Head of People

Full description

A Farm Shaped Over Time Set in the heart of the Cape Winelands, Boschendal is a living farm where hospitality, retail, food, wine and land come together. Every detail matters: what we grow, make, sell and share with our guests. Our Purpose: Regenerating our Future through People & Soil. Regeneration begins with the land and is carried forward by our people. HEAD OF PEOPLE Boschendal is looking for a commercially minded, hands-on Head of People to build a high-performing People function and lead the people side of our journey to a resilient, self-sustaining business. This is an opportunity to make a lasting impact on our people, the guest experience and the long-term sustainability of an extraordinary working farm. Reporting to the CEO and sitting on the executive SteerCo, the Head of People leads the Group People shared service for Boschendal’s hospitality, food and beverage, accommodation, retail, farming, food production, estate operations and support functions, with strategic People governance oversight of Dorp Hotel and Farmhouse 58. People does not carry the business’s accountability. It builds the conditions, capability and systems for leaders and teams to own it. ROLE AT A GLANCE Location: Boschendal Estate, Groot Drakenstein, Western Cape (on site) Reports to: Chief Executive Officer Scope: Multi-disciplinary workforce across Hospitality, Retail, Farming, Food Production, Estate Management and central support functions; permanent, fixed-term, seasonal and outsourced teams, with Group oversight of Dorp Hotel and Farmhouse 58 Team: People team of approximately 7 spanning People Relations, People Systems & Operations (including payroll), and People Experience partners supporting Hospitality, Estate Management and Farming; leadership oversight of the Workers Forum and Boschendal School KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Business Strategy, Cost & Organisation Design Translate business strategy into measurable people priorities: leadership strength, productivity, capability, employee experience, workforce effectiveness and sustainable labour costs. Lead organisation design and change as the Group evolves its structure across entities, including new teams as the Boschendal Village development grows. Run People as a Group shared service with clear service levels and transparent cost allocation across entities. Own labour cost and workforce reporting with Finance; use people data to surface risk early and sharpen decisions. Optimise the commercial value of workforce development through SETA funding, applicable incentives and B-BBEE skills development. Leadership, Performance & Accountability Equip leaders to coach teams, give constructive feedback, build trust, develop talent and take ownership of performance and employee experience. Embed PACE, leadership development, succession planning and fair, consistent performance management, with early action on underperformance. Make ownership clear: People builds capability and support; accountability stays with line leadership. Training, Learning & Capability Building Own a business-led training and skills development plan that closes critical operational, technical, service and leadership gaps across the estate. Build confident frontline leaders and supervisors through practical coaching, leadership development and consistent management essentials. Partner with business heads to embed service standards, guest-experience learning, induction and role-based skills through everyday practice. Measure training impact through improved capability, productivity, internal progression and performance - not attendance alone. People Operations Lead a responsive, accurate and efficient People team with clear standards and service levels. Own payroll accuracy and governance, HR systems, recruitment, workforce planning, rostering interfaces, contracts and employee data. Simplify and digitise processes, strengthen controls and improve data quality. Partner with operational leaders to improve attendance, labour productivity and seasonal workforce deployment. Labour Relations, Compliance & Risk Lead employee and industrial relations, including fair and timely case management and CCMA matters. Provide executive leadership of the Workers Forum: governance, consultation and constructive relationships. Provide leadership and governance oversight of Boschendal School, supporting its educational purpose, sustainability and connection to the broader community. Ensure full compliance with South African labour legislation, including the LRA, BCEA, Employment Equity Act, Sectoral Determination 13 (Farm Workers) and ESTA as it applies to on‑farm housing. Own workforce documentation and Immigration Act compliance across all sites, including Dorp Hotel and Farmhouse 58. Set standards for contracted and outsourced labour, including TES and service providers, and manage the associated risk. Lead fair, lawful restructuring and consultation processes where required, working with external counsel. Culture & People Brand Be the visible anchor of Boschendal’s values and culture, translating regeneration into everyday leadership behaviours and teamwork. Build pride, trust and belonging across the employee experience, from attraction and onboarding to recognition and retention. Strengthen Boschendal’s reputation as a purposeful, caring and high‑performing place to work. Group Stewardship Provide proportionate People governance, standards and executive leadership support to Dorp Hotel and Farmhouse 58, respecting their operating requirements and local leadership accountability. WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN THE FIRST 12 MONTHS Labour cost as a percentage of revenue tracking to budget, with measurable productivity gains in priority units. Payroll accuracy of 99% or better, with no material compliance findings. Full workforce documentation compliance across every site. PACE embedded as a useful leadership practice, with stronger feedback, performance ownership and succession cover for priority roles. Absenteeism and time to hire reduced against agreed baselines. A Workers Forum that functions on trust, with disputes resolved early. Visible improvement in leadership capability, culture, engagement and the People brand across Boschendal. A practical learning and capability plan delivered, with participation, on-the-job application and available funding tracked. CORE COMPETENCIES Strategic & Commercial Commercially astute; connects labour cost, productivity and people decisions directly to business performance. Converts strategy into executable priorities, measurable outcomes and disciplined delivery. Operational & Technical Deep South African labour law and IR expertise, including agricultural labour (SD13, ESTA), employment equity and immigration compliance. Practical fluency in payroll governance, HR systems and people data. Track record of improving processes, controls and service quality in complex organisations. Leadership & Behavioural Warm, principled, resilient and courageous; builds trust while holding leaders accountable. Credible with the Board and executive team, and equally at ease on the farm and the hotel floor. Hands‑on, decisive and comfortable leading change through ambiguity. EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS Essential 10+ years in HR, with at least 5 in a senior People leadership role in a complex, operational, multi‑site business. Hands‑on IR delivery, including workplace forum or union engagement, CCMA matters and restructuring processes. Proven record in labour cost management and organisation design tied to commercial outcomes. Proven delivery in HR operational excellence, together with practical training, skills development and leadership capability building. Advantageous Agriculture, hospitality or retail experience with a seasonal workforce. Experience in a multi‑entity or shared services environment. Qualifications Relevant tertiary qualification in Human Resources, Industrial Psychology, Business or a related discipline; postgraduate study advantageous. Demonstrable leadership impact and operational delivery are essential.