Retail Talent Lead

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:
Job Purpose To lead the retail talent strategy by ensuring the business has a sustainable pipeline of high-performing talent through strategic workforce planning, innovative sourcing methodologies, employer branding, external talent partnerships, succession planning, and internal talent mobility. The role enables business growth by strengthening talent availability, reducing critical vacancies, and building leadership bench strength across the retail network.   Key Accountabilities Workforce Planning & Talent Strategy Develop and execute the retail workforce planning strategy aligned to business growth. Translate commercial growth plans into talent demand forecasts. Identify future capability requirements and talent risks. Build proactive talent plans for new store openings and business expansion. Monitor workforce trends, labour availability and competitor activity. Talent Acquisition Strategy Design and implement innovative sourcing methodologies. Develop diverse talent pipelines across all retail roles. Optimise recruitment channels to improve quality of hire. Drive recruitment efficiency, speed and candidate experience. Leverage talent intelligence to inform sourcing decisions.   Employer Brand Develop and execute the employer brand strategy across internal and external platforms by: Positioning the organisation as an employer of choice. Driving employee advocacy. Enhancing candidate experience. Developing recruitment marketing campaigns. Managing employer branding across digital platforms. Measuring employer brand effectiveness. External Talent Partnerships Develop strategic partnerships with: Universities, TVET Colleges, SETA's, Recruitment partners, Community organisations, Industry bodies, Graduate programmes, Learnership providers to create sustainable talent pipelines.   Internal Talent & Succession Lead the retail succession strategy through: Critical role succession planning Talent reviews Talent calibration Bench strength planning Internal mobility Career pathways Readiness assessments Identification of high-potential talent Leadership Bench Development Partner with Learning & Development and Operations to: Build leadership pipelines. Develop future Store Managers. Strengthen Area Coach and Regional Manager succession. Monitor leadership readiness. Improve internal promotion rates. Talent Intelligence & Reporting Develop meaningful talent insights by monitoring: Vacancy trends Time to fill Quality of hire Internal promotion rate Succession coverage Bench strength Candidate experience Source effectiveness Turnover trends Workforce risks Translate data into actionable business recommendations. Governance & Operational Excellence Ensure recruitment governance and compliance. Standardise talent practices. Improve recruitment processes. Manage recruitment technology and systems. Ensure legislative compliance. Drive continuous improvement. Decision Making The role is accountable for decisions relating to: Talent sourcing strategy Workforce planning recommendations Recruitment methodologies External partnerships Employer branding initiatives Succession pipeline recommendations Talent risk mitigation Recruitment governance   Stakeholder Management Internal Executive Leadership HR Executive Operations Executive Regional Managers Area Coaches Store Managers Learning & Development HR Business Partners Reward Marketing External Recruitment agencies Universities TVET Colleges SETAs Community organisations Industry partners Employer branding agencies Digital recruitment platforms Key Performance Indicators Time to Fill Quality of Hire Cost per Hire Internal Promotion Rate Succession Coverage Leadership Bench Strength Critical Vacancy Fill Rate Candidate Experience (NPS) Hiring Manager Satisfaction Employer Brand Reach Pipeline Readiness Diversity Targets Offer Acceptance Rate Early Attrition Recruitment SLA Achievement Required Knowledge Strategic Workforce Planning Talent Acquisition Employer Branding Succession Planning Talent Management Retail Operations Labour Legislation HR Analytics Recruitment Marketing Assessment Methodologies Talent Intelligence Change Management Experience 7–10 years’ progressive HR or Talent Acquisition experience, with significant exposure to multi-site retail or hospitality environments. Proven experience developing and executing workforce planning strategies. Demonstrated success leading employer branding initiatives and recruitment marketing. Experience designing succession planning frameworks and building leadership pipelines. Strong track record of establishing strategic external partnerships and talent sourcing networks. Experience influencing senior leaders through data-driven talent insights. Competencies Strategic Leadership Strategic thinking Commercial acumen Systems thinking Business partnering Talent Excellence Workforce planning Talent assessment Succession management Talent analytics Recruitment strategy Leadership Influencing Stakeholder management Executive communication Coaching Collaboration Execution Planning and organising Project management Innovation Continuous improvement Results orientation Behavioural Customer focus Accountability Courageous conversations Adaptability Learning agility Integrity