Head of People, South Africa

Job description

Role Purpose The Head of People is a strategic leadership role responsible for shaping and executing the people strategy of a fast-growing wealth management fintech. The role partners closely with the South Africa Senior Leadership Team to build a high-performance, compliant, and values-led organisation that supports sustainable growth, regulatory excellence, and innovation within the financial technology services environment. The incumbent will lead the full employee lifecycle, balancing strategic leadership with operational excellence, and ensuring alignment with South African labour legislation and financial services regulatory requirements. Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership Develop and execute a comprehensive People & Culture strategy aligned to business objectives and growth plans. Act as a trusted advisor to the Head of Commercial, South Africa and Senior Leadership Team on organisational design, leadership capability, workforce planning, and culture. Embed the company’s values and leadership behaviours across the organisation. Lead change management initiatives related to scaling, digital transformation, and regulatory evolution. Talent & Leadership Oversee talent acquisition , employer branding, and workforce planning in a competitive fintech labour market. Design and implement leadership development, succession planning, and critical skills pipelines. Drive performance management frameworks that support accountability, growth, and reward for performance. Support executive and senior leadership development, coaching, and capability uplift. Reward, Performance & Employee Experience Lead remuneration, incentive, and benefits strategies aligned to market benchmarks and regulatory requirements. Ensure fair pay practices and oversight of pay equity reporting readiness where applicable. Oversee employee engagement, wellbeing, and inclusion initiatives, using data and insights (e.g. eNPS) to drive improvement. Governance, Risk & Compliance Ensure full compliance with South African labour legislation (LRA, BCEA, EE Act, Skills Development Act). Oversee Employment Equity, Skills Development, and BBBEE people-related elements. Partner with Risk and Compliance teams to ensure HR policies support regulatory obligations relevant to financial services and fintech environments. Manage industrial relations, disciplinary processes, and dispute resolution where required. HR Operations & Systems Lead HR operations including payroll oversight, HR systems, policies, and reporting. Drive digitalisation and optimisation of HR processes and data analytics. Build a scalable HR operating model suitable for a high-growth fintech environment. Team Leadership Lead, develop, and mentor a high-performing HR team. Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and service excellence within the HR function. Key Stakeholders South Africa Senior Leadership Team Risk, Compliance, and Finance functions External partners (recruitment firms, legal advisors, learning providers) Experience & Qualifications Essential 10+ years’ progressive HR leadership experience, with at least 5 years at senior management or Head of HR level. Experience within financial services, fintech, wealth management, banking, technology or regulated environments high desired but not essential. Proven experience leading HR strategy in medium to large organisations (500+ employees). Strong working knowledge of South African labour legislation and employment practices. Demonstrated experience in organisational change, leadership development, and scaling businesses. Preferred Postgraduate qualification in Human Resources, Industrial Psychology, Business, or Law. Professional registration (e.g. SABPP) advantageous. Experience working with Boards and Remuneration Committees. Key Competencies Strategic thinking and commercial acumen Executive presence and influencing skills Strong governance and risk mindset Data-driven decision-making Change leadership and resilience High integrity and discretion Success Measures Delivery of people strategy aligned to business growth and regulatory requirements Leadership capability and succession readiness Employee engagement and retention outcomes Strong governance, compliance, and risk outcomes A scalable, high-performing HR function About FNZ FNZ is committed to opening up wealth so that everyone, everywhere can invest in their future on their terms. We know the foundation to do that already exists in the wealth management industry, but complexity holds firms back. We created wealth’s growth platform to help. We provide a global, end-to-end wealth management platform that integrates modern technology with business and investment operations. All in a regulated financial institution. We partner with the world’s leading financial institutions, with over US$2.4 trillion in assets on platform (AoP). Together with our clients, we empower nearly 30 million people across all wealth segments to invest in their future.