Senior Personnel Practitioner (People Management) (Permanent position)

This permanent Senior Personnel Practitioner post is located within the Office of the Chief Directorate: Metro Health Services, part of the Western Cape Department of Health. The role is centred on people management and provides crucial human resource support to health facilities across the Chief Directorate. As a senior practitioner, you will act as a resource for line managers and staff, ensuring that HR processes, conditions of service, and legislative requirements are correctly applied. The position also involves a relief function, stepping in when People Management staff at health facilities are absent, so the ability to adapt quickly and work across different sites is essential.

To be considered, you need an appropriate three-year National Diploma or Degree, together with relevant experience in personnel and benefit administration within the Public Service. Supervisory experience is also required, as is a working knowledge of the PERSAL system, which is used for personnel and salary administration. Practical competencies include computer literacy in MS Office and the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines. In addition, the post has inherent requirements: a valid driver's licence and a willingness to travel to institutions within the Chief Directorate, as the role involves on-site support and training.

The main duties cover a broad spectrum of people management responsibilities. You will perform relief duties at health facilities in the absence of People Management staff, assist with identified people management processes, and help ensure that findings from Auditor-General reports and People Strategy Advisory Compliance reports are rectified. You will also provide guidance and advice to line managers on HR legislation, policies, practices, and conditions of service. A key part of the job is the client services function, such as running a helpdesk dealing with conditions of service queries. Training is another major focus: you will identify training needs, implement training programmes for staff, and conduct or facilitate sessions. This includes providing formal functional training on the correct application of human resource legislation, policies, practices, and conditions of service.

The post is graded as a permanent position and offers the standard public service remuneration package, including a 13th cheque, employer contributions to a pension fund, and allowances for housing and medical aid. The role is based at the Chief Directorate office, but the travel requirement means you will regularly visit health facilities. This is an opportunity for an experienced HR professional to make a meaningful contribution to public health service delivery by strengthening people management practices and ensuring compliance across the Metro Health Services area.