HR Lead needed at Cambridge University Press South Africa

About the role  

• The role will independently support leaders and managers in the Region’s product groups to deliver effective leadership and practices.

The key areas of focus for this role include:

• Operational Support: Provide daily HR support to managers and employees, ensuring effective delivery of employee lifecycle activities including workforce planning and talent management.
• Strategy Implementation: Align local people practices with the Global People & Culture strategy, supporting the development and execution of strategic plans with people impacts. 
• Data Analysis: Analyse data to identify trends, inform decision-making, and drive change. 
• Employee Relations: Assist managers with employee relations issues, ensuring fair application of People policies. Guide managers to foster a positive work environment. 
• Coaching & Development: Coach managers in employment practices, support with learning and development needs, and with initiatives to grow manager self-sufficiency 
• Change Management: Support change and transformation activities, leading local HR aspects of organisational change and assisting employees through transitions.
• Compliance: Ensure HR practices comply with local employment laws and regulations. Identify and mitigate risks, and address health and safety concerns.
• Country/Region-Specific Duties: Oversee B-BBEE activities in South Africa that relate to employment activities and collaborate with finance teams on budgeting, payroll, and benefits. Develop and communicate local HR policies, ensuring alignment with legislation and global principles.

About You  

• A strategic business partner, ensuring that people initiatives and practices help to drive the overall success of the organisation within the SSA region.

Essential Knowledge:

• Keeping up-to-date with employment law and practice, able to translate this into effective policies and their application in the workplace. This understanding is complemented by familiarity with people and partnering systems, processes, and practices within a typical People function, and how these interrelate.
• Additionally, understanding the ethics and practical application of Equality, Diversity, Inclusivity, and Belonging in the workplace will be important for this role.

Essential skills & experience:

• Proven experience in a global, matrixed, commercial environment is essential for this role. The candidate must have a strong understanding of strategic context and how to translate it into operational actions. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are required, as is the ability to challenge, negotiate, and influence at a senior level. The candidate should be proficient in data analysis and risk assessment, and skilled in managing complex issues and mentoring others.
• Extensive experience in change management, particularly leading people-focused changes, is crucial. The candidate should also have exceptional stakeholder management skills and familiarity with multiple legislative frameworks. A high level of discretion and diplomacy in handling confidential information and sensitive issues is necessary.

Closing Date:

• 16 January 2026