Head of People | PKF

The Head of People is responsible for leading the full people function within the firm — driving culture, strategy, compliance, and operational excellence across the employee lifecycle. This role blends leadership, structure, and empathy to ensure that PKF Cape Town remains an employer of choice, where people thrive and business objectives are met.

The ideal candidate is both a strategic partner to the partners and a trusted leader to the HR, Recruitment, and Payroll teams — ensuring alignment between the firm’s growth ambitions, its people strategy, and its value-driven culture.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources management, Industrial Psychology, or related field.

• Postgraduate qualification in similar field would be advantageous.

• Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive HR experience, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role, of which a minimum of 2 years must have been as a Head of People or in a similar strategic HR leadership position.

• Proven experience within a professional services or audit/accounting environment preferred.

• Demonstrated success in leading HR teams, implementing culture initiatives, and managing compliance.

• Experience overseeing payroll and HR systems.

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES:

• Strategic thinker with strong operational execution.

• Emotionally intelligent and trusted relationship builder.

• Deep understanding of South African labour legislation and professional services environments.

• Strong leadership and mentoring skills.

• Skilled in workforce planning, organisational design, and change management.

• Data-driven decision-maker with sound business acumen.

• High integrity, confidentiality, and ethical judgment.

• People-first mindset with a balance of empathy and accountability.

• Proactive, adaptable, and calm under pressure.

• Strong communication and influencing skills.

• Collaborative leader who inspires trust and credibility at all levels.

• A genuine ambassador for the firm’s culture and values.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES, but will not be limited to:

Strategic People Leadership

• Develop, implement, and continuously evolve a People Strategy aligned to the firm’s growth, culture, and business objectives.

• Partner with the leadership team to shape organisational design, structure, and workforce planning in line with business needs.

• Drive the development and implementation of initiatives that enhance engagement, retention, and leadership capability across the firm.

• Provide strategic input on change management, transformation, and culture-building initiatives.

• Represent the People function at partner and leadership forums.

• Promote the firm’s values through all people practices, communication, and leadership activities

• Continuously streamline operations to enhance efficiency, consistency, and integration.

Culture and Employee Experience

• Act as the custodian of the firm’s culture and values (EPIC – Excellence, People, Integrity, Connect), ensuring they are reflected in all people practices.

• Create meaningful employee experiences that encourage inclusion, psychological safety, and belonging.

• Lead employee engagement initiatives including surveys, feedback loops, and cultural programmes.

• Partner with partners and managers to nurture strong team dynamics, trust, and accountability.

• Oversee internal communication and recognition programmes that reinforce connection and purpose.

• Encourage a culture of inclusion, engagement, learning, and continuous improvement at all levels.

Talent Management & Workforce Planning

• Lead annual and long-term workforce planning to align people resources with audit cycles, client demands, and business growth.

• Drive the attraction, development, and retention of high-performing professionals and trainees.

• Oversee recruitment strategies — from graduate intakes to senior hires — ensuring consistency, fairness, and brand alignment.

• Implement succession planning, career development frameworks, and performance management systems that support growth and continuity.

• Partner with technical leaders to identify and develop future leaders within the firm.

• Position the firm as an employer of choice by designing and executing a values-based recruitment approach.

• Ensure alignment between organisational…