Employee Relations Manager

About the job Employee Relations Manager

DATE OF DISTRIBUTION: 24.02.2026

CLOSING DATE: 03.03.2026

DEPARTMENT: SERVICES - ER

PURPOSE OF THE JOB: To provide an advisory, monitoring and support function in terms of Employee Relations. The role is central to ensuring sound employee relations, engaging relations with stakeholders, especially organized labour, and to facilitate good working relationships between line managers and employees. In addition, the role requires the development and implementation of sound Employee Relations and governance, ensuring adherence to labour legislation, company policies, procedures, agreements, values and organisational objectives.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

• Degree in Human Resources Management with specialisation in Industrial Relations or Labour Law Degree is essential.
• Honours Degree in Labour Law is desirable.
• At least 5 years experience of which 2 – 3 years on management level in a unionized environment is essential.
• Extensive experience in managing employee relations, union negotiations, consultations, and dispute resolution is essential.
• Experience in dealing with employee problems, handling of grievances and disciplinary cases as well as representing the company at the CCMA is essential.

COMPETENCIES:

• Advanced knowledge of labour dispute resolution process
• Knowledge and understanding of company policies, procedures, agreements, and values.
• Demonstrate an understanding of labour legislation.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS:

• The incumbent will be responsible for delivering a strategic employee relations (ER) service to the business by implementing best practice employee relations initiatives.
• Conduct labour law research to proactively identify labour case trends and compare to the policies to remedy deficiencies and risks.
• Develop and implement ER Strategy.
• Developing partnerships with all key stakeholders and creating a positive climate through the design and implementation of ER policies, procedures and practices.
• Identify and interpret related legislation and its impact on Employee Relations and ensure compliance.
• Develop and ensure roll out of employee relations specific policies, procedures, codes of practices.
• Establish a track record of consistency and fairness in processes used to handle ER matters such as union negotiations, discipline and adjudication, CCMA cases, labour disputes, strike management.
• Build and maintain healthy and transparent relationship and partnerships with stakeholders.
• Monitor and advise stakeholders on substantive conditions of employment and related rights and obligations in the organisation.
• Consulting and advising Line Managers, union leadership and employees on relevant agreements, policies, procedures, legislative requirements, Impala shared values and ensure compliance thereto.
• Proactively identifying possible risks and threats to the business to advise and recommend appropriate measures for litigation.
• Advise stakeholders on complex disciplinary matters and subsequent litigation and ensuring consistent application of disciplinary and grievance code.
• Ensuring that the company is defended during CCMA conciliation, arbitration and other CCMA related matters.
• Constantly conduct gap analysis with regards to union leaderships developmental needs and recommend appropriate training interventions and workshops to suite their development needs in terms of their Individual Development Plans.
• Empower managers and business partners on unfair labour practices, unfair dismissals, dispute resolution processes and other Employee Relations matters through the relevant training interventions.
• Ensuring that newly elected union leadership and other stakeholders are trained on disciplinary procedure and processes.
• Ensure that the ER solutions provided fall within legislative framework and are best practices that enable the creation and sustaining of a highly motivating and harmonious working environment.
• Identifying and advising management on employment relations related issues that might result in work stoppages.
• Ensuring that ER reports are generated and submitted to management.

Our people set us apart and make us a winning team – we are excited to have someone new join our ranks.

IMPORTANT:
Short listed candidates may be subjected to a psychometric assessment. Preference will be given to candidates from the designated groups in line with the provisions of the Employment Equity Act, the Companys Recruitment Policy, and Employment Equity Plan.

Should you not hear from the human resources department within 30 days after the closing date of applications, please consider your application as unsuccessful.

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The processing of your personal information and sharing it with third parties for verifications. The exercising of your rights provided for by POPIA. To acknowledge that Impala will keep the record of your personal information confidential.