of low cost and reliable renewable energy, enabling them to meet their carbon reduction and sustainability targets. For more information, visit www.solagroup.co.za.

The overall purpose of the position

The HR Business Partner works with SOLA leaders to align people plans with business priorities, strengthen leadership capability, and support scalable growth.

The role focuses on strategic partnering, practical execution, workforce planning, culture, performance, and HR transformation.

Reports to: Chief People Officer

Location: Cape Town

Strategic HR Business Partnering

• Partner with senior leaders on business priorities, workforce needs, and people risks.

• Translate strategy into practical people plans.

• Provide clear, commercially sound HR advice.

• Coach leaders to improve accountability and outcomes.

Organisation Effectiveness & Workforce Planning

• Support organisational design, restructuring, and role clarity.

• Lead workforce planning and identify capability needs.

• Use people data to guide decisions and improve effectiveness.

Talent, Succession & Capability

• Drive talent, succession, and capability planning.

• Identify critical roles, key talent, and capability gaps.

• Align recruitment and leadership development with workforce plans.

Performance & Employee Experience

• Support a high-performance culture aligned to SOLA’s values.

• Coach managers on performance, employee relations, and team effectiveness.

• Improve employee engagement, experience, and accountability.

Employee Relations & People Risk

• Advise on employee relations in line with legislation and policy.

• Manage complex employee issues fairly and consistently.

• Identify people risks and recommend preventative actions.

HR Transformation & Digital Enablement

• Improve manual or inefficient HR processes.

• Support HR process digitisation, automation, and reporting.

• Help build a proactive, technology-enabled People function.

Qualifications and Experience

• Relevant qualification in HR, Industrial/Organisational Psychology, Business, or related field.

• 7–10 years’ HR experience, including HR Business Partnering.

• Experience partnering with senior leaders.

• Strong knowledge of South African labour legislation and employee relations.

• Experience in organisational development, workforce planning, and change management.

Behavioural Competencies

• People-centric: Demonstrates empathy and a genuine passion for putting employees at the heart of all people related strategies, decisions and engagements.

• Values driven: Live and breathe the SOLA values, allowing it to guide all decisions, initiatives and engagements with employees and management.

• Excellent communicator:Both verbal and written communication, especially required for facilitating courageous conversations and communicating business decisions with empathy and respect.

• Resilient and Composed: Maintains productivity and sound judgment in fast-paced, high-pressure situations by effectively prioritising tasks and managing competing demands with a calm, solution-oriented approach.

• Adaptable: Ability to thrive in a dynamic, high-growth environment by effectively navigating ambiguity, embracing organisational change, and adjusting strategies to meet evolving business needs without compromising operational standards.

• Discretion: The ability to handle sensitive and/or confidential information with complete discretion.

Technical Competencies

• Labour Law: Demonstrated understanding of all South African Labour Laws eg. BCEA, EEA, LRA, etc.

• Skills Development Facilitation (SDF): Competence in preparing and submitting Workplace Skills Plans (WSPs) and Annual Training Reports (ATRs) to relevant SETAs.

• HR Data Analytics: Ability to interpret HR metrics (turnover, engagement, time-to-hire) and translate them into actionable business insights.

• Digital Literacy: Must be fully computer literate (Google App Suite and MS Office Suite) with experience to leverage digital tools and automation to streamline HR processes, migrating from manual databases to integrated, data-driven HR information systems.

The ideal candidate will be passionate about the renewable energy industry and will embody respect and responsibility in the full sense of the word, while enjoying contributing to a team of highly knowledgeable professionals.

At SOLA one of our core values is Dig Diversity and we are committed to transformation and embracing diversity. This commitment is what drives us to achieve a diverse and inclusive workplace, representative of the demographics of our society. We therefore give preference to applicants from the designated groups in alignment with our Employment Equity plan.

To apply for this vacancy, please complete this screening questionnaire and send a copy of your CV to ***email_hidden***.