Head of People & Culture

The Head of People & Culture is responsible for both the operational and strategic dimensions of HR across Novaterra and any other company as directed, including Sugarworld (L’Aventure du Sucre), Terra Finance, Terra Corporate, Cana (Sports & Social Club), Themis International Secondary School; overseeing day-to-day HR operations while acting as a key strategic partner in shaping and implementing HR strategies aligned with each business's objectives, and balancing employee needs with organisational goals. The incumbent also leads on Group-wide HR projects and initiatives, including the Group Employee Engagement Survey, Group Top Employer Certification, Group remuneration direction, Group career & succession consolidation, Kids Party, among others.

Key Responsibilities

HR Strategy

• Define and drive HR strategy in partnership with Senior Management; lead implementation of approved action plans
• Compile and report on key business metrics

People & Team Management

• Lead, coach, and develop the HR team, ensuring clear priorities and accountability across allocated entities
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture within the HR function
• Manage workload distribution and capability-building across the team

Recruitment & Selection

• Lead end-to-end recruitment and manpower planning in collaboration with department heads
• Create and refine job profiles; oversee sourcing, screening, and selection
• Oversee onboarding and offboarding
• Design strategies to attract and retain top talent across allocated clusters
• Oversee expatriate recruitment and management, including work permits and related compliance

Employment Relations

• Stay current on labour law developments and proactively advise stakeholders
• Provide guidance to managers on employment-related legal matters
• Liaise with legal teams on employment issues; recommend approaches to mitigate industrial relations risks

Employee Engagement

• Ensure timely communication of policy and structural changes
• Champion Group/cluster values and act as a catalyst for change
• Lead engagement surveys and focus groups
• Support General Managers in the smooth running of their teams

Training, Learning & Performance Management

• Assess training needs and design interventions to close skill gaps
• Develop and monitor training plans and organisational development programs
• Own the performance management process
• Review appraisal processes for consistency and transparency

Career Management & Planning

• Support career planning and succession planning for critical roles
• Act as a sounding board for talent discussions with MDs

Remuneration Strategy & Policies

• Lead benchmarking studies and propose remuneration strategies
• Ensure compliance with Group benefit schedules
• Oversee pension & medical administration and monthly payroll approval for allocated entities

HR Strategy & Projects

• Lead HR projects from conception to implementation
• Develop and refine HR policies and guidelines
• Align HR strategies with each business's objectives
• Advise on policy interpretation and ensure legal compliance
• Analyse trends and metrics to inform business decisions

Profile

• Minimum 10-15 years of progressive HR experience, ideally in a multi-entity or group structure
• Postgraduate qualification in HR or a related field; Chartered HR status (e.g., CIPD) an advantage
• Strong knowledge of Mauritian labour law
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build trust across all levels of the organisation
• Digitally savvy, with experience using HRMS platforms and HR dashboards/analytics to inform decision-making
• Forward-looking mindset, with the ability to anticipate business needs and drive change proactively
• A personable and resilient personality, able to balance empathy with firmness
• Fluent in English and French