Dis-Chem Pharmacies’ in Midrand has an opportunity available for a Head of People & Culture (Retails Segment) to join the Head Office team. The purpose of the role is to Design and lead integration and deliver tactical objectives of P&C across Dis-Chem’s national retail footprint, including Pharmacies, Frontshop, Clinics & Categories. This role leads a team of in-field professionals and ensures consistent employee experience, regulatory compliance, operational capability, and workforce readiness to meet Dis-Chem’s retail growth strategy. This role is pivotal in aligning people’s priorities of strategic partnering, talent excellence and operational agility with retail and healthcare outcomes while embedding culture and transformation agenda.

Minimum Requirements…

Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or Industrial/Organisational Psychology
• Minimum 8+ years in Human Resources, with at least 5 years in a senior HR operation or HRBP leadership role, preferably in retail or healthcare
• Demonstrated success in managing large-scale, distributed workforces across high-volume retail environments
• In-depth understanding of South African Labour Legislation and Sectoral Regulations governing pharmacies and clinics (SAPC, NDoH, HPCSA compliance)
• Strong exposure to transformation, skills development, and equity legislation (EE, BBBEE, SD)

Key Responsibilities...

1. Retail P&C Service Delivery & Management:

• Lead, develop, and manage a national team of professionals who support various retail management segments across Dis-Chem stores.
• Partner with the Retail Executive team to build alignment with divisional operational teams and support structures to deliver responsive, value-added solutions.
• Lead P&C operational readiness for new store openings, acquisitions, and clinic integrations through talent acquisition, learning, and culture and change management processes.

2. Strategic Retail Resourcing & Workforce Planning:

• Design a Retail Workforce Plan and partner with the Talent Acquisition team to execute and ensure an adequate pipeline of employees to meet current and future needs.
• Implement targeted sourcing, onboarding, and retention initiatives aligned with Dis-Chem’s property expansion model.

3. Employee Relations & Labour Compliance:

• Ensure P&C policies and processes across retail operations are consistently implemented, compliant with internal governance and external regulatory requirements (e.g., BCEA, LRA, POPIA), and support operational excellence.
• Partner with the ER department to develop proactive engagement strategies to improve workplace stability, reduce risk exposure, and reinforce a culture of accountability and fairness.

4. Performance Management & Capability Building:

• Embed a performance culture by ensuring full execution of Dis-Chem’s performance management framework across retail.

5. Learning & Development Integration:

• Collaborate with Retail Executives to proactively identify future leadership and management pipeline requirements, with a focused emphasis on developing feeder roles.
• Collaborate with Learning & Development to drive pharmacy, frontshop, and clinic-specific training interventions, including dispensary compliance, frontshop customer service, and clinic protocols.
• Drive measurable impact and return on investment from transformation and skills interventions through L&D, while embedding a culture of continuous learning and capability uplift across employees.

6. Champion Culture and Transformation:

• Championing the delivery of Dis-Chem’s Formula for Success across retail, reinforcing behaviours aligned to purposeful employer branding, performance, service, safety, and inclusion.
• Collaborate with TA, Culture, Employer Branding and Communications teams to craft brand messaging in retail.

7. Strategic Business Partnership:

• Act as a trusted advisor to Retail Executives and operational management teams.
• Leverage data analytics to support retail resourcing requirements, cost optimization, and retention initiatives.

8. P&C Operational Excellence:

• Drive consistency in P&C processes and service delivery across 300+ stores, clinics, and pharmacy locations.
• Ensure efficient onboarding of all new hires, reinforcing the “Dis-Chem Way” through branded, role-specific, and culture-aligned induction programs.

9. People Leadership:

• Establish a high-performing, collaborative, and accountable culture within the P&C retail team that reflects the organisation’s values and drives business impact.
• Provide clear leadership and direction to the P&C team in delivering people priorities that enable retail operations and business performance.

Competencies...

Essential:

• Commercial Acumen
• Execution Orientation
• Strategic Influence
• P&C Technical Mastery
• Resilience & Agility
• People Leadership

Special Conditions of Employment...

• South African citizen
• MIE, clear criminal and credit
• Driver’s license and/or own reliable transport

 
Remuneration and Benefits...

• Marketed related salary
• Medical aid
• Provident fund
• Staff account

ONLY SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED. IF YOU HAVEN`T BEEN CONTACTED WITHIN TWO WEEKS AFTER THE CLOSING DATE CONSIDER YOUR APPLICATION AS UNSUCCESSFUL.

 
Dis-Chem Pharmacies is an equal opportunity employer. Dis-Chem’s approved Employment Equity Plan and targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process aligned to Dis-Chem’s Employment Equity & Transformation Strategy. Dis-Chem actively supports the recruitment of People with Disabilities.