Managing Executive: Human Capital Strategy & Employee Experience at Absa Bank Limited

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary

The role serves as a strategic advisor and an execution partner, working closely with the GCHCO to develop and implement a comprehensive Human Capital and Employee Experience strategy.

Turning strategy into actionable plans through effective frameworks and measuring impacts. Ensure a cohesive and well sequenced delivery within the HC value chain for business results.

Setting a comprehensive strategic communication and high impact stakeholder management plan including AGL Board, and industry partners.

Job Description

Key Focus Areas:

• Shape and co-create the Group Human Capital and Colleague Experience Strategy aligned to enterprise ambitions.

• Translate strategic priorities into actionable operating plans and measurable outcomes.

• Orchestrate integration and delivery across the HC value chain.

• Equip the GCHCO for high-impact board, executive, and external engagements.

• Embed a compelling, end-to-end Employee Experience across the employee journey including an aligned reward strategy to promote high motivation, increased productivity and overall workforce satisfaction.

• Define and design a comprehensive set of data insights, and dashboards to inform strategic decisions and measurement of colleague experience impact.

• Build strong internal and external HC positioning and thought leadership.

• Direct strategic communication to ensure effective positioning and influencing of enterprise messaging, leadership updates and industry impact.

• Act as a trusted strategic advisor across Group, HC, and business stakeholders.

Operational Effectiveness:

• Ensure the GCHCO is equipped to facilitate high-impact engagement and delivery quality submission to key stakeholders, including Board, Exco, regulatory authorities and industry bodies.

• Design and facilitate the operating rhythm of the HC Exco, including planning cycles and business reviews to advance the delivery of the HC Strategy.

• Oversee integration and coordination across CoEs, Business Partnering, and HC COO (including Services) to deliver the HC Strategy.

• Set the HC Balanced scorecard and track delivery against functional KPIs and key milestones.

• Leading industry insights with a comprehensive Pan Africa data view enabled by integrated reporting dashboards that support GCHCO engagements.

Strategy Formulation and Execution:

• Lead the co-creation of the Human Capital Strategy aligned to Group priorities, long-term ambitions, and transformation outcomes.

• Translate strategic Human Capital priorities into a well-defined annual operating plan (AOP) with clear measures of success.

• Overseeing the integration and sequencing of the Human Capital value chain to ensure seamless and effective execution.

• Stay abreast of emerging industry trends across the HC Value Chain to inform both immediate and long-term objectives.

Client-driven Innovation and Change:

• Develop and implement an integrated Employee Experience strategy with the Business and HC executive team.

• Strengthen the employee value proposition to enable retention and organisational performance.

• Establish structured frameworks and initiatives to continuously improve employee experience.

• Partner with CPOs, CoEs, and business executives to co-create innovative strategies and engagement solutions.

• Advance market competitiveness and long-term workforce sustainability through HC initiatives.

Leadership Impact:

• Partner with the GCHCO and ME: Talent, Development & Performance to position Absa HC as an industry leader.

• Facilitate leadership offsites, effectiveness sessions, and strategic HC engagements.

• Enable leadership capability through aligned HC planning and execution rhythms.

Stakeholder Management:

• Direct Strategic Communication to both internal and external stakeholder groups to ensure high impact in line with the HC Strategy.

• Provide actionable insights to support decision-making by the Board, Group Exco, HC Exco, and business leaders.

• Engage AGL Exco, Board committees, industry stakeholders and partners to strengthen HC internal and external presence and thought leadership.

Qualification, Experience & Competencies:

• Post Graduate Degree: Honours Degree, Post Graduate Diploma and Professional Qualifications.

• 15+ years of experience in Financial Services, including at least 7 years in executive roles across strategy and/or transformation in large, complex enterprises related to HC Strategy and Employee Experience solution designs.

• Strategic thinking: Ability to design strategies aligned with commercial and people priorities.

• Strategy: Expert in Human Capital Strategy formulation and deep insights into HC specialists areas.

• Commercial Flair: Strong understanding of business drivers and the financial impact of employee experience decision.

• Influence & Collaboration: Skilled at building consensus and driving change across diverse stakeholder groups, including Board-level and Group CEO engagement.

• Analytical Excellence: Proficient in data analysis, financial modelling, market benchmarking, and employee engagement metrics.

• Adaptability: Comfortable navigating complex, fast-changing environment across African markets.

• Innovation: Creative in designing forward-thinking people solutions that attract, motivate, engage, and retain talent.

Education

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised