People Operations Manager

Edelman is a voice synonymous with trust, reimagining a future where the currency of communication is action. Our culture thrives on three promises: boldness is possibility, empathy is progress, and curiosity is momentum. 

At Edelman, we understand diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) transform our colleagues, our company, our clients, and our communities. We are in relentless pursuit of an equitable and inspiring workplace that is respectful of all, reflects and represents the world in which we live, and fosters trust, collaboration and belonging.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced and highly capable People Operations & Experience Manager to support our Africa business. This role will play a critical part in supporting the delivery of People Operations, payroll processing, compliance, and employee experience at a local level, while aligning closely with EMEA and global People Ops frameworks.

This is a hands-on, delivery-focused role ideal for someone looking to broaden their scope and take on increased ownership within People Operations. Acting as a local point of contact for Africa, you will support payroll processing, HR administration, Workday processes, and employee lifecycle activities, while working closely with the local People Partner and the wider EMEA People Ops team to build depth and confidence across these areas.

Key Responsibilities

People Operations & Employee Lifecycle

• Support and manage the end-to-end employee lifecycle, including onboarding, offboarding, contract changes, extensions, and exits
• Prepare and maintain documentation including offer letters, employment contracts, benefits additions, and termination letters
• Coordinate with IT and office management for onboarding logistics
• Maintain accurate digital employee files and HR data
• Support exit interviews and offboarding administration
• Maintain South Africa employment policies, contracts, handbooks, and statutory documentation, with guidance from the People Partner and external advisors
• Partner with Legal, Finance, and external advisors to support ongoing compliance

Payroll Processing & Benefits

• Own end-to-end monthly payroll processing for South Africa
• Act as a key user for the SAGE payroll platform, supporting leave, payroll, and reporting activities
• Validate monthly payroll submissions and support reconciliation with Finance
• Review payroll reports, help resolve discrepancies, and respond to payroll-related queries
• Manage relationships with benefit providers (Medical Aid, Pension, etc.)
• Perform benefit and pension reconciliations as part of monthly payroll processing
• Support statutory submissions and year-end processes
• Administer employee benefits (transport, gym, meal vouchers, etc.)

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with South African Labour Law, BCEA, and local employment legislation
• Lead with Employment Equity (EE) activities and WSP/ATR submissions
• Support Health & Safety Committee activities
• Keep HR policies updated and aligned with regulatory requirements
• Partner with the People Partner and external counsel to identify and mitigate risk

Workday & HR Systems

• Act as the local Workday contact for Africa
• Support data quality, workflows, reporting, and system administration
• Partner with the global Workday team on updates and releases
• Support training, adoption, and day-to-day system queries

Employee Engagement & Culture

• Coordinate employee training plans
• Support staff awards and recognition initiatives
• Act as a first point of contact for employee queries
• Support transparency, engagement, and culture-building initiatives

Requirements

• 5-8 years HR or People Operations experience, ideally in a generalist or operations-focused role
• Strong knowledge of South African labour laws and HR compliance
• Experience using Workday or a comparable HRIS, acting as a local system lead or primary point of contact.
• Payroll systems experience (SAGE preferred)
• Strong communication and organisational skills
• Proficiency in MS Office and digital collaboration tools

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t perfectly align with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.